RP XCOM: The Story of Defiance.

[Dahlexpert]

New arrivals to X-COM

Ashley is sitting near the hanger bay. Were the hell are they,it doesn't take long to find two people in a village. Then again my people aren't particularity nice to outsiders, sigh they might have killed them which means my family may not come here.

A trans port air craft lands in the hanger bay. when the air crafts door open Ashley sees her family. Ashley's daughter runs to her and hugs her leg.

Mommy we thought that the aliens got you, and..... and.....and

Ashley picks up her kid and holds her tightly. Shhh Shhh it's OK little one i'm not dying any time soon, now were is your other mom.

Ashley's wife get's off the plain. Well now if it isn't my dear husband and of course you found a way to protect us like you always do.

Yea well you and I will not stay for free of course.

Of course it's not, so what did you promise to them.

Well I said that you and I would volunteer at the med bay, and that I will become a solder.

WHAT you said that you would never pick up a gun again, you said once we have our child you would never kill again. Your the next leader of your family and because of that you said you keep you nature in check and not become that Assassin ever again.

I KNOW WHAT I SAID, I know what I said, but if I don't fight these things then you me our daughter and every one in the village will be killed. I under stand you don't want me to kill again but I have to.

Sigh your right I get it, besides the world is more important then my personal felling. But i'f your going back to being a killer make sure you show those aliens not one bit of mercy you understand.

Ashley get's a big smile on her face. don't you worry I will be sure to take down ever alien I see, now come on we have to get unpacked.

Hay mom is this our new home?

Yes Cass this is our new home. for now any way until the war is over, now come on let's go to our room and get to work.

 

[DarkGemini24601]

Dahlexpert and DarkGemini24601: “Trouble on the Horizon”
XCOM Headquarters, Somewhere in Siberia
Main Mess Hall, 1200 Hours, Local Time

Atka sat down at one of the tables, having snuck some food from the bar in. She took a bite out of her hamburger, but she was too distracted to appreciate its taste. She was proud of those she had taken on Operation Lazy Shield, especially Ayame. I should be happy we have an Outsider shard...but that’s only one step towards finding Nouja and mother, Atka lamented. And all the while...more of the abductees are dying...or worse…

Eva was walking around the cafeteria and sat next to Atka. Damn the aliens seem to be getting more aggressive and now they have robot versions of those gray bastards, they seem to be getting more advanced every day. Eva got a smile on her face. Well, no one ever said this would be easy. Eva turned her head and saw Atka. “Hey your that Atka person right?”

Atka looked at the infantry and nodded. “I am. Who are you?”

“Right we never met, the name’s Eva. I’m the one that captured the Thin Man a few missions back, and the one that fought Desmond to a standstill. I heard about you through rumours only and its great to meet you.”

Atka smiled gently. “Well, I am glad to meet you as well, Eva. The Thin Man you captured has been very helpful. He still needs a name, though…” she mused.

“Wait that thing is still alive? I thought we killed that thing like the others.”

Atka nodded carefully. “I was the one to interrogate him...and I suggested that because he was so cooperative and could help us in the future as well, that we spare his life.” I’m going to get the same response that I got from Albert, aren’t I? the scout thought with frustration.

Eva sighed. “You know what, this is why I will never be a leader. I could never make that decision. I would rather kill those things and get it over with rather than keep them here, but I’m guessing that he is guarded 24/7 so it’s not my place to judge.”

The Inuit woman seemed relieved. “Glad to hear that...I haven’t had the best responses from people about that decision lately.”

“Like I said I’m just a solder, a weapon, tell me who to kill and I’ll do it. I learned that in the military. Rule number in the swiss army: don’t get wrapped up in politics or any high command bs and from the sounds of it that rule is doubled here. “

Atka shook her head. “There’s nothing wrong with thinking for yourself. Besides, even though I can’t really change the Council’s mind on things, it doesn’t hurt to be vigilant. Otherwise we’ll end up with cybernetic augmentations and genetic modification being mandatory, and that is not an XCOM I would want to be part of.”

“Well to each their own, and you’re talking to the first gen modded solder, and I have to admit the ability feel pretty good. Then again I was already worked on before I came to X-COM so I’ve always been a super soldier.”

“And the gene mods do have their benefits. I just dislike the idea of people being forced to become...less human, I guess. And its no mystery why making the chopping off of all four healthy limbs mandatory would be an awful thing,” Atka stated.

“Look the commander will not force us to get gen modded or cut off our limbs. She is not that kind of person and even if the Council demanded it I doubt that she will actually do it,” Eve countered.

“I’m not worried about the Commander,” Atka said reassuringly. “I mean we’re...friends…”she said, frowning. And yet I haven’t spoken to her after I found out about Nouja...was that selfish of me to say that it was for her sake?

“Yea friends right. Look I like the Commander to but I would not call her my friend, she is my commander and you better not forget that. Even though Morrigan is a nice commander she is still your boss remember that.”

Atka gave Eva an incredulous look. “Don’t think I don’t have my priorities straight. I know how to be loyal and follow orders, though that doesn’t mean we aren’t friends when we’re not on our respective battlefields.”

“Fine whatever you say. ou yeah that reminds me you're the one that got rid of that psychopath Scarlet right?” Eva asked.

“In a manner of speaking…” Atka said slowly. “I suggested to the Commander she be discharged after her insubordinate behavior on the field and previous grievances, but that was ultimately Commander O’Brien’s decision.”

“Well that’s good to hear, Because that psychos cousin is here as a soldier so guess what,” Eva said sarcastically. “You have another van dam to work with HA HA.”

Atka clenched her fist. “What...did you just say?” How...no...why the hell did we recruit someone who could be equally dangerous?!

“Scarlet’s cousin is here as a soldier, but I met her a few hours ago and she seems like a nice person. then again that could be a ploy for her to kill you and the Commander.”

As crazy as it sounds, she might not be entirely wrong. Atka put her hands on her forehead. “Great...something else for me to worry about. That’s just what I needed right now.”

“Well not entirely. Like I said I met her and she seems like a nice person and she is even working in the med bay so there’s that. There is also one more thing I want to ask you,” Eva began.

“What is that?” Atka said. I can’t read her...one moment she seems as suspicious as me and the next she is vouching for this cousin of Scarlet’s…

“You were on that covert operation against EXALT right?”

“I was,” Atka responded. “What about it?”

“Did they seem like humans, were they stronger then a normal man were they smart calculating? Were they more aggressive then the aliens what can you tell me about them.”

“They didn’t say much,” Atka said after thinking. “I don’t think they were too much better than normal humans...though they were creepily willing to do just about anything to fight us. I heard from Desmond that some of their combat engineers were willing to operate like suicide bombs…” Atka shuddered at the thought.

“Really.” So they don’t care for their own lives huh, which means they are not completely human like Elene and her own clones. They’re mindless worms. Good, that will make them easier to kill. “Thank you for that Atka I need to hear that, if i’m going to face EXALT it’s best to know what I’m facing.” Eva walked off, leaving Atka to a whirlwind of thoughts to occupy her mind.

As if I needed more to worry about.

 

[Taxor_the_First]

Taxor_the_First and DarkGemini24601: “Daddy Issues”

Their footsteps echoed along the corridor. Tap, tap, tap. Penny was holding a clipboard, tucked into the inside of her arm, full of empty pages on which to scribe down her notes. Apparently Dr. Vahlen had assigned her a particular alien artifact to examine. Hopefully this wouldn't be more weapon fragments. Please, let it not be weapon fragments.

"Is it a power core?" she asked the man striding next to her.

He shook his head. "Nope. You don't get to play with the big toys yet."

She practically scowled, however it was all in jest. "Alright, I give up. What is it?"

"An anachronism."

"A what?"

"An anachronism. Something that shouldn't be there, like a laser pistol in the middle of ancient Egypt."

"I know what an anachronism is, Charlie. How can you have one on an alien ship?"

"Simple, really. So far, alien armor has been completely practical and almost indistinguishable from the alien itself. But now..." he trailed off as they reached her lab. They opened the door. "... now we've got a sample that contradicts both of those assertions."

No, this was far worse than weapon fragments.

On the table was an ornate looking mask, almost tribal in its decor. By its size, one could say that it was the perfect fit for a human head, and it indeed seemed to tailor to human physiology. There were two holes where the eyes could see through, and a gaping maw for a mouth. The mask seemed purely decorative, if a little intimidating. On the top right of the mask, were one to wear it, was a hole, the edges singed and blackened. The eyes seemed to be staring continuously, a glare and a challenge, almost. Some idiot had left it facing the doorway, too.

Penny dropped her clipboard. "Where did you find this?" she whispered. Before Charlie could respond, she had grasped him by the left shoulder, and forcefully pushed him back into the wall, arm across his throat. "Do you think this is funny? Some kind of joke?" When he began stammering for an answer, she closed the distance between their faces until she was mere centimeters away. "Do you have any idea what that is?"

Without waiting for an answer, she released him and began walking away briskly, lab coat swirling around her legs in a fashion that suggested it was having trouble keeping up. As she disappeared around the corner, Charlie rubbed his throat, wondering what the hell he was going to say to Vahlen about this.

*****

Fire, fire. Discharge. Fire. Fire. Discharge.

Penny muttered obscenities as she fired the laser pistol. Discharge, curse. Fire.

This was supposed to be a calming exercise. It only seemed to be making things worse thus far.

“Why only two?” she muttered. Fire. “Why can I only shoot - goddammit.” Discharge. “Why can’t I squeeze out three?”

A Russian man in a gray coat, wearing a black Ushanka, walked into the shooting range. He noticed the woman testing out a laser pistol. “What brings a scientist down to here?” Modya asked, noting the white labcoat she was wearing. His words were accentuated by his ever-present Russian accent.

Penny stopped, the pistol still hissing slightly from the last venting of heat. Or was that her? She sighed and composed herself. “Stress relief,” she said at last. “Not really working, this damn pistol is just reminding me of my problems.”

“And what might those be, if you do not mind my asking?” Modya said carefully.

Penny laughed bitterly. “Where do I begin? Lack of progress in my fields, seeing everyone else accomplish something while I flounder around with focused light, and a face I never wanted to see again showing up in one of the most unlikely places you could ever think of?” She ran a hand through her hair. “Sorry. It’s been a weird day.”

Modya sighed. “Sounds like it. What is your name, by the way? I am Modya Dragomirov.”

Penny forced a smile. “Penny Anderson. Physicist. Wishes she was a biologist so that she’d feel like she was actually getting something done. Nice to meet you Modya.” Something pinged at the back of her mind. “I feel like I’ve heard your name before…”

“I am a rocketeer...Lance Corporal...uh...close to Jessica Lockheart...any of that helping?” Modya offered.

Penny frowned. “Not really. My roommate has mentioned this Jessica once or twice, so it might be that.” She raised an eyebrow. “How close we talking?”

“Jessie is my girlfriend,” Modya replied. I suppose it is obvious that we are close to anyone that is not new anyway…

This was met with a pout from Penny. “You didn’t even make me work for that information. You’re no fun.” She chuckled. “You are good at calming people though, I will say that. I don’t feel like I want to stamp this pistol into the ground anymore. Some skill for a rocketeer, huh?”

Modya chuckled. “I do not think I have been told that before,” he said. “Though it must take meeting someone very unpleasant and a serious lack of progress to make you want to attempt to destroy that weapon.”

Penny’s smile fell. “You misunderstand,” she said, her tone taking on a strangely mournful note. “He was pretty unpleasant, but… well, he’s dead. That’s almost certain.” She looked away, towards the target at the far end of the range. The scorch marks from her shots had mostly gone wide, although a few had been dead on target. “The face… it was one he’d put on, like a costume I guess.” She shook her head. “And then it shows up in the salvage from an alien vessel. Like one of those sick jokes the universe likes to make.”

“What exactly do you mean?” Modya asked, not quite understanding.

Penny sighed. “My father… it’s a bit complicated. He was not the best example for a child. He’d go out, and… well. Kill people. For money. When he did, he wore a sort of headdress - what my mother called his ‘business face’. He tried to explain it to me when I left. Something about a human face being largely forgotten, but a symbol being remembered.” She exhaled sharply. “Egotistical piece of shit. And then that… thing shows up in possession of the aliens, with a hole burned through it. If that wasn’t evidence of his death enough, I don’t know what is.”

“Why would the aliens specifically hunt down a mercenary?” Modya asked. “That seems strange to me.”

“He probably hunted them down. And he wasn’t a ‘mercenary’, he made sure I knew that distinction. Whatever. He still killed people for money. Same damn thing in my books. He was big on the whole ‘I’m doing good in the world by killing bad people’ thing.” Tears began faintly forming at the edges of her eyes. “He was always away, he got my mother killed, and he stuck me with some random colleague to raise me. Some father.”

“I am... not the best at saying things with deep meaning in English... and I am not really sure what to say other than sorry,” Modya said, trying to at least convey his sympathy in his expression. “I am guessing that is part of the reason why your research is so important to you?”

Penny smiled slightly. “Nail on the head. Trying my best to keep out of all the underworld stuff. I was actually making progress on it before the invasion. But then this happens and I...” She blinked. “I hate being reminded, is all. I’m just walking around, minding my own business, and then suddenly it’s there on the table, staring at me. You combine that with my other frustrations and...” She was silent for a moment, then laughed. “You know what the worst thing is? He used to teach me how to handle a gun as our ‘bonding time’. My first response when I need to vent? Handle a gun. I’ve made better choices.”

“Well, you know how to defend yourself at least,” Modya offered. “Though if your father is dead... you are free from that anyway. If he isn’t by any chance... he should not be able to bother you here. Considering we are 'top secret’ and all.”

Penny shook her head. “I’ve got a very overzealous guardian angel. We’ll see how long that secrecy lasts.” She rubbed the back her neck awkwardly. “Sorry Modya, I kinda needed someone to dump problems on. You got any you need to talk about? It’s only fair.”

Modya shook his head. “Not to make you feel bad...but things are going fairly well for me.” He sighed. “I wish I could say the same for Atka… something is bothering her, but she wouldn’t tell me what it is. She puts on a smile but its not hard to tell its fake. Though... she seems in slightly better spirits after the capture of that Outsider.”

Penny rolled her eyes. “Another one for the biologists.” She frowned. “Or the engineers. Whichever. I’d hope she’d be feeling better, I hear those things are really tough. Bagging one has to feel good.” She narrowed her eyes at Modya, almost as if she didn’t believe him. “Absolutely nothing wrong? Runny nose? Piece of hair that keeps getting in your eyes? Rocket launcher has a thumbprint in the scope that you can’t clean off?”

Modya shook his head. “I am not saying I am without my problems...but they are things that I do not like to think about. And most of it is in the past. I am lucky to have Jessie to make me forget about…” Modya trailed off, realizing how suggestive that sounded. “Uh…”

Penny raised an eyebrow. “See, that’s more like it. I had to work for that juicy little tidbit, didn’t I?” she said with a laugh. “You might be salvageable yet.”

 

[DarkGemini24601]

DarkGemini24601 and ZombieSplitter53: “Inferno”
XCOM Headquarters, Somewhere in Siberia
0900 Hours, Local Time, the Brig

Atka tapped her foot, waiting for the elevator to reach the floor where the brig was. Something about elevators always bothered her, the tedium, perhaps. Thus, she was glad to hear the metallic ‘ting’ as her descent stopped and the doors opened. She walked to the warden’s desk. “I’m here to speak with our unique prisoner,” the scout explained.

The older gentleman looked her over, trying to place her. After a moment, he nods. “Atka, right? Sure, just let me call someone to escort you.” He grabs a small radio, turning away and speaking into it for a moment. When he’s finished, he turns back to Atka and asked, “So, you have a few more questions for it?”

Atka nodded. “In a manner of speaking, yes.”

The warden watched her for a few more seconds, expecting more. When she remained silent, he shrugged, turning back to his paperwork.

A few minutes later, a young blond woman walked into the room, followed closely by a small, flying robot, resembling an alien drone but slightly modified, and with the X-COM symbol on it. Smiling, the woman spoke with a British accent. “Hello Atka. Are you feeling well today?”

The Inuit woman raised an eyebrow. “I am...do I know you?”

The woman’s smile broadened. “I’m sorry. It’s me, Alice. I just got a bit of an upgrade to work with other people. But if you prefered the younger me…”

Atka smiled. “Whatever you prefer, I just didn’t recognize you at first. Is that...an actual robot, or just a hologram?”

Pointing over her shoulder, Alice said, “The drone? It’s what’s projecting me right now. It’s limited in its power, so as I am, I’m no stronger than a normal human, but once we get to the cell, I can link to the shield projector in there. Then I’ll be strong enough to watch your back, in case the alien gets out of hand.”

“Well, it’s nice to see we have them working for us now,” Atka responded. “Though I don’t think our tall friend will be much of a problem.” She started walking to the cell.

Hurrying after her, Alice asked, “Do you have some more things to ask the alien? Is this another interrogation?”

Atka shook her head. “I do have some questions for him, but its not really much of an interrogation.” Does everyone think I’m that ruthless or something? Or maybe it is just hard for them to understand this one isn’t as bad as the others.

Alice nodded, quieting down. As they approached the Thin Man’s cell, Alice’s image blinked for a moment as she switched to the room’s projectors. The drone floated to a nearby table and landed, shutting off.

The Thin Man looked up from a large book as the two approached, what appeared to be a smile on its face. Its skin was slightly pale in some spots, and peeling in some others. It wasn’t wearing its sunglasses, and its eyes looked more reptilian before. “Hello, Atka,” It said, its voice having more emotion than before.

Atka sat down in a chair across from the cell. “Well, I think you’ve proved us wrong. I believe the scientists thought the disguise was permanent. How have you been holding up?”

“I’ve been well. The humans are surprisingly understanding, considering who, and what, I am.” He held up a book, the cover blank except for the word ‘Paradiso’ on the cover. “They even give me the occasional book to pass the time. And you? How have you been?”

Atka’s expression fell. “I...was alright...until I received some news. Apparently my home village was targeting for an abduction...and they didn’t stand a chance. I’m guessing they were taken to the base we’re looking for…”

The Thin Man dipped his head slightly. “I am… sorry to hear that. Did you have family in the village?”

The Inuit woman nodded. “My father managed to escape...but they took my mother and sister. And…” Atka shakily tapped her head. “I keep having...dreams...about them. Dreams that are too realistic for me to discount, especially considering my abilities.”

“Perhaps they are premonitions!” The Thin Man stepped forward. “It is possible your family has the same gift as you. If this is the case, they would be left in tact, and you would still have hope of finding them. Your dreams are likely a link to them. As family, you are close, and would share a bond.”

He’s definitely changed a lot since we last spoke. Is it possible they were using some form of drug to suppress independent thought and emotions to keep their forces in line? “I hope that is the case...though if these premonitions are to be believed, some of them are suffering a fate worse than death...and any that lack psionics are being killed or used like...lab animals.”

The Thin Man stepped back again. Looking away, he said, “I… have a confession to make. Something I kept from you for my own safety.”

“What is that?” Atka asked with a hint of trepidation in her voice.

“I am afraid that there is not as much hope for my people as you seem to think.” Turning back to Atka, the tall alien sighed. “Truth is, I am much younger than I appear. Additionally, my mental conditioning was not completed before I was captured. I did not say anything more about my people, afraid if you knew the truth, you would not wish to spare me as you have. But my people have become quite ruthless. I… fear for anyone who is being held by them, especially the one I think it might be…”

“That only means that your existing people can’t be saved...if we do win this war, hopefully we could at least preserve enough of your species to perhaps see a generation that isn’t conditioned to be killers,” Atka explained. “As for my family...the one I saw in my dreams was talking to someone that seemed to be in charge…” Atka said slowly. “I think...he called himself something like ‘Samuel Wilson.’”

“Samuel…” The Thin Man rubbed his chin. “This name is familiar. If it is who I think it is…” He shook his head. “Then I’m afraid that your people are in trouble. But… perhaps we could use this.”

“I haven’t been able to tell any surroundings...but…” Atka tapped her fingers against the side of her chair. “That might mean it’s underground like our facility. It would make sense...but that doesn’t help us find it. The Outsider shard my team recently recovered should, though.”

“Indeed it will.” The alien smiled. “If it is the base in think it is, it would be one of the largest on the planet.” He knelt down, looking Atka in the eyes. “Listen, Atka. I do not know where it is, but I do know it is somewhere in Asia. I know this does not narrow it down by much, but if you look for the largest energy signature, perhaps somewhere that would normally be hard for your people to get to, you will find it. And as you said, it is likely underground. But if you search for a thermal reading…”

Atka nodded, her determination returning. “That’s a hell of a lot better than searching the entire planet. Somewhere in Asia...likely remote...a large underground complex with a significant thermal reading...that should narrow down the criteria we use in searching with the Outsider shard...however that is done.”

“Your people are resourceful.” The Thin Man stood back up. “I am sure they will figure out how to use it, if they haven’t already.”

Atka glanced at Alice. “This is something we ought to pass onto the Commander though: when we rescue my family and the other abductees...we likely won’t be able to keep the secret of human psionics to ourselves anymore. It might be better to let everyone know that before we raid that base, not during or after.”

Alice nodded. “I have been recording the entire conversation. I will pass on the news to the Commander, and let her know your feelings. I am sure she’ll agree with you.”

The Inuit woman turned back to the Thin Man. “I am grateful for your help, though. With all that you’ve given us, we’re going to be able to find that facility a lot quicker than we would have without. There is something else I wanted to ask you, though…”

“Ask me anything, Atka,” the alien responded.

“Well, it is less of a serious matter than rescuing my family. Have you thought about a name for yourself?” the scout asked curiously.

The Thin Man nodded. “I have. I found that it would be easier for people to talk about me if I had some kind of designation. And I tire of being referred to as the alien.” He lifts the book in his hand, looking it up and down. “I was thinking… Dante.”

 

[Adrammalech]

// REVERSED RECOVERY //
Emily Fischer
XCOM Headquarters – Medical Wing
Siberia, Russian Federation
7:01 PM

Emily and Dallas walked to the medical wing together, hoping to check on Nika and Kris ever since they took them there. Kris was still in the operating room from his wound, but Nika was ready for visitors. As they got to her room, they noticed Ben standing there with some ragged flowers from outside the base in his hand.

“Ben, what are you doing here?” Emily asked.

“I know Nika too, I didn’t want to talk myself out of visiting for days, like I did with you,” Ben said nervously, “sorry about that.”

“I told you it’s fine,” she said with a smile.

“Shall we,” Dallas said, gesturing towards the door.

As they walked in, Nika was lying in bed, drowsily looking at them. She looked a lot less sickly than Emily did, and was covered up by a blanket with a tray of hospital food sitting beside her.

“Hello everyone,” she said serenely.

“Hi Nika,” Emily said quietly, “how are you doing?”

“Alrighty. Doctors said I broke like 20 bones, but they gave me lots of pills,” she grinned at the last part.

“Twenty bones?” Ben said worriedly. “Really? You still look pretty healthy.”

“Well, maybe on the outside,” Nika said, “The shockwaves hurt me pretty bad...luckily, I was asleep for the bad parts. The doctors told me someone else got hurt, too.”

“Yeah, Kris,” Emily replied, “He’s in surgery right now, they said they had to do a reconstruction like mine.”

“Oh…well, maybe I’ll have company soon.”

“You have company now,” Dallas replied with a smile.

“Yes I do,” she said happily. “Thanks for visiting me.”

“No problem. We’ll come whenever we can,” Emily said, “and you should know that everyone was cheering for you when we carried you here. That rocket you shot was legendary.”

“Hehe, it was pretty fun…” she replied, “I’m happy with that choice, at least.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow, ok? Stay strong.”

Nika nodded and waved to the other two, everyone filing out of the small infirmary room. As they got out into the hallways, Sven was standing there, a small bunch of flowers like the one Ben had in his hands.

“Sven?”

“Oh…” he said slowly, “I’ll come back later.”

“No, it’s okay, we were just leaving.”

Sven tried to back away a little, Dallas moving forwards and slapping him on the shoulders.

“Come on, we’ll go together,” he said encouragingly. “She’ll be happy to see you.”

“Right,” he said stoically.

Emily and Ben walked out of the infirmary as Dallas and Sven went back into Nika’s room.

“It’s good he’s visiting,” Emily said happily, “maybe she’ll be nicer to him now that they’ve fought together.”

“Certainly should create a bond,” Ben replied, “it’s been working since ancient times.”

“Why don’t you come to the barracks with me, we can finish that memory from last time.”

“Sounds like a proposition,” he noted.

“Well, I did promise you something the last time you were in my room, and no one’s in the room, since Ammy’s getting ready for a mission. So let’s sneak into my room and talk.”

“How scandalous.”

Emily led Ben back to the barracks and sat back on her bed, continuing her memories from last time.


// MEMORY: ALIAS //
Emily Fischer, 14
M/V Magdelene
South American Coast
September 29th, 2005 – 6:41 PM

Kieran nudged the small sandwich across the hot plate, patiently preparing my first hot meal since I left home. I stared at the food like it was a divine icon, eagerly awaiting shoving it into my face. It reminded me of back home being told to eat healthier and stay thin. Exercise was never an issue for me, though…I loved playing outside.

“So, what made you run away?” I asked curiously, “It seems like you’ve been doing this for a long time.”

“I don’t really like to talk about my old life,” he said, looking a little nervous. “I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours.”

“My parent situation is…complicated.”

“Mine too.”

We stared away silently, the awkward silence being carried by the light sizzling from the hot plate.

“It’s not important now,” he said weakly.

“Yeah, you’re right. I’m my own person now,” I said.

He poked the sandwich experimentally, the cheese beginning to melt out of the sides.

“I think it’s ready,” he said, looking a little unsure.

He pulled it onto a paper plate and cut it in half, grabbing one and handing the rest to me. I quickly took a huge bite, the sandwich clearly undercooked but still tasting fine to me. I ate it in a perfectly calculated six bites, practically swallowing the thing whole and looking pleased.

“Mmm…I haven’t had hot food in so long, just granola bars and refrigerated leftovers.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re happy,” Kieran said with a smile, “I’m not much of a cook, but I have it pretty good here. Hey, you want to explore a little?”

“Sure,” I said excitedly. “What should we get into? That crane on deck looks like it’d be fun to play with…or maybe, the captain’s cabin?”

“I could do that one. Come on, let’s go.”

Kieran walked over and opened the door, running out with little concern for being seen. I followed him, insisting to be careful as he ran around the hallways below deck. As we got above deck, he continued running around and being visible, which worried me. We got to the captain’s cabin, a large room with millions of switches and gauges underneath a massive window with a perfect view. The captain stood staring out the window, seeming to enjoy the leverage.

“Oh well, looks like the doc is in,” I mumbled.

He leaned forwards and twisted the doorknob.

“What are you…?!”

He walked into the room, me following meekly behind him. I looked over at a bookcases full of ledgers and nautical manuals, a large comfy chair and a telescope, along with the gigantic console in all of it’s blinking and glowing beauty.

“Hey there, Kieran,” the captain saying, looking behind him. “Who’s your little friend, here?”

“Another kid down on her luck. Don’t worry, she’ll be off at the next port.”

“Oh, I’m not one to kick anyone off, just remember you’re a guest,” the captain said amiably.

I grabbed Kieran’s arm and pulled him aside.

“They know you here?”

“Yeah, I got caught and said I was a lost orphan and I liked boats.”

Why didn’t I think of that?

“The tough sailors love seeing people who are capable and ambitious. They usually just let me crash until the next port, then I have to switch over.”

“That’s pretty smart.”

“Thanks. How did you get by so far?”

“I usually just smile and look cute,” I say, batting my eyelashes demonstrably.

“That’ll do it,” he chuckled, “I don’t think I could pull that off, though.”

“I don’t know about that…”

Kieran smiled at me bashfully, looking unsure how to respond to me. He turned back towards the captain, who either couldn’t hear the conversation or was pretending not to. The captain leaned down towards me, despite me not being that short in comparison to him. “What’s your name, little girl?”

I smiled towards him, holding up my pilfered card and being careful to cover the portrait. I wobbled back and forth, pretending to be as shy and cute as I could as I replied.

“My name’s Andrea Mina.”

 

[Adrammalech]

// A WARM WELCOME //
This is a collaboration between Adrammalech and DarkGemini24601.
Nicolás Jiménez / Emma
London, England
8:00 AM

A knock came on the door of Nico's hotel room. "Mr. Jimenez, it is time I take you to the facility," a familiar feminine voice intoned.

Nico stepped away from the window he was standing by, grabbing his few belongings from the dresser and putting them in his pockets. He grabbed his coat and slipped it on quickly as he walked towards the door, opening it to see Emma waiting for him.

"Ready," he stated.

The copy of Elene nodded, and lead him along the streets to the Cross Technologies tower. The guards let them inside, and they traveled to the tenth floor.

They stepped out of the elevator before a locked door. Emma imputed a password, and took off her blue contacts for an eye scan. The door shifted open o the right opening up the lab.

Within, there were tables with robotics parts and fragments of alien technology, but the mainstay was twofold. There was a series of computers in the center of the room, and in the back sat rows of bats file with an orange liquid.

The materials were mostly stored on the left, and on the right were rows mostly empty, but contained weapons. No ordinary weapons, for they were black and had a red glow instead of ammo.

"Welcome to laboratory "Proxy", Mr. Jimenez," Emma stated.

"I'm guessing 'Proxy' is more than a callsign," Nico remarked, "is this where you arranged our meeting?"

"This is where Project Adam shall take place, among other things," Emma replied. "Once I have mapped your DNA code, we can use it to create the clones I spoke of."

"I see. I remember you saying I couldn't get details until I cooperated. I don't suppose I get to know what it is you plan to do with these clones."

"I have no reason to disclose that at this juncture," Emma answered. "Are you ready to begin? The process will not harm you."

"You certainly know how to ease into it," he sighed.

Nico walked forwards, looking at the orange liquid. He wasn't the inquisitive type, but these were extenuating circumstances. He knew consenting to this would mean being disarmed and defenseless before the clone woman.

"One more question. Once you make your first clone, what's to stop you from killing me and using it for free?"

Emma put a finger on her chin. "Interesting conjecture." She thought for a moment. "Well, making clones of clones carries a risk of genetic instability. Besides, although one like yourself may have trouble believing it...we have no desire to kill needlessly. It would be a waste, as you could be a valuable ally with your skills."

"Alright, that sounds like enough for me," he said, turning back towards her. "How do we start?"

“Simply step into the empty tank in front of the others, and I will take DNA samples,” 158 replied. “Avanix, once you have the DNA analyzed, begin the cloning process.”

“Understood,” a feminine voice said from the speakers.

Nicolas stepped into the vat, and it sealed behind him, though air flowed in through a small ventilation system. Small tubes attached themselves to his arms, and with a slight pinching sensation, much like a shot, DNA samples were taken. Once the process was complete the vat opened again. “That should be all we need from your DNA...though it may come in handy to use some of your combat experiences to augment the clones. Simply giving them the information on how to fight is not the pinnacle of what could be done.”

“You mean like, give them my training and memories?” he asked, rubbing one of his arms slightly.

“Essentially, yes. Your memories of fighting and things you learned on the battlefield, such as suppressing fear, innovation, and so on could be helpful. We would not really need to give them any excess memories, both because it would be unnecessary, and I doubt that is something you want,” Emma explained.

“Well, I learned a lot as a criminal, before I was ever a soldier,” Nico said. “I saw a lot of things before I fought in a proper battle...namely, my brother dying.”

The clone of Elene did not visibly react. “We do not have to incorporate that information unless you think it would make them more effective.”

“Well, if you want killers,” he looked aside, “that’d be the best way to get them.”

Emma shrugged. “I might consider it...but I doubt Elene would show interest in using that method. And Vee would probably disapprove.”

“Whatever you think is best,” Nico paused, looking at the tank. “To be honest, I know I’m not the kind of man who lives to see gray hairs, if you know what I mean. I wouldn’t mind having one clone that shares everything, just in case. I don’t know if it works that way.”

“If you are referring to your consciousness such a transfer would likely be impossible to known science,” 158 replied. “Though if you mean for a backup that is as close to you as possible that could be arranged.”

“It would be nice, for any unfinished business I might leave behind,” Nico looked over the rest of the lab. “Speaking of which, you said a barter might interest you, in regards to my payment.”

“What did you have in mind?” Emma asked curiously.

“I assume Colombia isn’t the extent of the systems you can get into,” he said, pointing over at the computers.

The clone nodded slowly. “Though my answer depends on what you intend to have done with those skills.”

“I’m looking for someone,” he stated.

Nico pulled out a small laminated ID card from his jacket pocket, the corners yellowed from age, and held it between his hands. A picture of an middle-aged brunette covered half of the front.

“I want to find the woman who used this alias in Colombia ten years ago. It’s not the woman in the picture, she’s younger and has red hair.”

He handed the card to Emma, who took it and looked over it.

“The name is Andrea Mina,” he explained. “If you can find her, I’ll waive my hiring fee.”

“Might I ask for what purpose, out of curiosity, or is that unnecessary information?” 158 inquired.

“She murdered my brother.”

Emma nodded slowly. “I can help you with that, then. We are more alike than you realize. You lost a brother to someone you seek revenge on...Elene lost her mother to someone she is forced to work for at the moment.”

“And this ‘someone’ is who my clones will be fighting, eventually?” he asked curiously.

Emma nodded. “When the time comes, he will find himself regretting his decision to murder Lusett Exalt. For now, though…” 158 thought for a moment, and then nodded. “Our pursuit is technological and scientific advancement, and to do that, we need a force capable of fighting the extraterrestrials. That is the purpose your clones will serve.”

“And after that,” he said hopefully, “we can both get revenge.”

 

[Dahlexpert]

After mission spoiled break
Ashley put's a oxygen mask on Ammeilia. How hurt is she.

Well the oxygen mask definitely helps, her lungs really took a beating after that mission she Also has 6 broken ribs and a broken spine.

God damn it, and they want us to fix this one. she will be luck if she can walk ever again.

Sigh a broken spine Ashley rubs her head so deary what do you have in mind in order to fix this woman.

Catherine rubs her head well she is down for months, to say the least. The ribs are fixable that's an easy fix, but the spine that's going to take a I don't even know how were going to fix this one.

Well we have to try don't we.

Yea let's give it a shot, first we better fix her ribs and get that out the way. The spine well find a way to fix that some how.

 

[ZombieSplitter53]

Frostlich1228 & ZombieSplitter53
Picking up the Pieces, Part One

X-COM Headquarters, Somewhere in Siberia
Primary Infirmary, 1300 Hours

"No, no, no!" Jessica shouted, stomping her foot childishly in the middle of the infirmary. She sneered at the man standing before her, looking at his medical coat like it was a terrible disguise. "I won't let you use my friend as a guinea pig for some crazy experiment."

"I can assure you," Dr Russell responded, adjusting his glasses, "there is nothing crazy about it. I have done all the proper research, run countless simulations, and..."

"And completed a successful procedure?" Jessica folded her arms and stared daggers at the doctor. Taking his silence as a no, she continued, "What happened to Ammelia was terrible, but she could still live a full life. But you want to... t-to rip her spine out like some Mortal Kombat fatality and... and..."

"And give her a chance to walk and move normally again."

"Or kill her!" Jessica scoffed, throwing her hands in the air.

Russell shook his head, giving Jessica a frank look."Are you her doctor? No. You're just a lab tech. This isn't your decision to make."

"The HELL it isn't." Jessica shot her finger out towards Ammelia's room. "All the poor girl thinks about is helping others, paying forward the kindness done to her by her father, and proving her worth." Jessica turned her finger to the doctor, her expression grim. "All you care about is getting your name published, even if it means taking advantage of her resolve and sacrificing her."

"Whether you believe it or not, I am a doctor, and I do care about my patients. She will know the risks." Dr. Russell walked past Jessica, heading for Ammelia's room. "And whether you like it or not, it is Ms. Cross' decision."

Jessica hurried after him. As they walked into the room, Jessica sat next to her sleeping friend while the doctor leaned against the wall, neither willing to leave the other alone while they waited for Ammelia to wake up.

Ammelia’s eyes slowly opened and she looked up at Jessica and the strange man. “Jessica? Who’s this?”

Before Jessica could say anything negative about him, the doctor stepped forward. “Ms. Cross, my name is Tobias Russell. I am a doctor in the field of neurological science. I was brought here in the hopes of helping you with your current… condition.”

Jessica lightly ran her hand over Ammelia’s forehead. “This is probably a stupid question… but how are you feeling?” She asked in a soft voice.

“I don’t feel anything…” she replied, “This is the first time I’ve woken up… What were the extent of my injuries?”

Dr. Russell cleared his throat. “I’m afraid your injuries are quite severe. The mechanical alien… a seeker, I believe it is called, it caused a lot of damage before you were released. Internal bleeding, half a dozen broken ribs, and well as damage to your arm. All was taken care of, of course. The medical breakthroughs of X-COM are quite impressive. But… there is one thing that…” The doctor stutters, trying to think of the best way to present the bad news.

Ammelia’s eyes widened a little, “I assume it has something to do with the fact that I can’t feel anything, right?”

Jessica’s lip quivered slightly as she fought back a tear. “A-Ammelia, the seeker, it… i-it crushed your spine. We… they don’t think they can… repair it. At least not fully.”

“I..I…” She stuttered, “Will I ever be able to walk again?”

Jessica smiled weakly. “We, um… we can install implants along your back. They’d send impulses to your muscles, so it would give you back your mobility. But… but it wouldn’t be full mobility, so you… y-you couldn’t…”

“Fight…” Ammelia finished, despair in her voice, “What will X-Com do with me then?”

“You would likely be dismissed,” the doctor said coldly. “At best, they would find some desk job for you. However, there is an alternative. That is why I am here. I have a proposition for you, something that could restore your former mobility.”

“What is it?!” she said quickly, “I’ll do anything to stay in X-com!”

Jessica cringed slightly at the expected but hard to hear response. Russell walked next to the bed, and smiled. “It is something I have been working on for over a decade, using materials and notes others had worked on for over a decade before me. It made breakthroughs a few years ago when studies and findings in the field of cloning were released by an unknown source. Essentially, I would build you a new spine, a biomechanical device based on your DNA. Even with the breakthroughs we have made, we believed it would be at least another twenty years until we found a way to incorporate organs corresponding to one’s nervous system into someones body, but now with this… I believe you call it Meld, I am confident that we can get you your new spine, and you’ll be in rehab by the end of the week.”

Ammelia smiled, “Thank you so much, but why give me the other option?”

“Because he hasn’t tested it yet!” Jessica said, louder than she had intended. “He wants you to be his first test… no, not test, experiment. And if his facts, his… h-his theories are wrong, then you’ll die!”

In a defensive tone, the doctor responded, “I am not trying to say that there would be no risk involved. But all of my research is sound. I am absolutely confident that the procedure will…”

“‘Confident’ and ‘sure’ are not the same thing.” Jessica grabbed Ammelia’s hand, lifting it up so she could see it was being held. “I-I know this is hard, Ammelia, but you can make it without this transplant. I’ll be there to help you. You don’t have to risk yourself like this.”

“So this can kill me?” she replied, “My dad wouldn’t even consider something like this, who hired you?”

“Commander O’Brien.” Dr. Russell looked between the two women. “She obviously wants to do everything she can to help you, and she has more confidence in me than others.”

Jessica closed her eyes. “That’s because she feels guilty about this. And you’re taking advantage…”

“She called me because she cares about your friend, and wants to do anything she can for her.” Dr. Russell looked into Ammelia’s eyes. “I can understand why your father would hesitate, but it is not his decision, just like it is not my decision, or Ms. Lockheart’s. I’m sure your father didn’t want you to come to X-COM. He wanted to keep you locked up like a fragile china doll. Well, you’ve proven how much it took to actually break you, and now I’m asking you to take one more risk so I can fix you.”

Ammelia laid her head back and took a second to think before saying, “I agree… I’d rather die than sit at home for the rest of my life…”

Jessica grimaced again. She opened her mouth to say something, but realized she had already lost. Squeezing her friends hand, she muttered, “I-If that’s… what you want, I promise I’ll be by your side until the end.”

“Jessica…” She said quietly, “I need you to promise me something alright?”

The green haired scientist slowly nodded. “Anything, Ammelia.”

“Please… You can’t tell my dad what happened…”

Jessica chuckled, a tear dripping down her cheek. “I can definitely promise you that. If anyone is telling him, it’s you when you’re back on your feet.”

“Good…” She replied softly, “If my dad were to find out that I am risking myself just to stay in X-COM… I don’t know what he would do…”

Jessica nodded. She stood up, and softly said, “I-I’m gonna go… get something for you to drink. I… I’ll be right back.”

Jessica quickly stepped out, Russell following after her. “Listen, Ms. Lockheart…”

“I hate you so much…” The lab tech said between sobs. “I-If you… kill my friend, I…”

“Is this about her, or about you?” The doctor asked, prompting Jessica to turn to him in surprise. “I think you’re letting your own fears of what you would go through cloud your judgement. Do you think she’d be happy, paralyzed, barely able to move, having to have even more people tend to her? She’d spend her whole life miserable. At least she has a chance to be happy with this.” Jessica remained silent, and the doctor walked off. As he reached a corner, he said, “I’ll be ready to operate in a few days. And believe it or not, I want to help her. In the meantime, she’ll need your support.”

 

[ZombieSplitter53]

Picking up the Pieces, Part Two

As he left her sight, Jessica quickly wiped her tears away. Grabbing two water bottles, she rushed back to Ammelia’s room, sitting next to her friend. “Sorry, I, uh… couldn’t find these.”

“Its okay,” Ammelia said as she instinctively tried to grab the bottle, only to recall her situation.

“I uh… I Can’t…” Ammelia stammered.

Jessica carefully reached down, lifting Ammelia’s head and giving her some water. “Now, don’t get used to this. The… doctor… said he should be ready in a couple days, so get as much bed rest as you can, ‘cause… rehab and all…”

She closed her eyes, “I can’t even think of living like this for the rest of my life… Then I truly will be a doll…”

“I-I… I know.” Jessica smiled weakly. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been so selfish. I should have thought about how you’d feel.”

“It’s alright Jessie… You didn’t want to lose someone close to you… I understand…”

Jessie thought for a moment. “I’m gonna tell the lab I’m taking a couple days. Off. With the infirmary as busy as it is lately, I’m sure they wouldn’t mind my help. And then… maybe we could play a game of chess. I’ll move your pieces for you…”

“That sounds lovely,” Ammelia smiled.

Jessica thought for a few more seconds. “But… if I’m gonna stay here, there is something you’ll need to know. Something… I’ve been meaning to tell you for a while, but I could never find the right time or place.”

“Hmm? What is it?” She asked.

Jessica closed her eyes, searching for the right words. After a while, she simply shook her head. “I-it’s not important. It’s just about… how close I am to my sister. I just wanted you to know, if I can’t come see you for some reason, she’ll watch you for me, okay?”

Ammelia chuckled to herself, “Okay, got it.”

Jessica took a nervous drink of water. “Was there… anything I can do to make you more comfortable. I’m afraid I’m not the best nurse…”

“There is one thing I want to tell you, In case I don’t survive this operation…” She said.

Jessica swallowed hard. “I…” She clammed up, deciding to hear her friend out.

“ I… I kinda…” Ammelia blushed, “ I kinda… Like you…”

Jessica smiled. “I like you too, Ammelia. You’re my best friend.”

“I mean I… like you as… more…” Ammelia said, her voice growing softer and softer.

Jessica’s smile wavered a bit, but she kept the grin on as much as possible. “Oh, I… I-I… y-you mean you… I-I didn’t realize you were… ahem… I…”

“I’m sorry… I’m terrible at this sort of thing… I shouldn’t have said anything…” She closed her eyes again.

Jessica’s smile faded, and her expression turned to panic. “N-no, please, don’t… I… I’m sorry, I didn’t realize… it’s just that I’m not… I mean… I don’t think I am, but I never really thought… I mean… I like you a lot… and I’m… not saying that I am, but I could… b-but I’m going out w-with Modya, s-so I… but if I wasn’t, I… I might be willing…” Jessica’s face turned the most red it had ever been.

“Its okay… I should’ve asked before I… I don’t blame you…”

Jessica bit her lip. “W-well… it… I mean, maybe I could… I mean, I’ll still be your friend, until the day I die… but, i-if you keep your options open, I… I need time to think, Ammelia…”

“Okay… Is chess still an option?” She replied Awkwardly.

Jessica smiled. “Of course, Ammelia.” She jumped to her feet, her cheerfulness returning. “I’ll be right back. Gonna talk to my supervisor, and I’ll be back in about twenty minutes with the chess board.” She winked. ‘Don’t go anywhere.”

“I don’t think that will be a problem…” Ammelia said, looking down at her legs.

Jessica walked out, thinking about which chess set she should grab, mostly as a distraction. At the sense of her sister waking up, she said out loud. “Alex… we need to talk…”

 

[MarineAvenger]

Cruel, Cruel Fate (MarineAvenger and Frostlich1228)

Desmond was walking out of his doctor’s office with a fresh wrap of gauze around his side. The Carapace armor took most of the damage but a small amount had burned through. He would be back in action in a few days but he had some business to take care of. He slipped into the room of his friend and closed the door.

Ammelia turned her head towards him and smiled, “Desmond, it’s great to see you!”

He gave a big smile back and walked up to Ammelia. “I could say the same for you.” His smile faded slowly and he took a seat. “I am sorry Ammy…”

“No, it’s not your fault so don’t even start.” She said sternly.

Desmond looked into Ammelia’s eyes but still couldn’t help but blame himself. “If I had just...kept us together better and paid better attention...I am not a great leader.”

“We were together, and don’t pretend like paying attention is going to help you see an invisible creature.” She replied, “You’re a wonderful leader Desmond, but no one is perfect.”

He smiled slightly and reached out to hold her hand, even though she wouldn’t feel it, it was still a sentiment he wanted to give. Her hand was cold to the touch and it almost didn’t feel real. “You are always there for me, I wish I had your conviction.”

“So you heard? About what I agreed to?” Ammelia asked.

He nodded slowly. “If you want to go through with it, it is your own choice. You were there when I had my new arm, so I want to be with you when you get your body back.”

She smiled, “I knew you would agree, I know you wouldn’t want to lay in a bed the rest of your life…”

“No one should live there life in a bed, to never be able to touch and run. I said I would be with you, I just am afraid of what might happen. You are a very strong person Ammy, stronger than even me...but everyone has a breaking point.”

“I… What do you mean?” Ammelia replied.

“Are you prepared for this? Are you ready to undergo something so large? If anything were to happen, I…” He let out a sigh and looked down.

“ I have to do this, Desmond… I know you want me to live, but would you want to see me lying in a bed or struggling to simply walk for the rest of my life?”

“I want you to be happy. If I was in your position I would be doing the same. Some battles are just worth fighting I guess.” He gave her a smile and scooted closer to her.

“If I don’t… You know… I hope you and Elizabeth have a good life together…” She said with a somber tone.

He squeezed her hand, trying to keep a calm demeanor. He got up and gave her a hug, holding her for a few seconds and placing a light kiss on her forehead. “It won’t come to that, you will live...you are just as important to me as she is. Without either of you life would be hollow.”

“I… Desmond…” She laid her head back in her pillow.

“I don’t want you to feel lonely or left out. I may not be able to be with you, but that doesn’t make you any less special.” He sat back down and scratched his head. “Well...I got that out…”

“So you do like me… that way?”

He gave a smile and shook his head. “I...yeah, deep down I really do. If there was ever anyone else I could say I had loved, you would be one...besides Ellie but, well…she is herself after all.”

“If I had just gotten the courage to say it sooner… I just… Want to take it slow… I’m not good at things like this…”

He laughed a little and looked at her. “Neither am I to be honest...Elizabeth was my first girlfriend. Love was always a mystery to me before all of this.”

“But she got you because she had the courage to ask… It’s not fair… Why does this keep happening? I open my heart to someone only to find out someone else got there first…” Ammelia said, her eyes welling up a little.

He recoiled a little, not wanting to upset her further. “Well, some things happen for a reason. Maybe your match is right down the road. To be honest my relationship with Ellie was completely accidental. Lets just say there have been better beginnings…”

“Oh lovely… She got you by accident? That makes me feel better…” Ammelia replied sarcastically, “Why does life have to keep beating me down? What have I done to deserve all of this? My Family, My Disabilities, and now both of my loves, taken by other people…”

“It keeps beating you down so you have the strength to get back up.”

“But you said it yourself, everyone has a breaking point…”

“Well that is why we get beat down, we need to make sure we don’t reach our breaking point. If it makes you feel any better, I still want you around. No relationship will change how I feel for you. I just want you to know that.”

“Thanks… I guess… Maybe I should learn from this and jump at the next opportunity… But love just comes so slow…”

“I guess that is what makes love waiting for I guess, I am really new to this so I am not good with all that philosophical stuff. Maybe we should have a sibling relationship. Never had a sister before…” He said looking up at the ceiling.

“ And I’ve never had a brother… But I can’t… My feelings for you won’t just go away…” She looked back up at him, “Desmond… You said you believed in fate, right?”

He tilted his head. “Did I? Well, maybe I guess. Fate is something I wouldn’t bank my life on but is something that I could believe in.”

“ Do you think that I’m going through all of this because God has some sort of plan for me?” Ammelia asked.

“I wouldn’t know the answer to that, but I believe that there is something good coming your way. If not...well, you always have the people around you to help you along.”

“ I suppose you’re right…” She agreed.

He laid back and cracked his neck trying to relax. “If I was in your position I would go insane. You have my respect, Ammelia Cross.”

“ I feel like I’m about to.” She smiled, “But Thanks…”

“So...how about a game? I heard you are big on chess. I was best in my state back when I was in high school.”

“Jessica left my chess set on the counter over there. I’ll see how good you are.” Her smile turned into a cocky grin.

“Well then…” He gave a grin back at her. “Let the games begin…” He said, taking out the pieces.

 

[MarineAvenger]

The Price of Leadership (MarineAvenger and ZombieSplitter53)
X-COM Headquarters, Somewhere in Siberia
The Office of Commander Morrigan O’Brien
1100 Hours, Local Time

Morrigan slowly looked at several pictures Brigid had drawn for her, deciding to use her break to give her daughter some attention instead of going for the usual drink. Glancing at the clock, she lifted the small blond girl off her lap and placed her on the floor. “Mommy has a meeting, dear. Be good while I talk to the man, and please don’t stare at him.”

“Okay, mommy,” Brigid responded, not thinking to ask what her mother meant. She quickly walked over to the couch on the side of the room, opening a coloring book and grabbing a crayon.

Desmond walked to the Commander’s office with a false smile on his face. Although he knew Ammelia didn’t blame him, he still felt bad for how poorly the mission was executed. He had the day off and he was just wearing his casual black jeans and and an XCOM shirt. He looked at the woman behind the desk and said, “Walker for the Commander.”

The secretary nodded, hitting the switch to open the door. “The Commander has a guest, so she asks that you be on your best behavior,” she said in a joking tone.

He raised an eyebrow. “Aren’t I always?” He strode in, closing the door behind him and walking forward.

“Hello, Corporal.” Morrigan smiled. “Please have a seat.”

He sat in the chair but looked over at the tiny girl, a strange feeling of deja vu washing over him. “A visitor, huh? Where have I seen her before?” He asked the Commander.

The Commander reached forward, turning the picture on her desk towards Desmond. “From this, perhaps.”

He raised an eyebrow and smiled. “Well then, then this is the Brigid I have heard almost nothing about.” He looked back between the two girls and let out a sigh. “Well, at least you have this security at least…having your daughter close by. I am happy for you.”

“Thank you.” Morrigan said gently. “I do feel a burden lifted from my shoulders with her here, and it helps me concentrate on my work.” She folded her hands. “So… how does it feel to be a corporal now.” Morrigan’s eyes darted towards Brigid, who was giving Desmond a curious look.

He rubbed his head with his metal hand. “It feels horrible to be honest. I am not a leader. That last mission ended in disaster and I was next to useless on the Exalt mission. I don’t know what you see in me?”

Morrigan shrugged. “Well… if that’s the case, let’s talk about what you think you should have done different, and what you think someone else would have done different.”

Desmond stared back at the Commander, a look of sorrow in his eyes. “If I was fast enough, we might have reached Atka before any harm came to her. If I had not split up the squad on the last mission, my friend may not be laying in a hospital bed with her spine broken! Anyone could have done better! Why did you choose me?” He stated, a little louder than he wanted to do.

Morrigan closed her eyes, thinking carefully about the answer. “I can… let someone lead you from now on, if you really want that. But let me ask you, what if someone else had led that first mission, and they were slower than you? Then Atka wouldn’t be here. And you made a judgement call on that cruise ship, I am guessing based on your access to the ships cameras. What makes you think someone leading in your stead wouldn’t have made the same choice. I, myself, might have done the same.” She opened her eyes, noticing the small blond figure had left the couch and was now standing behind Desmond.

“Was it the right call though? I just don’t want to be the reason one of my friends die. I don’t…” He noticed the Commander’s eyes and slowly turned around.

“Was it the right call? Maybe, maybe not. But part of leading is accepting that you might make mistakes, and when you do, you’ll need to learn from them. I feel that you have the potential to become a great leader, but that’ll only happen if you are willing to try.”

As Desmond looked behind him, Brigid dropped to the floor, pretending to look at her coloring book.

He raised an eyebrow and looked down at the tiny blonde girl. “Yes? Don’t be shy now, I already noticed you.”

Brigid looked up bashfully. She walked to his side, looking his arm up and down. “Why… why is your arm a different color?”

He lifted it up and knocked it with his knuckle, the arm making a metallic clank. “It is a metal arm. My other one fell off and I haven’t found it yet…” He said sarcastically.

Brigid tilted her head slightly. “Where did it fall off? Maybe we can find it?”

“I was making a joke. Unfortunately, it can’t be found. I am stuck with this.” He held it up to the girl. “Wanna feel?”

Brigid slowly ran her hands up and down the metal arm. “Did it hurt. How did you lose it?”

“Yeah it hurt at first, I lost it while I was helping some people and my team to escape. I would not have come back if it wasn’t for a friend of mine.”

“Yeah… he lost it trying to save others. He gave up his arm so dozens of other people could make it to safety. It’s what a leader does.” Morrigan looked into Desmond’s eyes as she spoke.

“Yeah, I did…” He looked back at Morrigan and staring back at her with his red eyes.

As Brigid continued to poke Desmond’s arm, Morrigan shook her head. “Listen, Desmond, I know this might be hard. But let me ask you something. Do you think I’ve never lost someone under my Command on the field. That I’ve… never made a mistake that I regretted… that I still regret to this day?”

“Does it ever get better? Is there ever any acceptance?”

Morrigan nodded. “It does. You never forget the mistakes, not completely, but you definitely learn from them. In a way, those you lost help you to save others in the future, so their deaths are never in vain. And when you learn, and become a better leader, people start to trust you more, and they fight better, so everyone wins.”

He looked down. “Maybe you are right…” But he shook his head and looked up. “What do I do now? Do I just go on or what? Usually I just try and train after a mission but a certain group of people say I try too hard…”

Morrigan smiled. “Well… maybe you put too much stress on yourself. Keep working hard, but part of improving is learning how to pace yourself. And part of being a good leader is learning to connect with the people under you. No one can do all this alone, so if you don’t take the time to at least prove yourself as someone that can be trusted, they won’t follow you.”

He smirked and looked at the Commander. “Are you insinuating I am not trustworthy?” He said in playful tone.

Morrigan shrugged. “I’m not entirely sure yet, but I’d like to think you are proving your trustworthiness. You might not realize it, but you do have a fan or two on the base.” She looked down at Brigid, fidgeting with Desmond’s cybernetic fingers. “Or three.”

He smiled and pretended his hand was a spider that tried to tickle her. “I may have to stay after more often if she gets too attached to this arm…”

Morrigan smiled brightly, hiding her surprise at how good the man before seemed to be with children. “That’s good to hear. So… does that mean you’ll give this leader thing at least one more try?”

He looked at the Commander. “I guess I can give it one more try...just as long as I don’t have to take your job.” He smiled and looked down at Brigid. “That sound okay with you?” He said at the playful little girl.

Brigid bobbed her head up and down. “I like mommy being the boss. But I think the metal man can be the boss sometimes too.”

“I maybe part metal but that don’t mean I don’t have heart…” He laughed at the joke, realizing he hadn’t read the Wizard of Oz in years. “She too young to know what I am talking about?”

“She’s read it, though she might be a little too young to make the connection.” Morrigan answered.

“I know, Mommy.” Brigid ran to her mother’s side. “He means the Tin Man.” She gave Desmond a worried look. “You… didn’t lose your heart too, did you?”

“I sure hope not...I really need that!” He put a hand on his chest giving an exaggerated expression and then went to pull on Brigid’s nose. “But you seem to be missing a nose.”

Brigid giggled, holding her hand up to her face and pretending to look for the missing nose.

 

[Taxor_the_First]

Prison

Of all the punishments they had to drum up for her, forced leave was possibly one of the worst. Probably why they picked it.

Penny sat in her room, empty save for her and the mask, which stared at her from the end of the bed. That was where she sat, back pressed against the wall at the top while the mask stayed on the bottom. It still seemed to be watching her, noting her every move, every narrowed eye, every twiddle of the thumbs. The watchful eye of a father concerned about his daughter's wellbeing? The thought was actually somewhat amusing.

Her mother had always described his comings and goings as "conducting business" whenever a curious young Penny had asked, for example, why he would put on that mask, grab a very long suitcase and then exit via the upstairs bedroom window, or why he'd be away for weeks at a time. And originally, she'd been satisfied with that, being only a preschooler at the time. She developed a keen sense of "what parents don't want to tell you" over her early life, and only really began to question it when she was a teenager. A mere year later, when she was only 5 days off her 14th birthday, her mother was killed by her fathers enemies.

Penny gritted her teeth when she remembered that. Coming home as normal and suddenly having a sense of foreboding. Entering the house to smell something metallic in the air. Calling for her mother, and deciding right then and there not to go any further. She had called her father using a phone number that he had said was nigh guaranteed to work, but should never be used unnecessarily.

The first thing she had heard was repeated loud cracking and him saying "Now really isn't the best time sweetie."

And that had marked the beginning of the end of their relationship.

She'd lived with a colleague of his for the next four years. Grew fond of him. Actually called him "uncle" a few times. Then she discovered he was involved with the Triad. And began planning her escape the next day.

Her father had tried to explain his career as a contract assassin to her the night she left, a few months after she turned 18. Said that he gave significant discounts or freebies on certain individuals who exerted their power a little too freely, or indulged in a few too many self pleasures at the expense of others. That he only killed to remove bad people, not for the money or any kind of "thrill of the hunt", as she'd accused at one point. She had said that was bullshit and slammed the phone down. That was the last time she ever talked to him. The next day, she was already on a plane out of the country, to somewhere, anywhere, that wasn't China.

In a twist of fate, that turned out to be her father's home country - Australia. As a bonus, she was considered an adult there. It was a power Penny used liberally, since it seemed that, for now at least, she was completely alone. And didn't that feel good? To have escaped from the underlying corruption her family seemed to be steeped in? To not need to rely on her father or his reputation, even if most of the time she'd been completely unaware that she was doing so?

Good, yes, but it was painfully frustrating at times. However, the destination was worth it. She'd gotten where she was by hard work and diligence, in the face of opposition by those afraid to give her father a relative in a high place. Penny was a self made woman, and proud of it.

But of course, one cannot escape the criminal underworld entirely, especially if one was born into it. Only fairly recently she'd become aware that someone was watching her, her so-called "guardian angel". His gaze could not be escaped, so she hadn't tried to, and so far he'd done nothing to make her want to. In fact, he'd done nothing at all as of yet. But the knowledge that he was there was disturbing enough, a ghost that followed her around and kept turning up like...

She giggled. "Like a bad penny," she whispered to herself.

Penny looked at the mask again. It still seemed to be watching her. "What the hell were you doing?" she asked it, picking it up and cradling it in her hands. "You escaped bullets for decades. Why go chasing plasma?" The mask gave no answers, it only continued staring, the hole in the roof seeming to gaze at her too. She sighed and set it back on the edge of the bed, the two of them eyeing each other like inmates in a cell.

At least I don't have to worry about dropping the soap, she thought.

 

[DarkGemini24601]

DarkGemini24601 and MarineAvenger: “Emotions and...Sausage?”

Elene stood up, stretching her arms slightly. All of the data recovered on the MECs had been silently sent to her identical clone, who would relay it to David Cross eventually. And none of it belongs to Viktor. Something to be thankful for...I would not be in favor of him adding ‘Legion’ troopers to his currently limited arsenal.

The Exalt heiress stood up, putting her labcoat back on over her typical ‘Avanix’ shirt, and walked upstairs to where Lily and Vee were. One lounging and one working. It wasn’t a hard guess as to who was doing what.

Markus walked into the door, his four legged companion not too far behind. He gave a friendly smile and waved his hands. “Hello ladies, how have you been doing?”

“The normal response would be, ‘good’, would it not?” Lily said analytically.

“Though I think these two have been busy...not that they’d ever admit to working too hard,” Vee added with a grin.

“Is Lily always like this Vee? I would think that she would be a little more...happy? Or maybe like any emotion at all?” He sat down in a swivel chair and rolled up next to Lily, looking at what she was working on.

The clone resembling Lusett the strongest was intently working on a design for an upgrade to the light alien alloy armor currently available to EXALT, or two, rather. They were based off of XCOM’s data, but the details had to be reinvented by Lily.

“She’s always been a quiet or cold one,” Vee said somewhat dismissively. “Not sure why certain clones have more feelings than others, except for Viktor’s trash. I get why they’re zombies, at least.”

Markus laughed and raised an eyebrow turning towards Vee. “Well, there can only be one rambunctious personality running around. Any more and you would become boring in comparison…” He brought out a tablet from a small backpack he had and started tapping into it.

“How is your work progressing?” Elene asked, having a drink from a bottled water.

“It is really hard but I am slowly getting into the groove of Meld recombination and manipulation. The biological and mechanical applications are seemingly endless.” He put down the tablet and laid back. “What about you Elene?”

“I have been making advancements into robotics, as well as trying to figure out this Outsider shard I recovered…” It could provide a link to an alien base, if what Desmond told me in the recent report is true...but it would not be prudent to tell Markus that.

“Well, that seems very interesting. Didn’t one of your lab reports say the shard was part organic? If you need help I could help analyze it in my free time...or what little of it I have nowadays.”

“In a sense, it is...but the ‘Outsider’ is still an artificial organism. That said, so am I,” Elene responded. “If I could understand the technical aspects, I could improve upon…” the scientist trailed off, realizing Markus did not know about Avanix. I’d prefer not to give Sora those improvements.

Markus tilted his head “What is it? You seem distracted.”

“I was just wondering about the applications of its artificial intelligence. It may not be possible to recover such data, however,” Elene corrected herself.

“Oh, well I guess if anyone is going to figure it out it is you. Anyways, I wanted to learn more about you guys. I have been here for about two weeks though I don’t really know what you guys like to do or anything.” Riley wagged his tailed and barked in agreement, or just because he was playful, Markus had a hard time telling the two apart.

“If you are referring to past times I do not believe we have any,” Lily responded without looking away from her work.

Vee shrugged. “I like to fight things...but I’m not sure what you expect. I mean, we haven’t even existed for more than a few months now.”

“Still, you have to like something other than work, I mean, have you guys ever taken a break?”

Vee thought for a moment, and then put her hands over her mouth, laughing. “Oh, I know one thing Elene likes...seriously, sis…”

Elene looked at Vee for a moment, and then remembered what she was talking about. “Like I said, I fail to see how that is unusual or humorous.”

“I am confused? What is so funny?” He asked looking between the two girls.

Vee grinned. “Elene wears pajamas with orange patterns on them like some little kid.”

Markus chuckled. “Well that is a little funny, but what else?You guys watch movies or anything?”

“I suppose with the technical skills of these two we could pirate just about anything,” Vee responded. “That would help pass the time...why didn’t I think of that before…”

“Maybe because you never had a third party to give you guys a workaholic intervention maybe?” Markus stated with a smile.

Elene gave him a flat expression. “I do not see what value that activity would hold…”

Vee got up and punched Elene lightly in the shoulder, though her enhanced strength behind it made Elene wince with one eye. “Relax, big sis knows best,” the black-haired clone said.

“You still confuse me with this whole family tree. Wasn’t Elene made first?”

Vee stepped back from Elene. “Well, yeah...but I’m artificially aged to 21, so that means I’m older in that sense...and its fun to call myself that, even if Elene hates it.”

“I do not ‘hate’ the term...I find it unnecessary,” Elene responded neutrally.

“I am the youngest of my siblings, so I somewhat know your pain. Me, my brother and sister were really close though; they even have their own dingoes who are Riley’s siblings.”

“Well, technically Lily’s the youngest, or-” Vee caught herself. “Yeah, it would be Lily.”

“I guess that is one thing we share Lily!” He said enthusiastically, trying to bring out some sort of emotion from the girl.

Lily didn’t stop typing, but glanced over at him with the same flat look of mild confusion Elene had shown earlier. “Is there a point to such a declaration, Mr. Grathem?”

“Yeah, you need to smile...seriously you are bumming me out.” He looked over at Vee and shrugged. “So, what delightful stories do you have Queen of Mayhem?”

While Lily continued to look at Markus, her confusion only growing, Vee asked, “What do you mean?”

“You must have some interesting things to say? Don’t tell me I have the only shred of normality here am I?” He looked down and scratched Riley behind the ear.

“Uh...I could tell you about the time I electroshocked an alien drone or shot a Floater out of the sky?” Vee offered. “The only other place I’ve been to is a part in Italy...and that didn’t end well.”

Markus sat back. “Always wanted to go to Italy...heard it was a nice place for vacation…” He sighed and pulled a baggy out of his pocket, taking out a brown colored treat and threw it up for Riley, and ate one himself.

“Well...the wine’s okay...the people…” Vee frowned. “Eh...bad experiences.”

“Every place has its bad qualities I guess.” He handed out the bag to Vee and asked, “Wanna treat?”

Vee gave him an icy stare. “Just because these two don’t understand emotions that well and are smart doesn’t mean I’m emotional and stupid.”

“Who said I thought that?”

“The dog treat,” 157 replied.

“An inanimate object cannot speak, 157…” Lily said with profound confusion, to which Vee just sighed in exasperation.

Markus looked down and held out the bag again. “I just wanted to offer one. I make them myself and they come out good. Sorry if they offended you, I will tell them to have better manners…” He said jokingly.

Lily looked on the verge of mental breakdown. “W-w-what? Did you...infuse them with the Tz6 and give them sentience? That’s not possible…”

Markus sighed and got up, putting the treat in front of Lily. “We are teasing Lily, just try it, it won’t kill you.”

Lily took the treat like it was a bomb that needed to be diffused, and took a bite out of it hesitantly. Elene and Vee both watched with a mixture of amusement and confusion.

Markus turned toward them and raised an eyebrow. “What? All it is made out of is sausage, bread crumbs, onion and a little bit of spices, it isn’t poison.” Riley sat up and and barked, forcing Markus to throw him another.

“It just seems counterintuitive to make a dog treat consumable by humans…” Elene said slowly.

“Why? What fun would it be if only Riley had all the fun? Plus it helps with the long work hours…”

“The food here is kinda crappy...and its not like Viktor lets us go out for takeout,” Vee muttered.

Markus tossed her the bag. “Then stop complaining and try it.”

Vee looked at the ‘dog’ treats for a moment. “I guess...it couldn’t hurt…”

Riley sat at her feet and wagged his tail. “I think you better hurry before he attacks you for it.”

 

[ZombieSplitter53]

The Price of True Friendship
Part One

X-COM Headquarters, Somewhere in Siberia
Infirmary, Primary Surgical Reports
1400 Hours, Local Time

As Jessica observed the doctors at work, her thoughts were swimming in a rough ocean of emotions, worries, and doubts. Ammelia’s confession in the back of her mind, at least for now, she watched with a knot in her stomach as the doctors slowly and carefully removed the shattered remains that had once come together to form Ammelia’s backbone. She wished Desmond was with her, as he had planned, but he had been called away so her could get much needed repairs on his cybernetic arm. It was ironic, that the very arm he had damaged in order to save Ammelia was now keeping him from watching the surgery. Jessica briefly wondered if she wanted him here for Ammelia's sake, for his sake, of for her own, but in the end, it didn't matter.

She grimaced as one of the doctors stepped to the side, and Jessica got a full view of Ammelia’s split-open back. She knew, because of the precise incision and use of Meld, there would be almost no scarring, but she couldn’t help but feel she was watching a horror movie, particularly one of the more gory ones she hated.

Averting her eyes, Jessica watched as Dr. Russell prepared her friend’s new spine. It seemed a work of art, pristine as though it has come straight from a picture in a biology text-book. It certainly looked like it would work, perfectly measured for Ammelia, made using her DNA. But Jessica couldn’t help but think the doctor was putting too much faith in both the Meld and his approximations. And if this didn’t work, Ammelia couldn’t exactly live without one of the main parts of her nervous system.

Jessica tried to push her fears aside as the cloned spine was lowered into the young soldier’s back. I’m sure it’ll all be fine. They’ve done all the calculations. It’ll be fine. Even when they took twice as long as they said they would to secure the vertebrae. It’ll be fine. Even as the doctors started to close her up, then immediately stopped. It’ll be fine. Even when the doctors looked like they were bickering. It’ll… be…

The young scientist burst into the operating room. “You can’t be in here!” Russell shouted, but made no attempt to stop her.

“What's’ happening?” Jessica asked frantically. “Why are you just standing around?”

When Russell remained silent, and female doctor stepped forward. “The amount of Meld we needed was much higher than we anticipated. Her body isn’t accepting the spine.”

“Then… then give her more Meld!” Jessica shouted, looking back and forth in a panic.

Russell shook his head. “The spine is already partially connected to her nervous system. The Meld we were using was already incorporated into it before we attached it. Injecting pure, unaltered Meld would cause a shock to her system, one she couldn’t possibly survive in her weakened state. And she won’t live long enough on the artificial neurological stimulator for us to take the spine out, inject it, and reattach it.”

“Th-there has to… t-to be something you can do!” Jessica shot the room a pleading look, tears pouring down her cheeks.

The female doctor sighed. “I’m sorry. The only thing we could possibly do is a transfusion with blood that has already…”

“I’m Ammelia’s blood type!” Jessica grabbed the doctor, shaking her a bit. “Take my blood!”

“How do you know you’re…” The doctor shook her head. “It isn’t that simple.”

Responding to Jessica’s confused look, Dr. Russell said, “We can’t simply put the Meld in a bag of blood and shake it up like a bottle of kool-aid. It would have to circulate through your body for at least an hour, ninety minutes to be sure. Otherwise, it would be no different from injecting the Meld and blood into her separately. And… and we’d have to inject it directly into your spine to make sure it mixed with…”

“Then what are you waiting for?” Jessica turned around and lifted her hair, exposing her neck.

“Are you crazy?” Dr. Russell scoffed. “You work in the gene lab. You of all people know why the Meld is incorporated into the soldiers slowly. What part of ‘shock to the system’ did you…”

“JUST FUCKING INJECT ME, ALREADY!” Alexia screamed. “The longer we wait, the more likely Ammelia will die, and this will all be for nothing! Now, inject me, or I swear, I’ll start beating the shit out of everyone in this infirmary until I find someone who will!”

The doctors exchanged a worried look, and Russell grabbed the syringe of Meld. As her injected into into the base of the green-haired girl’s neck, Jessica pushed Alexia down, reclaiming control.

What are you doing! Do you know what you are in for?

Do you?

N… No, but I know it’ll be rough. I can’t let you…

You don’t have a choice. She’s my friend, this was my decision, so it is my… i-it is my… my b-burden… t-to…

Jessica started swaying back and forth, her eyes widening as the sense that something was wrong came over her. Time slowed down as the the Meld started moving through her body, attempting to bond with her at the cellular level. The effect on Jessica started with a warm sensation, mild at first, then growing, and growing, and growing, until she was overcome with the feeling that even bit of skin on her body was on fire. As the fire turned to needles, and an incredible pain shot through every nerve point, she had the feeling that her brain was melting. Every pain receptor on her body screamed out, and she joined them, dropping to her knees and screaming in pain. She had no idea this kind of pain was possible.

The doctors started to panic. “Quick,” Russell shouted. “Get the neutralizer! We need to get rid of the Meld before it kills her!”

As a nurse prepared a syringe, Jessica jumped to her feet, grabbing a large surgical saw from the table and holding it towards the others. Shaking violently, she muttered, “Nnnnnnnnnno! Y-y-yooooou…. s-s-s-said… ninety… minutes…” She stumbled backwards, fighting every urge to collapse as she backed through the door. She took off down the hall. Whatever was happening in her, she had an unbelievable amount of energy. She wouldn’t have to worry about passing out and having the Meld removed against her will, but it also meant she would be wide awake for every painful second.

Jessica, let me out! You can’t handle this!

YOu... cAN dO it… I caN DO iT… GonNa save… FRIenD…

Jessica fell to the ground, losing her lunch. She had just enough awareness to recognize that she hadn’t eaten anything that red, and got back up, searching for the nearest supply closet.

 

[ZombieSplitter53]

The Price of True Friendship
Part Two
(With Special Guest, DarkGemini24601)

Seventy-five Minutes Later

“She won’t listen to reason, Commander!” Russell scratched the back of his neck. “We tried to get the blood we needed after an hour, but she insisted we wait the whole ninety minutes. Now she’s convinced we’re trying to save her in exchange for Ammelia’s life. She’s in so much pain, she has no concept of time. I… I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have injected her without coming to you first.”

“No, you shouldn’t have,” Morrigan said bluntly, glancing into the storage room at Jessica, sitting in the back with the surgical saw raised, shaking violently. “We need to get through to her. And I can only think of one person. Where is LCPL Dragomirov?”

Primary Holo-Training Room

Modya Dragomirov sighed as his holographic rocket blew the four Floaters out of the sky, ending the session. I should be proud...but I don’t like not knowing how Ammelia is doing. Or where Jessie is, for that matter. “End simulation,” he said, waving his hand, and the holographic forest winked out of existence.

“Modya!” Alice materialized behind the rocketeer in her child form. “We need you in the infirmary!”

Modya turned around. “What for?” he asked, surprised by the AI’s sudden appearance.

“I-It’s Jessica.” Alice gave him a pleading look, her artificial emotions being pushed to their limits. “She’s in trouble, and no one can get her to accept help. You’re the only one that can get her to listen to us!”

What the hell happened? “I’m on my way,” Modya said quickly, and ran towards the elevator, ascending up to the infirmary as quickly as it would take him.

As the elevator reached the appropriate floor, Morrigan was standing outside the door, a grim look on her face. “Come on, Modya. We need you help.”

Modya followed Morrigan, his worry rising with every passing moment.

As they rushed down the halls, Morrigan tried to give Modya the short story. “Ammelia’s new spine needed more Meld then they thought, but they couldn’t put it into her without it mixing with blood first. Jessica convinced them to put it in her. It’s time to get the stuff out of her, but she’s in too much pain to listen to reason. What’s more, she had enough sense to look herself in a supply closet with no holoprojectors, so we can’t use the force-fields to restrain her.”

Modya stopped when they arrived at where Jessica was, seeing her with the bone saw. “Jessie…” he said cautiously.

“Careful,” Morrigan whispered. “The reason we didn’t just have the AI use her drone to go in is… well, Jessica was able to activate a fail-safe in it’s programming by… threatening to hurt herself if she saw it. I’m not sure if she is serious or not, but the computer’s programming refuses to take the chance.”

Modya approached Jessica slowly. Jessica’s eyes darted up at him, and she lifted the saw towards him, her expression saying she didn’t recognize him. She shook violently, the smallest movement sending waves of pain through her body. The top of her shirt was stained red, a small trickle of blood running down her chin. The floor is covered in dozens of red spots. “G-g-get… b-back… gooooonna… save… h-h-have to… make… up… for…”

Modya paled, both at the blood and the state she was in. “Iisus…” he muttered. “Jessie...listen to me...if you want to help Ammelia you need to work with us…”

Jessie seemed to look through Modya, her head twitching slightly. “G-g-gotta… h-help… my friend… said… she loves… but love… l-l-love…. Modya… but can’t just… abandon… love… wanna make h-h-haaaaapy… love Modya… help… Modya… help…”

She’s not making much sense…though it isn’t surprising she’s delirious at this point. “Jessie… please… put down that thing and come over here...it’s going to be alright…” he said with a pained tone.

“Come on, Jessie,” Morrigan stepped next the Modya. “We brought Modya. It’s been ninety minutes. You did your job. But if you don’t come with us now, we’ll lose you both.” She placed her hand on Modya’s shoulder. “If there is one person you can trust, it’s Modya, right?”

Modya held out a hand to Jessica, slowing getting a little closer.

Jessica watched Modya, the look in her eyes showing she recognized him for the first time. She reached out to him, the action sending another wave of pain through her body. The saw dropped to the ground as she let out a shrill shriek.

Modya quickly went over to her side, holding her close to him gently. “It’s going to be alright... they’ll take away the pain soon…”

Morrigan snatched the saw away as Dr. Russell and male nurse rushed into the room. As the nurse injected a sedative into Jessica’s arm, Russell knelt behind her, preparing to take the Meld he needed from the base of her neck. “Thank you, sir,” he said softly to Modya.

“Didn’t do it for you…” he muttered quietly, looking over Jessica with a worried expression.

“I… I-I know…” The doctor tried to hide a guilty look as he took the blood for Ammelia. He handed it to the nurse, and pulled out another syringe containing a light blue liquid. “Hold her still for me…”

Modya did, but looked at the liquid it with a hint of suspicion. “What is that?”

He hesitated to answer, looking up at Morrigan. The Commander knelt next to Modya, and in a low voice, said, “Something that we can’t let too many people know exist. It’s a neutralizer for the Meld. It’ll activate a kill code programmed into it, completely removing it from her body in a manner of minutes. She’ll have a lot of recovering to do, but at least she won’t have to worry about that.”

Modya seemed satisfied with that. “Alright…” he conceded, allowing the doctor to use it. He didn’t seem willing to leave Jessica’s side, however.

A few nurses came in with a stretcher as Dr. Russell ran off to finish Ammelia’s procedure. Before leaving, he muttered, “She… she saved her friend… make sure she knows that when she wakes up.”

As he took off, Morrigan stood up. “Thank you, Modya. You saved both of them.”

The Russian just nodded slightly, glancing over to her briefly before looking back at Jessie. Get better soon...you didn’t deserve to be laid low like this in the first place...

 

[ZombieSplitter53]

For the Eyes of Commander Morrigan O'Brien Only:

Here is that Progress report you asked for, Commander. As usual, I have divided it into different sections for ease.

Power: Our previous issues with power, particularly after the completion of the holotraining room, have been all but solved, as the Elerium-powered generators have been a complete success. We shouldn't have a problem with power for quite some time now.

Engineering: We have started work on a new item based on what we learned from the autopsies of the aliens we are now calling Mutons. They have been simply named 'Combat Stims', and should be available by the next mission. Unfortunately, work on the new line of weaponry, Guass weapons, as Dr. Shen refers to them, has been slow, as he has yet to make them both effective and safe. While he hates to constantly turn to our enemy for assistance, he feels one more push in what we find amongst the alien tech is needed to complete this project. Finally, as per your request, Dr. Shen is using our new Outsider shard, along with the data recovered from Hawaii and where the energy from the volcano was being sent, to search for extremely large alien energy signal in Asia. We will keep you posted, though we have a suspisions of where would be best to look first.

Laboratories: Autopsies on the Cyberdiscs and the Mutons have allowed us to develop two new gene mods. First, an enhancement to a soldier's dermis, that keeps the normal feeling of skin but is stronger then normal, what we are simply referring to 'Iron Skin'. Second, a modification that will overload the adrenal glands of our soldiers upon scoring a kill, which will not only enhance the soldiers offensive capabilities temporarily, but it will release special pharomone that will give a similar boost to nearby soldiers. We are calling this one Adrenal Neurosympathy.

Morale: While the Council was not happy with the extent we took it, morale has gone up when word of a refugee quarters spread throughout the base. While there has been a drop in morale after the revealing of the new alien forces, it was much lower then anticipated. In addition, There have been no reports of negativity towards Brigid as you had initially feared, though there does seem to be an unusually high degree of curiosity and desire to meet her.

Finally, you friend Jaymes Parker has been located, and he has agreed to come to the base as a 'undefined medical intern'. It is only a matter of time until the Council finds out his real reason for being on base, but by then, his work should have boosted morale enough to offset any objections they might have.

Soldiers: Lt. Brea has settled into her new position nicely, and the soldiers seem grateful for her availability and willingness to listen to their concerns. As you requested, she looked over the last pair of missions. She has assessed that Ms. Cross, regardless of the speed at which she recovers, is entitled to a promotion, and is thus Corporal Cross. In addition, she has reviewed our previous decision to hold back Ms. Orlov. In addition to the promotion and LCPL training she gets as part of the mission, she will be given the option to receive additional CPL training, if she so chooses.

Finally, I would recommend holding off on you plans to reveal the existence of Psionic humans, at least for now. At the most, only discuss them with the soldiers that will be working under or with such psionic soldiers. No reason to send confusion through our ranks at this time. The time will come when we have no choice, and if you and Ms. Ipiktok are correct, that time will be when we find the alien base we are looking for.

Thank You,
Bradford

 

[DarkGemini24601]

Interface

The Sectoid Commander in charge of the alien base walked past an array of engineering equipment. Cyberdiscs sat in bowl-shape depressions, being kept in prime condition. There were sparks and mechanical noises as new prototypes were being worked on. A flamethrower in a side room roared as it was being tested. A soft hum of hovering craft added to the general cadence of the engineering bay.

That was not why it was there, however. The Commander had something else to check before he returned to his command center. It approached a group of Sectoids working on computers around an abductee tank that was closed off by metal screens. STATUS OF THE MODIFICATION? the powerful Sectoid asked its subordinates.

Good, sir, I-4 replied.

Although this one was not found to have the gift, it will still serve, I-5 added.

The Sectoid Commander gave a slightly nod of its oversized head, and the other Sectoids opened the metal screen. In the tank was Yaralria, having cybernetic interfaces worked into her arms, clearly visible, as well as the hints of a similar case on her head. THE BRAIN HAS ACCEPTED THE CYBERNETIC IMPLANTS TO MAXIMIZE COMPUTING POWER?

As you specified, sir, I-6 answered.

She is now able to operate the IP-1 and IP-2 drones we have created here, as well as influence the drones and hover- I-5 began.

THERE IS NO DANGER OF REBELLION, the Sectoid Commander asked coldly, though it sounded more like it had better be a statement.

O-of course not, sir, I-7 answered.

The overrides from the terminal are in place, though the artificial system included with the implants should maintain loyalty, I-9 reassured.

And if necessary, you can override the female yourself, I-8 finished.

MAKE SURE THAT IS THE CASE, the Commander warned.

Several hours ago

The Sectoids swirled around Yaralria, who was unable to move an inch due to drug-induced paralysis. The ones at the computers started to press buttons, and a bright light, blurred by the effects of the chemicals affecting her, shone over the Inuit woman. Lasers cut incisions onto her skull, and then the bone saws descended.

She did not even have the mobility to scream…and what was more frightening to her is that she felt no pain. The portions of her skull were opened like a paper cube, leaving her brain exposed for them to do their work.

She must be improved upon, thought one.

Yes, she has limited potential for the gift, not enough to waste time on, thought another.

The master has asked us to make her a living computer of sorts, thought yet another. An interface between technology and us. The versatility of the ‘human’ brain should allow for this…with assistance.

Processing units and computer parts attached to the brain, being fused with the MELD somewhat safely. Yaralria felt as if she was going insane. This isn’t possible…this isn’t possible…this isn’t possible, she thought again and again, desperately trying to cling to the hope that this was all a cruel dream. It was not.

Her vitals were in flux, as the body was forcibly kept from going into shock by further injections. The combination of drugs and MELD was lowering her metabolic rate, and Yaralria started to feel agony despite the paralysis drug. She still could not scream though, her eyes fixed wide.

Electricity to stimulate the circulatory and respiratory systems; do not allow the subject to die.

The others complied, and after an uncertain amount of time to the Inuit woman their fusing of her brain with alien computers finally was completed on the interior. She could feel the pain no more…and felt her grip on reality loosening even more. Foreign information…symbols she found herself able to understand…commands, orders, technical specifications, biological data, weapon details, alloy plating density, servomotor sensitivity, defensive grid, camera four, camera three, camera nine, prototype Alpha-One, Prototype Beta 4, Prototypes Gamma 1 and 2…information swarmed through her head. Yet…she was able to process it.

Yaralria’s skull was resealed, but not entirely. Four inputs, one on the top of her head, another on the back, and two on the sides, peered out. Regulating equipment was attached, not bothered by hair cut short.

The interface is ready for your inspection, sir.

GOOD!

 

[MarineAvenger]

Mostly Work, Very Little Play Part 1

Markus was working in the lab, walking from computer to computer trying to make sense of ll the information in a short period of time. His latest project was delving into some of the practical features of Meld like a medicine synthesized using the Tz6 compound. His formula looked good in his mind but without running simulations he could potentially cause more harm to the body than good. On top of that, Markus had caught a little interest in Elerium though both Viktor and Elene were a little reserved when it came to him working with stuff that wasn't related to Meld. Learning anatomy of the aliens and the surreal possibility of creating the perfect human had Markus a little on edge as of late. His occasional spats with Vee and frustration of trying to explain emotions to someone who can seemingly feel none was a welcome break, he still couldn't help but feel that this internship was a little over his head. He looked over at Riley laying down in the corner and gave a tired smirk. "At least I still got you buddy..." The dog jumped up and wagged his tail in glee at the mention of his name and Markus closed his eyes and rubbed them with his free hand.

"Straighten up Markus. Viktor might start to think you are slacking." Sora's voice said coming from a near by computer.

"Slacking, honestly Sora I have been working fifteen hours straight. At least I am entitled to a break every once in a while?" He sated with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"Viktor doesn't see it as work when you are playing with the girls like you were a couple of days ago. He is not as patient as he tried to seem with you the first time you met him. Now I try not to be a bother but it is not like I have much say in the matter when it comes to him..." He explained in a calm voice, something Markus never thought he could say about a computer.

"So you have been watching me this whole time...doesn't a super intelligent, self aware AI like you have something better to do then watch a scientist all day?"

"Well this is Viktor we were talking about, you try to say no to that man. Anyways, yes. I was ordered to keep tabs on you wherever you go...but it is not all bad. It is hilarious watching an emotionless girl react to sausage like it was a nuclear device..."

Markus shook his head back and glared at Sora. "Any particular reason why you interrupted me in the first place?" He asked inquisitively.

All hint of sarcasm and fun seemed to vanish in that instant. "It is Viktor. He wants to see you, now."

Markus walked over to the door and slipped of his lab coat, hanging it on a hook. "Then let us go see what he requires."

A knock came from the door and Viktor looked up, putting down his pen and folding his hands. "Come in."

Markus walked in and stood in front of the desk. When Viktor waved his hand, Markus sat down and raised an eyebrow. "What do you need Mr. Dorian? I have been working for a while and I have been trying my best so..."

Viktor held up a hand. "Don't begin with me boy. I don't need you turning into a kiss ass. What I called you in for was what you were talking about with Miss Exalt and her infuriating copies." Viktor looked at him with a grim scowl, his sharp features making him seem even more menacing.

"I was talking to her about my progress and what projects she was working on. You can't expect me to work without knowing what my colleagues are progressing on..."

Viktor slammed his fist on the desk and pointed a finger at Markus. "I hired you to work Grathem, not to play around with the refuse when my back was turned. I don't care what your professors or past employers let fly but let me make myself clear once and only once. You are here to work and to help advance my people and tech. If I ever catch you doing something that you are not supposed to, or anything else I see as hindering my progress, I will not hesitate to end your life. Do I make myself clear?"

Markus slowly nodded his head and Viktor sat back in his chair slowly. "There is another thing I wish to bring to your attention. Several systems around here have been acting out of the ordinary. If you find out anything or I find out you have been one of the causes...I can assure you, you will not, be given a second chance. Am I clear?"

"Clearly sir." Markus let out in a worried voice.

"Then get out of my office and get back to work." He said demanding, picking his pen up and going back to his work.

Markus walked out and shut the door quietly. He walked back into the lab silently and sat down at a computer. When he wen to type he could hear the keys chattering and when he looked down his hands were shaking. He took deep breaths and tried to calm himself. Riley sensed his partner's worry and sat his head in Markus's lap. He slowly stroked his head, his hands slowly coming to a stand still. He closed his eyes and let his mind wander.

6 Years Earlier
It was a crappy day out and Markus put his cheek in his hand. He looked out the window while his teacher went on with the lesson. He was a little anxious for the school day to end as this was finally one of the days where he and his siblings had some time to spend together. They had agreed years ago that every Thursday would be the day they would hang after school. He nearly fell out of his seat when the bell rang and he hastily shoved his papers into his bag and ran out the door of the classroom.

His feet pattered against the tiny puddles of the pavement and he waited by the street corner that was right out side of his high school. He put his fingers to his mouth and let out a sharp whistle. Riley came out of a nearby bush and stood at his friend's legs covered in leaves and water. Shaking himself off he sat on the concrete of the side walk as the two waited for their siblings. William and Chelsea came around the corner with their bags on their backs and their dogs at their feet. Markus ran up to them and he jumped at his older brother. His brother caught him but the two fell into a nearby puddle, Chelsea cracking up above them. The two looked at each other and splash water at her and the two boys began to laugh.

"You guys! I could strangle you." She said half playfully and half angry.

Will stood up and helped Markus up as well. "We could to." He grabbed onto his sister and gave her a huge, soaked bear hug.

"No stop it. Come on Will!" Markus put his hands on his kness to stop himself from falling over laughing bit Chelsea pushed him back down into the puddle. "Who is laughing now Markus?" She said all snooty like.

"Love ya too Chels." He muttered. He looked up at his brother who was now soaked as well and he shook his head.

"Well lets go change, then we can go to the coffee shop. Sound good?" He asked, the two other nodding in agreement. When they turned to see the dogs they were hopping on one another, Riley was pouncing on Gaige as Lionel tried to gnaw Gaige's leg off. When Will called out to them they stopped and trotted over to their respective owners and the small group headed home for a nice change of clothes.

 

[MarineAvenger]

Mostly Work, Very Little Play Part 2

Markus walked out of his room rubbing off his hair with a towel. He opted for his Manchester City Away Jersey that his brother bought his a couple of weeks ago and some simple blue jeans. He looked over at his sister in her white blouse and skinny jeans standing next to will in his black Chelsea jersey and black jeans.

"Well, I assume we are all ready?" He asked looking in his bag to see if his wallet and the rest of the itmes he was brnging with him were accounted for.

"Yep, off to the coffee house!" Chelsea said happily, adjusting her glasses slightly.

Will raised an eyebrow at Markus and he nodded his head. The grew walked out, leaving the dogs behind as they did every time they went out to the coffee house. It was only a few blocks away nestled in between a book store and a pharmacy, and it was the trio's favorite spot to hang out. The smell was refreshing, the pastries were good and on some days, their friends would be working behind the counter. It was an overall good time and Markus enjoyed these little moments. They walked in and the smell of freshly ground coffee and warm air slapped him like a hand. The shop was relatively light and Will went up to the counter to order the usual as Chelsea and Markus grabbed a booth.

Chelsea folded her hands and leaned in to get closer to Markus. "So how is the hunt for college going? Found any that you would enjoy?" She asked.

"A few, some here, some over seas. Some have really good bio courses, but I don't really want to leave you guys though. I mean you guys aren't too far away and it is just a short drive from home, I don't think I could survive long without my siblings at my back."

Chelsea smiled lightly and embraced her brother. "You always were the baby Markus, though that was the fun of growing up with you."

He snickered and looked over at her. "You kidding me? You are the childish one! Who was it that got her hand stuck in the cookie jar and had to use a whole stick of butter to get her hand out, I wonder?" He stated.

"That was one time! And in my defense it probably would have been better not to stick my whole hand in...but that cookie was good." She said trailing off.

"Yeah, well Mom grounded you for a month after that. I still think she is hesitant to make a batch of cookies again when you are around."

She nudged her brother's arm and the two laughed as Will sat down with their stuff. "An iced latte and corn muffin for Chelsea..." He said, handing her the drink and muffin. "A thick hot chocolate with extra cream and a glazed doughnut for Markus..." He handed Markus his things. "And last but not least a regular coffee and cinnamon bun for me!" He said unwrapping his food.

They trio bit into their food and dug in. Markus smiled as he looked at his siblings. "I love you guys."

Will and Chelsea looked at him and they both smiled. "It is nice to enjoy the little things..." Will said, Chelsea nodding in agreement.

Markus rose his cup and said. "To future Thursday, and all the fun adventures we have yet to do..." They all tapped their cups and enjoyed the soft music playing in the back round.

Markus let his head down as he remembered the last Thursday he spent with his siblings. "It was then that Chelsea and Will became wrapped up in college and started to miss out on their usual meetings. Time flew by and he was done with high school and in college himself. Now he was here, the only semblance of his past life was the furry companion standing by him.

He laid his head down and closed his eyes briefly. He heard someone walk in and he looked up to see Elene holding a cup. "I came to see if you wanted something to drink after the work you have been doing. You seem to 'pop' in whenever you feel like so I thought I might do the same." She walked over and put the cup down, a black liquid swirling around inside. "I believe that is what is called coffee. Considering it came from the kitchen it might not be safe for human consumption but I was told this was something that coworkers do in times of long working hours."

He looked up at her and she gave him the same blank stare she seemed to have most of the time. "Thank you." He took the cup and sipped a small amount of the liquid. "Bitter and scorching hot..." He stated. "Best damn coffee I have had in a while."

 

[Adrammalech]

// ECHOES //
Susan Fischer
South Pole
Antarctica
December 11, 2010 – 9:22 PM

I open the door to see an officer dressed in blue, my long lost daughter slinked around his arm.

“How can I help you, officer?” I said pleasantly.

“Mrs. Fischer? We’ve found your daughter,” he said, a grim look on his face.

Emily stumbles forwards, a strand of drool dripping from her chin. Her eyes have big black bags and her hair looks like it hadn’t been washed since she disappeared.

“Oh…what’s happened to her,” I asked, concerned.

“She’s been hopping around cargo ships for a couple years. She seems to think she’s some kind of adventurer, learning cultures and street smarts. Really, she’s just been a hobo. No value to society at all.”

The officer pulled a small notebook from his pocket, flipping through the pages.

“In addition, she’s stolen quite a bit from a wide variety of sailors, these debts will be charged against her as she is now an adult, but you will be able to assist her. There are a few other runaway boys and girls who will testify against her, after we bring them in of course.”

Emily leaned against me, causing me to stagger back as she shifted all of her weight on to me.

“What’s wrong with her, though?”

“Well, preliminary tests indicate she’s an alcoholic, possibly a drug addict too. She falls asleep at random intervals calling them flashbacks when really she’s just catatonic. She also raves about wild hallucinations, saying ‘she’s a war hero’ and she has to ‘defend against the aliens.’ She talks to people who aren’t there like a ‘Nika,’ ‘Ben,’ and an ‘Ammelia,’ some crippled imaginary friend she has.”

“Oh my…that seems so unladylike, I didn’t raise my daughter that way.”

“Well, we did pull her file, and it was said she was adopted by you and your husband.”

Emily groaned and bared her teeth. I quickly swat her on the forehead and whisper for her to behave.

“Yes, we did when she was little,” I replied.

“In honesty, she is 19 and little more than a burden now. I recommend disowning her, so you won’t have to deal with the legal proceedings.”

“I see. Thank you, officer.”

“Maybe she’ll seek help at an asylum, where she belongs, but if not…well, it won’t be your concern.”

I nodded as the officer walked away, Emily looked up at me pleadingly, too messed up to even speak.

“Sorry, Emily…you abandoned us, and our needs come first now.”

She shook her head no as I tossed her out the door, making her stumble and trip as she fell into the snow. One of the neighborhood boys ran up to me as I looked at her with pity.

“Hello, ma’am,” the well-dressed, yellow-skinned boy said to me. “If you’re done with her, do you mind if I take her? She could be very useful to me.”

“I am done with her,” I replied, confused by the last sentence but unconcerned.

She laid still and silent as he plucked her belongings off of her, well-behaved like she never was as a daughter. Not wanting to watch as the boy took everything from her, I walk back towards my kitchen, the warm orange glow of my home welcoming me radiantly as always. I hear vague mechanical whirs and tears of fabric behind me as the door shuts.


Emily Fischer
XCOM Headquarters – Barracks #4
Siberia, Russian Federation
3:42 AM

Emily woke up sweating, barely suppressing a scream as she woke up from the nightmare. She looked over at one side, seeing most everyone else asleep as they should’ve been. She jumped back a little to see Dallas crouched beside her on the other side.

“Are you ok? You were shivering and growling…” Dallas whispered, looking concerned.

“No, I’m not,” Emily replied shakily.

“I know things are taking a toll. Why don’t we go to the bar and talk it all out? Most people are probably asleep, and we need each other to stop from going cra—”

Emily launched forwards and whipped her arms around him, pulling him up from the floor and halfway onto the bed. He pulled away instinctively, then put his arms around her. She squeezed him uncomfortably tight, twice so with his body barely fitting on the tiny military bed.

“This is what I need…the warmth…”

“You didn’t get enough of that at the volcano?” he chuckled nervously.

Dallas continued to fidget, trying to get comfortable on the thin strip on bed he was offered, holding onto Emily tightly.

“Do you want me to wake up Nika?” Dallas asked nervously, “She’s better at this whole…huggy thing…”

“Shhhhh…”

Emily maintained her grasp on him and closed her eyes, smiling a little to herself. She focused on the awkward hug, a little happier with the warmth overwriting the nightmare.