A/N: Well this one took awhile to do, sorry about that folks. So read, enjoy and kindly leave a review.
PS I don't own anything, at all.
Colonel Fairchild was not a happy woman right now. Delta Teams return had hit all of X-Coms personnel hard. Captain Hans Volker, one of X-Coms original members, back when it was just a single strike team operating in Europe alone, was in a coma and according to the doctors may never wake up.
Fairchild sighed in frustration as she weaved her way through the halls. This had gone on long enough. X-Com has lost dozens of operatives to the aliens superior weaponry, they needed newer, better weapons and armour or they would run out of soldiers before they even made a dent in the aliens numbers. Doctor Vahlen had promised them better equipment, however she still had yet to deliver on that promise, now it was time to find out why.
The doors to the science lab hissed open as Fairchild approached. A pair of scientist standing near the door took one look at the Colonels expression, exchanged a look and then promptly fled the room. Fairchild ignored them and made a beeline through the empty lab, straight for Vahlen who was currently having a conversation with another scientist.
"Doctor, can we speak in private for a moment" It wasn't a question. The other scientist, Halsey looked from Vahlen to Fairchild before quietly excusing herself and left the room quickly.
"What is the matter, Colonel?" Vahlen spoke with a small amount of apprehension in her voice. Fairchild was by no means a large or menacing woman but she was a former SAS officer, which just leaves the question of how someone so harmless looking made it to that position. The personnel of X-Com learned quickly that whatever it was it wasn't pleasant and certainly involved extreme violence being visited upon someone.
"The matter is that you promised me laser weapons and advanced body armour, yet you haven't provided us with either. I would like an explanation" Fairchild's glare could melt steel.
Vahlen fidgeted under her commanders gaze. "We are doing the best we can Colonel, please understand we are working on a shoestring budget, with only a handle of personnel. We have almost finished the prototype Carapace Armour we are just working on the final touches"
"So you say but well you take your time our troops are fighting with sub-par equipment. People are dying Doctor" Vahlen's eyes widened.
"How dare you blame me for that! It is hardly my fault that the aliens are attacking, that our people are dying trying to fight them off! I have been doing the best that I can! The advancements that we have made are miraculous compared to what we have a species have achieved in the last thirty years!"
"Doctor, all of that means nothing unless we stop the aliens here and now, which is something we can't do without better weaponry and armour, now how much longer will it take you to give me those laser weapons and carapace armour?"
"You'll have it by the end of the week Colonel" Vahlen ignored the stinging in her eyes.
"See that you do, or we'll have to find someone who can do it instead" And with that Fairchild strode out of the room. Vahlen left a moment later heading towards her quarters.
-POV Change-
Simo was playing poker in the rec room with two the two new Delta team members, Anton and Adele when he saw Fairchild storm past the open rec room door.
"Shit, Colonel looks pissed"
"The entire time I've been here the Colonel as looked pissed" Anton responded from the other end of the table. Simo sighed again before set down his hand and stood up.
"I'm going to go find out whats up"
"What? Now? Shit just when I get a winning hand" Simo smiled as he heard Anton speak from behind him.
"No you weren't" Adele's voice reached him just as he entered the corridor, followed by a string of curse words from Anton as Adele revealed her hand. Simo laughed at the Croatians exclamation.
"Colonel! Wait up!" Simo called after Fairchild, jogging to catch up to the angry woman.
"What is it Simo?" Fairchild ground out.
"What's wrong?" Fairchild looked at him like he was an idiot.
"What isn't wrong right now? Aliens, dozens of soldiers dead, dozens of my soldiers dead, and we are no closer to winning this war"
"Colonel, before this how many soldiers had you lost in combat?"
"I… none" Her voice was small, almost childlike in her response. "This is my first command"
"Shit. I didn't realise" Simo lightly gripped her shoulders "Colonel, if this is your first command than I can safely say you are undoubtedly the best choice for this job" Fairchild looked up at him, confusion in her eyes.
"What?"
"Colonel you have quite possibly made nothing but the finest choices available. The only losses we have taken have been unavoidable, we are fighting against a superior foe, who can attack anywhere at anytime. The men we've lost so far all knew what they were getting into, and everybody here knows that few if any of us will survive. No one is at fault for our deaths, aside from the X-Rays of course"
They stood there in silence for a few moments before Fairchild spoke again.
"I guess I should apologise to Vahlen then huh? I uh kinda blamed her for it all"
"Maybe later when both of you are a little calmer" Simo smiled "Now I do believe I was being scammed by Adele, care to join me?"
"Yeah I guess I could stand to lose some of my pay check" Fairchild smiled and followed Simo back to the rec room.
-POV Change-
Kamarov hesitated before knocking on Vahlen's room door. Halsey, Vahlen's second in command within the science division, had come and found Kamarov, specifically to ask him to go talk to the doctor. Why Kamarov had no idea.
"Who is it?" Vahlen's voice came from within.
"Kamarov, can I come in?"
"Uh sure" Kamarov sighed and then stepped inside. Vahlen's room was spartan to say the least, but then again so was everybody else's rooms.
"So, Halsey tells me you and the Colonel had an argument"
"Not very discreet are you? It wasn't much of an argument, more of her telling me off and blaming me for everybody we've lost"
"I'm Russian, we get shit done and I was using the word loosely. You know she didn't mean it right?" Vahlen looked at him sharply.
"What do mean 'didn't mean it'?"
"She's an officer, one that has been sending her soldier to almost certain death for awhile now, each loss is going to weigh pretty heavily on her"
"I didn't even think of that"
"Mm Often only other officers understand immediately. There's a reason why we receive special training you know"
"Why doesn't she just say so then?"
"Being an officer is complicated, she can't show weakness or doubt if we're to keep faith in her. Just as it's her job to lead us unfalteringly we have to follow her without doubt, but if one of us fails everything goes to hell and we lose the war"
"I see…" She looked at the wall deep in thought.
"Don't worry most non-military folks have trouble with this kind of stuff"
"Thanks Kamarov, I feel better about this now"
"Yes well, I told you, I'm Russian we get shit done and we get it done fast" Kamarov nodded, stood and left. Vahlen smiled as the door shut behind the Russian officer.
