"But, despite the all that, you did a good…"
"Good job? A good job? A GOOD JOB?! You stand there, looking all comfortable and clean like some kind of ruler while we have a man bleeding on the table in the med bay and we lost another in the field and all you can say is a 'Good Job'?! It's like you take pleasure in seeing us…"
The giant, hairy, slobbering man was silenced as he was now staring down a mag pistol.
"So, Snow, you think I enjoy sending my soldiers on dangerous missions where they can potentially get hurt or even worse, die. Die for humanity's future freedom under my command?"
The piston was pulled back as the Commander's arm bent at the elbow making the pistol point up at the roof.
The room was quiet. Silent. But everyone could breathe easier for a moment before the gun was drawn again.
"So please," the Commander snarled with an equally disgusting look on his face. No one saw him move and the gun was much closer to the mouth of Snow than it was moments ago. "Pray tell, do you really think that I enjoy seeing my family hurt or die fighting? Going up against the greatest of odds every time they set foot on the battle field against a force that has established itself in the last 20 years? Do you really think I find pleasure watching my men get hurt? Or die? So please, tell me, tell us all, do you think that I make it a habit, in this fight to reclaim our planet from the Aliens, to sit on my ass and sip wine while you all are fighting?"
The debrief room was silent as a cemetery. No one moved. They have never seen the Commander so riled up. So on edge. Ready to even kill one of his soldiers. Not out of fear of losing his position. Not due to doubt. But because he was questioned about his loyalty to XCOM. To his family. His current family. And the Commander worked hard to establish a working, true, loyal relationship with everyone under him. So damn the man or woman that questioned his loyalty. His passion in protecting and serving.
"I…uh…I'm going to uh….head to my q-quarters now…uh sir."
"That would be best soldier."
Silence.
No movement.
Only the hum of the air conditioning and the ongoing silent stare down between Snow and the Commander and his mag pistol.
"Are you…"
The look in the Commander's eyes shut him up nice and quick.
Death.
Pure death.
The Commander was no longer looking at him. But through him. Past him. Behind him at the wall where his blood splatter would be if the Commander decided to pull the trigger.
"It's not the gun you should be worried about Snow. It's me."
It was the faintest of moves. A slight twitch in the right hand holding the wired pistol. The signal to move away while he had the chance. And took it he did, with his tail between his legs.
The Commander stood in the same position, pistol in hand, staring at the wall of the room. With a sigh he relaxed, turned around, and leaned back against the wall, looking at the roof. AS before, no one moved or spoke.
Moments passed in the silence before a sound was heard.
"Get me the squad leaders and those who have been high ranked the longest. I want to know who's available and how many rookies we have. We have a lot of things to do and having a second dropship will help."
The Commander moved to sit down at the table.
"We have several points of contacts to deal with and not a lot of time so I'm taking a huge gamble here. I hope that you all can forgive me if anything goes south. I have some ideas on which squads I want out there."
"If you don't mind me asking Commander, what's the situation?" A young man chewing on a toothpick asked.
"Not at all Colonel. We have information on lone soldiers in a derelict town. The black market has got some new stock. Fenix."
"Sir." A gruff voice answered.
"I want you and your team to handle that one. Based on the fact that you lot survived on your own for so long gathering resources and the like, I think that you all would be great at picking out what we need the most: supplies, upgrades and such. Everything you need to trade will be given to you. We also have a relay to build in West Europe. Jason, that's where your team comes in. Take Dr. Oliver as well. He'll know what to do. There are a couple of other things as well but I'll deal with them. Every dispatched team will take a couple rookies to get them up to speed."
"And what of the Avenger?" Nahid asked him.
"A majority of her forces will stay with the ship, a good number of our experienced troops will stay behind and we'll run on a modified number of crew. A short of skeleton crew if you will. We still have that UFO hunting us down we'll need to be ready in case something happens."
"Alright. How long should everything take?" Jason asked.
"No more than a week, a week and a half the most including drop offs and pickups of each squad."
A series of head nods and affirming words circled throughout the room.
"So teams get ready. Rest tonight and be ready for more of Bradford's flying tomorrow. I'll announce this one more time before lights out and the watch patrols start up for the night."
More nods of understanding.
"Alright. XCOM out."
This is my first ever XCOM game and I'm having a blast. I want to write a XCOM 2 story and I wanted to put this little bit out to see how it does and what you think. If it all goes well, I'll start writing when I start a Commander Ironman or Legend Ironman campaign. I have a veteran campaign and normal Ironman campaign going on as well as my first normal play through. SAVE SCUMMING!
I have the Razgriz Aces (Snow is an asshole). The Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers with Dr. Tommy Oliver. I made Tommy as the Green Ranger and I rescued him as Dr. Tommy Oliver. I laughed so hard at the irony.
I also have Delta Squad from Gears of War, including Anya and Ben Carmine. Tai, Kim, Dizzy and Hoffman are pending. Their voices are in a mod on steam.
Next I will make some characters from Starcraft .
Also, this story should it be greenlit, will have those characters mentioned above but not them from their universe. The power rangers will be 5 students/friends that have witnessed Advent's attack first hand on a camping trip. Delta squad will be military vets that fought after XCOM fell. The aces will be ex fighter pilots for the Navy and Air Force of several countries. And also famous figures from history, such as Dalai Lama, I call him Da-li because he has his is own identity in the game, mainly being my most dangerous sniper.
There will also be members from Christopher Odd's season one XCOM 2 let's play on youtube. What they were in his play through, they may not be in my story. I think in his, Grelite bit the bullet early on, in my first play through he's a combat hacker that has a little following of combat specialists. Blue death is no joke.
Uh…. There will be weapon mods, expect to visit countries that are barely touched upon in the game. Nothing world breaking but I am trying to work out a realistic world population because the city centers and such are empty!
I think that be it. What did you think of the above section? I want to write but should I quit while I'm behind?
Your thoughts matter!
Main section word count: 961
Be safe and God bless.