The sounds of a heart monitor echoed in the room. It was steadily thumping along for a moment before going erratic, then back to normal the next moment. This pattern repeated every other minute or so, almost in sync with heavy, raspy breaths. Someone sounded unstable.

"Oh, what did They do to you?" A soft-spoken male voice lamented. The sounds of nails tapping against plastic could be heard. "What did my Brethren do to you, my child? My Proxy." He sighed. "I said test runs. Test runs. Not trial by fire and death!" The voice barely raised above a whisper.

The heartbeat became erratic again. The breathing grew heavy.

"Not to be pitted against your fellow brethren like those Chosen ." A hiss of disgust escaped his lips. The tapping stopped. "You all are designed to work together, not loathe each other. To be commanded by the one who would unify you all. To be much more refined than those… Chosen."

The heartbeat stabilized. The breathing eased up.

"But do They care once you all were taken from me? No. They care not." And how he wished they were never taken from him. "Oh, how Our arrogance shines through those Chosen. Our pride. Our hypocrisy. I continue to grow disillusioned by our goals."

"This damage…" He leaned over, studying the partially armored person before him, riddled with slashes, chunks missing from their body, even some of their organs were bursting out. He carefully lifted their badly damaged arm. It was barely hanging on by threads of shredded muscle and ligaments. "So… visceral."

"Elder M-Maker?" A female voice hesitantly spoke out. Peering into the room was a scientist. She was tightly clutching her tablet, hiding her face behind it.

"Hm?" Maker turned his head to see who it was.

The lady shrunk back. His gaze was always piercing when his Brethren had riled up. But that was the least of what had her frightened. This Elder in a human shell, his currently unstable power, could tear through it if he did not control it. And controlling it was quite a task when his Brethren were trying his patience. Currently, half of the shell's face was burning away. His purple and red psionic energy wicking away from the wound.

"W-w-we will have your required items here shortly." She said.

He studied the woman for a moment before looking back at the body. "Ah, Dr. Hansen." He acknowledged her with a smile. "I am pleased to hear that. How is the progress on the "Watchers" project?"

"It is coming along slowly but steady." She seemed to slowly relax. "We have run into a few issues with… specializing each one's abilities, but are quickly figuring them out."

"That is to be expected." He nodded. "Results are not instant. They take time, especially for the nature of the project. Genetic manipulation is a tricky art to master."

"Yes, sir." She nodded.

"Please keep me posted as the project reaches phase 2 as I would like to–Nngh."

He was raising himself up only to find himself bracing his body against the operating table. A piercing pain was surging through his body. His skin began to crack and flake as purple pulsating veins became apparent. His breathing became shaky.

"Elder Maker?" Dr. Hansen took a step into the room, only to quickly stop when even more ominous purplish red wisps of energy emanated from his body.

"Do not come any closer." His voice was still like a whisper. "I am fine. This shell is reaching its end." He slowly raised himself back up. His breathing was still labored. "Have the team prep my next shell for me, please."

"Y-yes sir." She quickly let.

"Ah…" He let out a pained hissed as he doubled over again. "Seems like my new power is causing me to burn through these shells quicker than before. Even more so when They have tried me for the day." He let out a chuckle. "What did you two do to me that day?"

After a few more moments of labor breathing, he managed to raise himself back up. His hand went about feeling his face, tracing the veins, cracks, and exposed muscle. He grimaced, flinching went he touched muscle.

"Possibly have a few more hours in this body before it becomes unusable." He rubbed his chin. "But I should be able to work on you, my child." His gaze shifted over to the person on the operation table. "Cross, oh Cross." He muttered. "They've desecrated you."

His hands drifted over the most damaged parts of the person. Studying each wound carefully. "Yorrick, your work is nasty. How they have corrupted your once noble soul. Now you are a savage." Something white lodged in the armor caught his eye. He concentrated his psionics around it and pulled it out. "A tooth? I see they altered you to be even more of a brute. More of a mockery of my intended design. A mockery to who you once were." He let out a hiss of disgust as he flicked the tooth away.

"Bites and slashes. I see he handles his axes with finesse. Disembowelment. Gutted you like a fish." His fingers danced along a deep gash across the chest. "And he tore your shield arm to shreds, but I have a solution to that." The smiled. "I will fix and improve that."

His eyes flashed open for a moment. Another pain surged through his body, causing him to jolt straight up. He felt something tug on his mind.

"Neh…" He doubled over again. Barely catching himself against the table. The room started to spin as another shooting pain arced through his body. But it felt different. His vision began to blur and then… split. He saw the operating room he was in for a moment and the next second he saw the faces of several terrified human scientists and frantic voices trying to figure out what was going on. The two scenes quickly flipped back and forth. His mind felt like it was tearing in two. He could barely hear anything the scientist were saying. All sounds were garbled in the swirling mess.

"What? What?" He heard his voice echo, his words repeating twice. The shooting pain increased once more. He spat up some blood. "No… they didn't." He quickly figured out the problem. He took a moment to steady himself, raising his hand to focus his psionic energy. As an orb formed, some of the pain slowly faded away and his vision switching slowed until he saw the picture clearly. Two views before his eyes.

"You imbeciles!" He hissed, wincing, hearing his voice echoed back at him. A rare moment for him to call his workers such a word, but his patient was thin for the day. "I instructed for this shell to be prepared. Not activated."

Somehow, his replacement shell body had been activated before he burned out of his current one. The two shells online at the same time were causing a negative feedback loop of sorts.

The scientists backed away from the newly activated shell as psionic energy lashed forth from it. The shell stepped forth from its stasis chamber.

"W-we are sorry, sir!" One scientist said.

"It was an accident! Someone must have brushed against the controls!"

More excuses arose.

"Silence!" Though his voice was soft, everyone quickly fell silent. He let out a growl, a mixture of annoyance and pain. "Silence… I must think." Something was different. Something felt different.

Just as he thought he would have to sever the connection to his old shell body, the pain started to subside. Hesitantly, he stopped his psionics from the old shell. No more pain."Hmm…" He raised his hand and moved it around in both bodies. Studying the energy that flowed through the veins. "There is.. less strain."

"Sir?"

"Shh!" He hushed them. "Something is different." In his new body, he walked over to a scanner. He ran a few scans. His eyes lit up at the results. "That is strange… there is less strain. How?" He shook his head and started to laugh.

The scientists quietly watched him do more scans. And then he laughed. A laugh that became a mad cackle. They were fearful of his sudden laughter. He never laughed like that. Even more so when he turned to look at them and had a wide smile. It didn't look right on him. Especially with his void filled eyes. He was angry a few moments ago due to their mess up, but now he was laughing. What was so funny?

"This little mistake… may be the solution to my current problem." He said.

"What do you mean by that, sir?" They asked.

"You know I have been… burning through my shells a little faster than normal." He explained. "Something in my nature had changed again. My gift has grown stronger. But this, but this…" He took in a sharp breath and chuckled once more. "My gift channeled through two shells causes less strain and opens new possibilities."

"Possibilities?"

"Limits are slowly being peeled away. I can work longer and faster ." He continued. He pondered for a moment before snapping his fingers. "Record the genetic template from this new shell. I must study it later."

"Yes, sir!" They snapped to attention and quickly got back to work.

"And someone fetch the clothes for this shell." He added.

"S-s-sorry! We'll get that right away." Another responded.

As the scientists quickly scrambled about, Maker was engrossed by his new discovery.

"My mind in two places at once. Processing information from two different bodies. Shell bodies only meant for me. No more negative feedback." He mumbled to himself. "This is fascinating. Oh, so fascinating."


"Raal'Maker." A familiar female voice greeted his ear. "Builder and Weaver of Symmetry."

He grimaced. A voice he wasn't expecting to hear from so soon. Nor a person he wanted to interact with right now. He had work to do. He didn't want to converse with one of his own.

Back in the surgery room with his old shell body, purple psionics flooded the room. Only one Elder appeared in the room, just behind him.

"Angelis." He replied with a sharp whispered hiss. "To what do I owe this visit?" He cast a glance over his shoulder. "I am busy fixing the mistake of one of our Brethren. Was is Ga'rox? He is the jealous sort and loves to break my creations."

"Where does this contempt arise from?" She asked. Her voice was still, but her helmet slowly cracked open. From the crack, a yellow glow appeared. "How have We wronged you?"

"Oh, must you ask that?" He waved her off. "You know how and why."

"Defiance! Arrogance!" All softness in her voice disappeared. The collective spoke with her. Psionic energy seeped through the helmet. "You have let yourself become contaminated by the humans . Corrupted by these 'shells' you experiment with. You have lost sight of Our design."

"You are one to speak!" He turned to face her. A purplish-red energy consumed his void-like eyes. "You dare question my work? My loyalty ? After all I have done, even in this lesser form and my worsened condition?" He sneered. " No, all you expect is perfection. Quick results. Constantly without fail."

"You dare defy me?" She hissed. The helmet fully cracked open. Her energy spiked. A bolt of energy shot forth from her.

"ACK!"

Maker found his back connecting with the operation table before collapsing to the floor. Something felt like it snapped. He spat up more blood as skin flakes fell to the ground. "Hiss all you want." He slowly picked himself up, powering through the pain. "I care not, unless you wish to settle our differences." He grimaced not before he stuck out his arm, lashing back with a wave of his own energy.

A strong hiss. Angelis was thrown back, letting out a shriek of pain. Her form scattered for a moment before coming back together. "You dare strike me!?"

"I dare." He snarled."Do you wish to continue this pointless fight? Or would you like for me to get back to my work?"

"Insolent fool." She rose once more, her energy spiking before finally calming down. "Your insubordination will not be ignored."

His energy dissipated. "Noted."

Silence fell upon the room as the two stared each other down. Waiting to see who would do what.

"Your progress on the Avatar Project?" Angelis broke the silence.

"Continuing the best I can with all the interruptions." He answered. "Both friendly and hostile."

She growled at was he implied. "You must hasten it."

"Hasten it?" He cocked his head. "Hasten it? Do you realize how absolutely idiotic that sounds?" He threw his arms up in air. "Do you know how many more specimens that would have to be processed? Do you think by hastening it we won't repeat old mistakes?"

"Do not question my orders. Hasten your research."

"Order noted." He growled. "I see fear is slowly permeating through the Collective since the loss of the Asset. XCOM is doing an amazing job, aren't they? Especially with her back at the helm? Even with her current health all caused by your careless hands."

"Arrogance." An energy spike. Her helmet slowly cracked open again.

"Leave me to do my work." Maker turned his back to her. "I have arrogant mistakes too correct."

"Builder… you will have to answer for your defiance."

"I await the trial."

With one last growl, Angelis quickly left. Her form dissipated and the purple glow disappearing.

He let out a shaky breath before a cry of pain slipped from his lips. His shell was reaching its limit. His legs gave out on him; he collapsed to the ground, spitting up even more blood. His breathing grew ragged. More veins appeared. More skin cracked and flaked away, revealing more muscle.

"Seems I've burned up the remaining life in this shell from our spat." He let out a pained chuckle. "Time to sever the connection."

He took in several deep breaths, concentrating his power before finally severing the connection to the old shell. As he did so, purplish and red energy-like flames burst forth from the body, consuming it, carbonizing it in mere seconds. All that was left was a black husk that quickly fell to dust.

The mere second he severed the connection, his mind fully snapped to the new shell body that was still in the room where all the scientists were.

"Ah." His head spun for a moment. He could feel that old strain on his body return. "Seems I need to activate another shell." His eyes drifted towards a stasis tank. Another shell contained within. "Still fascinating."


A little time to adjust to the new shell. A little time to test out having two shells active at the same time. What happened before repeated but to a lesser degree, as he was expecting the effects.

"Fascinating." Maker said. Two voices spoke softly to themselves. Himself. Though back in the surgery room, he was still examining his new discovery. Intrigued by it. He was gently caressing his faces, carefully noting every moment. What was in sync. What was out of sync.

"Like my mind is in two different places yet can act as one." He retracted his hands. "And then act separately." One shell body went to work gathering some surgery tools while the other fetched a cart. "The possibilities. Endless." He grinned. "Some things to apply to the old project, if the time ever comes for it."

"Finally, back to work. Back to repairing you, my child." The first shell set the tools down in a nearby tray.

"Repairing Their arrogance." The second shell set the cart nearby. Both of the bodies hissed as he thought of his brethren. Soon he started operating on the person on the table. "Thankfully, you were not damaged further by the… disagreement, Cross. So much to repair. First these wounds, then the arm."

Both of his shells worked to remove the armor off of Cross to get access to the nastier wounds. As they removed pieces, wounds were disinfected, organs placed back in their proper places, and flesh sewn close.

"To admit… I do grow more disillusioned to this cause. My mentor, Va'lo'Fe, and his associates only help it grow. And then my interaction with her and that Hidden Guide…" He spoke. "Have we learned nothing on Our futile quest? We deserve Our fate as We are the cause of our Own folly." He softly chuckled. "How many others have We dragged down with Is? How many have We subjugated? How many have wW destroyed?"

The heart monitor went erratic for a moment. A slight wave of his hand, energy transferring over, the beat grew steady.

"Far too many." He shook his head. "Far too many. Even if humanity would be Our salvation, how long before we outgrow our new bodies? Modified them to sterility once again?" A lot was on his mind. "Would our new bodies be ready for the danger that lay ahead? It has already consumed worlds We have touched."

A slight chuckle erupted into a dry laugh. He had to take a pause from his work. "Oh, how that day changed me, that I am now thinking of rebellion more and more ." The laugh came back to a chuckle. "Oh, how I have questions for you two. So many questions when we meet again. I wonder what state you are in, Commander Reeves." He mused. He hoped her health was stable after everything that had happened under the "care" of his Brethren.

"How displeased I was with how They let you waste away in that stasis suit as your mind toiled away for Us. And They planned to convert you into one of those foolish Chosen." A hiss escaped his lips. The day he found that out, he immediately found where They were keeping her and put a stop to it.

"Thankfully, They listened to my words to not be so hasty and let me run some tests. Conversion in that pitiful state would have surely killed you and then… I still wanted to find your other half." He muttered. "I'm starting to wonder if you two severed your bond the day of your capture. All pieces are pointing in that direction. Why my digging never brought forth the Guide from within you."

"All the wounds cleaned and closed. The Meld, as the humans call it," he chuckled, and he liked the ring to the name, "later, now time for this arm, it must go." He examined the mangled wreck. "But your new one will be more suitable, more durable."

As shell one worked to amputate the mangled arm, shell two opened a container on the cart. Heavy, white mist rose from it. With the use of his psionics, he removed a long object that was bone white, with a slight shimmer to it. It almost looked like a tree branch.

"That bone tree, such a fascinating thing those Os'seous, those Kra'Seous, utilized, infused their blood into it, reshaped it to their will." He said. "Another species we nearly ruined. But they fought us off. Them and their compatriots. A natural resilience to our 'gift'. The irony."

"And now," as he finished up amputating the arm and moved it out of the way, he laid down the bone-like branch where it once was, "it simply needs a taste of your blood. And it will be a part of you."

He slowly undid the band that was stopping the blood from the newly amputated stump. Slowly, blood gushed from it, sweeping down onto the table and towards the branch. The moment a stream of blood touch it, it greedily lapped it up. It creaked and cracked, growing in size as it consumed the blood. Colors fluctuated between its bone white nature to the orange blood. Several tendril like roots sprouted from it, they started traveling up the path of the stream, to the source of the blood. Once a single root touched the stump, it quickly dug into it, dug deep into the muscle. Several more roots quickly followed.

Cross' heart beat went erratic again. His breathing grew heavier as the roots dug deep into the stump. His body contorted and convulsed.

"Control it." Maker spoke.

Cross let out a cry of pain as his back arched sharply. The roots dug deeper and deeper into him. The branched creaked and cracked more as it grew. The surrounding flesh took on a bone white look, and so did the blood.

"Bend it to your will!"

For a few moments, his body continued to contort and convulse. Just as it seemed he would break his own back, the convulsions stop. His body started to slowly relax, his heartbeat coming down as well.

"Yes. Yes!" Maker's eyes glimmered with excitement.

The branch had finally stopped growing, stopping its greedy search for blood once it had its fill. It was changing, shifting, as layers peeled away, and chitinous platting formed. It slowly started to resemble an arm.

"Perfect. Perfect." Maker smiled. "Continue to shape, cultivate it. Like a master sculpture."

As the branch continued to reshape itself, both of Maker's shells retrieved injectors and vials containing an orange liquid. "The Meld shall close your wounds and accelerate your healing." They loaded the injectors and placed it against ports in Cross' body. As it was injected, Cross let out a grunt. Orange veins became pronounced.

"Let that do its work for a few hours and then focus on that arm and have you refine it."

Maker hummed as he continued his work, taking note of the changes and Cross' reactions.

"Promising. Very promising." He noted. "I'll make sure my Brethren don't taint you. Activate that contingency I made long ago." He tapped at Cross' forehead. "I won't let Them. I have to reclaim the others."

"But I have to take it slowly," he mused, "I can't let my brethren know of my change of heart. My corruption." He looked at his other shell body. It looked back. He grinned. "I'll trigger those seeds I planted long ago in the other Proxies. All before you were taken from me. A little more free thought and will. Let them defect on their own." He chuckled. "Perhaps they will help me, will lead me to her, re-spark that connection I planted ages ago. And same with the words Hera'tius planted in her."

He softly laughed. "Plans. Plans. Oh, so many plans. Oh, what will the future hold?"