It seemed to Kon-Mai like she had spent her life here, in the ship's infirmary.
In a way, she had been born—reborn—here, awoken to darkness, with new possibilities surrounding her. Her brothers, too. They had all been born here.
And now Colonel Zhang was born anew here. Or at least, he would be.
Kon-Mai stood over him, peering over his body curiously. His skin had returned to a more normal tone, his face slightly flush from the warmth of the room. His knuckles and joints did seem to be a bit chafed, but that was superficial and would likely pass. Tygan, though incredibly miffed at her brother for his…relative carelessness, had managed to work with what he was given, and Zhang was likely to come out of this with all his insides where they were supposed to be. That was thankful. He'd need them.
She wondered how old he was. From what she knew, Zhang had appeared to ADVENT already an old man, but there was no way a frail old timer could survive what he had. Unless…
Something must have been very special about him. It would explain why ADVENT kept him so secret, even from their own Chosen.
Kon-Mai pondered the thought. Come to think of it, there was so much she did not know. Some things she had never known. The Elders never told her, and she never questioned. Yet some thoughts seemed to echo in her mind, like imprints of old memories, but without her chip, that was all they were. Imprints. A few lines of code here, a mountain range there, the walls of a black building, a clone…
Zhang's body jolted beside her, and she felt him scoot away, or at least try to while hooked up. She looked up to meet his golden eyes, awake and glaring at her in terror.
Kon-Mai bowed her head and knelt beside him, trying to seem as non-threatening as possible, but he still seemed to startle at her presence. She knew he would, but it still hurt to see him panic at the sight of her.
"Colonel Shaojie Zhang." She said in that raspy, inhuman voice of hers. "I am Sergent Kon-Mai Mordenna. I am…" She hesitated. What was she to XCOM? Was she still a Chosen? Was she a soldier? She finally settled on "I am an agent of XCOM. The Commander instructed me to-"
"You." He choked out through his oxygen mask.
She startled. "You recognize me?"
"Where am I?" He demanded, beginning to sit up, hissing as the stitches on his abdomen pulled with the movement.
"You're in XCOM's flying base, the Aven-" Kon-Mai broke off as Zhang began to tug at the wires, and she grabbed his arms to stop him. "No, Colonel Zhang, you mustn't do that! You will injure yourself further!"
"Are you truly of XCOM?" He hissed. "Let me go, I need to see the Commander. It is urgent."
"I am, I assure you! You can tell me, and I shall report to the Commander." Kon-Mai said.
"No." He insisted. "Her ears only. I need to see her."
"She cannot be seen at the moment. And YOU cannot leave-" Kon-Mai did not get a chance to finish.
Zhang threw out his hands in a shove, and a wave of psionic force pushed Kon-Mai away. She flew backward, slamming against the railing of another bed and flipping over, the metal frame landing on top of her. She tried to roll over, and heard her own voice scream out with the pain of doing so.
Zhang was getting up from his bed, slowly, and grabbed at his IV drip, perhaps intending to pull it out before he decided, smartly, to simply bring it with him. Kon-Mai kicked the bed frame off of her and scurried to her feet, rushing to block the exit. Zhang tried to hit her again, but she was ready and ducked under his blast. It still knocked into her shoulder though, and she stumbled, which gave him the opportunity to grab a nearby tray and attempt to hit her with it.
Kon-Mai raised her arm, blocking his blow from hitting her in the head, but he swiped his foot across her leg. She tried to roll with the motion, but her back cried out in pain and she slipped back to the ground, hitting with a thud just as footsteps could be heard from outside in the hall, running towards them at breakneck speed.
"What the hell is going on?!" Bradford cried, and Kon-Mai felt a much stronger pulse than anything Zhang had put forward. Someone reached down and scooped her into their arms, and she looked up at her big brother as he stared down in horror at her condition.
"Dhar-Mon, I am fine." She assured him, but her voice was weaker than she expected. "The Colonel simply…caught me off guard."
"How DARE you strike my sister!" Dhar-Mon turned and bellowed at Zhang, who was currently focused on Bradford. In fact, he didn't even look up until Dhar-Mon growled like an angry dog, and even then, Zhang did not seem intimidated.
"I don't have time for this." Zhang snapped. "Bradford, I need to speak with you and Senuna."
"Hold the fucking phone." Bradford snapped. "First of all, hello Zhang, nice to see you too. Second of all, you just ASSAULTED one of my soldiers, and finally, get your ass back in bed! That's an order!"
While Kon-Mai simply chuckled at this, Zhang looked absolutely flabbergasted by Bradford's display of authority, to the point that he seemed completely frozen and speechless.
"Back in bed." Bradford said again. "Then we'll talk. And the Commander is busy."
"I need her to hear this." Zhang growled. "Believe me, Bradford. It's of great importance."
"Well then, I'll just go grab her out of the fucking shower. I'm sure she'll appreciate that." Bradford growled. "No. It can wait. Ass. Bed. Now."
Too bewildered to argue, Zhang complied, getting back into bed in a half-sitting position.
"Brother. I am alright." Kon-Mai assured Dhar-Mon, who was still holding her. "You may release me…"
"I could hear you scream from my quarters, Sister." He replied. "And it was so painful I could feel your injury in my own bones. I will not let you down until I know you are well."
"Oh? And when will you know that for certain?" She chuckled and leaned against his chest.
"Central." Dhar-Mon stood at attention. "Permission to take my sister to her room.
"Granted." Bradford chuckled. "There's ice packs in the bar, if you need any."
As they left the room, Kon-Mai glanced over Dhar-Mon's shoulder. Zhang was staring at them intently, looking like he wanted to say something. But alas, he remained silent.
.
.
The garage door peeled open slowly, and the cool night air hit Gur-Rai full force. He took a deep breath, pulling his hood closer around him. "You smell that, Lily? That smells like adventure!"
"Right?" Shen crossed her arms. "I've always been a night owl. That's the one thing I do appreciate about the city centers: they got rid of so much light pollution." She pointed up. "Look at all those stars!"
He chuckled. "If you think that's impressive, wait till you see the planets that orbit them."
Shen's face lit up. "Seriously?"
"Oh yes." He smirked, wheeling the bike out onto the open grass. "You believe in aliens, don't you?"
"Yeah yeah, smart ass." She chuckled and took the other handlebar, helping him push it to a semi-recognizable road. "These old roads are so…haunting, under the starlight."
"Did you ever see Uruguay before it looked like this?" Gur-Rai asked. "When it was actually inhabited?"
"Nope. I saw Mexico once though!" Shen chirped.
"Your father's work, I assume?"
"Kinda, but not really. It was for the Commander's wedding-" She broke off, her face going pale.
"The Commander's what now?" Gur-Rai's bald brows shot up.
Shen kept her mouth shut, only smiling at him before turning her gaze back to the bike.
"You said her wedding?" He leaned forward. "She had a wedding, Lily?"
"Yep." Shen pressed her lips into a thin line.
"No, Lily, don't leave me hanging like that!" Gur-Rai leaned over the bike. "The Commander is married?!"
"Uh…it's complicated." Shen coughed.
"Well, I'll say! Who did she marry?"
Shen scoffed "I don't remember his name, Gur-Rai. I was six!"
"Well, you have to remember something! One doesn't just forget the COMMANDER of XCOM getting MARRIED!"
"Look, I remember taking a lot of pictures and not being able to breathe in the dress my mom made me wear!" She cried. "I sure as hell don't remember her husband's name."
"But it was a man?"
"Pretty sure."
"Hm." Gur-Rai pursed his lips. "I always assume she played the other team…well, she really is full of surprises then."
"She never brings him up." Shen said. "And, seeing as he's not here?" Shen raised an eyebrow and waited for him to make the connection.
"Isn't that a love story for the ages!" Gur-Rai sighed wistfully. "Doomed lovers separated by war, torn apart by duty to their cause and an evil like the worlds has never known! Will fate ever smile down on them? Will they ever be-"
"Hey, cut it out." Shen snapped. "If you're trying to squeeze more info out of me, I already said I don't remember. And have you seen the Commander when she gets upset? I wouldn't ask her about it, Gur-Rai, so just drop it."
"Oh but Lily, the drama!"
"No, seriously." She said, her face pleading. "I don't want to hurt her like that. She's been through so much already."
Gur-Rai's smile dropped. "I won't, Lily. If it's that serious…"
"Yeah…good." She sighed. "I'm…sorry. I kinda snapped at you there."
"No, no, I should apologize." He patted her back. "I'm sorry, Lily. I shouldn't be prying into things like that."
"Oh shut up, you drama queen." Shen smirked. "Let's get this thing out on the track, ok?"
.
.
Kon-Mai pouted as her brother carried her down the hall toward her room. "I can walk perfectly fine, Dhar-Mon."
"I will take no chances with your health." Dhar-Mon insisted, his loud voice booming in the empty hallway.
Kon-Mai rolled her eyes. "He did not hit me that hard." She chuckled. "The bed did most of the work."
"The impact could have broken your back!" Dhar-Mon asserted. "No, it is better you do not try to walk on an aggravated injury!"
"Would you do this with Gur-Rai?" She asked. "Is it because I am so young?"
"Of course I would do this for him!" He scoffed. "And you two are both incredibly young. As your eldest brother, it is my job to protect you!"
Kon-Mai fell silent at that. "Your job?"
"Of course." He said calmly. "If it were Gur-Rai in this predicament, I would bear his scrawny little body to bed as well."
She didn't know what to say to that, but something about it sat ill with her. It felt strange to be curled in her big brother's arms like a child. Strange, but not exactly bad.
She pressed her face into his shoulder as he opened the door to her room. "Rest here, Sister." He said as he laid her gently on her large bed, stopping her as she went to rise from it. "Would you like anything? Some water perhaps?"
"Well, if you are going to insist I bind myself to this bed, then yes, I would welcome some water." She chuckled, as he took the glass already at her beside and went to fill it at the sink. She turned onto her side, her back still aching but the pain subsiding slowly as the fresh injuries faded into bruises. She had to admit, her throat was a tad sore.
"Take this, you insolent child~" Her brother mumbled, chuckling, as he came back to her. Instead of just leaving it, he put a hand to her back and directed her to sit up, handing her the water and ensuring she drank.
"Why do we still drink?" She said as she handed the now half-empty glass back to her brother. "We do not need food, why water?"
"Psionic energy can compensate for many things." Dhar-Mon took the glass and left it beside her on the table. "But it cannot compensate for moisture. And the Elders could not eliminate that need completely."
"They could not do many things, under examination." Kon-Mai chuckled.
Dhar-Mon sighed, taking a minute to formulate whatever he wanted to say next. He would open his mouth, then close it again and shake his head.
"You are right, Sister." He finally said. "They couldn't deliver upon half of what they promised us."
She reached out and rubbed his arm. "Do not try and justify their actions to yourself. The Elders are incapable of feeling the love you held for them."
"I try." He admitted. "But I find the more I try to accept this evil as fact, the angrier I become. Sometimes, it feels even worse to accept that they are morally deprived. It is easier to think I did something wrong."
Kon-Mai followed his silence with her own, only reaching out to take his hand and give it a gentle squeeze. "I know." She whispered. "I know the feeling of it. It hurts me, as well, Brother."
"Please, let us not dwell on this." He stood up. "Do you need anything else?"
"Hand me some of the fabric over there, and my pins." She smiled. "If I am now bedbound, I'm going to get to work on making you those shirts."
"And Gur-Rai his trousers."
"Ah, yes. I need to get his measurements…" She sighed.
.
.
Senuna threw on her blue cardigan, buttoning the front few buttons just as the door slid open. Bradford wheeled Shaojie Zhang inside, toting his IV drip behind him. The old man looked like he was on death's door still, but upon seeing Senuna, his face lit up.
"Sunny." He whispered. "It really is you."
"Chilong!" She vaulted over her desk and sprinted up to him, kneeling down and reaching out for his hands, as though she were afraid to touch him.
"Come now, is that any way to greet an old friend?" He held his arms open, and she smiled and dove into his grasp, leaning into his hug.
"It's been so long." She whispered. "There's so much I have to tell you."
"And there is much I must tell you." Zhang pulled away. "Commander. You will want to sit down for this."
She furrowed her brow, moving back to her desk as Bradford pushed Zhang in front of it. Jane, ever watchful, sat off to the side on one of her white leather couches, her hands in her lap. Bradford moved to the Commander's side, reaching for a discarded mug of coffee that had long gone cold.
As soon as everyone was settled, Zhang spoke. "Moira Vahlen is alive."
Senuna gasped. Bradford dropped his cup of coffee, shattering it on the floor. Even Jane's stony face twisted into a look of shock and horror. Zhang maintained eye contact with the Commander the whole time, the lines across his face making him look almost angry.
Senuna began to tremble, her lip quivering. "…Are you sure?"
"I'm sure." He nodded. "I heard she was passing through Triad territory."
"Stop stop stop." Bradford raised a hand. "Triad is still operating? Under ADVENT?"
"That is what I heard." Zhang said. "They're operating…WITH ADVENT."
"Christ." Jane sighed. "That's what we need right now."
"If Vahlen was in Triad territory, then…" Bradford closed his eyes, and they could practically smell the gears turning in his head.
"She might not be there on behalf of ADVENT!" Senuna cried. "She might be on the run from them. Or was escaping capture. And it's the first lead we have."
"It's been 25 years." Jane said. "How did you even get this info, Zhang? I thought they had you locked up." She glared at him suspiciously.
He sighed. "I understand your concerns. Rest assured I had no love affair with ADVENT." He growled. "But with the torture of my mind…my powers grew. I heard things."
"Oh?" Jane's look did not soften.
"Yes." Zhang met her gaze. "While my body rotted and festered, my mind grew sharp. Soon enough, Nuwa's little birds heard my message. And they got you to come to me."
Senuna was silent, seemingly pondering all of this. "…So the Triad…is loyal to ADVENT?"
Zhang looked up. "No…ADVENT and the Triad work hand in hand."
"Why?" Senuna raised a brow. "ADVENT is in charge of the world. They don't need the mafia."
"They are technically in charge, but their hold on China was never strong." Zhang admitted. "Triad operatives have made ADVENT's takeover much…smoother in the past 25 years. Their agents work as members of ADVENT. They hold jobs as governors. They administer finance. And from what I heard, they are beginning to grow dissatisfied."
Senuna smiled, her teeth glinting in the light. "Then this is our perfect opportunity. The stars have aligned, it's time for XCOM to get down and dirty." She stood up. "When you have recovered, Zhang, how would you feel about making contact with the Triad again?"
"I don't know how welcoming they will be." He admitted. "But for you, Sunny, I am willing to try."
"Thank you." She stepped around her desk again her desk and embraced him in a gentle but firm hug. "I missed you, Chilong."
"And I you, Sunny." He patted her back gently with the arm not hooked up to the IV.
.
.
Dhar-Mon had actually hoped his sister would request that he stay with her for a bit. Talking to her was always so much fun, she had a brilliant mind, and her presence was calming. In fact it was perhaps one of the only things that did calm him since his…resignation. He would much rather have spent the afternoon helping her with her projects.
But instead, he was stuck here. In the radio room. Looking at maps.
This assignment had actually been Bradford's idea. He'd assumed that since Dhar-Mon had set up his stronghold in the most famous church this side of Christendom, he was at least competent in strategy and geography. And, truth be told, Dhar-Mon did KNOW it, he just…found it mind-numbingly boring.
So he sighed, and sat back in the chair that was way too small for him, and stared over the map. He was supposed to scan each area for resistance contacts, or havens trying to get in touch with XCOM. That was coming up empty most places he looked. If they were out there, they were being quiet.
The day felt like it was dragging on, minutes blending into hours. Dhar-Mon leaned back in his chair, blowing a strand of hair away from his face, looking for something that captured his attention. He could find faces in the stucco on the ceiling; he'd done that back at the church when he couldn't sleep and it was always a good use of his time. But this ceiling was made of metal grates, and there were no faces to find.
As Dhar-Mon leaned back even further, his heart leapt into his chest, and he felt a rush of air as the chair tipped over backward. He waved his arms around, trying desperately to grab something, and something he did indeed grab. Unfortunately, it lifted off the table with him, and he fell backwards onto the floor with a crash.
Dhar-Mon lay there for a moment, rubbing the soreness from his head, but really it was his pride that was hurt more than anything. He grumbled a few words in Etheric that he would have flayed Gur-Rai for saying, and slowly got to his feet, realizing that the object that caused his fall was still in his hand.
He looked down, then lifted it to his face for a closer look. It was a large, brown rectangular box, with black mesh on one side and several dials on the front. On the top was a large power button.
"Curious contraption." Dhar-Mon set it on the table and stood the chair upright once again, sitting down carefully and making sure not to lean back this time. He stared at the map again for a moment, before his eyes wandered back to the strange machine on the table behind him.
It was dusty and cold, utterly lifeless. Gur-Rai would probably have a field day with it. Gur-Rai would probably know what it WAS for that matter. But Gur-Rai always got to have fun with electronics, and Dhar-Mon had found this one, therefore he should be the one to play with it. It was only fair.
Dhar-Mon grabbed it again and set it on his lap, staring at it. He turned it over, saw nothing, and then set it upright again and pressed the power button.
"HELLO LOVELY LISTENERS, THIS IS YOUR DIVINE DJ-"
The loudness of the noise coming from the machine frightened Dhar-Mon so badly, he flung the box across the room. It landed with a loud thud and skipped a bit, but the extreme clamor continued. He huddled in the chair, staring at it for what felt like an hour.
"AND I'M HERE BRINGING YOU ALL THE BIGGEST HITS FROM BEFORE THIS DAMNED DECADE!" The sound was far too loud, but now that he wasn't startled, Dhar-Mon was more intrigued by this strange noise maker. He got up and slowly slunk over to it, reading through each of the buttons as he got closer. He tried turning one, and the noise turned to static for a moment but it did not get any less loud. The one right next to it, however, brought the volume to an acceptable level.
"Anybody remember the early 2000's?" The DJ said, his voice now at a level Dhar-Mon could listen to without cringing. "I was just a little kid back then, but man oh man, those were some good times. Stealing my sister's rubber bracelets, diaries with voiced passwords, we thought that was the future." The DJ chuckled with nostalgia as Dhar-Mon set the box down on the table again.
"Well here's a classic from all the way back in 2009! My momma used to play this on the radio all the time…heh, she never caught the double meaning. Here's Britney Spears in "If U Seek Amy."
The music started off slow, with a high pitched woman's voice singing the tune, but Dhar-Mon startled once again as the beat suddenly dropped. It was a pounding, rhythmic melody, and he almost turned the volume back down until she started singing again.
Oh baby, baby, have you seen Amy tonight?
Is she in the bathroom, is she smokin' up outside?
Oh baby, baby, does she take a piece of lime
For the drink that I'mma buy her, do you know just what she likes?
At first, Dhar-Mon bristled. This was the kind of music Gur-Rai would listen to, and he took anything that boy recommended with several grains of salt. But he found, as the melody continued, the beat was rather catchy, and the music, combined with the woman's amazing singing talent, was beginning to loosen his trepidation.
Love me, hate me
Say what you want about me
But all of the boys and all of the girls
Are begging to "If U Seek Amy"
It definitely did not help him pay attention to his task at hand, in fact the music drew his attention away, but with almost no resistance on his part, Dhar-Mon let his mind wander with the beat of the song.
Love me, hate me
But can't you see what I see?
All of the boys and all of the girls
Are begging to F-U-C-K Me
.
.
Malinalli hated days when it wasn't busy, especially if those days came right after a mission. It meant that something had gone terribly wrong.
She'd helped with Zhang's clean-up, but the surgery itself Tygan shooed her out of the room for, and he'd been assigned a different recovery nurse. Everyone was talking about this enigmatic new stranger who the Commander put so much stake in, and all the medics wanted to be the one to oversee his care. But his room was locked up tight, save for a few officers. She'd seen Kon-Mai go in there earlier though. Maybe the Shrinemaiden could sneak her in~
The area she was supervising was pretty much empty, save for the occasional soldier coming down for Tylenol or because they found a tick on them or because their tongue was green after they'd eaten three lime popsicles. Malinalli sighed at the empty room as she ran her fingers through the supply cabinet one more time. Some things never changed, from bootcamp trainee to Avenger medic.
She pulled her hair out from it's bun, rubbing her sore scalp as her natural curls flowed free. As important as it was to ensure the cotton balls were sorted on merit of fluffiness, she figured a fifteen minute break wouldn't end any lives.
She turned on her heels and began down the hall, her steps a bit off kilter as she closed her eyes and yawned. Maybe she'd get a nap after her shift. But she had promised Dhar-Mon they'd practice more today…
Dhar-Mon. She'd never miss out on a session with him. A flush of warmth came to her cheeks. Of all the girls to get so lucky-
And she cut that thought right there! Dhar-Mon was a friend, and had pretty much just been introduced to life outside a cult. She'd never push something like romance on him, not like that.
Malinalli took a deep breath and straightened her back, shoving those thoughts down. Dhar-Mon was her friend. A very, very good friend, whom she trusted. He was her friend.
As she reached the women's barracks, she stopped, her ears picking up a faint, almost silent noise.
Of crying.
Malinalli steeled herself. This sometimes happened after a particularly hard mission, and she knew the last one had seen a casualty. Soldiers close to one another would sometimes snap from the pressure.
But as Malinalli rounded the corner, she did not expect to see- "Vicky?"
Her fellow medic sat in a puddle of her own sorrow, her nose and eyes beet red from, presumably, hours of crying. Her usually neat little buns were hanging loose by her neck, and she hadn't even taken off her uniform, still from that fateful mission.
At the sound of Malinalli's voice, Vicky lifted her head, staring up at her with melancholic brown eyes. Malinalli almost staggered at the sight of this usually cold, bitchy nurse with an ego the size of Earth, now crumpled on the floor.
She thought of asking Vicky what had happened, but something told her the death of Shamil Naumov had something to do with it. Instead of saying anything, she sat beside her colleague, offering her some comfort even though they had never been close. Malinalli reached out, not quite touching her, but offering her a hand.
"If you want to talk about it, I'm here."
"It's not fair!" The floodgates opened again, and Vicky began to bawl. "It's not fair! I tried so hard, Molly!"
"I know." Malinalli put a tentative hand on her back. "It's not your fault."
"Tell that…" She hiccuped. "Tell that to the Commander!"
"The Commander? Vicky, what happened?"
Vicky began to sob harder, to the point that Malinalli couldn't understand a word she was saying.
"Vicky, hey, take a deep breath." She patted her back. "Please, you're gonna make yourself sick crying like that."
"She's making me go! I don't wanna go!" Vicky said, continuing to wail.
Malinalli furrowed her brow. "Making you go…where?"
"Off the ship! She said…she fired me, Molly!"
Malinalli gasped, a numb feeling of shock settling over her bones. The Commander fired Vicky? "Why?"
"Because I…" Vicky's sobs were turning to sniffles. "I was trying to save Shammy…"
"Are you kidding?" Malinalli scoffed. "That…that's…" She clenched her fists and took a deep breath. "That isn't right."
"She said because of me Zhang…" She couldn't finish the sentence. The tears began again. "Molly…Shammy was like…he was all I had…"
"I…I know." Malinalli squeezed her shoulder. "Shamil was an amazing person, and he wouldn't stand for you being treated this way…" She stood up. "Wait here for me."
Vicky looked up at her. "What are you going to do?"
Malinalli pondered that for a moment. "Either to get you your job back, or to get kicked off the Avenger myself."
.
.
Shen let out an ear splitting scream as Gur-Rai's bike flew over a bump in the path. He revved the engine and leaned forward, the wheels gliding back onto the dirt like it was butter.
"THIS IS AWESOME!" Shen dug her nails into his jacket, and Gur-Rai laughed.
"Just you wait, Lily!" He chuckled as he sped up, the wind whipping past his face and a smile on his lips.
"WHERE ARE WE GOING?!" Shen screamed in his ear as he headed straight for a large, conspicuous pile of dirt off the side of the road.
"Hang on!" He called back to her, and floored the pedal. He had no idea how fast he was going, but this was the most excitement he'd felt since XCOM had come knocking on his door.
"GUR-RAI!" Shen screeched and buried her head in his shoulder. "NONONO!"
At the last second, he pulled up, the front wheel lifting from the ground and colliding with the dirt pile. The bike zoomed to the top and flew into the air, Shen screaming the entire time, and Gur-Rai let out a whoop and a holler as they came back down with a thunk.
"Stop! Stop for a second!" Shen pulled on his jacket. As she wished, Gur-Rai pulled over, and Shen sprang off the seat and sprinted into the weeds, stopping only as she bent over and hurled into the grass.
"Oh, stars." He put the kickstand down and jogged over to her, brushing her short hair out of her face as she continued blowing chunks. "I'm sorry. Never doing THAT again, that's for sure." He patted her back. "I'm sorry, Lily."
She coughed, spat, and waved nonchalantly. "That…was so fun!"
Gur-Rai blinked. "…You just made your insides your outsides."
"Yeah. I mean it was fucking terrifying." Shen shrugged. "But that was the most fun I've had in AGES!."
Gur-Rai chuckled. "And this is why I hang with you, Lily."
"Thanks, same to you." She caught his hand in a tight shake and pointed to the grassy area not covered in her puke. "Mind if we sit for a bit? My legs are wobbly."
"Of course." He plopped down in a shorter patch, and Shen laid down beside him on her back. There was a brief moment of comfortable silence between the two.
"Man, I really do love the stars out here." Shen sighed. "Now if only humanity didn't have to be enslaved to get this clear a sky."
"One of these days I'm taking you up in a spaceship." He said. "You'd LOVE the stars you see up there."
She looked over to him. "You've been in spaceships?"
"Oh yes. A few times." He laid back beside her. "Not often, we could teleport back then, but I got to go up in a couple scout ships." Shen was silent for a moment, and he took the opportunity to interject. "What about you, Lily?"
"Have I…been in a spaceship?"
"No." He chuckled. "I mean, what about you, Lily? What brought you here? What made you want to save the world?"
She hesitated. "Well like I said, before, Dad worked for XCOM…and I guess I wanted to be near his memory."
"But you're not your father, Lily." He looked her over.
She fell very quiet. "…No…sometimes I worry about that."
"About what?"
"That I don't measure up." Shen answered so quietly he could barely hear her. "Sometimes…I dunno. It's stupid."
"No, no." Gur-Rai turned over on his side, facing her. "Sometimes what?"
Shen hesitated. "Sometimes, I still feel like a dumb teenager who just wandered in here. Like I don't actually belong…" She sat up and threw her arms around her legs. "Like, my dad had a doctorate in Engineering and Artificial Intelligence. I'm just some kid who puts parts together, and makes things run good."
"Oh hang on now." Gur-Rai sat up and grabbed her shoulder. "The FAMOUS Lily Shen is not just some dumb kid slamming parts together."
"I feel like it, sometimes." She whimpered. "I feel like everyone else is so important and I just…don't belong. My dad should be here."
"Your dad was a brilliant man, I will not deny. But YOU are just as brilliant, Lily, if not MORE!" He jumped to his feet. "Look at that bike!"
"Yeah…?"
"You built that bike!"
"WE built that bike."
"Yes but you knew EXACTLY how to make it run smoothly. If that was all me? It would have exploded the first bump it hit!" He sat down again. "Whatever. Here's my point: you do your job better than anyone else on this ship, Lily. Fuck the doctorate, doesn't mean shit anyway, at least not in ADVENTLAND."
She looked up at him with shiny eyes. "…You serious?"
"Lily. Some of what you built rivals ADVENT tech." He clapped. "That…that's INSANE. You gave THE ELDERS a run for their money. You are flipping incredible as an engineer, and I'm so happy I'm on your team now because you could kick my ass without lifting a finger."
She chuckled. "Well, yeah, THAT'S true." She winked. "Although I bet I could get in a few good hits myself."
"Well then I challenge you to a duel. Later." He grabbed her hands and hauled her to her feet. "Look here, I call you Dr. Shen not because of a piece of paper, but because what you've done makes you a certified genius."
Shen rubbed the back of her head and kicked the ground. "…Thanks…Gur-Rai."
"Anytime, Lily." He winked.
"No, I mean it." She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his torso, squeezing him in a tight hug.
"I never assumed you didn't." He chuckled and patted her back. "Hey. Why don't you drive us home?"
She scoffed. "Me, drive? Are you kidding?"
"Of course not. Go on, Doctor." He grinned.
She punched him in the arm and sauntered over to the bike. "If we crash, it's your fault."
"Always is, Lily, it always is."
.
.
Malinalli sucked in a breath as she stood outside the Commander's room. It was always so nerve-wracking going in there. Even though the Commander was only ever sweet and kind to her, she was also very high strung. One wrong word and she might blow up in your face.
But she had to do this.
She reached for the door and knocked. After a bit of clunking on on the other side, it slid open and Bradford stood there. "Oh, hello Molly."
"Um…" She stammered. "Is the Commander busy?"
"She's finishing up meeting with Zhang right now." He said. "But I can tell her-"
"Is that Malinalli?!" The Commander called from inside, and Bradford sighed.
"Yes."
"Tell her to come in! Molly, come in!" Senuna called. Malinalli heard the Commander say something else, addressing Zhang, but the words were muffled.
"She is on the ship? That's dangerous, Sunny." Another voice whispered, deep and accented, and somehow familiar? That must have been Zhang.
Malinalli stepped inside and saluted Commander Senuna, who giggled and returned it. The medic gazed around the room, and her eyes fell on the old man sitting in the chair, still in his hospital gown, still connected to the IV drip.
"Colonel Zhang." She saluted him. "It's…nice to finally meet you. I'm Malinalli…Zúñiga…" She watched in confusion as he seemed to say her last name under his breath. Had she imagined that?
Zhang bowed awkwardly around what Malinalli was sure was a sore wound. "Hello Malinalli, it's an honor to meet you as well…Senuna has told me so much about you."
Malinalli smiled in confusion. "Oh…that's wonderful." She glanced up in bewilderment at the Commander, who smiled with a hint of sadness in her eyes.
"What did you need, sweetie?" Senuna asked.
"Um…" Now came the hard part. Malinalli swallowed and took a deep breath. "Madam, I'm here to discuss Vicky's termination. I don't think it was right."
The tension in the room grew cold and stiff, and Bradford slunk back to Senuna's side, seeking to prepare himself for the explosion that was brewing.
Senuna's green eyes turned cold. "Oh?"
Malinalli was shaking like a leaf, but she forced her voice out. "I understand she performed…poorly-"
"Poorly is an understatement." Senuna snapped. "She completely disregarded her duty as a soldier. Ask Colonel Zhang. HE was the one she was meant to save."
Malinalli looked to Zhang. His eyes were plastered onto her, watching her every move. She felt like she was on the verge of shattering.
"Madam…she was scared." Malinalli whispered. "Sometimes…the best of us break. It happens in battle. I've seen good, strong soldiers lose their cool in the stress of combat. Even I've done it before."
"You never left a soldier to die, Molly."
"I don't know about that…" Malinalli met Senuna's eyes, turquoise meeting aquamarine. "People have died under my care before…I've frozen up, sometimes when I couldn't afford to. Maybe some of them I couldn't save, but some…if I'd just had my wits about me, maybe they'd still be here."
Senuna seemed to ponder that. "That being said, this was not just a soldier. This was Zhang. Vicky understood how important he was to retrieve alive."
"I know. And I'm not saying she shouldn't be punished. She should." Malinalli held her hands out in a pleading motion. "But…please Madam, give her another chance."
"And if she fails again? If she freezes in the field? If she lets another soldier DIE?" Senuna snapped, and Malinalli swore her eyes were glowing.
"Then I'll take responsibility and you can demote me as you see fit!" This part made Malinalli scream internally, but it was a gamble she had to take. The Commander had to know she was serious. "If you truly decide to terminate Vicky's employment with XCOM, I won't question you. But…I think she's capable, Madam. She just needs a second chance." She glanced over to Zhang, and noticed a slight smile on his face.
Senuna sat in utter quiet for a moment, and Malinalli feared the worst.
Then she took a breath and spoke. "You make a good point, little one." She shrugged. "And really, we can't afford to lose any good medics…" She tapped her glittery nails on the desk. "Fine, I'll reinstate her employment, but she will be demoted to Squaddie, and I'll need her to go through at least 100 hours of training before she sees combat again." She laced her fingers together. "And maybe a written apology for her behavior. I don't know. I'll think on that~"
Malinalli physically sighed, letting out the breath she'd been holding. "Thank you! Thank you so much, Madam! Thank you, thank you!"
Senuna smiled. "Oh Malinalli, anything for you sweetheart." She pressed a button on her intercom. "Would Victoria Immanuel please report to the Commander's Quarters? The Commander needs to speak to her."
Malinalli saluted Senuna and turned to leave, glancing one last time at Zhang. His golden eyes still following her, he nodded slightly, the smile on his face growing into a knowing smirk.
The door closed behind her.
.
.
"That was 'I Gotta Feelin'" by the Black Eyed Peas! Always were a favorite of mine."
Dhar-Mon hadn't even realized he's been staring at the same spot on the map for 15 minutes straight. He was lost in the songs. The music was captivating, his mind would go miles a minute with the beat of each one. It felt like he was reading a book, but each word had orchestral accompaniment.
He reached over and turned up the volume just as the DJ began to speak again. "Now for our next song: if you were alive before 2015, you'll know this voice. Maybe not the song, but hell, you'll know the singer. This is 'Porcelain' by the woman who needs no introduction!"
Dhar-Mon listened closely, the beats beginning soft, the tune syncing to the squeaking of chains. Then he heard her voice.
Hold your horses
Hold, hold the border
Don't come closer
Don't, don't let go of me
It sounded so incredibly familiar, but in any case, it was beautiful. Her words carried with them such emotion, it nearly crippled him.
I'm like porcelain
When you're with me
All, all I know is
Just about a million ways to harm you
All the things I shouldn't say
Are the things that, when I want to make you happy
Only comes out of me
This one didn't feel like the others. The beat drew up again and became faster, but something about the music was agonizing and melancholic and so, so sad. Whoever this woman was was hurting when she wrote this, when she sang this.
We have got the power of destruction
You can always let it fall
But when we try to work on something solid
It is too goddamn hard
He took a breath and knew he should probably turn this off. He'd been sitting here for too long anyway, he had to get back to work. But he could not bring himself to move his hand, to reach for the power button to turn off the machine.
Why did this song make him think on Malinalli's face?
The song trailed off and ended just as he reached for the button, and Dhar-Mon froze as the DJ spoke again.
"That was 'Porcelain' by the lady, the lovely, the legend, Senuna."
(After that last chapter, some things needed to be sorted out. I'd say it all turned out better. At least I hope it did!
I REALLY need to thank Paranoidgirl for helping me with Zhang's characterization. She was the one who inspired me to add him with how she wrote him! Thank you for all the help! d=(´▽｀)=b
Songs used are "If U Seek Amy" by Britney Spears and "Porcelain" by Skott.)