RP XCOM2: Liberation of Earth

[ZombieSplitter53]

Concupiscentia inimici lamentationibus
Part Two

"I..." The man took a step back. "But, I..."

"Neva, if you would," Zemsis interrupted.

The pale cybernetic woman bowed her head slightly. In a flat, robotic tone, she stated, "After the former head of ADVENT, now known as Desmond Walker, started Genesis, I began creating an algorithm to attempt to predict those that would turn to his side, based on age, sex, time with ADVENT, performance history, known history before joining ADVENT, actions while in ADVENT, and any known affiliation with Mr. Walker. Of all the now Peacekeeper commanding officers on this ship, your name was at the top of the list of possible Genesis members or sympathizers."

"Naturally, a deep probe of your mind would have revealed who you would have recruited by now," Zemsis continued. "But any casual attempts were blocked by psionic barriers placed in your mind. Naturally, these could be broken, but taking you in to do so would have tipped off those you have already recruited, which could have led to rash behavior. Additionally, it might not have revealed those you believe will join you but you haven't approach yet. So I had you do that work for me."

Richardson stammered, trying to think of a proper defense, but could only let out a grim chuckle. "You really are something, aren't you? But it doesn't matter. Your days are numbered. It is only a matter of time..." Zemsis stuck out a hand, a tendril of violet energy flowing out and into the head of one of the soldiers behind the defiant Captain. The young woman screamed, dropping to her knees as a red surge of energy accompanied the violet. "No!" Richardson yelled out, looking back at the woman writhing in pain, laughing and crying hysterically.

"I'm sorry," Zemsis said casually. "I don't remember giving you permission to monologue." He flicked his wrist, and the defenseless woman's pain ended with a snap of the neck. "Now... where were we? Oh, yes..." He motioned towards a pair of modified Sectoids to walk over to the Captain. "You will drop your mental barriers and allow these two to scan your mind and assess any acts of sabotage you have committed on my ship. You know they will break through on their own anyway, given time."

Richardson chuckled. "And why should I bother to make it easy for you?" Zemsis raised a head, lifting another one of the Captain's men into the air and strangling him with telekinesis. Richardson gave the Overseer a defiant look. "Tch... and? You think I'm that stupid? You're going to kill everyone of them anyway."

Zemsis snapped the second victim's neck, but made no move against the other three terrified humans. "I do believe you're too intelligent for such a ploy, which is why this is no ploy." Zemsis placed his left hands against his chest and bowed. "You have my word. I have no need to kill three so insignificant to anything. Drop your mental shields, allow yourself to be probed, and I will not lay a hand on them, physical or mental. They will be able to earn the right to have their lives back thanks to your cooperation." He stood up straight. "I am a being of my word. Surely, you have been here long enough to realize this. Now, you are the one who has betrayed my trust. Do not insult me further by accusing me of being the untrustworthy one."

Richardson slowly looked back at the three remaining people he had put the most trust in. He scoffed and knelt down again, and closed his eyes. "Let's get this over with." The Sectoids exchanged a nod, and began to prob his mind. As usual, they weren't exactly gentle, but it didn't hurt as much as it would have had Richardson resisted. When they were done, they relayed the information to Zemsis. "N-now..." the man rose to his feet again. "Keep... your... promise."

"Naturally." Zemsis looked to the three in the back. "Now... you three may live... assuming you earn your lives back, of course."

"What are you talking about?" Richardson clenched his fist. "You said they could live!"

"I said they could earn the right to live. Do not blame me for your misunderstanding." Zemsis looked to each of them in turn. "And I am confident at least... one... of you will live. All you have to do is prove to me you can be trusted by ADVENT and myself once more."

Richardson let out a grim laugh. "What does that even mean? Even if they wanted to stay with the Peacekeepers, how exactly do they prove it?"

"Oh... at least one of them will figure it out," Zemsis stated confidently.

A few moments later, one of the three gasped lightly, her eyes widening with realization. She took a subtle step back, and suddenly pulled her sidearm, killing one of her comrades with a shot to the head. The other turned to her, only for her to quickly elbow him in the side of the head. He dropped to the ground in pain, and she raised her weapon once more. "A-A member of the P-Protectorate Peacekeepers... i-is sworn to uphold the peace... a-and ensure the sanctity of the Elders and the Path... b-by a-any means necessary." She wordlessly mouthed 'I'm sorry', tears rolling down her cheeks, and finished off the other man.

Richardson stared back at her in horror, and Zemsis clapped two of his hands. "Very good. Thank you for dealing with those two traitors. What is your name, young lady?"

"Y-Yoshida," the woman answered, wiping her eyes. "S-Sora Yoshida."

Zemsis nodded. "You may take your leave." He turned to address the rest of the bridge. "None of you will speak of any betrayal by the newly promoted Captain Yoshida. I want it to instead be known that she was responsible for delivering swift justice to those who would threaten the sanctity of the Path."

Richardson watched as the woman left, still wiping her eyes, before giving Zemsis the most hateful look he could muster. "Bastard! It isn't enough that you have to kill my people. You have to corrupt one of them like that!"

"What you see as corruption, I see as turning back to the light. You, XCOM, and Desmond Walker made her stray. It is just a good thing..." He sensed power building around the now exposed Genesis soldier, flames flickering in his palms. "Oh, dear... you're not about to do something foolish are you? Because I might have further use for you alive."

"You'll pay for everything you have done!" The flames turned to large fire balls in Richardson's hands. "All the lives you have taken. All the people you have corrupted. Genesis will lead the world in the image ADVENT was supposed to bring without your kind screwing everything up!"

"You're monologuing again." Zemsis shook his head. "You really are hopeless, aren't you? Almost as much as you are helpless."

"I'll show you how helpless I am!" Richardson screamed, launching two massive fireballs at Zemsis, larger then the Elder himself when combined. Zemsis didn't move, however. He didn't even flinch. Nor did the figure now standing before him. It was another Ethereal, but much smaller, as though a child. She wore a simple mask with very few symbols on it, and had smooth features. Cupped in three of her hands was a intricately designed sphere with various glowing circles and gears, the majority of it gold but with deep purples and blues throughout. Her fourth arm extended towards Richardson, the man completely frozen in the stance he had been in for the last several seconds. Between him and Zemsis, his fireballs hung suspended in the air, flickering and sparking ever so slowly.

Such a waste to kill you now, Zemsis stated telepathically. But such a daring and blatant attempt on the life of an Elder can not go unpunished, I'm afraid. The smaller Ethereal before him opened her hand, and the fireballs flew back towards their origin. The man let out screams of pain and terror for a few seconds before his unprotected head was charred beyond recognition. Bring someone to clean this mess up, Zemsis said to no one in particular, trusting it would be done. He returned to his original position, staring at one of the monitors at the world below. Your death will not go unpunished, Tien and Merenu, he thought to himself. What tenacity they have shown, killing two Overseers... and what an insult. Do not worry though. We will crush them in time, even if we Elders must do so directly. And if any survive the slaughter, we will gladly save a few to die in your names. Though Shen... he is mine. I will enjoy stamping him out and showing that all traitors will suffer, even those of our own kind.

 

[Dahlexpert]

The fallowing is a colabe between Dhalexpert & ZombieSplitter53

One weird mixed up family

On board the avenger
Soldiers barricks

Luke and Lilith made their way to the Chambers room. Lilith looked at Luke and his new watch, rubbing her head. "I can't believe you proposed to Alexis, and actually found an apartment."

"Aw, come on, you should know when I'm determined, I go all out. Besides, I have this sweet watch now. Alexis worked really hard on it for me, and because of that, I love it."

Lilith knocked on the Chambers door. "Yeah well, hopefully Joe will be alright with this."

The man in question opened the day. Despite the early hour, he was already clean shaven and in a suit. He smiled and said, "Lilith, Luke, good morning."

Lilith waved her hand at Joe, giving him a small grin."Hey, Joe. I'm guessing by now you heard the news." Lilith looked at Luke, who was smiling at Joe.

"Good morning, father-in-law."

Joe raised an eyebrow. "Nnnnno. What... news?" He looked back into the room. "Do you know anything about this father-in-law business?"

"Oh, I know!" the heard Veronica's voice call out. "He's kidding around because he bought an apartment for the two of them."

"Oh, you don't know, do you? Shockingly Alexis hasn't told you yet. Luke you want to tell them?"

"Yep, on Christmas, not only did I get us an apartment. I also asked her to marry me, and she said yes. That's why I called you father-in-law."

"You... asked..." Joe looked to be in shock, and stumbled back into the room, leaving the door open.

Veronica squealed loudly and jumped to her feet, running to grab Luke's arms and practically yanking him into the room. "She said yes?! My little girl is going to be a bride?!"

"Yeah, she's going to be a bride. Once all this is over, we will get married and move into the apartment we have. That's where we were since Christmas, until we left the city."

Lilith put her hand on Joe's shoulder." Hey, you alright? I'm guessing you weren't expecting this news so early in the morning."

Joe slowly shook his head. "Uh... no. I wasn't expecting it at all. I mean... I believed that it... might happen eventually... but to actually hear it..."

"Yeah, I just heard about it yesterday, which would explain where Luke and Alexis were. Guess they've been enjoying themselves. So what do you think about this?"

Joe swallowed, had gave a small laugh. "I think... it's great." He laughed again. "My baby is engaged." He looked over to Luke. "Sorry if I looked... displeased. It was just kinda shocking when there was no build up."

"What's going on?" Alex asked from the doorway, peaking in.

"Annnd speaking of the bride to be, hi daughter-in-law." Lilith said to Alexis.

Luke went to Alexis' side and held her hand. "Hi Alexis. Um, so I just told your parents I proposed to you. I thought you told them about it or they saw engagement ring I gave you."

"Oh, Luke!" Alex grabbed his arms and shook him. "What are you doing? I wanted to tell them together! You have no flare for the dramatic."

"Surprising considering what a firecracker he is," Vicky said with a laugh.

"Wow, that makes sense. Aw, damn, seeing all their reactions at the same time would have been wonderful. Oh, once again, thanks for the watch hon. I really do love it."

Alexis narrowed her eyes, but quickly smiled. "Can't stay mad at you." She gave him a big kiss.

Joe made a fake fetching noise. "Ugh, nasty. Is that what it looks like when you see your mother and me kiss?"

"Yes, to a degree. Anyway hon, since we're back on the ship, I know it sucks. But I was thinking we can get a room together. Makes sense, don't you think?"

"Oh, dear god, I think I'm going to be sick." Lilith replied, holding her head.

"Don't day that," Joe muttered. "Makes me think about all the reasons it would make me sick..."

"Well," I think it is a great idea," Veronica said. "Give you privacy, and make your feel like your living together already."

"Well we already were living in the apartment during Christmas. Which reminds me, once we go back to the megacity, you guys really need to see the apartment I got for us, and the car."

"Wait wait, wait wait. You not only got a apartment but a car? Wow, you really go all the way, don't you boy?"

"I also wore a suit. Seriously Joe, how do you wear one every day?"

Joe adjusted his collar. "It takes some getting used to, but then you can't imagine being seen in anything else."

"All the more reason to keep Luke out of one." Alexis hugged Luke's arm. "I think we should start moving out things to one of the empty rooms right now. Maybe one next to that cute girl and her 'don't call me her boyfriend' boyfriend. I met them the other day and they're cute... though Nick can be a little scary."

"Really? Well if he does anything to you, I'll be sure to talk to him. Or give him a piece of my mind."

"Luke, you can't go and fight people just because."

"Yeah, I know, I'm not. Now, before we do any of that, don't you think we should celebrate us getting engaged?"

Alexis nodded. "That sounds nice." She got close and whispered, "Guess a week of you and me glued to a bed doesn't count, huh?"

Luke smiled and whispered back to her. "Oh it does, but I would rather have something our family can enjoy." Luke kissed Alexis' cheek. "Besides, I'm gonna need your help cooking, since we're both good at it."

"Oh, good," Lilith said. "I get to see how good your two cooking is when you're together."

"Oh, trust me, we are fan-friggin-tastic." Alex nudged the man next to her. "As long as Luke does the heavy lifting. Though I think I have the superior desert making skills in my humble opinion."

"That comes from me," Veronica stated. "I mean not me in person, me genetically. Can you inherit baking skills? I'm sure Jennifer would know better..."

 

[Dahlexpert]

Part 2

"Apparently, Jennifer inherited your swimming, since she's a good swimmer. Now then, I hope you're ready, because me and her together? We'll make a very good five star meal, one you'll will never forget what we make."

"This early in the day?" Joe commented.

"Oh, live a little," Vicky countered. "You can work it off in the gym later. Though, we can't do anything without including Jennifer."

Luke started to blush, him not seeing Jennifer since they kissed. "Yeah, let's bring her along, she could use some breakfast, Plus she can work it off too."

"I'll go find her." Veronica stepped out of the room and called back. "You guys head down to the mess hall and get started."

"Will do." Alexis looked at Luke and raised an eyebrow at his rosey cheeks. "You okay?"

"Yep, I'm fine, just fine, doing great actually, just thinking of something."

"Really?" Lilith eyes him. "It's rare that you blush like this Luke. Did something happen with you and Jennifer?"

Luke stopped blushing and shook his head. "No, nothing at all, it's just going to be good to see her is all."

Alex eyes him for a few moments longer before shrugging. "Well, I know she had been looking forward to seeing you again. Come on." She pulled him out of the room, heading down to the mess hall.

Joe walked along side Lilith, striking his chin. "You know, it is weird of any of us moving to a megacity when this is over. Not like I thought we would abandon them. He a bit wasteful. Just... strange."

"Yeah, it's all too weird. If you had asked me that we had a chance to win this war and live in a megacity before, I would have called you crazy, but it's happening. I mean, Luke found himself and Alexis a home. Maybe the next time you and your wife are down there, you can find yourself something. Huh, Joe?"

Joe thought about it. "I'm not sure what I'll do. I guess I have the skills to help a lot of people. But... I've been with Atka for so long. She was my friend... then my Commander. I can't see leaving her side until she doesn't need me anymore. So as long as she stays on this ship, I probably will to. As long as Veronica supports me, of course."

"Heh, you're a good man Joe. I'm glad Veronica has someone she can depend on and thinks about his future after all of this. As for me, I don't know what to do with myself. Not much for an old sniper after this is all over."

Joe laughed and nudged her arm. "You kidding? Trust me, as much as we would like to wish it, things aren't going to just fall into place when this is all over. There will be whatever happens with ADVENT, alien loyalist doing crazy things, defending against raiders and bandits without the Elders around, recolonizing abandoned island nations like Ireland and Japan. People with your skills will be so needed, you'll struggle to choose what to do."

"Heh, yeah, but I'm getting way too old for this stuff. I think I'm just going to retire and lay on the beach somewhere, far far far away from the megacity."

Joseph patted her on the shoulder. "Sounds like a good plan. Just don't make it too far away for us to visit every now and then. I'm sure a beach side location would be loved by your future grand nephews and nieces."

"Heh, yeah, I won't go too far. Besides, I would love to see my future nephews and nieces."

Luke looked back at Joe and Lilith. "What do you think they're talking about? Think they're talking us?"

"Hmm?" Alex placed her hands behind her head. "I don't know. What do older people usually talk about? The future? I guess considering the proposal, they probably are talking about us, but I'll take that as a compliment."

"Hem, well that will be us one day. But we have breakfast to make." The group entered the cafeteria and Luke and Alexis entered the kitchen. "Anyway, let's get to making breakfast, shall we darling?"

"Absolutely." Alex nodded to the usual kitchen staff and grabbed a hairnet. "What is on the menu, chef?"

"Well, it's breakfast, so let's be simple, and make a big healthy, and full of variety breakfast for our family." Luke started the stove and started to crack some eggs, and grabbed some bacon and sausage.

"Hey, can I handle the eggs?" Alexis asked. "I know how to make a killer veggie omelet. Nouja taught me when I was a kid, and it would handle with vitamins side of things while you handle the meat."

"Oh, that works for me. You can also make the french toast, and I will handle the pancakes." Luke grabbed some pancake mix and some bowls, and started to mix the batter.

Alexis whistled softly as she mixed the milk and eggs for the french toast. "Let's make everyone nice and fat."

"You sound like a evil witch, preparing to fatten them up and eat them." Luke put the sasuage and bacon in the pan.

Alexis cackled, dipping the bread into the batter and starting to cook it. "They'll make a good stew, but the must be well feed. Skinny humans are good for nothing but a quick snack."

"Oh, you're funny my dear witch. And I think they will taste even better when they're fat and happy." Luke started to pour the pancake batter into a pan. As it started to sizzle, Luke flipped the sausage and bacon to cook the other end.

Alex cracked two dozen eggs into a bowl, added some milk, and vigorously whipped it. "You know, we'll have to think about things like money, or credits, or whatever when this is over. We can probably save money buy eating home cooked meals often. And we can alternate who does the cooking. Like... depending on schedule, you cook, then I cook, then we cook together, then we get some takeout, and then start over."

 

[Dahlexpert]

Part 3
"That could work. I could gather meat by hunting. That way we can just get vegetables and the like." Luke flipped the pancakes, and took the sausage and bacon off the pan and added more to the already cooked pan.

Alex poured some of the egg mixed with vegetables into the pan and flipped the french toast. "You know it might seem weird for you to leave the megacity to go hunting instead of just going to the market, right?"

"Well I spent most of my life hunting, so not really. Besides, it would be good for our future young ones to hunt, and I can teach you how to do it too."

Alexis laughed nervously. "I, um... I know those sausages are made from animals that I'm eating, but... I-I'm not sure I'm comfortable killing an animal myself. Bad guys, sure. But killing a poor deer or something...?"

Luke started to laugh as he started to make blueberry pancakes. "Aw, you can shoot an alien but not an animal. That's cute, makes me want to get a dog or a cat once this is over. But if you don't want to hunt I understand, it's not for everyone."

"Well, thank you." She smiled over at him. "You'd really want to get a little puppy or kitty?"

"Yeah, I mean we do plan on having kids, why not give them a little companion right? I would love to have a dog. A good loyal companion, and fun with kids two."

"I couldn't agree more." Alexis turned the burner for the oversize omellet off, sprinkled it with shredded cheese, and covered it. She added more to the growing pile of french toast, almost out of bread. "You don't think we're making too much, do you?"

"Have you seen me eat? I can eat a lot, and so can my aunt. But we have to think of the crew, so for now, we're done. I think I made plenty of food, so let's serve breakfast to our family."

Alexis helped him load the dishes onto a cart and wheeled it out for her family and soon to be aunt-in-law. "We've got the grub! Pancakes and waffles, sausage and bacon, and my world famous veggie omelets!"

"Good thing I went to take my shower before eating. I'm starving." Jennifer smiled at Luke, giving him a small wave.

Luke winked at Jennifer, and looked at the food. "I hope you all like the food we made, trust me, you will want us to cook for you from now on."

"Heh, I bet. I'm starving." Lilith tried Alexis omelet and her eyes widened. "This is delicious! Alexis you made this?"

Alexis laughed bashfully, rubbing the back of her head. "Yeah. I, uh... I tried my best."

"And your best is great!" Veronica savored a piece of bacon. "Oh... this is so crisp... so... perfect."

"I try my best. I appreciate it." Luke pulled out a chair, and offered it to Alexis. "Here Alexis, got a chair just for you."

Alexis chuckled. "Thank you, Luke," she said, sitting down and grabbing some pancakes.

Jennifer gave Luke a sly smile. "Look at the gentleman. Hope you're not getting soft, Luke."

"Hey come on, I can have moments. Besides, I can't be the bad guy forever, plus I'm getting married. There's no need for me to be the bad guy."

Lilith smiled at Luke. "Wow, I'm proud of you Luke. Your really have become a good man." Lilith ate one of the pancakes. "Wow, it's so fluffy and soft. It's delicious."

Veronica leaned forward a bit and gave Luke a serious, if lighthearted, look. "So... be honest. How many grandchildren do I have to look forward to? Two? Three? Seventeen?"

"Mom..." Alex blushed, and shoveled some egg into her mouth.

Lilith looked at Veronica, and scratched her chin. "That is a good question. How many kids do you plan on having?"

Luke smiled at the question. "I would say as much as we want, there's no limit. Who knows, our first time, we may get triplets. I mean the way we go at it. I would definitely say we're having more then one kid."

Alexis blushed even fiercer, and Joe chocked a little. "Come on, Luke, I'm eating here. Do you really think that I want to think about how much sex my daughter is having? If I wasn't in love with this food so much, I'd come over there and box your ears."

"Aw, relax Joe, sex is par for the course. But I understand, so let's talk about something else." Luke looked at Jennifer, and gave her a sly smile." So Jenn, how's the boyfriend search going?"

Jennifer's shoulders sank a little. "It... i-it's going... okay, but... I'm not really looking that hard."

"Ugh, tell me about it." Vicky stuck half a piece of french toast in her mouth and continued, slightly muffled, "I know we have a war to fight, but you could at leastconsider the men I have my eye on for you."

Alex chuckled. "Maybe you're looking on the wrong side. If Jenn can't find a good man to love, maybe she should start looking for a girl..." Jennifer shot her an evil glare that made Alexis trail off. Munching on some more bacon, Alex muttered, "Geez, sis, I was just joking. You some kinda homophobe?"

"Oh, come on now Alexis. I mean, you weren't looking for a boyfriend. Now you're engaged, so don't worry Jenn. I'm sure you will find someone. If not, I have no problem being shared." Luke said in a joking manner.

Alexis punched him in the arm. "Pervert."

Jenn gave her sister a small smile. "Yeah... but that's one of the reasons you love him. Because he is almost as big a pervert as you."

"Am not." Alexis rested her head against Luke's arm. "Unless I'm with him.

Lilith started to laugh while eating some waffles. "You two are just perfect, aren't you? It's so cute seeing you two together."

Luke wrapped his arms around Alexis. "Yeah, it's nice finding someone that could keep up with me. And who finally admits she's a pervert."

 

[Dahlexpert]

Part 4

Joe felt like he was going to gag again, and quickly change the subject. "So, uh, Luke... you still have that little prize you claimed on that last mission, or did the Commander make you turn it in?"

"Oh, you mean the helmet I collected. No, I get to keep those. Though I have to admit fighting a Muton queen was an interesting fight. But that Elder, me being chocked like that? Not fun, but at least I got a new power out of it."

"I do have to say I'm impressed," Joe said. "Don't take this the wrong way, but old you? Before you and Alex got serious? No way wouldn’t you have killed the Elder. Even faced with a firing squad. I really am impressed you were able to walk away with just the mask, and not take the head that was in it with you. You really have grown."

"Yeah, I'm still ironing myself out, but I have all the motivation I need right here." Luke wrapped his arms around Alexis. "She is the sole reason I'm trying to change, and for our future kids."

Vicky shook her head. "Come on, Luke. Humility is a virtue, but it is okay to be a little proud of yourself."

Alexis nodded. "I agree. I feel I deserve credit for helping you along, but give yourself some points for working at it. You had the strength to better yourself, and you should be proud."

"And yet I'm still a squaddie. I'm still listed as a rookie. While my future wife is a corporal."

"Luke, since when did you care about rank?" Lilith asked. "I mean, you never did in Alaska?"

"About the time Emile and Tom got promoted instead of me."

Alexis nudged him. "Well, I don't care about rank. Only matters in terms of leading a mission. But if it will make you feel better, I will march into the Commander's office right now anddemandthat I be demoted."

"Don't do that. I will earn it like I did everything else with this program."

Lilith couldn't help but smile at her nephew. "Wow look at you, I'm so proud Luke. You want to earn your ranking. That's my boy."

"Yeah, I'm not much of a leader. But I wasn't much of a good guy either before coming here, though things do change don't they?"

"They do. And in this case, for the better." Joseph leaned back, placing a hand on his stomach and letting out a satisfied sigh. "I'm stuffed."

Lilith rubbed her stomach. "Yeah, the food you two made was delirious. Heh, I'm sure Catherine would love to have you two working with her."

"No, Alexis would go nuts being around Cat for more then a few minutes." Luke finished off the last bit of sausage and bacon.

"Yep Alexis, I think you found a winner. You found someone that is a bottomless pit."

"And who can cook his own food, of course." Jennifer stood up. "Have to go to the Labs. Though if you have a second, Luke, can I ask you something in private?"

"Hum, well for my sister-in-law, how can I not make time?" Luke kissed Alexis' head, and followed Jennifer to one of the side rooms. "Alright Jenn, what's up?"

"Are you okay?" she asked in concern. "You've avoided me since you and Alexis got back." She shook her head. "It's the kiss, isn't it? You promised it would be over after that."

"And it is, it's just a little weird is all. Look, if you want me to hang out and talk to you again, fine. Sorry I've been avoiding you, okay?"

"That's...that's okay." Jennifer smiled. "I just don't want things to be too weird. Besides..." Jennifer bit her lips and rubbed her arm nervously. "I-if it eases your mind... thereissomeone I'm interested in. I'm just... waiting for the right time to see if they return my feelings. It's a complicated situation."

Luke rubbed Jenifer's head. "Well, that's nice to hear. Look Jenn, you're fine. Nothing is wrong. We kissed and we both moved on. If you feel like I been avoiding you, my bad. I'll tell you what. I will help you with your workout tomorrow, how does that sound?"

"Sounds great." She headed for the door, and smiled back. "Oh... one more thing." She gave him a dirty look. "Alexis told me what you two talked about when you proposed to her. If you tell anyone...anyone.. that my middle name is 'Michalina', I will make a widow out of Alex before she is even married, got it?"

"Ugh, sure thing, Michalina. Hey, you know what? I think I might name my second daughter that just to forever tease you about it."

Jennifer rolled her eyes, but slowly smiled. "You better be careful. I might just be honored that you would name a child after me."

"Heh, so much of teasing you forever. Anyway. if you'll excuse me Jenn, I need to move some things and get me and Alexis a room."

Jennifer nodded. "Have fun with that." She stepped out, then quickly stuck her head back in the room. "Um... you just ate a lot of food. Let it digest for at least half an hour before doing any heavy lifting, or you'll get a tummy ache." With that, she ducked bakc out, heading for work.

"Heh, yep. I'm marrying into a weird family. But that's why I love them."

 

[DarkGemini24601]

DarkGemini24601 and ZombieSplitter53: "Sabertoothed Showdown"

Somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean
1035 Hours, January 10th, 2039
Onboard the X.S.S. Avenger
Floor 4, Port Wing
Gymnasium B

Yakone tossed the ball in her hands against the wall. Like being passed and then immediately sent back her way, the orange blur rebounded until it was caught in the young woman's hands again. She repeated the process over and over, each time hurling the black-lined ball harder until it was an indistinct streak flying back and forth from the woman's palms to the gym wall and then back oncemore. Only when she'd reached a critical mass and the sphere struck her square in the chest did the Inuit-Caucasian cease her actions.

Sucking in the air that had been knocked out of her lungs by the blow, Yakone retrieved the basketball with a cocky smirk. "Still got it," the sports enthusiast decided with a satisified tone.

"Not bad, Yakone. Not bad at all." Morrigan walked in behind her, the Irishwoman looking better then she had in awhile.

Ayame was with her, arms behind her head. "You could couch some weird combination of basketball and dodgeball. But, uh... I get to be on your team. Don't much feel like facing off against those guns."

"Perhaps I can coach you in the ways of the fastball special someday, young one," Yakone told Ayame with a stereotypical Japanese accent.

"I might hold you to that," Ayame stated with a grin.

Morrian cleared her throat. "So, uh... Ayame and I were talking, and... well, I was wondering if I could meet... you little cat friend... I mean, you know... former ally."

"Enemy turned ally turned enemy again," Ayame stated. "I figured if Morrigan gets to see her, I wanted to as well. Not everyday you get to see a non-human aside from on the battlefield."

Yakone shifted uncomfortably. "I... guess we could. I didn't really want to visit her alone... awkward for reasons I'm sure Morrigan has filled you in about."

Ayame chuckled. "Yeah, she gave me the cliff notes. Um..." She scratched her head. "About that, um... if I ever made you feel uncomfortable or anything, I was just messing around. I'd be lying if I said I didn't find you attractive, but you have Leon... congrats on that... and I have Tom. So, uh... yeah. Just hope I didn't make anything worse for you. O'Brien told me it isn't this easiest thing for you."

"I didn't realize how I felt at that time, so don't worry about it," Yakone responded with dismissive a shake of her head.

Morrigan clapped her hands together. "Good! Now... about the cat lady..."

Ayame gave her a curious look. "Why are you so interested in her anyway?"

"Well... I-I don't know..." Morrigan looked away. "Just... interested..."

Yakone eyed her suspicously. "Morrigan..."

Morrigan let out a long sigh. "I... I have a thing for cats, okay? Used to have a real... cute, fluffy, adorable little puff all before ADVENT took me in. And these aren't alien cat people, right? Their cat people from Earth?"

Yakone nodded. "That's what she told me, and a blood sample Jenn took apparently confirmed that their DNA is a blend of feline and human."

Morrigan laughed. "That is sooo cool! I-I just want to see her once. And... maybe feel her..." She noted the sideways glance Ayame gave her. "What? You have something to say?!"

Ayame shrugged. "Nothing. Just not used to seeing this side of you. It's refreshing."

Yakone chuckled. "Come on... let's go."

The three women headed up to the brig, where the prisoner was stuck in a psionic-dampening cell. While usually lavishly-dressed, the Mogul was clad in only a gray t-shirt and shorts at the moment - seemingly plenty glum because of that reality. The evolved feline seemed more human that cat. While her black-furred ears and tail were catlike, as were her slanted irises, her fur was shaved off the majority of her body (save for some fuzz on her hands and feet) to reveal human flesh beneath.

Upon noticing the intruders, Jezebel only sulked further into the corner of her cell. She gave the three - Morrigan in particular - a disdainful stare.

Morrigan rubbed the back of her neck. "Guess I should have expected that reaction."

"You did knock her out and result in her getting captured," Ayame agreed.

"Go away," Bombay growled.

"Oh, come on, pretty kitty," Ayame said with a sly smile. "You in here all by your lonesome. Don't you want a little company?"

"If you're going to mock me then no, go fuck yourself with a sword, vampire," Procellae snarled in reply.

Yakone rubbed the back of her neck nervously. "Ember kinda... described you guys in the most negative terms possible," the Ranger whispered to her friends hesitantly.

"Guess that makes for a bad first impression," Morrigan mumbled. "Not here to mock you, Jezebel. Here to... I don't know, extend an olive branch? Are you aware of everything that's changed?"

"I know that Desmond's a fucking prick to join forces with you assholes and not ask for me back," Bombay muttered in response.

"Well, um... maybe he doesn't know we captured you." Morrigan leaned close to Yakone and whispered. "Does he know?"

"I'm certain he does."

"Oh..." Morrigan smiled nervously. "M-maybe... he doesn't trust you. I mean... have you ever done something to break his trust?"

"Like assault and scar his daughter, perhaps?" Ayame noted.

"Who the fuck cares? She was a prisoner and an enemy, and he was just a soft little bi-" A hard stare from Yakone silenced her. "I'll just shut up now..." Jezebel mumbled.

Morrigan looked between the two and sighed. "Listen, Jezebel... you have no reason to be our enemy now, right? Unless you have some reason to be loyal to your Elder slavers."

"Why the hell does that matter?" Jezebel questioned in unknowing retort.

"Well... you don't want to spend the rest of this war locked in a cell, right?" Morrigan smiled. "Why not ask the Commander to give you a chance with XCOM? If Desmond doesn't want you, that's his loss. But you wouldn't be the first person to change sides, and I'm sure if you gave her a chance, you would see Yakone is so much better then Ember."

"Pfft. As if she'd let me fight alongside you idiots after the stuff I did to Yakone," Jezebel replied, unconvinced.

Morrigan looked at Yakone. "What do you think? It would ultimately be up to you and your mother."

Yakone rubbed the back of her neck. "Well... considering we lost two people on the last op, we could use more soldiers... I... honestly don't like it. I don't like you," she told Bombay frankly. "But I'm not going to be petty about this. If you pledge not to try and stab us in the back - and consent to a psionic confirmation that you're telling the truth - then I'm sure you can join our ranks."

Bombay frowned, tapping her fingers against the wall for what seemed like an eternity. "...fine. I've got nothing better to do. But I still hate all of you."

Morrigan shrugged. "That's okay. You hardly know us, aside from what the twisted things Ember told you about us. Give us a chance... and you might end up calling us friends some day."

Ayame shook her head, leaning against the wall. "Hate to break it to you, my feline-loving friend, but this woman doesn't seem like the 'give people a chance' type."

 

[Dahlexpert]

My past will not hold me back.
On board the avenger
Soldiers barracks

Luke is pacing back and forth, thinking about his talk with Leon and him trying to change himself. “Ugh , that man has no idea what he’s talking about I know he’s right but.” Luke took a deep breath and pondered dealing with his monsters, Luke took a deep breath and sat on the ground and crossed his legs.” Ou to hell with it, Leon is right if I don’t do this and the war is over. I don’t want to find another way to vent by attacking Alexis and my future children. Alright let’s get this over with.” Luke eyes glowed a deep red as he entered his dreamscape.

Luke looks around and sees nothing but a ruined city around him. Luke starts to feel uneasy doing this, going over the parts of his memories that he forced out could drive him back into insanity. But Luke pressed forward hoping that he can get over whatever the terrible memories that haunted him daly and finally move on with his life . Luke looked around the decayed buildings the being clearly abandoned for years as the vegetation slowly start to take them, the air around Luke has humid and the air was filled with dust. The city around Luke started to crumble and topple over into a black sea. Luke looked into the black sea and started to walk into it until he was completely submerged, Luke continued to walk under the water until a door appeared in front of him. “Right let’s get this over with.”

Luke opened the door,and entered a room that was completely white at first. The room started to change however, the XCOM banner could be seen from the sides as well as the heads of ADVENT soldiers and and aliens.The bodies of Mechs were fully intact but off line. Luke looked around and saw that he was inside the training simulator, in front of him were the number of ADVENT soldiers MECHs and aliens he killed. To the left of Luke were statues of a Chryssalid and two Mutons, the aliens he took on by himself and to his right was Luke’s crowning achievements as a hunter. To the right side was the Muton queens helmet and fist weapon, next to it was a giant tooth for the Kerberant, and in the center of the booth of them was the helmet of the Elder he knocked out.

“Heh my crowning achievements, the things I killed and knocked out. Well I didn't kill the muton queen, I didn't kill it but I did do the most damage to it so it counts for something. Luke leaves the Holo room and goes to the bridge, on the bridge it was filled with people Luke not only met but the people he saved. But a few stand out and they were in the middle of the bridge, and they were the people that changed Luke the most in his life. A statue of, Jessie, Alice, The leader of the Alaskan resistance, and Rachel. “Heh, I bet most of you would look at me now and wonder. Luke what the hell man, if we knew you were going to be this strong we would have kept you.”

Luke chuckles and looked at the statue of the his former commander and Rachel. “Heh I have to thank you Rachel, if it weren't for you I wouldn't be as gentle and romantic with Alexis, hell you taught me a lot about the female body and were there weak spots are. But that’s not all you taught me you trained me how to properly use heavy weapons and explosives, heh I remember when you and I were attacking a ADENT supply train,how we fired a barrage of grenades at the ADVENT solders. Hehe it looked like the fourth of July for how many grenades we fired. Hehe and then Gabriel gave us shit about it, but was happy we took out those MECHs for him good times.”

Luke then looked at his former commander.” Heh you know sir, I do have to thank you,heh if you didn't send me to the brig so many times and kick my ass so many times. I probably wouldn't be the order taking person I am now, hell if it weren't for you I would never take Atka orders and still be a wild animal just rampaging on the battlefield. Well guess I still am, but when someone takes charge I will follow their orders, and now I have an overbearing need to protect my teammates. Even though I use myself as bait to do so, but i’m still learning, I believe the main thing you told me was you know the best part about being young is. You're allowed to make mistakes and learn from them, trust me I still have a lot to learn.

Luke goes to a statue of Alice and looks it up and down.”Heh you know I still have no idea why you decided to come and make friends with a wastelander, hell came to me when I got into a fight with those sports types. Heh I broke one of there noses, gave another a concussion and bit one of their arms. Everyone in that coulage decided to stay away from me then. But you said no out of curiosity i’m going to talk with him, you Alice made me more sociable you made me lighten up and love talking to people. You made me want to hear everyone's problems and try to help them out, and last but not least there’s you.”

 

[Dahlexpert]

Part 2

Luke looked at a statue of his best friend Jessy, and rubbed his head. “You know, if it weren't for you I would not be where I am now. I remember it like it was yesterday. I was at my old burned down house sitting on the bed, I had finally came to my senses and realized what I did. All the people I killed, the woman I raped and violated and burned to ash to avoid them getting pregnant. The houses I burned the people I maimed and slaughtered, it was to much for me to bear. So I decided to end it, the amount of pity and guilt I had for killing those people made me want to die, so that’s what I tried to do. I couldn't tell how many times I spun that revolver and pointed at my head only to hear a click and have nothing happen.

Then you showed up I couldn't tell you how happy I was to see you then, I wanted you to kill me so badly that when I saw the pistol in your waist. I took it out and put it in your hand, and put the gun on my head. I begged for you to kill me, but instead of doing that you put your gun back and told me to leave. You gave me supplies a car and a good few weapons and ammo to let me survive in the wasteland, I hated you for that at that moment and the weeks to follow I wanted to kill you. I wanted to incinerate you and burn you to ash.

But after a while and a few months on my own, and saving some slaves from bandits and destroying those bandits camps. I realized why you spared me, it wasn't because we were friends, well it helped a little bit. But the main reason you spared me is because after all I done all the people I killed, the homes I burned the woman I violated after all that. You still saw some good in me, you knew what kind of a person I was supposed to be. You somehow knew that I was not supposed to be a marauder another bandit, and because of you I’m with XCOM i'm taking the fight to the aliens i’m saving more people with XCOM then I ever did on my own. And if it wasn't for you Jesse I wouldn't meet the love of my life someone that loves me no matter what, who can look pass all that I done and still accept me for the good person I am now. So thank you Jesse, I swear if we ever go to Texas you're going to be the first person I visit and bring on the Avenger. I will get you out of that slum Jess, I promise.”

“But I can’t forget you of all people, the person I love the most.” Luke stood in front of a image of Alexis, Luke changed the scenery of the Avenger to a beach. Standing around him was the XCOM crew, Luke wore a tuxedo, as Alexis walked down the beach wearing what she wore during their date in the Marathon, they stood next each other as Atka gave the sermon. “Heh this is will happen to me one day, i’m going to get married and finally live a normal life.” Luke expression started to darken, as the memory started break into pieces, the shattered pieces of the dreamscape formed another door, this door was covered in rust and had barbed wire around the edges forming an X. There stains of blood smeared all over the door and there was a black writing that had keep out written on it. “Right, it’s about time I did this can’t get sidetrack.” Luke opened the door and entered the room.

The area Luke was in was dark, bit’s of light cracked through the windows. Above Luke’s head were meat hooks blood dripping off them, as Luke continued down the hallway he can hear screams all around him. He can hear people getting tortured and begging for the pain to stop. As Luke goes further into the hallway until he reached the main room, Luke opened the door and sees himself striped naked and covered in sweat. He was also hanging with chains tied around his wrist and the chains were tied to the cealing.

“Aw look at you, I see that you keep yourself in shape out. Not sure how with what little food is out here, but you look so strong and it helps that you a good looking to. I tell you what, you may have freed my slaves and killed the other bandit clans that worked under me. But I think I decided to make you mine, but I can tell you're going to be trouble so I need to redo you.”

The person talking to Luke was a woman with blond hair and green eyes, her hair was long and she wore a teashirt with the gears of war lancer on it, and some shorts. She went to the side of the room and seems to be putting something into the fire.” Don’t worry, Luke was it I will take good care of you, like a dog and every dog need a collar to show they have an owner.” The woman pulled out a branding iron with the words property of Baret on it. Luke saw the branded iron and wanted to run but he couldn't reach the floor.”

“Aw you think i’m going to hurt you, why i’m not the bad one her. Ou no no no no no no, it’s everyone that led you here, look at you stuck here like an abandoned puppy while they live their lives all happy that someone killed off most of the bandits.” Baret got closer to Luke where she was face to face with him. “You think anyone is going to help you, no one will come for you nobody cares for you there is no one that can help you but yourself….and me.” Baret gently rubbed her and across Luke’s cheek. “Don’t worry, little one when i’m done with you you will become my greatest weapon in my bandit horde.” Baret then lunged at Luke stomach with the Iron brand, Luke remembered the pain from that heated brand and how he lost his voice from screaming so loud.”

Luke remembered going through many methods of torture, since Baret was a yellow psion she did her own version of shock therapy. Her using her psi powers on Lukes head and shocking his brain, her waterboarding him and doing other means of torture to break him mind. This went on for over a year and six months. Baret grew infuriated with Luke and held a knife to his throat.

“Why! Why can’t I break you, I have hit you with a bull wipe, I fried your brain I have done everything to you that I did to the others. But you won’t beak! Why, Why can’t I break you?!”

Luke sat in a chain him being fully clothed now, Luke smiled and Buret and said to her. “Heh you want to know why you can’t break me, it’s because you're weak . I am not like the rest of your underlings, my spirit is strong and my will is unwavering. I can never be broken by the likes of you or anyone.”


But that’s not true is it?

Luke turned around and saw himself, with a few notable differences. This Luke was wearing a leather jacket, and blue jeans, every bit of his outfit was covered in dried up blood. In his right hand was a fireman's axe, the axe itself was black after being burned so many times.

 

[Dahlexpert]

Part 3
She broke you, she made hate humanity as a hole. You want nothing more than to destroy this miserable planet, but then something changed you changed your target and made it about the aliens. While I admit the aliens took our home, the never tortured us then never betrayed us and left us to die!

“Your an idiot, if we ever joined ADVENT the would have tortured us like Morrigan and then brain washed us like Yakone, then they would have “Improved us” Like our aunt.”

Who cares look at all the good we did to the people we saved, and how do they repay us by leaving us to the bandit queen to be tortured what makes you think XCOM won’t do the same? They left Yakone hi and dry when we needed her the most, but did we go and save her no we didn't. Now what makes you think they will save for us?

“First off there is no us, your are my anger and my pride. You think the world ows you something because you did some good. Being a hero is doing good with expecting anything in return, and part of being a soldier is defending the innocent from all threats. And part of being a leader is helping those around you make and make sure everyone around us makes it back home alive.”

The phantom of Luke threw his Axe at Luke, Luke avoided the Axe, but The phantom of Lukes anger charged at Luke when he was distracted and punched Luke and used his shock wave to send him flying into a concrete wall and onto the grond

Your an idiot, talking all that nonsense about leaders soldiers and heroes. Ha the only person you can count on is yourself and no one else! Flames appeared around Luke’s anger as he used fire cracker on Luke.

Luke got up, and his eyes started to glow. Luke used his fire cracker to counter his phantoms, but when Luke tried to challenge his phantom. Luke was getting overpowered and was hit with his phantoms firecracker instead.

The phantom started to charge Luke and used his head like a football and punted it putting Luke on his back. The phantom then got on top of Luke and started to throw rapid punches at Luke s face.

Ha ha did you forget I’m your anger the angrier you get the stronger I become face it you need me, you can’t fight without me!’ Lukes phantom raised both his fist on the air his thermole koneses and his shockwave started to mix together in his fist. Good by goody to shoes, when i’m done with you I can finally be able to do whatever I please, and the first thing on my list is to send the Avenger to the ground in a blaze of defeat.

Luke raised his hand and used his pyrokinesis to set phantom on fire, and get him off of him. While the phantom was on fire Luke slowly got back to his feet and started to think. “Alright how do I beat this thing, he is my anger and my anger is how I won most of my battles how do I kill him?” Luke remembered what Leon said that he didn't have to face his demons alone.

“Heh heh, you're right Leon, and since this is my world I can do whatever I want.” Sudden all around Luke a pantomime of Atka, Yakone, Alexis, Gwen Leon and his aunt Appeared. “Wow I do have a lot of woman in my life now don’t I, aw well ladies I need your help here.”

The phantom finally put the fire that was on him out and looked at the people surrounding Luke. What to scared to face me on your own, you truly are weak and pathetic!” Luke phantom sent a volley of explosions to the XCOM group.

Gwen and Alexis both used there Telekinitic field to block the valley of explosions, Atka used her ice healex and send shards of ice towards the phantom.”

You think that can stop me, ha you're weak. Lukes phantom used pyrokinesis to milt the shards of ice, making a cloud of smoke, out of the smoke came Yakone the smoke provided good cover for her the use Physical enhancement power to get in close to Luke phantom and alowed her to use bioelectric psychoresonance to cancel his powers.” You bitch! I’ll fucking-


Luke came behind his phantom and placed his hand on his back. And used his firecracker on his phantom, the explosion went through the back of his phantom and came out the front. Luke placed his other hand on the face of his phantom and used his psilance to send a lance through the head of his pride/anger. “Sigh it’s over, goodbye you monster.” Luke looked back at the woman that helped him out. “Thank you all of you, I ou you my life even if you don’t know it.” The XCOM phantoms started to fade away as Luke started to wake up.


“Ugh, well that was interesting. I feel like a fifty ton weight has been lifted off my shoulders, now then I can finally move on with my life. Luke laid on the ground and stretched his legs, Luke then jumped up and head to the Guerrilla Tactics School and finally take some notes.

 

[Taxor_the_First]

The Lure, Part 1
Arbiter’s Court, Inquisition meeting room
January 10th, 2039


Carolus withheld a weary sigh as the individuals around her bickered, each intent on spouting their own agenda over the others. Albina was the only one abstaining from the mess, her place at the Arbiter’s right hand proving well-deserved with her restraint. Yet the Inquisitor of Light couldn’t help the urge to step in and try to bring some order to this chaos.

Ordero herself certainly wasn’t doing much to help. “I don’t see where your concerns become actually valid,” she stated, her tone factual as ever. All present had, as per the Mandate, agreed to speak with their physical voices rather than sling psionic messages at each other in an effort to force the others to listen. Very rarely did such discussions devolve into raised voices, as most of the the voices of the Inquisitors were scratchy with disuse. Physical pain once again proved an excellent deterrent.

Ignium scowled. “Until the full force of the Protectorate can actually be brought to bear we, and the Overseers, remain vulnerable.” He glanced around the table, noting Terrash slowly nodding in approval. “The death of Tien’lyssigan only proved that after the traitor Overseer’s defection, the Resistance has become better equipped. Then Merenu’beurmas met a similar fate. They’re more dangerous than you seem to give them credit for.”

“Dangerous to a standard complement of ADVENT troopers, perhaps, but not to a squad of Balmadaar Elites,” the Inquisitor of Order sighed. “Or, supposedly, you. But that’s been proven incorrect now hasn’t it?”

“We could easily have continued fighting,” Aquatef agreed, shooting a hostile glance in the Inquisitor of Fire’s direction. “You were beaten. I was not. I did not even get the chance to feed Aegaeon-”

“Aegaeon wouldn’t have saved you from those humans,” Ignium disagreed. “They’re cunning. Opportunistic. Intelligent. An intelligence that has helped them know when to use something called ‘tact’. A foreign concept, it seems, to certain people here.”

Terrash’velesoro nodded. “And that intelligence is what has gotten them to convince so many of our own to become turncoats,” he boomed. Even with his physical voice, the Inquisitor of Earth had a commanding presence. “We saw it with Shen’lutusus, we saw it with Verrater. If we do not shore up our defences both physical and ideological the Resistance will continue to gain support amongst the remainders of ADVENT-”

“I’m going to stop you right there,” Ordero drawled. “ADVENT is no longer, remember?”

The ‘hammer of the Inquisition’ bristled, his muddy-green robes shimmering dully as he did so. “The entire organisation?” he asked, bewildered. “Already? I had heard the news, but I assumed the High Commander wouldn’t have been so daft as to totally dissolve the military framework of a large portion of our army in the middle of what he himself described as a war!”

Chaoalki’forturnitas clenched his fist. “That wouldn’t be heresy I hear, would it?” he asked quietly, the question evidently rhetorical.

Terrash grunted. “I disagree with the action,” he clarified, “but that does not constitute heresy. Look it up if you don’t believe me, young one.”

“What did you call me?!” the Inquisitor of Chaos screeched.

“Brother, please,” Ordero hushed.

“My concern is that of keeping hold over the AD - the former, ADVENT army,” the Inquisitor of Earth corrected himself. “Their form of government has been swept away like you seem to think we should sweep away the rest of the Resistance. What’s to stop them going turncoat too?”

“The hope is that the Overseers will keep them in line,” Ignium answered with a sigh. “By whatever means they deem appropriate. Former loyalties and devotions may be enough, but if not… fear. Fear of us. Of our people, and the retribution we can level.”

“Can we guarantee that retribution? Or is that just as empty a threat as Overseer Qiasun’zeinin’s combat prowess?”

Ordero laughed. “You think the remainders of ADVENT would call that bluff?” she asked, amused. “Even so, if that were to occur the response would be swift. The High Commander is evidently tired of holding back. We might even be sent in to quell any whispers of rebellion, should he deem it necessary.”

This time it was Ignium’s turn to laugh. “Oh yes, because we have such a good track record,” he responded in a rare burst of sarcasm.

“Barring some of us being of little use in the past-” Ordero’s gaze swept across Ignium and the empty spot reserved for the Inquisitor of Air. The former trembled in anger, a response that likely would have been mirrored by the latter had she been present. “- we are instruments of the High Commander’s will, and our strength should reflect that fact. An appropriately heavy handed response will cease any heretical rumblings.”

“So you think you are stronger than me?” the Inquisitor of Fire asked, his question surprisingly blunt to Albina’s ears. “I apologise, did I miss the time you went down to fight directly in the siege of Matterhorn? Because I could have sworn you were quite happy to sit in the ship watching as I was outmaneuvered, ‘strategist’.”

“You know as well as I do that my strength lies in conducting things from afar. It has been what I have always done. I leave it to people like yourself and my dear brother to get your hands dirty.”

“Ah yes. The Inquisition’s ‘Eye’,” Ignium responded. “Supposedly there is not one individual capable of avoiding your extra-sensorial gaze. And yet here we sit, the universe falling apart around us.”

Ordero pondered for a moment, before beginning to pace around the side of the large table at which they all stood. “What do you mean by that?” she queried, gently.

“Your sitting around pouring your energies into that relay hasn’t helped you conjure up the location for the Luxumba,” the Inquisitor of Fire snarled. “Nor has your supposed ‘omnipotent clairvoyance’ shown you the betrayals it is your job to predict and snuff out. Nor has-” His voice was cut short as the Inquisitor of Order raised a hand, and he found his windpipe closing.

Ordero nodded slowly, but did not respond verbally for a moment, leaving Ignium to choke in his own time. “Sorry, was there more?” she asked, the tranquility in her voice locking Albina’s heart in a strange sort of fear. Chaoalki began to chuckle, the display no doubt pleasing him greatly.

The Inquisitor of Fire fought to gain control of his gagging. Release me at once! he thundered, unable to communicate his distress verbally. Arbiter!

There was no response from the woman seated on the throne at the head of the table. Terrash began similarly demanding Ignium’s release. Ordero ignored him, and leaned forward. “I must say, I find your lack of trust in my abilities distressing.”

“Arbiter, they’re arguing like children!” Albina blurted out. “End this before-”

Carolus groaned. “Ordero. Cease. Your point is made.”

The Inquisitor of Order smirked, and lowered her hand. “As I am ordered,” she said slowly, turning around as Ignium’s breath returned to him in great gulps. The Inquisitor of Fire thumped a fist on the table, but did not have the air to follow up the gesture with the condemnation on his lips.

Albina spoke for him. “H-his concerns are valid,” she stammered as he rubbed his neck. “You haven’t really proven any better.”

“What right do you have to question Ignium standing on a platform constructed of broken promises and soothing words?” Terrash demanded. “Ordero, you are out of line. When you have results, then you may speak condescendingly to the rest of us.”

“I believe the appropriate human saying is ‘practice what you preach’,” Ordero responded snidely. “When you have proven your worth on the field-”

“A feat I accomplished before you were even born,” the Inquisitor of Earth huffed.

“- then I will afford you the deserved respect.”

Carolus rolled her eyes. “Allow me to provide you an opportunity to… re-prove yourself, Terrash,” she interrupted. “As you all know, two Overseers are already dead. The High Commander predicted XCOM would come for the Overseers, but I did not expect them to act so quickly. Still, we must consider our own action.”

“The Inquisition defends the Path,” Aquatef recited in response. “So says the Mandate. Wouldn’t it then follow that we should defend the Overseers?”

“Which one?” Ignium croaked bitterly. “Who’s to say where XCOM will strike next? We cannot establish a pattern until they strike at least once more, and by then we will have lost another.”

“You assume they would be successful again,” Chaoalki pointed out.

“If they fail they will simply try again,” the Inquisitor of Fire snapped. “This time with more data.”

Terrash shook his head. “We must assume the Overseers are capable of defending themselves,” he stated simply. “Short of dividing our efforts, there is no possible way we could assist all of them at once. And it has been proven that two Elders are not sufficient to defeat a coordinated squad of human soldiers.”

“Then we send more than two to their likely next target,” the Inquisitor of Chaos suggested. “I volunteer.”

“No,” Carolus commanded. “I already have a plan in motion, and you do not feature in it.”

Chaoalki seemed miffed, but acquiesced. Ordero merely seemed curious. “A plan?” she asked. “So we are not just allowing these infractions to continue?”

 

[Taxor_the_First]

Part 2


“Of course not. We must take punitive measures where we can,” the Arbiter answered smoothly. “The Overseer of Asia has, recognizing his questionable combative ability, asked for the Inquisition to step in and protect him should XCOM come for him. This is an opportunity - we protect one of the weaker links in the Protectorate’s chain, and we should put XCOM back in their place.

“Ordero, I will give you a chance to redeem yourself. We will secure Overseer Qiasun’zeinin in a safe location. I want you to organize defenses there, as well as provide warning of the enemy’s arrival.” Carolus smiled. “But there is another goal I want you to accomplish. I want you to attract a very particular squad of humans from XCOM.”

“The group containing Nemesis?” Ordero guessed. The Arbiter nodded. “I see. His usage of the Inquisitor of Shadow’s Reflection is certainly an affront to us personally. Removing him and his allies from the picture would no doubt send a clear message.”

“XCOM will come for the Overseer of Asia eventually. He is far too attractive a target for them to pass up. When they arrive, we will be waiting.” Carolus ran her gaze along those present. “Aervouba was already in the area, which is why she is not present today. Along with her, I want Terrash, Ordero, and Aquatef to defend the Overseer personally. Wipe out any human that makes an attempt on his life.”

“Just the four of us?” Terrash’Velesoro asked, folding his arms. “Why not the entire Inquisition?”

“We cannot give the Resistance the pleasure of dedicating the entire Inquisition to eliminating but a single squad of humans,” the Arbiter responded snippily. “You should be better than that. This is as much about making a statement as it is about defending Overseer Qiasun’zeinin. Besides which, it will not just be the four of you. Albina will also be present.”

The Inquisitor of Light tensed. I don’t want to go down there, she thought frantically. I’m not a fighter! Vengeance for my dead laʒir be damned, I don’t want to kill anyone!

Then I will for you, Azrael responded, a statement likely meant to be comforting.

You’re missing the point-

“Albina?” Carolus asked, glaring at her. “You seem concerned.” Her tone held with it an oddly menacing theme, the same undercurrent of threat one might attribute to the stern tone of a mother disciplining their child.

Albina swallowed. “... it’s nothing, Arbiter,” she answered. “Just… nervous. I have not had such a responsibility before.”

The Arbiter considered. “Well, I wouldn’t be worried if I were you,” she said, almost cheerful now. “I only want you to kill one human. Just one. You will draw Yokolov away from his group. If I’m right, Umbra at least will recognize you. That will be their downfall. Take advantage of his indecision. Avenge Coatl.”

“... as you order, Arbiter.”

*

Carolus had dismissed everyone soon afterwards. Everyone except Ordero, that is, who was to remain behind for what Albina assumed would be a disciplinary conversation. The Inquisitor of Light sighed as she entered her quarters. Once again she had been reminded of how out of her depth she was. These were people who would give their lives for the Path. Albina was supposed to be the pinnacle of this, yet here she was, beginning to doubt her own resolve.

Azrael. I need you.

The Reflection materialized before her, fading into view with light glowing off his robes. The angel of death was humble in appearance - a simple brown robe with a hood made him look like just about any other adult human at a distance. Up close, one could see that where his face should be was a black pit, consumed by darkness. Small slits on his back would give way to feathered wings when necessary, although in this particular setting he kept them hidden. A scythe, nocked and scratched, was held in his hand like a staff. Your bidding? he asked, motionless.

Show me again, Albina commanded. Perhaps it’ll be clearer to you now.

As you wish. Azrael reached out to her, and ribbons of red burst out of his sleeve. Even expecting it, Albina couldn’t help but flinch as they shot towards her, then surrounded her, then consumed her. She squirmed against her Reflection’s embrace as he pressed down on all aspects of her body, or at least did so metaphysically. The Inquisitor of Light had never determined whether what she was experiencing was a physical manifestation of Azrael’s power, or if it was all merely in her mind.

She suppressed a shudder as something wet and rough moved between her legs. It didn’t matter. It still felt like she was being eaten by a Kerberant. It was still terrifying.

An eye, previously camouflaged by the red lid that covered it, opened before her face. It studied her, as did the multiple other eyes that had probably opened in the walls of flesh around her. Muscles wiggled, shifting Albina around to both move her and feel her. The Inquisitor yelped as one stroked past her face, noticing abruptly that her mask had been lost somewhere along the way.

The tongues froze in their position, and the eyes widened. Sorry, Azrael apologized. I know you find this uncomfortable, but you did ask.

I will persevere, Albina insisted, though whether it was to her Reflection or to herself remained in question. Please, c-continue.

The eyes resumed their scrutiny, the tongues their frisking. Every inch of her was analyzed, considered. Well, almost every inch. Albina had her boundaries, and Azrael had refused to cross them. The Reflection deemed it unnecessary anyway, a fact which she had been ever grateful for.

After a short time had dragged on for the Inquisitor, Azrael relaxed his grasp. Albina was still held in the endless gullet, but no longer constricted. Well? she asked. What do you see?

It is as before, the angel reported. Your fate is still clouded. A turning point lies in the way, but of the paths that branch off it, many hold death close by.

The Inquisitor sighed. Do you at least know what this turning point is? she asked, not expecting an answer.

That, I can now determine, Azrael responded, his eyes blinking at various intervals. We stand at a precipice. On one side, the drop is sheer. The other, deep. Death hangs in the air, but not near us, nor near the one standing against us. We are at an impasse - neither can best the other, or is simply unwilling to. He paused. I am certain of it, he said at last. You need not fear death from him. It is what occurs next that could end us.

What occurs next?

I… cannot see.That is the extent of my vision forward. Azrael sighed. I can only obtain hints. Potential branches. I sense a change of heart. Betrayal. Beyond that, your fate is clouded.

Albina considered her Reflection’s words. I… could be dead soon? she wondered, horror dawning on her. No, no, wait. You said not at the hands of that human.

Samuel Yokolov poses no threat to you, the angel affirmed. Not directly, anyway.

… then I don’t need to fear him. Release me.

As you wish.

Albina’s perception twisted, and abruptly she realized she was back where she had been before. Unconsciously, she raised a hand to ensure her mask was still fastened on. This is a weight off my shoulders, the Inquisitor admitted. But… I still don’t want to kill him. Murder is not something I…

Perhaps that is the change of heart I saw, Azrael suggested, pacing forward. Or perhaps it is directed elsewhere. It may not even be your heart that changes.

The Inquisitor of Light sighed. As humanity is so fond of saying. Only one way to find out.

 

[ZombieSplitter53]

MarineAvenger & ZombieSplitter53
No Need to Start Over
Part One

On Board the Avenger
The Bar

"What do you think aliens dream about?" Alexis wondered out loud, peering down at her drink like she was peering into something's soul.

Jennifer raised an eyebrow. "Um... I don't know. Never gave it much of a thought. Could go into the psychological aspects and brain chemistry to accurately predict..."

"I bet they dream the same things we do," Alexis continues her thought. "Except those higher then mighty assholes. But they dream of drowning puppies."

Jennifer shrugged. "Or the alien equivalent to puppies. Think there are a lot of planets with cats and dogs... besides the ones that grow giant and try to eat you."

Alexis pondered this for a moment. "Maybe. We can't be the only species in the galaxy to keep pets." She grinned. "Especially when we make such good pets ourselves apparently." She downed her drink, and stood up. "Getting another. Want anything?"

"Um... one of those sunrise drinks?" Jenn asked, and Alexis nodded, heading to the bar.

As she did, she saw a rather interesting sight off to the side of her peripheral vision. At a table, a familiar face of the Japanese Head Doctor was sitting at a table, holding a hand over a cup of soil. Moments later, a sprout began to poke out of the soil and grew. It grew and grew more until soon it was almost a full size flower.

Alexis walked over, curious and amazed. "Wow, that was pretty cool, doctor. You have quite the green thumb. You... come to the bar often to practice your plant skills?"

Kai looked over at Alexia, smiling very slightly. "Not specifically. I come mainly to just be around others. To expose myself to people who aren't looking to get treatment. As for the plant, it is me practicing my psionics and Sukuna's. I've been dealing more and more with my powers to create..." he waved a hand over the plant, "Life."

"Create it, huh?" Alexis slipped into the seat across from him. "Seems like quite the useful skill, especially for a doctor. It your own power, or one you share with your heavenly partner?"

"That's a question I do not know the answer to. Our powers are so intertwined, I can't distinguish the two." Kai admitted, moving the plant aside.

Alexis nodded, and let out a long breath. "Listen, man... I wanted to... apologize for a while now."

"I see. I was assuming when you took an interest in my powers, that was really why you approached." Kai rubbed his forehead, looking up at the woman. He swallowed, his phobia still holding a grip on his mind. "You're forgiven."

Alexis smiled back. "Thank you. And... yeah, the powers was what got me over here. I was too proud to approach other times. I... should also apologize to Sukuna for doubting who, and what, she is. Between the mind controlled friends and the vampiric short stack I fight side by side with... a deity bound to a human doesn't seem so farfetched any more. Still don't think I deserved the shower, but... I understand why she'd get mad." Alex shook her head. "Man, I managed to insult both of you so much. Can we, like... start over or something?"

"Why would you wish to start over when we will have such a funny story to tell to others about how our friendship started?" Kai questioned with a raised eyebrow.

Alexis laughed. "That's... yeah. Thanks. You... you're alright, man. I can see why my sister speaks so highly of you. Says you're a person she can go to when she needs to get something off her chest." She cleared her throat, and added, "Figuratively speaking, of course."

Alexis laughed. "That's... yeah. Thanks. You... you're alright, man. I can see why my sister speaks so highly of you. Says you're a person she can go to when she needs to get something off her chest." She cleared her throat, and added, "Figuratively speaking, of course."

"Was there another way I was supposed to take that?" The man asked with a slight coy tone.

Alexis laughed again. "You... you're different. You seem a lot more... I don't know. Confident? I like it. You seem like the kind of guy who should be out more, talking to people. Talking to girls. You still... working on that?"

"Girls are still a work in progress." The Head Doctor said with a small smile. "Though with others I have been okay I suppose."

"And he's helped me come out of my own shell a little," Jennifer stated, stepping over. "If it wasn't for him, I would actually be trying to socialize and... express certain parts of me that I've kept hidden before."

"That, and she can go on without the use of a cyberbetic arm considering her half-hazard use of plasma." Kai said, eyeing Jennifer like a father scrutinizing his daughter.

Jennifer blushed a bit. "I, uh... haven't had any accidents like that since, if... that counts for anything."

Alexis chuckled. "You two... I didn't see your friendship coming. What... brought it on? What did you confide in him exactly?"

Jennifer stammered a bit. "I, uh... I-I just, uh... venting and... um... s-stuff."

"Jennifer was having problems with her confidence around others much like I was, and while I have no psycology degree, I offered her some advice so that she could feel more comfortable about her own feelings. She did much the same with me, something I've yet to thank her for." Kai answered more clearly, giving Jenn a quick look to show he had her secret covered.

Jennifer nodded. "Well, the thing about being friends is always trying to make each other happy, with the Thank Yous implied. But you are welcome."

"Well... I want that." Alexis grinned. "I might not have always had great friends that Jenn would like, but she always makes friends with great people"

"They're... not always great," Jenn said softly.

 

[ZombieSplitter53]

MarineAvenger & ZombieSplitter53
No Need to Start Over
Part Two

The Doctor looked between the two women, feeling like he had dug up dirt by accident and now had to clean up the mess. "What do you mean?"

Jennifer waved her hands. "N-nothing, really!"

Alexis laughed. "She just being modest. She always has the best taste in people." She scooted over so Jenn could sit. "But enough about us. I know so little about you aside from your godly life partner. Where did you grow up, Kai?"

"I was born in the Japanese capital of Kyoto with my mother. Father ran off before I was born so it was just me and her. She worked as a doctor and I took after her work with a keen interest. We left the city two days before it was half destroyed by a plasma bomb to go to my grandparents home secluded in the mountains. Hid out there for a while before the Peacekeepers began rounding people up and taking them off the island to go to Antartica."

Alexis frowned. "I was young, but I still remember the horror on everyone's face when that explosive went off. You and your family for lucky, huh?"

"Suppose you could call it luck. After we were living with my grandparents, I met Sukuna secretly when I went to her shrine hidden away in the forest. I think my grandmother always suspected something though, and taught all she knew about traditional medicine. Also the arts of meditation and Massāji."

"She sounds like a delightful woman," Jennifer said. "Do... you know if she is still around?"

"She was killed by members of a Resistance uprising in the biodomes. Grandparents were natural. I don't have family anymore other than Sukuna. I've known for a while now." Kai admitted with a sad smile.

This threw both sisters off their guard. "Kai... I'm so sorry," Jennifer said.

Alexis nodded. "It is... so easy to write off lost civilians as collateral damage and say it is the fault of the aliens. But when someone we know is killed... it makes you wonder how close we are to being like those we fight..."

"I have decided not to place blame on anyone other than myself. I was her son, and I left her to pursue my own career. She may still be alive were it for my gift, but I also know those who I've helped here are important. It is a bad corner to be trapped in for sure." the doctor noted with a shake of his head. He held up two fingers that glowed with energy and she sliced it across the stem of the flower, cleanly cutting it and catching it as it fell over.

Alexis shifted uncomfortably. "That seems like... such a great burden to bare alone."

"I am not alone. I have Sukuna, and I have my friends. I do not see what else I would... really need..." Kai said, looking down at the flower uncertainly.

"Someone... that is more than a friend?" Jennifer offered.

"Possibly." Kai answered non-specifically. He place the sliced stem back on the one connected to the roots and his hand glowed, causing the plant to be mended back together once more.

Alexis leaned close and smiled at it. "Amazing. Think you could do that with a human limb?"

"If my theorizing is correct, there is a possibility if I were to take some host cells from the area and properly begin to construct them right. It would be an involved procedure that could take months of perfecting. Don't be losing any limbs if that is the reason you ask." Kai warned with an authoritative tone.

Alexis chuckled nervously. "Trust me, I'd avoid it even if you could."

"Yeah, considering how reckless she is, it is surprising she isn't the most reckless." Jennifer glanced at the clock. "I should be heading back to labs soon. But you two are free to chat it up together."

"Good luck Jennifer." Kai wished her before she departed.

Alex tapped lightly on the table, trying to think of something to talk about. "Do you, uh... drink?"

"Occasionally. Usually only while I am sad or lonely. Sometimes I do it just after a hard day's shift. It is not something I do regularly though." Kai looked over Alex and placed his chin on his fist. "I have a distinct feeling you weren't intending on staying this long to converse with me."

Alex bit her lip. "I just, um... I'm not used to being around Jennifer's friends, I find myself... in an awkward, unfamiliar position where I don't know what to say... but I don't want to be rude and just walk away. I mean... I guess this is how Jenn always feels around my friends. Makes me wonder how lousy a sister I've been at times like these..."

"She never talks of you as a lousy sister. In fact in many of our sessions, she praises you an extraordinary amount, going on and on about how she wished she had your personality." Kai let out matter-of-factly, crossing his arms. "She feels like you are an ideal image she strives to reach and achieve."

"She... really said that?" Alex looked guilty. "I always felt she saw me as the sister that stole all the attention and never looked out for her. I'd like to think that isn't true. I hope she isn't just trying to be nice..."

"She was telling me these things, not you. What reason would she have to be nice with her words when you aren't around?" The doctor asked Alexis seriously.

Alexis smiled and nodded. "Well... when you're right, you're right." She slipped out of the chair. "I'm gonna split, but... if I have anything I want to get off my chest, I hope I can talk to you like Jenn can."

"I see no reason why not." Kai said with a small nod.

"Good." Alex started for the door, and called back, "And keep practicing! Who knows when limb reattachment will be needed in droves?"

"I hope it won't have to be..." Kai grumbled, looking at the flower that sat to the side of the table. I wonder if Lily likes lilies.

 

[DarkGemini24601]

MarineAvenger and DarkGemini24601: "Iron Lily Blooms"

Kai looked down at the cup of soil in his hand. He knew the door in front of him belonged to the Head Engineer, though nervousness stayed any movement entirely. He smoothed his tight features, taking in a deep breath. Knocking on the door hard, he stepped back and waited for an answer.

"It's unlocked," Lily's voice drifted over from inside the room. "Just me here right now," the Chief reported - the other occupants of the command quarters all being out at the moment.

Kai opened the door, stepping inside only enough to close the door behind him, though went no further than that. "I think this is the first time I've ever met you not in passing outside of the engineering lab." he commented.

An-Yi glanced over from her desk, looking away from a clipboard with scattered notes attached to it. "Oh, hey Kai. Nice to see you too," she greeted him with a friendly smile. "What do you have there?"

"Oh this? A little science experiment I'vee been meddling with. Did you know water is the most fundamental building block to all life next to carbon?" The Head Doctor placed the cup down on her desk as he approached.

"Biology isn't my specialty, but I am aware of that fact," Lily responded curiously.

"Well, Sukuna has a unique control over water; taking the air around her and condenscing it together or changing pressure to form miniature storms... That stuff. The longer we've been partners, the more integrated our powers have become. And now, I can accomplish unique tasks. Such as..." Kai put his hand over the cup and not being visible to An-Yi, his hand glowed green and moments later a little sprout came from the dirt. It grew and grew until it was a fullsized flower with blooming white petals. He held up his pointer and middle finger, forming a biokinetic blade that seperated the material of the stem down to the cell level. The result was a clear cut through the plant, which Kai grabbed and held out. "Giving a flower to a pretty girl."

Lily's smile only widened. "Thank you, Kai," she responded sincerely, taking the gift gingerly.

"Plants are merely a fun side thing. My main research has been using my powers to try and regrow human cells to create limbs. Like creating stem cells from scratch using my powers. Some lizards are able to regrow limbs, and I've studied the biological process they undertake to do so. My research is promising at the very least." Kai explained, happy she took a liking to his actions so far.

"Really? Keep me updated on that... I'd tell Atka about it but I wouldn't want to get her hopes up without being certain," Lily mused with a slight nod. "I'm glad that you've found something to occupy your time. With the majority of technological production done, I've been having an odd amount of empty space in my schedule. The last line of weapons is in conceptualization right now, and once we've fabricated those, well..."

"I am sure that boredom would certainly bring down your mood, and seeing how close you are to key staff members, your low morale might bring them down," Kai chuckled, crossing his arms, "and other than my research, I am indeed free as well."

Lily twirled the stem of the flower between her thumb and index finger. "Would you be up for a date then?"

"I built up all the courage to come here at all, and stopping after finally getting you to ask would be stupid. The only answer is of course." Kai nodded with a happy smile.

Lily grabbed a clip, and affixed it to her shirt's breast pocket - attaching the flower's stem to the clip and thus her orange tee as a whole. "Any ideas as to where we're going?" An-Yi chuckled. "On-ship of course, unless you want to take a plummet to the bottom of the ocean."

"I heard the sea life is wonderful this time of year though." Kai rubbed his chin in thought. "Though a trip to the top of the ship might be relaxing. Breeze would certainly be something, and it should be a nice day out."

"We are moving at safe speeds to do that... so sure," Lily agreed.

Kai nodded, waiting for the engineer to walk around the desk before the two departed. Once the several minute trip was done, Kai opened up the door for Lily, letting he pass before joining her. "For being Mid-Janurary, the sea air is surprisingly warm."

"Hey, I'm not complaining," Lily responded with a shrug, leaning back against a slope in the ship's chassis and looking off at the water far below.

"I... want you to know, this really was hard for me. Getting the courage to be this bold... several years in fact." The doctor admitted, looking up and down the young Shen.

Lily nodded. "I appreciate all the effort you're putting into this, Kai. It's really nice of you."

"Hard to believe once upon on a time you held a lot of animosity against me and Robert. Now the war is nearly coming to an end and... we are on a date. I hope you and him didn't clear the waters in such a way." Kazuko remarked with a wry look.

"Nope. Not into guys three decades older than me," Lily responded with a shake of her head. "Just promise me you're not an ancient vampire like someone else I know."

"Vampire, no. But I do have a several hundred year old goddess in my head ever since I was a small boy." Kai said off-handedly, "Have to take what you get though."

"Has she ever gotten to meet Ayame?" Lily questioned. "I feel like those two should meet."

"They have. And... let's just say Ayame was bowing down before Sukuna begging for mercy. There's a reason their kind don't hold a large part on old Japanese history. Gods despised them or something and had forbidden their kind in the land of the rising sun." Kai explained with a small smile. "That... didn't exactly help Sukuna's ego."

"Oh boy..." Lily mumbled with a shake of her head. "How have you lived with her for so long and not gone a little stir crazy?"

"You tend to deal with it. After all, not as bad as it sounds. She was the one pushing me to get with you." Kai admitted with a smirk. "Whenever I was around and you heard strange things, that was her trying to mess us together."

"Someone should remind her that she's a goddess of rain, not matchmaking," Lily grumbled with a shake of her head.

"Perhaps... but we are here now. Really going to complain about her skill?" Kai asked somewhat seriously.

Lily rolled her shoulders. "I suppose not."

"So, I suppose my curious nature may be getting the best of me, by why say yes to this other than to fill up a time table?"

An-Yi glanced over at Kai. "Because I enjoy your company, why else?"

"Perhaps it's my phobia still talking, but I do still have the fear that my... not sure if love is appropriate but... love is unrequited or not."

An-Yi studied Kai's expression for a moment. "I could show you that you're wrong... I just don't want to freak you out."

"If I am prepared for it I won't drop dead if that is what worries you." The Japanese doctor assured his date hesitantly.

"Alright then... close your eyes for a second," An-Yi responded with a hint of apprehension.

Kai grunted, leaning next to An-Yi and closed his eyes slowly. Lily moved onto her side, and leaned in to press her lips against Kai's. Despite having made great strides in his confidence, Kai still paled, sweat and shook a little. Despite that though, he reached up a hand and touched the other woman's cheek, kissing back a few more seconds before pulling away and looking like a near dead ghost. Still, he smiled widely. "W-Wow... so that is what kissing is like..."

"Totally wasn't my first time too..." Lily replied, a bit flushed for her part.

"Wasn't, huh? Well than, who was better?" Kai asked with a sly grin. "Me or the other guy?"

"I-I don't know! That's not a quantifiable thing you can measure," Lily protested, her cheeks turning a deeper red.

"You're cuter when you blush. Never knew below those muscles and tough exterior was such a beautiful woman." Kai complimented, though he stomach turned as if he wanted to be sick.

"T-thanks," Lily responded, backing off to try and preserve her dignity. "Does that allay your fears?"

"It does." Kai said with a nod, chuckling as he looked up at the sky. "I... I am glad, you know? Glad the girl who finally helps me get over the last hurdle of my phobia will be you. We've never gotten too close other than in a professional sense, but I always wanted to get to know you more. I must say, I was a little worried about that robot companion of yours before I learned the... sibling like relationship you had. I mean... not exactly unreasonable that you of all people could love a machine."

Lily chuckled. "Probably not romantically though. I'm not Lester."

Kai shook his head at that. "Him and his squad... the amount of times I've had to patch them up after missions is ridiculous." the doctor moved close to the engineer and put his arm around her waist, gulping.

Lily smiled, leaning into Kai. "They always manage to come home in one piece though."

"Hopefully my research will make sure it will be that way no matter what happens.” A pause. "Do you think I really may be able to help Atka? That it may be something she wants?"

An-Yi carefully pulled back from him. "I doubt she likes missing half her limbs."

"Well of course, but I was just worried she sees her artificial bits as a part of her identity. I didn't want to assume on behalf of her feelings. I don't really need any women pissed at me while still adjusting to loving one." Kai wiped the blood from his nose and cleared his throat.

"Don't worry about it," Lily reassured him. "I know her well. She'll be grateful."

"Well then... suppose I can't fail." Kai leaned over, kissing Lily quickly once more. He pulled back and plugged his nose. "W-We should head back in the ship. W-Wouldn't want anyone to get suspicious."

"Fair enough. You need a towel anyway.."

"You might need one after our kisses as well." Kai retorted back weakly.

 

[ZombieSplitter53]

ZombieSplitter53 and DarkGemini24601: “Closet Door Ajar, Part 1”

Somewhere above the Atlantic Ocean
1404 Hours, January 13th, 2039
Onboard the X.S.S. Avenger
Floor 6, Central Block
Command Staff Quarters

Well past her lunch time, desperate to get some progress before her shift ended in a little over an hour, Jennifer stood in front of a rather large brain hooked up to several machines – an electrode positioned in each hemisphere. Jenn herself was working in a rather large hole in the center of the brain, lightly biting her lip, looking a tad frustrated as she poked at it.

Carrying what (at first glance) appeared to be a magnetic rifle painted silver, carefully holding it between her hands to avoid dropping the prototype gun, Yakone paused as she was about to take a service lift to the catwalks above the autopsy sub-chamber created for the resident xenobiologist on the ship. Her eyes widening in bewilderment, Yakone cautiously placed the rifle down on a nearby table and approached the glass. She knocked on the window with her knuckles, questioningly looking at Jennifer with the unspoken question 'can I come in?'

Jennifer gave her a warm smile, and nodded. She waved for Yakone to enter slowly, not wanting to splash any of the alien gunk on her hands. Yakone slinked into the chamber, eyeing the object of Jennifer's interest with a restrained measure of revulsion. "What exactly... is that, Jenn?"

"This, my friend, is the brain of our dearly departed Overseer of South America," Jennifer answered. "I'm trying to do an autopsy to see if his brain chemistry differs from that of a non-Overseer for clues to his level of strength. Electroencephalogram, response to stimuli, psionic readings, and so on and so on..." She sat back and sighed. "Unfortunately that might not be completely possible with Leon cleanly separating the hemispheres. I'm doing what I can to artificially link them, but little success so far."

"Hey, it was kill it however possible or see me turned into fried chicken. Take your pick," Yakone responded with a chuckle. Leaning forward slightly, she questioned, "are you trying to link the brain back together using electrical currents? Because I might be able to help with that."

"Well, I don't see how..." Jenn slowly smiled. "Yeah... actually, you can help. In fact, you're the perfect person to help me!"

Yakone crossed her arms. "That's what I was just saying," she responded smugly.

Jennifer laughed, and grabbed a few electrodes, placing them throughout the inner brain before carefully, and likely unsettlingly for anyone but her, pushing the brain together again. "If you could just give me a low to medium current along these two long electrodes. Try and keep it constant, and don't put in too my power, or the brain could... uh, fry at best, pop like a meaty party balloon at worse."

Yakone nodded. "That should be easy enough." She placed one of her gloves against the cerebrum, and a bioelectric current began to flow. Rather than forcing her own onto it however, Yakone was able to mimic the currents that had once flowed naturally through the Overseer's brain to simulate the psionic patterns of Tien'lyssigan.

Several machines behind Jenn lit up and she switched on a few more. "Just hold that for about five minutes and we should be good." Jennifer let out a sigh of relief. "You're a lifesaver. It is a good thing you stopped by. Once I'm done I can help with whatever you were doing to pay you back."

"Don't worry about it. I'm mainly just a delivery boy for this prototype. Tygan asked Shen to make it, and I'm the one to carry it from one end of the ship to the other," Yakone responded dismissively. "No, I have something else in mind you could do..."

Jenn adjusted a few nobs and nodded absentmindedly. "Sure, anything. Just name it."

"I've been hearing rumors that the science team's resident wallflower has her eye on someone," Yakone remarked offhandedly. "I've been wondering who's in your crosshairs, so to speak."

Jennifer paused for a moment, letting out a short breath before continuing. "It's... complicated. Complicated in that I know the other person likes me as a friend... but I'm afraid if I try for anything more and there have zero interest, I'll ruin the friendship."

"Hey, I'm friends with Ayame and you know the story about the bet we made that ended up with us kissing. Didn't damage our relationship any." Yakone shrugged. "Is it anyone I would know?"

Jennifer slowly nodded. "It's, um... heh." She slowly looked over at at her friend. "You see, I've been spending a bit of time with... Olivia... and..."

"Oli, huh..." Yakone pursed her lips. "Then you know how chill she is. I dunno which way she swings, but the worst that can happen is that she smiles apolgetically, says no, and moves on from there without treating you any differently."

"You... you really think it would be that simple?" Jennifer gave her a doubtful glance. "I-I'm still coming to terms with this side of me as it is. But this would involved not just coming out to her, but telling her I'm attracted to her. Chill is one things, but if the answer is no, wouldn't she feel... awkward?"

"She might feel bad for you, but I don't think it'd make her uncomfortable, no," Yakone replied confidently.

"R... really?" Jennifer smiled softly. "I, um... I-I have been meaning to talk to her for some time. And... with everyone we've lost... I'm afraid of something happening to her without me telling her."

"Then what are you waiting for?"

"Um... for my shift to end in an hour," Jennifer answered with conviction. "Oh, uh... you can stop zapping the alien brain now."

Yakone retracted her hand. "I expect you to go find her in an hour then."

Jennifer laughed softly. "That sounds like something my mother would say... but okay. I... guess you'll know if it went well depending on my mood the next time you see me. And... thanks. Your encouragement means a lot to me."

Yakone merely offered a thumbs-up. "No problem. I wish you the best of luck."

 

[ZombieSplitter53]

ZombieSplitter53 and DarkGemini24601: “Closet Door Ajar, Part 2”

Ninety Minutes Later

Jennifer had taken a little extra time to wash the smell of alien entrails off her hands and put on something nice. It was something she only now realized she did for Olivia. Wearing a gentle red blouse and a long black skirt, Jennifer walked into the bar. She had no plans to meet her today, but hoped she would find her anyway.

Olivia was, at the moment, having a drink with Stacie. She and her squadmate both had a beer in front of them, and they were both speaking quietly. Having spent time with Olivia for the past few weeks, Jennifer knew that the Gunslinger across from her friend was counseling the Alqonquian-Caucasian woman about her PTSD. Before Jennifer could sneak off, however, Olivia caught sight of her in the doorway. Evidently the conversation was all but finished, as she cheered up and waved over at Jennifer. "Hey, Jenn. Why don't you come sit with us?"

Jennifer swallowed hard, her mind immediately trying to think of an excuse to excuse herself. Remembering Yakone's encouragement, however, she took several deep breaths, and walked over, grabbing a chair and sitting across from Olivia. "Good afternoon, ladies."

"Good afternoon," Stacie returned. The Gunslinger nodded to Olivia. "I oughta get going, I remember Heinrich asking me to help him with something." She got up and left the two alone, perhaps registering something that Olivia was missing at the moment.

Jennifer held back a sigh of relief, knowing this is would be much harder with someone else watching. "So, um... I'm glad I... how are you doing today, Olivia?"

"It's been alright. Woke up having forgotten that Yak switched rooms. I miss having Yakone as a roommate; it's just me and Ayame now. But a disappointing start to the day has been made up for by the company of friends," the Ambusher stated optimistically.

"I, um... I know how you feel. Alexis moved out of my room, and now it is just me and my parents. Kinda feel like a third wheel." Jennifer shrugged. "I'd move out if... you... I'm not a soldier, but... you have an open bed now, right?"

Olivia's eyes widened, and a smile spread across her features. "That's a great idea! I'd love to have you move in."

"Thank you. I'll move in immediately..." Jennifer's smile dropped a bit, realizing she should have talked about one thing before the other. "I... I was actually hoping to find you so I could talk to you about something... important."

"What's that?" Olivia questioned calmly.

Jennifer breathed in and out. "Okay, um... are you... interested in anyone right now, Olivia? Don't mean to be too bold. Just... you know, have someone you like? Like a... a boy, or... something?"

"Um... I don't have anyone right now, no..." Olivia responded with a confused expression.

"Right, um... r-right... um..." Jennifer ran a hand through her green locks. "Do you... you, um... you're open minded, right?" She tapped her fingers against the table. "I, uh... have a friend. And she likes a... another girl. What do you think she should do? Do you think she should just... come out and admit her feelings?"

Olivia was silent for a moment, and then squinted at Jennifer. "Who's the friend?"

Jennifer tapped her fingers nervously. "Her name is... um... Jessica."

"Funny, in all my months on this ship I never met someone with that name." Olivia stared at Jennifer, her expression shifting to one of amusement. "But I do know a Jennifer who seems to be fond of deflection."

Jennifer slowly rubbed her forehead with her palms. "Why is this so hard?" After several more breaths, she said, "A friend... a real friend has helped me come to the realization that I might... like more than... just guys. And once I realized that, I started to realize there was a certain non-guy I was really coming to like. But... I'm not sure if she would share my feelings. I'm not even sure if she is into girls in general, for that matter."

Olivia shrugged, taking a sip of her beer. "And what would you say if she said that she didn't mind?"

Jennifer rubbed her neck. "I'd, um... I'd tell her I... find her very attractive and... very smart... determined... strong. Someone I enjoy spending my time with and... one I'd like to spend more time with."

Olivia sighed. "At least one of us has to be direct here..." The Algonquian-Caucasian leaned over, giving Jennifer a soft kiss.

Jennifer's eyes lit up in surprise and excitement, and she smiled, taking the hint and leaning into the kiss. Her heart beat a mile a minute, and her breathing hastened ever so much.

Olivia brushed a hand along Jennifer's hair, slowly pulling back. "The feeling is mutual."

"It... it is?" Jennifer laughed softly. "It is! Good! Great! Um... I, uh..." Her eyes darted about. "So, um... I guess that means sharing a room is a good idea, huh?"

"That'd be fine with me."

Jennifer giggled lightly. "So, um... c-can I have another kiss?"

Olivia rested her face dangerously close to Jennifer's. "That depends... do you want me to show you something?"

Jennifer nodded. "Oh, please do." Olivia smirked, and kissed Jennifer again. This time, Jenn felt something poke through her lips, and Oli's tongue danced against hers. Caught a little off guard by Olivia's boldness, Jennifer did what she could to imitate, if a little sloppily. She gently placed a hand on hand on Olivia's cheek, thinking about how lucky she was.

Olivia held the intimate kiss for awhile, before pulling back. "How was that?"

Jennifer gave her a longing look for a moment, sad that the kiss had to end but grateful to stare into Olivia's eyes again. "That was... magical."

Olivia leaned back in her chair. "And I'm sure our time together will be equally so. Feel dumb for beating around the bush now?" the Canadian woman questioned lightly.

Jennifer rubbed her cheeks, flushed and warm. "Y-yeah. Should have done this a while ago, huh?"

Olivia shrugged. "Regardless, I'm glad you brought it to my attention. I really do like you, Jenn... I wasn't quite sure about turning our relationship romantic until you brought up the idea, but if you're willing to try this out, I'm certainly willing to give it a shot."

"Yeah... me too." Jennifer stood up, and moved to sit at Olivia's side. Once seated again, she reached down and gently wrapped her hand around Olivia's. The Canadian woman smiled, feeling even more relaxed now that she knew she had friends, and then someone that was something much more.

 

[Taxor_the_First]

XCOM Mission Parameters

Three Gorges Dam, China
1600 Hours, January 16th, 2039
Eliminate the Overseer of Asia

XCOM Forces

Judgement Squad
LT Matthew Lester [Specialist]
SGT Samuel Yokolov [Aerotrooper]
SGT Yakone Ipiktok [Ranger]
CPL Stacie Belle [Gunslinger]
SQ Arthur Wei [Phantom]
SQ Alan Lazarus [Ambusher]
SQ Samara Vermaak [Juggernaut]
SQ Samson Johnson [Harrier]
SPARK-002 “Lucifer”

Fireteam Maverick
LT Christoffer Strand [Paramedic]
SGT Olivia Brown [Ambusher]

Fireteam MY
CPL Bonnie Brydon [Grenadier]
SQ Jezebel Procellae [Banshee]

Fireteam DFA
SQ Holly Delago [Sharpshooter]
SQ Heinrich Bauer [Grenadier]


Operation Humilibus Neptune

The location of our next Overseer target might have been harder to find if there was more than one heavily armed convoy moving across China. According to our intel, the Overseer known as ‘Neptune’ does not have a predetermined safe building. As such, the knowledge that his compatriots are dropping one by one finally seems to have forced him to take action to protect himself.

The Overseer of Asia has stopped at the Three Gorges Dam, and appears to be in the midst of shoring up defences on the structure. Which means we need to move relatively soon, else attacking the dam will prove far more challenging. Neptune himself was described as ‘weak’ by Shen’lutusus, but aside from that we know nothing of any use. It is likely the Overseer of Asia will defend himself in other means - do not expect this to be an easy mission even with the target supposedly lacking.

What’s further, the ease with which Neptune was located has our own human Overseer concerned this may be a trap of some kind. Move carefully, Menace.

***​

Three Gorges Dam, Former People’s Republic of China
1551 Hours, January 16th, 2039
Skyranger Interior

Samuel was clearly trying very hard not to laugh. The helmet was helping somewhat in this endeavor, but the odd noises he was emitting every few seconds gave the game away entirely.

Eventually, Lester rolled his eyes. “Do you mind?” he snapped. “What’s gotten you in such a good mood anyway?”

“Hmm? Oh, n-nothing. I’m - heh - fine.” The Russian was watching Yakone as he said this. “Just… find something funny, is all.”

Although Yakone’s eyes were hidden by her helmet’s visor, Samuel could swear he saw a dangerous emerald glint beneath the glass. “And what could that be, huh, Sam?” she pressed him with an accusatory tone.

“Just curious about your plus-one,” he answered amicably, though with suppressed mirth. “More about who decided to bring her along.”

“Yeah, I wasn’t going to say anything, but now that we’re talking about it…” Holly considered her question for a moment. “Why was I told not to shoot the cat?”

Jezebel glowered at the Sharpshooter. “Because if you shoot at me, I’ll gouge your eyes out, bitch.”

“Uh, sniper rifle? Hello?”

Alan lay his head in his hands. “You realise she would have been a Banshee back in ADVENT right?”

Holly’s expression immediately switched from amused to pissed. “You people were the bane of my existence!” she said angrily. “Fucking impossible to shoot.”

“I’m sorry we didn’t let you easily blow off all our heads,” Bombay shot back. “Jeez, and you people think I’m the psychopath.”

“Sometimes I think they treat this like some sort of game,” Lester muttered in agreement. “All fine and good when you’re on their side, but I wouldn’t wish the fate of their targets on my worst enemy.”

“If you don’t laugh, you start crying,” Samuel noted. “Would you rather we just run at the enemy with giant signs with slogans?”

“We do what we have to,” Chris summarized. “I don’t think right before an op is the time to get philosophical.”

“Or anytime else,” Bonnie added.

“You’re just saying that because your brain’s permanently addled with drink,” Alan pointed out. “Think too hard and you’ll start to get a headache.”

Watching as the Grenadier made to discipline him, Samara shook her head. “Welcome to the crew,” she said to Bombay, folding her arms. “And don’t mind everyone else. This is standard behaviour.”

Procellae grumbled, leaning back in her chair. “Guess it isn’t as bad as all the stuck-up assholes that were part of my original unit. Not that I don’t feel any pity for the fact that most of them are dead. But they weren’t exactly fun people to be around.”

“Well, now you’ll experience the other end of the spectrum,” Samuel said with a smirk. More quietly, he asked Yakone “So, you two… work out your issue?”

“There is no issue,” Yakone retorted cryptically.

“... take that as a yes.”

“Anyway, cat-bitch aside,” Holly began, probably earning a scowl or worse from the aforementioned Mogul, “I’m more concerned about you, Sam. You going to be able to focus with Stacie watching?”

The Russian executed a mock flex. “Of course,” he responded. “I swear my eyes will remain front.” A chuckle, followed by a barely-audible “... especially if she’s ahead of me.”

Stacie raised an eyebrow. “Does this warden armor really hug my form that much?” Jezebel stuck out her tongue in exaggerated disgust.

Samuel shrugged. “Mostly at the back,” he admitted. “Although I suppose I don’t really need to imagine what’s beneath-”

He was interrupted by the majority of his own squad emitting loud sounds of disgust. “Get a room you two,” Holly muttered.

“Well, a few other couples have already done that…” the Aerotrooper mused.

“I’m not the one being a shameless flirt right now though,” Yakone riposted, crossing her arms with a smug smile.

“That’s just because old mate isn’t around,” Samuel dismissed. “Don’t kid yourself. If Leon were here, you’d be doing the exact same shit.” He paused. “Or he would.”

“No, if it would be either of us it’d probably be me,” Yakone admitted with a sigh.

“I’m not sure which of you two are worse about the romantic passivity,” Stacie muttered in regards to Samuel and Leon. “The pendulum keeps swinging back and forth.”

The Russian shrugged. “We share a pair of balls,” he confided. “He’s got them on loan currently. I’m due to get them back sometime soon.”

“Are you all quite finished?” Lester asked tiredly. “Because if not, I would advise you wrap it up. You have two minutes before we jump out.”

Two minutes later, as Lester had decreed, the Skyranger deposited the soldiers on a large flat concrete surface. Further examination revealed the surface to be the top of a dam, lined on one side by water, and the other falling into a steep descent. Large metal tower structures spotted the dam, reaching up into the overcast afternoon sky, segmenting the structure below the bleak expanse overhead into several different parts. To Holly, that merely meant an opportunity for high ground with sight over the entire mission area.

The Sharpshooter pointed at the nearest one. “I’m going up there,” she announced.

“If it’s on the way,” Samuel assured her. “Speaking of, where the hell are we going? That Overseer could be anywhere on or inside this thing.”

“We sweep from one side to the other,” Lester answered. “Surely you’ve noticed by now that we landed on one end rather than the middle. The plan is to move across and look for either the target themself or a sign that they’re indoors, at which point we react accordingly. Simple instructions even you should be able to follow.”

“You flatter me,” the Russian responded dryly.

While the XCOM forces were concealed, they were certainly not expecting a trap to be set up for them instead of the other way around. One wrong footfall from Samara’s Pavise Armor detonated a proximity mine, the blast damaging her armor and shorting out its cloaking system. The Juggernaut was revealed, and the others had to make themselves known and scramble to cover as gunfire from what must have been at least half a dozen Saboteurs started raining down on Vermaak. Her suit was substantially damaged in the first round of attacks, and kneeling behind a parked vehicle was the only thing that spared her a forced eject.

To make matters worse, a trio of Arbitrators revealed themselves atop one of the towers. They stayed low, one of them scanning the soldiers below for something. Apparently finding what they were looking for, the three were surrounded in a red glow that quickly transferred to one of Bonnie’s explosives attached to her tactical rigging. The combined attack caused the fuse to go off too quickly for her to have a chance to stop it, and a chain reaction detonated all of her grenades at once. Her blast padding was the only buffer between that explosion and the end of her life, and while she survived the detonation, her armor was left in tatters from the thunderclap that had occurred.

 

[DarkGemini24601]

Taxor_the_First and DarkGemini24601: “Operation Humilibus Neptune, Part 1”

Umbra protecting him from any opportunistic gunfire, Samuel dashed forward and grabbed the Grenadier by the remains of her collar. “Bloody hell, you alright?”

“Never fuckin’ better,” Bonnie managed to spit out, though her voice was shaky. “Ruined half me gear too…”

“Bigger problems,” the Russian stated, beginning the process of dragging her behind some semblance of cover. Umbra couldn’t protect the two of them forever, after all. “Someone want to relieve this torrent of bullets please?”

“There’s three on the tower,” Samara reported, refusing to exit her cover for now. “Obviously there's more down here, but I didn’t exactly get to count.”

“Just lob a nade in there then,” Alan argued. “Solve the prob- oh, right.”

“Leave the tower to me,” Arthur instructed, still concealed. “I will remove them. Focus on the others below.”

“Fair enough,” Christoffer responded. “So how are we doing this?” He questioned, retracting himself behind a rapidly-deplenishing piece of cover as magnetically-accelerated bullets pummeled his position.

“I’ve got an idea. Yakone, do you trust me?” Olivia questioned her former roommate.

“..t-the fuck kind of question is that? How do you expect me to respond in the heat of bat-” the Ranger started to protest. Her lamentations were interrupted by Onimiki fully forming in his black-and-white feathered glory. He picked up Yakone between his talons, carrying her forward at his master’s command. He zoomed over to the position of the Saboteurs fast enough that a subdued sonic boom could be heard, and then tossed her up into the air for a moment. Leering down at the shocked Protectorate soldiers, he unleashed a storm of lightning that left them all stunned. By the time Yakone hit the ground, she found herself a row of what amounted to training dummies rather than dangerous enemy soldiers.

You trying to make me feel guilty about doing this, you damn bird? Yakone questioned. Her doubts were cut short by gunfire from the first Saboteur that recovered - shots that were deflected harmlessly off her Overdrive field. Okay, scratch that. No time to waste. Praclaritas, map me the quickest path through all of them. The Silicid complied, and a course was plotted on the Ranger’s HUD. She rushed forward, drawing and igniting her fusion blades and weaving through the eight soldiers in a swift, efficient, and deadly dance of death. In a matter of seconds, she had reaped the lives of all eight Saboteurs.

“Alright, gruesome or not, that was pretty damn cool,” Yakone remarked with a nod of approval. “I really like these new PCS upg-”

Yakone, behind- A mechanized fist impacted with Yakone’s back, hurling her into the side of the empty tower opposite from the Arbitrators and causing a vertical crater where the Ranger ended up. You...

The culprit stood beside an identical model that raised an oversized machine rifle that thrummed with the aqua-colored hue of a high-level plasma laser weapon. Both mechanical units towered at a height of nine feet, equal to the stature of a SPARK soldier. Their armor was colored a foreboding, obsidian black, and their optical visors were an equally imperious amethyst color. Despite the advanced equipment, the XCOM soldiers that took in the sight of them knew at a glance that they were MEC Troopers. But now that ADVENT had been absorbed into the Protectorate, they had been upgraded with the best technology the aliens could afford the cyborg soldiers.

And, as icing on the cake, they were not alone. The masked, crimson-colored figure of a Psi Witch accompanied the pair of Superheavy MECs, though she was quick to use a burst of telekinesis to launch up onto the tower above Yakone. The force was uncontrollable, however, and rather than vault neatly into the space at the top of the ladder, the Witch ended up directly ontop of the roof. Knowing she was exposed, the Peacekeeper Lieutenant was swift to lift a hand and apply a similarly impressive push against the XCOM soldiers below her, knocking several of them onto their backs.

Unfortunately for the Witch, ‘several’ did not include Holly. The Sharpshooter calmly lined up the shot, her target having left herself exposed in favour of temporarily disabling some of her foes. “Big mistake,” Harbinger stated with a smirk punctuating her shot. The shot hit - though the angle at which it did was, as Joy informed her user, wholly impossible. The arc of the laser beam curved at the last moment, glancing off of the hybrid soldier’s side rather than killing her. And the wound left the Psi Witch more than a little upset. Turning towards the direction of the shot, she fired off three psi lances in rapid succession at the Sharpshooter.

They gouged deep rents into the pavement where Holly had been just a second before. Disoriented, the sniper found herself standing about five feet to the right near cover. “Still hate your guts, but I do have to prove my loyalty. So there you go, guenia pig,” Jezebel reported before blinking again to a new location closer to the action.

The Sharpshooter chuckled. “Thanks, cat-bitch.”

“Fuck you,” was the reply over comms.

On the second tower, an effective use of both his PCS and Tumulis’ calculations meant Arthur was easily able to cut down all three of the Arbitrators, removing their influence (and their heads) from the field. “Simple enough,” the Phantom said with satisfaction. “Give me some time to return.”

“Fuck that, we’ll just win this without you,” Alan responded, watching the area with the new MEC units closely. “As soon as one pops out, he’s getting a faceful of electricity.”

Complicating that was the fact that both MECs released a cloud of smoky gases from their backs in a manner similar to the gas capsules contained within Pavise Armor. They were difficult to see in the dense smoke as they stepped out of concealment and began opening fire. One of them shot at Bombay’s position, demolishing her cover and making her reposition herself accordingly. The other took aim at Yakone, and fired three times in rapid succession - tearing deep rents in her armor before she was able to pull herself out of the tower’s wall and dive into cover next to Bombay.

“Jesus christ, who the hell gave MEC troopers the right to be this good?” Yakone growled. Praclaritas’s ‘mouth’ formed on Yakone’s armor, taking a chomp out of the nearby car in order to get raw materials for armor repairs beyond psionic energy.

Lucifer stomped past her. “Allow me to supply you with more metal,” he stated cheerfully, lowering his cannon and unleashing his own torrent of gunfire on one of the enemy robots. “... perhaps more gunfire is needed,” he admitted when it remained standing.

The two MEC Troopers turned to face Lucifer, and both lowered their rifles in favor of their superheated magnofists, which glowed white-hot as the pair shook their tightened hands in preparation for a double punch. However, two of Maverick Squad’s number came through for the SPARK in that moment. A webbing of cables wrapped around the legs of the fully-functioning MEC unit, and with a crackle of magnetism compressed the limbs together until it toppled like an ATAT. The other received a shot from an ATC in its damaged forward chassis, the three funnels of plasma melting the internals into oblivion and causing it to topple rather than knock Lucifer into next week.

“Stand back, please,” Christoffer instructed the A.I. He stepped out of cover, lifting his missile launcher and sending a spray of plasma-based mini-rockets into the fallen MEC - blowing its armor open and allowing a shot from Holly to plug it. “I’m fairly certain we’re ahead of you in combat effectiveness right now even at half the numbers, Judgement,” the Paramedic bragged.

“Only if you count Yakone,” Bombay muttered.

“She’s an honorary member,” Olivia established with a smirk.

Samuel poked his head up from making sure Bonnie was going to live. “Oh, so this is a competition now is it?” he said with a smirk. “Hope you know exactly what kind of war you’ve just started, Chris.”

“Can we compare killcounts after the crazy psi-woman-thing is dead?” Lester demanded. His concerns were not unfounded, as a tornado made of psychokinetic energy had been created near the Specialist and was nearly upon him.

A barrage of heatwaves - an attack the Witch’s telekinesis couldn’t block - melted down half of its armor, and made it leap off the back of the tower onto the ground below. “Yakone, go after it!” Stacie cried out. “That rift’s not letting up!”

Lester merely glanced at the storm approaching him with some disdain. “A few weeks ago, I might have been concerned,” he stated, drawing the psi amp hanging at his hip. “But now I can just do this.” A brief channeling of psionic energy later, Advocate found himself a several meters away from his initial position. He calmly walked the rest of the way out of the rift’s encroaching influence.

“Fucking copycat,” Bombay grumbled.

Yakone surged forward regardless, catching the Psi Witch in her retreat and connected a palm with the enemy’s back. Sparks of green electricity passed between Yakone’s hand and the Peacekeeper’s spine, and when the witch turned intending to blow Yakone’s head off with another trio of psi lances, she found her psionics unresponsive. “Sorry, your luck’s run out.” Yakone’s blades ignited, and the last thing the Witch saw was two sweeping arcs of aqua-colored energy coming her way.

 

[Taxor_the_First]

Taxor_the_First and DarkGemini24601: “Operation Humilibus Neptune, Part 2”

With the first line of defense cleared, Holly was given a chance to take up the high ground she had so desired. She positioned herself on the tower where the cleared-out Arbitrators had been, while Heinrich set up his trusty mortar on the rise that Yakone had been knocked into earlier. Bonnie remained behind with the pair, while Christoffer, Olivia, and Jezebel were assimilated into Judgement Squad - raising its numbers to twelve counting Lucifer.

Not that the Scottish Grenadier like the idea. “Give me your pistol or something,” she said to Samuel as he pushed her towards the ladder. “I can still kick some ass.”

“Left it back at the ship in favor of a psi amp,” the Russian explained. “Besides which, you’re in no shape to fight. I’d be surprised if having that many grenades detonated right on your body didn’t cause some internal bleeding at the very least. Plus, your armor’s fucked.”

“You can sit next to me while I do my thing,” Holly added. “And you can watch my backside in case they get sick of me.”

Bonnie considered. “Ach, hell. Fine. Suppose without my grenades I’m not much help anyway.”

It was thus that the two women were left atop the tower, one watching the road ahead, the other watching the road behind. The second enemy force that Menace 1-5 ran into presented itself in a much more obvious manner. Standing behind what cover could accomodate their massive bodies was a squad of Balmadaar. On either side of the defensive line was a group of three Muton soldiers. In the middle was a trio of Destroyers. Between those three pods was a Berserker each, looking ready to charge but being held back by a telepathic command. Such an order did not originate from the Muton Elite or the strangely ornate, SHIV-like hover vehicle at his side. It came from an Ethereal. An Inquisitor, in fact.

My my, there certainly are a lot of you, aren’t there? she murmured, floating serenely amidst the hulking aliens. I wonder what your strategy is. Strength in numbers, perhaps?

Lester bumped Samuel with an elbow. “Who…?”

“Ordero’forturnitas,” the Russian answered quietly. “Inquisitor of Order. Not sure about anything other than that.”

So the traitor did remember me, Ordero noted with some smugness to her tone. She exuded an air of cool control, her gaze piercing.

“Hate to break up the psuedo-reunion, but you’re in our way,” Christoffer decided. “Olivia, Stacie, we’ll take the three on the far right. You two in the back, provide support wherever you can. Yakone…” One of the Berserker’s apparently didn’t like the look of the Ranger, and charged straight for her. With a battle cry, Yakone engaged it. “...I suppose I’ll leave you to that,” Chris conceded, lifting his SBR and opening fire.

Assisted by the sniper and mortar-manner in the back, Bombay was able to challenge the other trio of regular Muton troopers on her own. She evaded with an illusionary field that made her extremely difficult to target, and softened them up with a acidic thunderstorm rift that made them prime targets for an explosive anti-personnel shell and a serial strike to follow up. That process took time, however, which meant that the six members of Judgement Squad at the forefront would have to fend for themselves against an advancing Berserker, three Destroyers (two of which were prepping grenades), the Muton Elite, and the robot at its beck and call.

Allowing Umbra to first protect him from enemy fire and then from the Berserker when it reached him, Samuel fired two bursts at the Destroyers. One took a shot in the arm, causing them to drop the grenade they’d been preparing to throw. The other however let loose, the small yet dangerous object careening past the Russian. “Guys-”

Samara, her armor replenished in between fights, planted her shield down directly between her and the landed grenade. This had the effect of blocking the majority of the explosion from harming any of the squad, aside from an errant piece of concrete smacking Arthur in the helmet. The Phantom grunted, but seemed more perturbed by the fact his handiwork had been damaged than the fact that he’d just avoided being blown up. He fired his shotgun in the responsible alien’s direction, though only a few of the ‘pellets’ actually made contact.

“What’s got you so mad?” Alan asked, firing a burst of electricity at and briefly stopping the Berserker. “That helmet of yours looks ridiculous now anyway. I mean, what’s with the unicorn horn?”

Chariot glared at him. “It’s the piece of rock that almost killed me,” he explained.

“Yeah, and it looks dumb.”

Samson, meanwhile, had repositioned himself so that he had a good angle. “Finally get a proper chance to test this fucker out!” he declared joyfully, unleashing his shredstorm heavy weapon in the general direction of the group of Destroyers, still reeling from one of their own grenades. The pellets tore right through both the cover and their armor, leaving both largely ineffective.

In response, the Muton Elite lowered his left arm’s energy shield for a moment, raising his right wrist instead. A port opened up, and a blast of shrapnel and plasma nearly identical to Samson’s gouged apart a good half of his plating, as well as burning Arthur and Alan’s down to nearly nothing despite them being partially shielded by cover. Christoffer’s Gremlin was quickly on the patch job with a restoration run, but it could not restore the durability of the shredded plates on its own. That would be up to Lester. And it could not patch up their armor this quickly again, with its nanomedkit stores depleted.

As if the Muton Elite wasn’t enough, there were two other major threats that Judgement had to deal with. Beside the red-armored Balmadaar, the sleekly designed craft touched down, and the concrete under it cracked. The squad could feel waves of heat emanating off its location, and when it rose up, the cannon on its back swapped barrels - allowing the stationary Dragon Turtle to start spitting a torrent of lava at Samuel and Lester. Meanwhile, the Berserker took the opportunity to rush Phantom and Ambusher while they were trying to recover, intending to pummel them into pancakes with her fists.

Its wrestling partner abandoning the fight, Umbra was able to grab Lester by the waist. “What in the hell-”

“Trust me,” Samuel responded lightly, activating his jetpack and rocketing away. Umbra being tied to him, the Reflection was forced to follow, thus bringing the surprised Specialist with them. Now in the air, the Aerotrooper also had perfect vision on nearly the entire battlefield. With a few well-aimed bursts, the Russian eliminated the two Destroyers he’d shot at before. “Tell your friend Aervouba the skies still belong to me,” he taunted.

Ordero didn’t deign to respond.

Arthur, meanwhile, rolled away as a massive fist slammed into the ground where he’d been. Remembering the beast had natural defences that made close-range attacks largely ineffective, he resorted to his psionics. “Let us see how this works,” he muttered, firing off a psi lance at the titan.

It seemed more surprised than injured, recoiling as if a snake had leapt out at it. What? Ordero murmured. Since when were you able to do that?

“I’ve been practicing,” the Phantom answered, diving out of the way as Lucifer charged forward. The SPARK slammed into the Berserker, using the machine’s considerable strength to push the enemy back. Alan’s electrostorm rifle lanced the creature in the back, preventing it from using it’s even more considerable strength to simply topple the devil in his push. The Berserker failed to realize where Lucifer was taking her until it was far too late.

 

[Taxor_the_First]

Taxor_the_First and DarkGemini24601: “Operation Humilibus Neptune, Part 3”

With one last push, the devil flung his foe over the side of the dam, sending it roaring into the watery abyss below. “I suppose some quip about sending it to hell would be appropriate here,” the AI analyzed. “Looks like I just sent you to-”

“Lucy, there’s no reason to make the joke twice,” Holly noted over comms, assassinating the last Destroyer. “Two left. The big guy and that turret thing. Ordero doesn’t look like she really wants in on this fight.”

Samson had had enough. With a sneer, he prepared to activate his metal storm. “You wanna compare dick sizes?” he asked the Elite. “Well, check this motha out!”

“Hmph,” was the honor guardsman’s only reply as he raised his plumegun and started firing at Samson with it in only one hand. His left palm went up again, and an energy shield spanned in front of the Muton Elite’s head and chest to protect his vitals. Off his left shoulder, a blaster bomb popped off and started thrumming as it pursued Samuel - and by extension the Specialist in his Reflection’s arms - to keep them out of the way. The Dragon Turtle started spewing its hellfire at the devil to hold him back.

The Russian paled. “Time to go,” he said simply, rocketing away from the pursuant artillery. “Lester, you don’t mind if I drop you off do you?”

“That’d probably be- you sonofa-” The Specialist’s curse was cut short as he impacted the ground, rolling to a dazed stop. “... you’re lucky you dropped low to do that,” he muttered, pulling himself back up.

“Yeah, feeling super lucky right now!” Samuel shouted back, weaving away from the pulsing green orb. “Somebody please remove that Elite!”

Arthur and Alan glanced at each other. “I’ll take the turret,” the Ambusher stated. “You and Cobra take the sheep.”

The Phantom turned to go, but stopped. “... sheep?” he asked, bewildered.

“Yeah. Mutton.”

Arthur glared at him for a moment before sighing. “So this is why Lester avoids you like the plague,” he stated.

A shot of plasma impacted the ground between them. “Now is not the time!” Samuel barked, his weapon smoking a trail through the air.

A few seconds later, Samson’s weapon fire was assisted by Arthur’s, the Phantom having dashed over beneath the Dragon Turtle’s lava stream. The Elite was unable to defend from two shots at once, and was forced to allow the Harrier a few shots into its back. It growled in irritation, turning back to Samson to punish him for the infraction, but wasn’t expecting Arthur to abandon his shotgun.

“Nice watch,” he commented, bringing his blade down on the blaster bomb’s launcher, thus shorting out its guidance and causing the weapon to blow up midair.

“About fucking time,” Samuel muttered, resuming a more stable flying pattern and beginning to rain plasma on both the remaining enemies. Lester, having managed to make his way to the Elite, added his shotgun to the mix. The heavily armored Balmadaar, confronted with so many different flanks, was overwhelmed. The Turtle soon followed, as with Alan’s sabotage it was unable to properly retaliate.

By the time the squad had regrouped, however, Ordero was nowhere to be seen. “Typical,” Samuel muttered. “One of these days I’d like to actually kill one of them. Not just have them fuck off.”

“Mission’s still young,” Holly crackled. “Might still get your chance.”

The Mavericks had finished off their own respective enemies, and Yakone retrieved one of her fusion blades that was imbedded in the second Berserker’s skull. “And that’s a touchdown,” Yakone noted with a victorious swing of her arm. With the Muton squad cleared and Ordero in full retreat, the twelve members of Judgement Squad began to advance along the dam, knowing now for certain that their target was drawing near.

One, however, hesitated. Already bringing up the rear, nobody noticed Samuel stop trudging forward. There it is again. He glanced sideways, and nearly fired at the Elder standing beside him. Closer inspection revealed the vision was transparent. Incorporeal. Ethereal.

Azazel watched him carefully. You heard it too, he surmised.

Like a whisper, yeah.The Russian glanced at the squad ahead of him. No-one else did. Which means-

You’re being targeted.

Umbra half faded into view, arms crossed protectively in front of its master’s chest. It was unclear to Samuel whether it noticed the apparition beside him. What the hell are you, anyway? he asked abruptly. This is… what, the third time you’ve popped up out of nowhere?

The dead Inquisitor gazed at him. Umbra has a long memory, was the simple response.

Any further discussion was cut off as the whisper returned. Shadow, it said. Samuel ran his eyes around the dam’s top, searching for the source.

Azazel was pondering. That’s odd, he mused. I swear that voice seems familiar. I’d say it sounds like-

They both saw her at the same time. Watching from an access doorway to the inside of the dam, half covered by the concrete bunker within which she stood. When she knew he was watching she beckoned, before disappearing inside.

The human, his Reflection, and the ghost stared silently for a while. “This has to be a trick,” Samuel muttered. “An illusion of some kind.”

It is very convincing. Azazel turned to him. I… would stake that, unlikely as it is, evidence suggests that is indeed her.

The Russian glanced sideways at the squad, then back at the door. The squad. The door. “Ah, to hell with it,” he grumbled, jogging briskly over to the darkened entryway. A few steps in. Samuel’s gaze snapped backwards as the door clanged shut behind him, and a few audible bolts rolled into place. Immediately, he snarled. “That’s fucking low,” he seethed. “Using the voice of the dead to lure me into solitude?” The damp tunnel did not respond.