(A.N. I am so sorry for how long it took me to get this sucker finished. Though I have three very important excuses as to why it took so long, one many if not most of you will relate to. Fallout and the Holidays are the first two. The other is the tragic loss of our family dog. It wasn't worth it at first. But now I shall devote my energies towards my writing.)

Imagination

Alex blew out of his cheeks and glanced over. "Alright CapCom. I am approaching the Sinus Sabaeus Quadrangle." He said as he glanced back at the monitor and switched it over to a pair of side-by-side cameras underneath Icarus. One was located right behind and above where one of the front wheel or landing pad would extend. The second camera was located right below the very center of the craft near the center of gravity. This would be the one he would rely on to make sure there was nothing underneath him that could damage his craft.

"300 meters." He said as he switched the VTOL vents down and throttled up slightly to slow himself down. Though this would also increase his altitude somewhat. "Alright I'm at-wow- 550 meters. I forgot to take the lower gravity into account. Beginning my descent." He said as he slowly eased down on the throttle and the craft began heading towards the red earth.

"At 500 meters." Alex said as he often glanced quickly between the canopy and the monitor. So far there was no problems. So far.

450 meters away. He kept his breathing steady as the ground was getting closer and closer.

Alex could feel the tension building as he had passed by 300 meters. The dark morbid thought of him crashing into the ground and either stranding him or killing him entered his mind. Plus with how long it would take for any rescue operation to reach him, he may as well be dead. Double-plus he did not want to receive the chewing out he would inevitably receive if he did manage to get back to base.


"Alright you're at 250 meters. Looking good so far." CapCom said and then switched frequencies over to Medical. "Doc how's our boy's vitals looking?"

"At approximately 90 beats per minute. Monsieur's vitals are looking nominal."

"Alright Alex. Just keep doing what you're doing." She said nodding.


"Yeah." Alex said, a tinge of nervousness in his voice. "These things almost land themselves don't they?" He asked chuckling nervously.

Now at 100 meters, Alex could actually make out details on the ground. The soil was not just red, but had an earthy brown to it as well. That was unusual, yet everywhere he looked it was red. He took a mental note to take samples to be analyzed.

Now it was at 80 meters, every 2 seconds he would drop ten meters, he could feel that last ounce of dread that every pilot has right before it comes to landing. But, like every pilot, he remembered his training and went through the motions, making any corrections when needed and just enjoyed the ride.

40 meters now. It was a little rocky on the camera below, but nothing the landing pads could not handle. "Alright I am now at 30 meters. Deploying the pads." He flipped a safety switch up and then flipped the switch that covered it up as well. A gentle whirring sound could be heard and Alex watched as the pads were deployed on both a display and in the cameras. "Pads deployed. 15 meters to go."

He wondered what the whole World was thinking at this moment. What his parents were, everybody at Xcom. What he was thinking was that he was millions of miles from home inside a retrofitted Alien craft and about to land on another world. What was impossible anymore?

Icarus touched down a little harder than he would have wanted it to. The whole craft shimmied for a second then came to a rest. Alex was left in stunned silence as he looked around. Then nodded.


"Central. This is Icarus." Alex's voice said across the loudspeakers. "We have touched down with no problems."

Central exploded with cheering and applauding. They had just done what five years ago seemed a distant dream. A human being had just landed on the planet Mars. People whistled, yelled in triumph and clapped loudly.

"Good job people!" Bradford said, having to yell above the din. Already they could see him adjusting his helmet so he could EVA. "Alright settle down, settle." He added and the raucous died down.


Slowly Cody made sure that everything was sealed and his heads up display was nominal. "Central. This is Icarus. Do I have permission to EVA?" He asked, the helmet looking at the screen.

"Roger that Icarus. You are go for EVA." Cody nodded and continued to ensure that his suit was properly secured. Then after double-double checking everything, he was satisfied. He took a big breath and prepared to open the canopy.

Alex sighed as he closed his eyes and prepared for probably the most frightening moment of his life. When he was ready he nodded and pressed the necessary buttons. The canopy popped off it's locks with an evil sounding hiss and it lifted slightly.

He waited and waited. Waited for that pain that would be associated with what would happen if he was not properly sealed up. Decompression and hypoxia. Things that after seeing the simulations of what would happen...he would rather shoot himself.

Nothing. Nothing. Alex sighed as he relaxed. He then chuckled to ease the tension. "Alright, my canopy is off." He said as he pushed it all the way up and looked around at the red landscape. "Its almost reminds me of pictures of desert landscapes or books I've read." He said, knowing his voice was being transmitted to radios and televisions around the world. It was however being distorted by the natural distance on the radio and by Xcom's design. Alex and Matthews had both agreed that the people of Earth needed a voice to hear in it's greatest triumph. "The sand or soil looks coarse. The stones look like red granite or-or limestone." He said as he stood up and began descending the ladder of Icarus.

Then his boots left the carbon-polymer ladder and touched the soil. Alex looked down at the ground, his helmet mounted camera following his every move. He could hear his own breathing as he knelt down and laid his hand on the soft coarse earth. His fingers sunk in and he slid them through.

"Once again...our imagination has proven that no obstacle cannot be overcome."

He wondered if this would go down in history as famous quotes like Neil Armstrong's 'One small step for Man. One giant leap for Mankind' or Yuri Gagarin's 'I can see the Earth. It's beautiful.'

Alex sighed as he stood back up and headed over to a compartment in Icarus' starboard hull. After pressing a few buttons on a small console, the long hatch with the special item was opened. He pulled out the tube with the precious cargo in it and then used his hand to close the hatch.

After walking over a dozen yards or so from Icarus, he opened the tube and pulled out a long stainless steel and titanium pole. At the top, wrapped tightly with simple wire, was the flag of the United Nations-perhaps the only flag that represented a united Human race. He set the protective tube down and began unwrapping the wire.

A light breeze came up at that moment just as the flag was unrolled so the silk was now gently flapping. It's light blue background a huge contrast to the red environment. With a jarring effort he jammed the pole into the ground, twisted the pole and then pressed a small knob near the bottom, this would release four prongs that would secure the flag to the ground in heavy winds.

Satisfied it was stable, Alex stepped back a few times to gaze at the flag that whipped gently in the wind. With that he pressed his heels together and saluted.


Everyone in Big Sky 4 cheered when they heard Alex's voice. They applauded, yelled and ululated, stomped their feet. They were all proud of him.

"Haha. Not bad for a flyboy, hey Tequila?" One of the men asked nudging the Mec to him. The man in question is nodded with that steely gaze that still held kindness to him. Many of his men joked he looked like a softer version of Chow Yun Fat.

Xiaojun Lai sighed as he sat on the floor of the dropship. His blue metallic skin of his hand flexed and servos whirred as he checked the vulcan gun he took from the armory. Satisfied with the weapon he grasped his helmet and slipped it over his thick comb over hair and the visor over his hazel eyes.

The support soldier was leading Echo squad of the four Sky Rangers that were rocketing towards Australia at that very moment. His lieutenants were Mark 'Godfather' Allister from Edinburgh, UK and was in charge of the other two snipers; Maryana 'Echo' Ivanov Volgograd, Russia and had been one of the troopers involved in the EXALT raid in her hometown; and Jacques 'Baker' Able born to an American father and French mother, he had actually been a civilian recruited from a resturant for his survival skills and his brute strength which served as one of the heavies of the squad and Lai's executive officer.

Lai had actually been a Beijing cop before his career with Xcom kicked off. A very astute cop as well. He had actually tracked down the program and was later recruited as a result. All to protect his wife and baby daughter at the time. It had been a role he was almost made for and had earned both the Urban Combat Badge and the Council Medal of Honor. The latter being the event that also took his left arm, both legs, paralyzed his right arm and severely damaged his internal organs. He was 80% augmented, perhaps the most augmented of the Program due to his condition.

He took his augmentation in stride. "You did what you had to do so I could survive. Now I will do what I must so others may live." He once said after the operations. Still, it had not been easy for him. His wife and friends outside of the Program had initially rejected him due to his metallic frame. He even had gone AWOL as a result of this depression. At least until all 10 men and women of his squad burst into the bar where he was drowning his sorrows and dragged him back to his apartment and gave it straight to his wife. Made her remembered why she had married him in the first place.

JinQiu and their child, Meihua, were now anxiously waiting for him back at Xcom.

That was then. This was now. "Alright. Remember. Nobody fires unless they prove hostile. I know you're all itching for more tallies but let's be professional and find out what they want." He said.

"We know what the buggers what. But we aren't gonna let them have it." Allister growled as his leg twitched from anxiety.

"I respect what the Commander wants, but I agree with Godfather. The Ebats made their choices." Echo said dryly as she stared stoically at the wall.

"I know I know. But remember, we're Echo squad. We're elite. So let's act like it." Lai said.

"Ten mikes to target." the pilot said. With that cue everyone began securing their armor, their weapons and their equipment.

"Alright. Listen up. Our objective is security for Bradford and the representatives that will meet the Aliens. Lets keep our heads and only act if we witness a hostile gesture. Echo. You have that special sensor that will pick up any psionic activity right?" Lai asked looking over at the Russian.

"Da. Vahlen handed it to me personally." She said and held up the device that looked like a radar gun. "It works too. We've tested it on a few of our Psi troopers."

"Good." Lai sighed as he glanced out of the window. At least we'll have some defense against the Ethereals. After popping his neck a few times, Lai was ready.


The four Sky Rangers touched down not too far away from where the large number of Australian, New Zealand army units which also included several tanks and IFV and from both countries' SAS as well as American Navy SEALs and Delta Forces. They looked impressed as the Xcom soldiers, lead by the five Mec Troopers. And why shouldn't they? Most if not all of them had never seen Mec, Gene, and Psi-troopers before this with their exotic armor, weapons and professionalism.

"Colonel Lai. Take your squad to the extreme right flank with the those two M1s down there." Iris gestured to the two Australian Abrams tanks in question. She continued to shout orders as Lai and all of Echo squad moved into position.

Bradford looked around and began assessing the location. It was almost like a bowl. The representative forces number in the hundreds with at least a dozen tanks and twice as many IFVs. The Aliens had not yet arrived but he assumed they would be directed into the middle of the 'bowl' while the human forces would take cover on the rim. It was perfect. The bowl offered no cover beside a few scattered rocks, while the rim was about 30 feet above it in a shallow incline.

"General Blythe?" He asked approaching one of the ANZAC and American commanders. He just hoped that this wouldn't create any jurisdictional nonsense between them. At the end of the day, this was Xcom's show. They were the only one's a clue as to fight this enemy if it came of that.

A short middle aged man with a belly, wearing an Australian camouflage uniform stepped forward and shook Bradford's hand.

"Welcome. We've been expecting you."

"Commander Bradford. Alright. I hope you don't mind if I relieve you? We have a little more experience at this sort of thing."

"They're all yours. I'll assign one of my best platoons to help with your security." Blythe said.

"Thanks but no thanks, General. Let's keep all of your people with you. My guys can handle my security. Nothing personal. They just know me better." Blythe nodded his acknowledgement and turned away to start try and get discipline to his people who were ogling the Archangels as they lifted off. They were the snipers of the group and would hover in place to get better shots on the Aliens.

"Alright Tendai. Impress me."


Matthews sighed as he sat in his office. His radio squawking consistently on the operation that was going on in central Australia. He did not want to miss anything that was going on. Anything.

It was here that his door was knocked on three times. "Enter." He said as he turned the volume on the radio down. Liesl entered with Rebecca and with another woman in a grey business suit and skirt.

"Hello Liesl, Rebecca. And hello to you Countess." He said smiling.

Countess Eleanor of Cornwall was on of the richest people in Europe and had been one of Xcom's private financial supporters for almost two years now. She had always been generous with her money. Most of her wealth had either gone to Xcom, or to philanthropy. The latter was to the aid of the hundreds of thousands of displaced and affected peoples across Europe western Asia and North Africa. Which was a considerable amount of money.

Her wealth and compassion was matched only by her beauty. Her long dirty blonde hair was draped over her right shoulder and her aqua blue eyes shone like sapphires.

"Good afternoon, Commander." She said smiling that lovely smile she possessed.

"What can we do for you?" Matthews asked as he glanced at his radio. So far still nothing.

"Well Joseph." The Countess said. Like Liesl and a few others, she never referred to his rank unless it was a highly formal affair. Matthews determined that this wasn't the case. "I'd simply wanted to see you and the organization and to ask you a certain question that I ashamed that I discovered." That made the hairs on his neck stand and his back rigid.

"And what question would that be?"

"If I could come with you to your new headquarters. To Mars."

Joseph and indeed the other two women went pale at that. If the Countess, a private citizen could find that information out...

"Oh don't worry. Nobody knows this. My cousin told me." She said smiling.

"Jackson..." Matthews murmured. "She best be thankful that lieutenant commander Bradford isn't here. He'd probably burst a blood vessel."

Colonel Holly 'Stalker' Jackson and Countess Eleanor were as close as sisters as Jackson had lost both her parents in a car accident when she was 6 and her paternal uncle, Eleanor's father, adopted her. At the legal age she enlisted into Her Majesty's Royal Marines, one of the first women in fact after a long and legal battle. She had her cousin to back her up in influence and her sheer determination.

"And if I said you could go along on this ludicrously dangerous journey, what practical use will you be to us?" He asked, smiling when her face went blank.

"Oh. Oh dear. I did not truly think about that. Well, I suppose it all depends on what type of place this-I suppose colony is a perfect word-new colony of yours will be. Are you planning a Democratic government, or do you wish to continue to be military dictator?" She asked smiling.

Eleanor raised a good point of her own. He had never really considered what this new home would be in terms of managing it. He was certain that he would need to be the leader until the place was stable enough for survival. After that? Well he would prefer to stay in charge of the military of Xcom or have influence with it.

Joseph Matthews smiled and chuckled. He shook his head and shifted in his seat. "Well Ellie. It seems we both are in a bit of a quandary. Why don't we talk about it for a while?"


Alex sighed as he sent more of his data back to CapCom. These were soil samples. He was actually surprised at what he himself saw. It was subtle, he had barely detected it himself and had carefully made his way back to Icarus and sent a secure message back.

Half of his suit was off him now as he sat in the pilot's seat. It was still the same type of oxygen that he had in his EVA suit but at least he didn't feel so claustrophobic.

As he waited for the data to be analyzed Alex took the time to examine the site of the flag. Around were several permanent data gathering devices that would send back wind speed, temperature of the air, surface and subsurface and the contents of the soil.

Despite the fact he was unbelievably excited to be here, he could not help but miss Earth. He missed his friends, his comrades, parents, he missed his own Firestorm and even his weird patrol patterns and the horrible rations.

Most of all, he missed his friend Col Fong. She had taken an immediate interest of flying and of him as her teacher. Alex never considered himself the mentoring type but he did okay. He liked her long raven black hair too. But that was for another time.

"Icarus this is Central."

"Go ahead Central. Reading you loud and clear."

"Well son. Your hunch was right. There is moisture in the soil." CapCom said and Alex could not help himself but do a triumphant downward fist pump. "But there's something else you found as well."

"What do you mean?" Alex asked tilting his head in curiosity.

"What I mean, son," CapCom said, her voice seemed to hold a type of excitement that he had never heard in the four months they had been speaking. Is we found organic cellular structures in the moisture."

"Cell-" Alex at first began to say then his eyes widened at what she was getting at.

"CapCom. Lord help me when I get back I'll deck you if you're joking with me right now." He said looking hard at the screen. "Are you saying that there is life up here?"

Her face was beaming and she nodded firmly.


(Again sorry for the long wait. Finally this chapter is done. I want to thank adipose1913 for submitting his OC Colonel Lai into my story. It's fans like this that make writing worth it. Anyway, if any want to up load their own OC's send me a PM.)