A/N: Hello again! We're back, and definitely not late with the next chapter of TFTA. We are 100% on time. Yessir.
Title: Duty
Author: DrAmishMD
"The engineers and gardeners are on the move."
"Copy that. Eyes open, team."
Sienna Khan sat in the comm room, watching with amusement as the radio jockey tried (and clearly failed) to stay calm and collected in her presence. It was just the two of them, and the operator had clearly been expecting to work alone during this mission. Once Sienna caught wind that her guests from XCOM would be assisting with the security detail, however, she had become intrigued enough to listen in.
"No signs of contacts on our s-sensors…" The jockey said, his gaze straight ahead as though he was trying to will Sienna's presence out of his thoughts. "Our scouts have reported activity in the desert as of y-yesterday, however."
"Noted, Central. We've got all angles covered, so we'll be ready if anyone pops in to say hello. Keep us advised if the status changes."
"Rogers does good work as a team lead," Sienna mused, mostly to herself but also to the operator who was still desperately trying to keep himself together. "Don't you think?"
The operator finally looked over his shoulder to make eye contact with the Khan.
"Y-you mean Bucky?" The man asked.
Sienna nodded, and she noticed the hint of a smile growing on her companions face.
"Yeah. He gets along with just about everyone he works with," The operator said. "That other XCOM guy... Misha, I think? He was the one who originally earned the trust of those Crimson Fist kids, but they all listen to Buck just as much. Follow his directions to the letter, too."
Interesting. It again brought to Sienna's attention the stark contrast in how she ran the Fang versus how Bradford ran XCOM. Her soldiers were loyal to her because they knew how she treated cowards and traitors. They all had a fight to win, a right to life that the faunus were counting on them for. Inaction was not an option, and those who wanted the glory of being part of Sienna's movement needed to pull their weight.
XCOM, though? 'Charisma' was the singular word that came to Sienna's mind.
'XCOM earns trust. We don't demand it.'
She still remembered those words from Bradford. At the time, she thought they were just a thing he said to sound good. To impress her. But after observing how his soldiers operated? Hell, it didn't even escape her notice that the nervous operator in the room with her suddenly became a lot less nervous once she got him talking about Rogers.
XCOM already had the Belladonnas on their side simply by nature of their unquestioning trust in their daughter, but the organization was slowly winning Sienna over little by little with each passing day.
"We've reached the first vine wall. Engineers are prepping for the first stage of reinforcement."
"Copy," The radioman answered. "Still no signs of seismic activity. Any Grimm presence should be minimal."
ADVENT was helpful on Kuo Kuana, of course, but Sienna had been quite annoyed to find that Cinder's show of military aid dried up significantly once the world's attention had moved on to another continent. A token force remained to help, and while the numbers might have been larger than what XCOM left behind? Bradford had provided exactly what he had promised. ADVENT, by and large, had not.
"Canis contacts."
"Crimson Fist overwatch is handling it."
Sienna could hear the soft chatter of gunfire in the background of the latest communications, and she smiled. Perhaps XCOM had provided even more than they had promised. ADVENT forces felt it was enough to just patrol the streets with their fancy guns and clean armor. Sure, it might have made some of Kuo Kuana's residents feel more secure, but that was it.
XCOM, though?
"Steady as she goes."
"Don't let them close in on the engineers."
"Obviously."
"Seismic readings are starting to pick up," The radio operator reported. "They're still superficial, thankfully, but the dogs are taking more notice of you out there."
"Of course they are."
There was another lull in communication while the security detail focused on combating the new contacts, and a thought occurred to the High Leader during the silence.
"What's your name?" Sienna asked. A small voice in the back of her head noted that Bradford would probably have asked the moment he stepped into the comm room, assuming he hadn't taken the time to find out beforehand.
The operator turned around, and Sienna could see him trying to hide his surprise and confusion at her question. Was she really so aloof and intimidating that it was unthinkable she might want to know someone's name?
"Err… Verdance, Lady Khan," the operator answered.
"Verdance…" Sienna mused before adding, "It's a good name."
Verdance blinked. "Umm… thank… thank you?"
"Hostile presence is increasing. Nothing we can't handle, but be advised."
Verdance turned back to his work.
"Understood. We have a militia group on standby that is ready to assist. We have both long-range and melee personnel that we can deploy on your call."
"No need to make our presence bigger just yet, but it might help to tell the construction team to hurry it up a bit."
Verdance nodded (much to Sienna's amusement) and re-keyed his headset to contact the engineers who were reinforcing Kuo Kuana's defenses. A small part of her was tempted to sit down next to Verdance, grab a second headset, and continue coordinating with the security team. However, she knew that not only could that be distracting for Rogers's group, but it would also be an insult to Verdance's work. He seemed like a good man, and the last thing she wanted to do was send the message that she didn't trust him to be able to handle both communications at once.
"Security team: construction is 50% complete. We were planning to try and upgrade two sites today, but if the Grimm attraction is heavier than expected, we might stop after just the first."
"That might be needed, Central. We're burning through ammo on hostiles."
And simply adding reinforcements wouldn't help, as they would only draw in more Grimm. Verdance only had them on standby for emergency purposes if the security or construction teams needed help extracting back to the city's defenses.
Sienna had been impressed by XCOM's initiative to push for these defense missions. After a recent discussion with Kuo Kuana's security council, Bradford's representatives had observed that some of the static defenses on the desert front had been a very helpful boon in staving off the Grimm assault. Their engineers had worked with Menagerie's technicians and horticulturists to develop some projects that they could deploy to further strengthen the city's borders against the desert wastes, promising to provide military support to keep the techs protected while they deployed the countermeasures. An offer was extended to the ADVENT garrison to help with the joint effort, but they flatly declared that they refused to do anything that would even remotely legitimize XCOM's "games."
The security team's chatter continued to flow into the communication room as they worked to keep the Grimm at bay.
"Jade, keep an eye out for any HVT's that we need to focus down if they draw too close."
"Already on it, boss. So far it's just the usual dogs and birds."
"Front line is taking a few hits. Falling back to recover."
"Copy. Squad Two, fall in to replace."
"Aerial contacts coming out of the haze and headed our way!"
"Jade."
"One down, but four are still up and closing in."
"Everyone dig in and brace for the strafing run."
"Dogs are flashed, so that'll give us some breathing room."
It still amazed Sienna that these outsiders from XCOM had whipped a young gang of troublemaking hoodlums into the professional fighting force that she was listening to on comms. Somehow, XCOM had managed to connect with them in a way that gave them a sense of purpose. She didn't understand how fighting for the protection and survival of their people wasn't enough to instil that duty and purpose, but Rogers and Misha had figured something out. They saw an opportunity, and they made it happen.
Maybe she could learn something from the humans after all.
Her thoughts were cut short when a panicked voice announced on comms, "Buck's hit!"
Verdance swore under his breath, and Sienna stiffened in her seat. A hand reached for and touched the chain dagger at her hip as the High Leader considered leaving Verdance to personally assist the security detail. As much as she still distrusted humans, these in particular had proven their dedication to the safety of Menagerie, and then some.
The panic in the voice on the radio told Sienna everything she needed to know. This wasn't just some inconsequential scratch.
"Do you need evac?" Verdance asked.
"Negative," came the firm, if pained, voice of the wounded man himself. "I can hold out until construction finishes their job. My team is still equipped to fight even if... I'm not."
"He's… he's right."
Sienna recognized that voice as 'Jade.' Was she the second-in-command for the mission?
"We can keep going. No need to scrub the mission."
"... Lady Khan?"
Sienna looked up at Verdance. Was that confusion on his face?
"Do, uh… do you want to take my seat?" The operator asked hesitantly. He nodded at her and added, "You, ah… you look agitated."
Sienna looked down and grimaced. When did she start gripping her weapon so tightly without noticing? Maybe there was also an expression on her face that Verdance had seen. Shit, she was supposed to be the High Leader, and here was this operator reading her like a book. That was not okay.
...
Or perhaps it was? She had seen firsthand Bradford's empathy for his soldiers. There was no such thing as 'acceptable losses' for him. Each soldier mattered, and they knew it.
Sienna shook her head. "No, I don't want to take your seat, Verdance." She was amused by the rapid-fire emotions on the man's face that changed from relief, to disappointment, and then to surprise and confusion when she stood up and approached him. "But I will take the seat next to yours."
She put on the headset, dialed in her console, and felt a small rush of adrenaline as the station glowed to life. It almost felt like she was ten years younger and working out in the field for the Fang again.
"You focus on the construction team," Sienna said, "I'll coordinate with security."
"Yes, ma'am," Verdance confirmed.
Sienna keyed her comm and took a quick breath. This was the right thing to do, right?
It's what Bradford would do.
"Security team, status report," She said.
"L-Lady Khan?!"
"What's she doing on comms?"
"That doesn't sound… like an answer to her question, Jade."
Sienna chuckled under her breath at Rogers's light reprimand. Ever the professional, even while he was in a pain-fueled haze.
"Three packs of Canis are closing in, ma'am," Jade reported. "Two at our twelve o'clock and one coming in at our ten. Three Wyverns are coming around for a second pass."
That was going to be rough to deal with, but certainly not impossible. If the team played their cards right, they could neutralize all targets without further casualties. It was time to see how well they'd been trained by XCOM. But first…
"Keep an eye out for a fourth pack," Sienna answered. "Canis try to surround their prey, so coming at you from only two angles when three are available would be uncharacteristic of them. The Wyverns are the deadlier threat, but the dogs will tear you apart if you let them get close."
"Backline, focus on the fliers. Squad Two, keep those Canis at bay."
"This is going to get ugly…"
Sienna suppressed a growl. That sounded like the early rumblings of cowardly panic. Negativity like that needed to be stomped out, and fast. And if Rogers wasn't going to say anything, then-
No. No, this was not Sienna's squad, and they were not trained using the tenets of her tactics. XCOM was different, and if these kids had been trained by XCOM, a different approach would be needed.
"Only if you allow it to," She said. "Hold fast, remember your training, and fight. Rogers is depending on you, and so is Kuo Kuana."
Out of the corner of her eye, Sienna saw Verdance giving her an incredulous look.
"She's… right. You've got this."
"Eyes up! Wyverns are back!"
"Show them what we're made of!"
It was in their hands now. Sienna had done what she could to help, and now she needed to trust that they had what it took to see the fight through. The sensation felt… strange. Even though she didn't always lead the Fang into the thick of battle, she also never really followed an operation from this perspective. She usually heard about the success or failure afterwards. This waiting game where she knew that fate was hanging in the balance? Where she had allowed herself to get personally invested in the squad, even if only a little bit?
If this was what Bradford did on a regular basis, Sienna wasn't sure how the man didn't let it get to him. However, it did help explain how he could become so connected with each and every soldier. That sort of bond almost certainly helped strengthen the conviction of those who served, but Sienna could also imagine the pain when soldiers were invariably lost.
No wonder he was upset when Cinder Fall tried to act like the five deaths during the Desert Battle meant nothing.
"Fawn's hit!"
"I'm alright!"
"Only one Wyvern left! Take it down, team!"
"Throwing another flash to stun the dogs."
"Keep an eye out for that fourth pack that Lady Khan warned about."
Verdance cleared his throat slightly to get Sienna's attention.
"Construction team is eighty-five percent done, ma'am," He said. "I've… impressed upon them the urgency of the situation, and they're doing what they can to move quickly."
Sienna nodded. "Make sure they do it right. No point in rushing if the quality suffers and we have to fix it later."
"Of course."
"Hold out a little longer, team," She said, turning her attention back to the security detail. "And start planning your exit strategy once we get the word from Construction that they're done."
"Already on it, Lady Khan," Jade confirmed. "Squad One is getting Bucky mobile again and setting up to provide covering fire at our rear once you give the word."
"Good."
What was this feeling? Why was she getting a sense of pride bubbling up in her gut? Sienna didn't know these kids. They weren't Fang, they weren't her soldiers. Hell, up until recently, they were just a nuisance in the city as a gang of troublemakers. And yet, it only took a few short minutes for her to be silently rooting for them. Not just for Kuo Kuana's sake, but for their sake.
Even though she didn't have visuals on the team, their chatter on comms was enough for Sienna to feel connected. Attuned to their energy. She met Rogers's crew once before, though only in passing when she had been forced to inspect their work at the motor pool. But she didn't bother to pay attention to any names or faces. They were just assets to her at that point. But now? Now she was tempted to pay them a visit after this. To get a feel for the group, see who 'Jade' was, and to understand what they might be capable of for future operations.
Sienna's interest wasn't just idle curiosity anymore, and the people on the other end of the comm weren't just numbers to her. She wouldn't just receive an after action report of this operation, look at the numbers of casualties, and offer a moment's silence before moving on with her day.
"Fourth pack has been spotted. Neutralizing the lead dog."
"Other packs are circling to try and split our attention. We're thinning their numbers, but there are more than we originally thought."
"The ones that live longer sometimes learn how to use the desert haze to conceal themselves," Sienna noted. She looked at another readout on her console and inwardly grimaced. "I'm seeing some stronger signatures coming in from the seismic sensors. There's a chance that you've drawn the attention of nearby sand sharks."
"We planned for that possibility," Jade said. "Squad Two, deploy the emitters and fall back to our position."
Emitters? That must have been a side project the XCOM team cooked up. Just from the name, it sounded like something that was meant to distract or disorient the Lamnidae while they were burrowing under the desert sands.
Interesting.
"Construction is done," Verdance reported.
Sienna hit a button on her console, and a confirmation light flashed green in response.
"Operation is finished, team. Bullheads are on their way to extract you. Dig in and hold out."
"Yes ma'am."
"For the faunus!"
"Emitters deployed. Cover our retreat."
"Suppressing fire on those dogs!"
Impressive coordination, especially while in the heat of combat. These were a gang of kids up until recently, and yet here they were performing like a well-tuned unit. Sienna couldn't deny the efficacy of XCOM's influence. If only a handful of Bradford's operatives were capable of producing a well-trained cadre of soldiers like this, what was his full force capable of?
Well... if the kerfuffle on the news regarding Atlas was anything to go by, the answer to Sienna's question was pretty damn close to what she imagined.
"Bullheads are one minute out, and they're crewed to provide heavy firepower to cover your retreat," Sienna announced. "Casualties?"
"Buck got hit the worst, but we have a few others who aren't in good shape. None dead, but we'll be glad to get pulled out of here before things get worse."
"Emitters have been tripped!"
"Stay out of the sand, team. Hopefully the sharks stay distracted long enough for us to get out, but we can't count on it."
The team continued to chatter and provide tactical callouts while they fended off the amassing Grimm and rallied around the evac point. With twenty seconds remaining before the Bullheads arrived, Sienna heard confirmation of first contact with the sand sharks.
"They seem sluggish, so maybe the emitters worked?"
"Don't waste the opportunity. Take them out while they're exposed."
"Fifth pack of Canis spotted on the horizon. Might be too far out to reach us before the Bullheads arrive."
"On my last mag."
"Bullheads are here!"
Sienna switched her comm over to the Bullhead channel and asked, "Do you have visuals on the excursion teams?"
"This is Firehawk One," One of the pilots responded. "We've got eyes on the ground teams, Lady Khan. Patching the feeds through now."
One of the monitors at Sienna's station winked to life, and she finally got her first view of what was going on outside of the city limits. The carnage wasn't close to what she saw during the battle with the Gigas by any means, but on the other hand… Jade and her team had definitely undersold the magnitude of Grimm that they were dealing with.
"Firehawk Three, split off to pick up the Construction team. Two, provide fire at altitude while we go in for the first pickup."
"Yes, sir."
Sienna switched her audio back to Security's channel and looked on as the three Bullheads moved in to rescue the beleaguered fighters. The dissipating corpses of nightmare monsters were piling up, but it was obvious that the security detail was running on fumes as the relentless tide of Grimm pushed ever closer.
A stream of bullets from a heavy gun raked across the Grimm formation as Firehawk Two swept into position to cover One's landing.
"Move, move!"
"Buck's secured. Grabbing medical supplies from the ship to begin treatment."
"We're all aboard! Let's get the rest of the team on the other ship!"
As Firehawk One lifted off, the members of the team that were aboard continued to dump bullets out the open side of the ship to keep the Canis and sand sharks at bay. It only took another twenty seconds for the remaining soldiers to climb aboard the second Bullhead, and all three ships were safely on their way back to Kuo Kuana with their cargo aboard.
The whooping and cheering streaming through the radio channel matched the swell of pride and satisfaction Sienna was feeling from her seat in the comm room.
"Well done, team," She said, not even bothering to suppress the smile playing across her lips. "Drinks are on me when you get back."
For the first time since Jade had taken over command of the operation, Sienna heard Rogers speak. "I'll… hold you to that, ma'am."
Sienna didn't mind. She also didn't mind the amused look Verdance was giving her from his seat at the radio console. Because while this was a rather sharp contrast to how Sienna Khan usually operated, she still felt like she learned something important.
Now, it felt like she had taken a glimpse through a window into the mind of John Bradford.