(A/N): Welcome back one and all to the beginning of the end of Summer Declassified! That's right - after two years of writing (and a few odd months in change of pre-planning), the end of this fic is finally in sight. Words cannot express how proud I am of myself for sticking to this, and how much I appreciate each and every person who's left feedback, reviews, and suggestions.

This chapter will serve as the last sort of "breather" episode before the upcoming four-part grand finale, to give us all a chance to process what happened last time as well as steel ourselves for the future. Get your snacks and use the restroom now, cause this is the last stop - starting next chapter, we won't be pumping the brakes in terms of story or action until the end of the ride. So enjoy this last little look at the crew as they enjoy the calm before the storm. I hope you enjoy it too!


The hours that followed the destruction of XCOM were quiet and somber. True to Faulke's final orders, the Avenger hummed silently as she gently coasted over the Atlantic Ocean, gliding through the night sky and hovering close to the water. The four dozen people aboard didn't have any clear destination in mind - their only goal was to keep the man-made UFO away from the Command Ships, Scouts, and other alien vessels that combed the globe.

Inside the ship, everyone forced themselves to keep busy, if only to put off processing their grief. Comms operators worked to make contact with the other convoys that had escaped the base, medics tended to the people who had been wounded in the hasty evacuation, and soldiers took stock of weapons and gear that had been stashed aboard the Avenger. Conversations were short and terse, eye contact was seemingly avoided at all costs, and no one dared to smile or laugh. After what had just happened, small talk or gossip seemed empty and meaningless.

Summer found herself in the makeshift barracks made for emergency evacuations like this, which had enough bunk beds to comfortably house maybe half the number of people aboard now. Part of her even felt guilty about lying on one of those beds and staring up at the ceiling - she'd tried to insist that she'd be fine sleeping on the floor, but Weir was adamant that she take a bunk for herself. "You've earned it," he had told her, "more than any of us here." Summer wasn't sure if she believed it, but the thought was at least somewhat comforting - more comfortable than the polyester bed sheets, at the very least.

She took a moment to check the bed underneath her own, wondering if Penny was awake. But her friend was still fast asleep and curled up in Crawford's arms, clothed only in the warm embrace of her girlfriend and the plastic blanket that crinkled every time she shifted in her sleep. Her glasses were knocked askew off her face, her uniform was reduced to a pile of loose fabrics on the floor, and her brown hair was tousled around in messy curls. While her arms clung tightly and protectively to the similarly-nude woman squeezed into her bed, her face was wound tighter than an antique clock, and not even her dreams were safe from horrors if the occasional teardrop was any indication.

Summer smiled sadly and reached down to squeeze Penny's hand for a moment, withdrawing only to wipe a tear away and caress her cheek. Then she pulled herself back to the top bed and lay on her back, staring up at the blue-gray ceiling with an exhausted expression. It was so tempting to take a short nap for herself, and yet sleep would not come. Probably for the best; she wasn't sure if she was strong enough to fight off the nightmares that were surely waiting.

"Asaru?" she whispered quietly, not wanting to wake her bunkmate. "Are you listening?"

Always, Summer. Did you need something?

The Huntress finally smiled. Her new alien companion was nothing if not exceedingly polite, always waiting to be addressed before speaking despite her assurances that he could chime in whenever. While she didn't notice too many physical changes after the merge - aside from the presence of Aura, of course - her mind felt sharper and more focused than before, to the point where she was noticing small details that she never did before. Like the way the distant elerium core of the Avenger hummed softly all the way down to the bunks, or the quiet flickering of the fluorescent lights, or the mumbling of a soldier sleeping across the room. And although at first she was concerned about the distinction between her and Asaru's thoughts, it wasn't a worry for very long; the Ethereal's consciousness was less of an invading presence and more of a second mind that existed within her own, mingling their thoughts yet still remaining in separate spheres.

I can see why Carter wouldn't have realized Asaru was there at first, she thought idly to herself. The process was so seamless after that initial jump, even I forget I've got a friend hanging around all the time.

"Just wanted to make sure you were comfortable back there," she said aloud with a soft laugh as she propped up her legs, letting one foot dangle over the other. "Does it feel any different from when you and Carter were merged?"

Asaru hummed thoughtfully, then spoke into her mind.

It is...different, yet similar, he observed. You are smaller than Carter was, yet stronger and faster. Healthier, too - your lungs and liver have not been deteriorated by constant exposure to tobacco and alcohol. And there is...another energy that is unfamiliar to me. An invisible elixir of life that flows through your veins, pooling into your muscles and manifesting through your nerves.

"What, my Aura?" Summer asked. "I've never heard it described that way before. Is that what you mean?"

It must be, though I do not know for certain. Asaru paused, as if he were collecting himself, then continued. And yet despite the differences...there is a familiarity as well. Humans of Earth and Remnant are similar in many ways, sharing traits that should not exist in species from such distant planets. It is...puzzling.

"I dunno, Captain Thunderclap seemed to trip his way into a new alien girl's arms with each new adventure," said Summer with a laugh. "Maybe the universe is full of vaguely-human species out there, and we just happened to get the ugliest and meanest ones."

The Zudjari certainly do not paint the picture of a friendly universe beyond Earth's sky, agreed Asaru.

She laughed and nodded softly, then hummed as a new line of thought struck her.

"Can I ask you something?"

Of course.

"Did you know they were coming?" Summer asked idly, snuggling deeper into the mattress as stiff as plywood. "The Outsiders, I mean. Could you feel them making their move, and that's what prompted you to wake up in Groom Range?"

The Ethereal paused. I...do not know. On some level, I was aware of their arrival, but I did not have a specific name for the threat. Just a vague existential unease that something was going to target the world that housed my Incubator, that this planet was going to become a battleground that none were prepared for. As for the actual nature of the Zudjari and their abilities, I was just as unfamiliar as you and Carter were; what you eventually learned and when you learned it, so too did I.

The silver-eyed Huntress nodded slowly. "Guess that makes sense. After all, you were still coming into your own. You only learned about yourself when you and Shamash talked, right?"

Correct. Before that, I firmly believed that I was William Carter, and that William Carter was me.

"Well, good thing I was there to protect you both that night," said Summer with a soft laugh.

Indeed. Asaru gave a laugh of his own, more of a sensation than a physical sound. When I first saw you in action, I knew that I chose my guardian correctly. Your combat prowess since then has only reaffirmed my conviction in that choice.

"Hey, don't sound so surprised," she said with a wry grin. "After all, you did grab one of the toughest moms in all of Remnant. And that's not an easy title to earn - there's some stiff competition for that role."

I do not doubt that, Summer Rose.

The silver-eyed Huntress gave another soft laugh, then fell into a short silence. The horrors of the past seven months, the stress of an uncertain future...it all seemed to melt when it was just her and Asaru here together. Not fighting, not planning, just...existing. Two beings from entirely disparate worlds, brought together by fate and circumstance and their love for a third party, enjoying each other's company. Learning more about the other - and by extension, themselves.

The easy, lightweight questions couldn't last forever though.

"There's just one more thing I don't get," said Summer as she watched the overhead light flicker in and out of existence. "If you brought me to Earth all the way from Remnant as a protector, why didn't you just bond with me from the start? Why choose to bond with Carter first?"

Asaru hummed thoughtfully, as if he hadn't considered it himself. I...in the moment, I was acting on instinct. I was not aware of my action, merely letting myself be drawn to the person who I thought needed my power more. You were healthy and able to fight, while Carter...I could sense that he was hurting. That pain seemed like a beacon to me, guiding me like a moth to flame.

Summer nodded along in understanding. "Right. That Sleepwalker officer shot him point-blank, then tried to strangle him. I can see why you'd be drawn to him over me, in the moment."

You are not incorrect. But I do not believe that was the kind of hurting that drew me to him.

Her heart sank. "Oh...you mean emotionally?"

The young Ethereal gave a heavy sigh. I do. Even in my nascent state, I could sense his best self struggling to claw through the pain and grief, could feel the goodness in his heart that was in danger of being snuffed out by his own self-destructive tendencies. I thought if I called it forth, if I suppressed the violence and the distrust and the guilt that plagued him...I could remind him of who he once was. Who he used to be, and who he could be once more. As you see, though...it backfired at the worst possible moment, creating a rift between us when we needed to be united more than ever. Clearly I did not suppress his negative thoughts well enough.

Summer gave a sad smile and shook her head slowly. "Oh, Asaru...I get what you were trying to do, and I respect it immensely. But that's not how people work. You can't just bottle up the negativity and hope it goes away. You have to process it, let yourself feel it, so you can find ways to work through it and let it go."

Does that not hurt, though?

"Of course it hurts," she said somberly. "Sometimes it can hurt more than anything. But it's the only way we can grow and improve as people. Letting yourself feel pain now so you can learn how to heal it. Letting yourself fall so you can learn to stand back up. And letting your heart break so you can learn how to love again. It's all a part of life, all part of this finite mortal existence we all share. We're not like Ethereals, who just pass to another reality when our time in this branch is done - this life is all we have, so it's up to us to make it mean something."

Her mind thought back to Remnant, to Taiyang and Qrow and Ruby and Yang and Raven and Ozpin and her sisters and parents and everyone else she had left behind. While a deep part of her heart ached with all her might to see them all again, she knew that their presence in her life had made her a better person, and it was all she could do but hope that the same held true for them.

I...do not know if I understand it, said Asaru after thinking silently for a moment. I do not know if I ever truly could understand it. But if you believe it, then that is enough for me. Thank you for the advice, Summer. I shall try to learn from it, and carry it with me going forward.

Summer laughed softly and shook her head. "There's no need to thank me. If anything, well...I should be thanking you."

Me?

"No, the other Ethereal floating around in there," joked Summer, then she grew serious. "Yes, of course I mean you. Do you know anyone else who pulled a Huntress right back from Death's door? Who saw power and protection in a woman who, in her last moments, could see only her own failure and faults? You saw what should have been my ultimate end, the final price for my own arrogance and pride...and you still gave me another chance to live, to learn, to love again. Even now, with my home so far away...I know that Remnant will continue to spin, and that an entire universe of wonder exists between here and there. And I never would have seen any of that, if it weren't for you."

Her Ethereal friend was quiet again, though this time she could feel the warmth flooding through their mental connection. If he had the cheeks for it, Summer was certain that Asaru was blushing right now.

Summer tucked one of her bangs behind her ear as she smiled softly. "So I guess what I'm trying to say is...thank you, Asaru, for saving my life."

Despite lacking a face, or even a body of his own, she could feel Asaru smiling right back at her.

You are welcome, Summer Rose. Thank you for protecting mine.

The two once more settled into a calm, quiet understanding, staring up at the roof of the Avenger as it soared. Beyond the ceiling, they imagined the sky; beyond the sky, they imagined the moon; beyond the moon, they imagined the stars, and beyond that they imagined the countless wonders of the galaxy spinning and dancing in accordance with a silent cosmic song.

The peaceful spell was suddenly shattered when a horrifying realization struck Summer's thoughts.

"...oh my gods I had sex with you."

You did. Asaru's simple, matter-of-fact reply did not ease her embarrassment.

Her eyes widened, and she groaned. "You were inhabiting the body of Carter, you brought me here to be your guardian, to be like a mother to you, and I slept with Carter while you were still him."

You seem alarmed. The Ethereal in her mind was very calm about this. Too calm.

"Of course I'm alarmed!" Summer hissed melodramatically. "Mothers do not have sex with their kids! Especially not the alien kids they swore to protect!"

She pulled the hem of her hood over her eyes, hiding her face in shame. "Oh gods...I'm a failure as a parent on both worlds! I abandoned my daughters on Remnant, died and came to Earth when I should have returned home victorious, and then I had sex with the man my adopted Ethereal son was using as a host!"

Asaru was silent for a moment, his thoughts lost in Summer's throes of embarrassment, before speaking again with little confidence in an attempt to comfort her.

would it ease your conscience to know that it was not an unpleasant experience?

Oh gods. "Gah! No! Don't say things like that, that makes it even worse!" Summer wailed.

Oh. Then it was a thoroughly horrible and severely traumatizing event. I am now deeply and terribly scarred for life.

The silver-eyed Huntress promptly rolled over and screamed into her pillow.


Weaver rubbed her temples and knocked back another awful cup of caffeinated slurry, unsure whether she should be grateful someone remembered to grab the coffee machine or upset that someone hadn't tossed the piece of shit out the airlock yet. She looked at the men gathered in front of her with clipboards and pencils, then at Weir and Dresner monitoring the phase plotter hub, and finally at Chulski standing in her usual pencil skirt and dress jacket.

"Alright, check-in time," said the new director of XCOM, "What have you all got?"

Bradford cleared his throat as he stepped forward. "Knox, Nils and I finished taking inventory of our weapons and ammo stores."

Good. Numbers and logistics. That would help focus her mind. "What are we working with?"

"I'm no bean counter, but I did some basic math," said Knox in his usual growl. "We're sitting on about twenty-five pounds of explosives - C4, frags, some stuff for the Engineers to cobble bombs together with, and even some of that fancy alien shit. Got four crates of non-lethals for the Supports too, although there's not too many of those bubbles left. Still have plenty of smokes and flashbangs, at least."

"We'll have to rely more on smokescreens and suppressing fire to protect our troops if we're running low on shield spheres," noted Weaver. "What about guns and ammo?"

"Counted at least half a dozen of each make and model," reported Nils. "We have everything from Colts and M14s to plasma rifles and HEAT Launchers. Ammo's the real limiting factor, unfortunately - we've only got enough spare fusion cells of each type to give maybe one extra mag of firepower for each alien weapon we own. On the bright side, we've got plenty of DEAF rounds leftover from the Temple Ship assault, so our basic guns shouldn't run out of bullets anytime soon."

"Good. We'll have our people use armor-piercing to start and save plasma for emergencies." Weaver turned back to Bradford. "And everything else?"

"Plenty of shield cores and power packs to go around, ma'am," finished her ASL. "There's enough cloaks for all the Recons and spades for all the Commandos, and even after tending to the wounded we've still got about half a box of medkits. We also have a bunch of those space suits that were left on the ship when we landed - just shy of two dozen combat-ready outfits, complete with all their usual bells and whistles."

"And we'll probably need all of them to counter whatever Origin's planning, since I doubt he's gonna launch his master plan from Malibu Bay." She turned to Dresner and Weir. "Speaking of that asshole, any luck finding him?"

" Nein," sighed Dresner with a slow shake of his head. "We have been monitoring any and all psionic transmissions that pass our way, with little success. The usual channels that Mosaic communicates through have all gone silent, as well. I suspect that our access to that portion of the network died alongside the specimen Herr Carter recovered...and then promptly executed."

Weir laid a hand on the fuming German's shoulder, nodding empathetically. "We'll keep looking for new signals, but we have to stay within a narrow range. Tune the power too low, and we won't find anything...too high, and we risk the Outsiders finding us instead of the other way around."

"Keep looking, doctors," affirmed Weaver with a nod. She then turned to Chulski. "What about the other survivors? Any word from them?"

The Chief Communications Officer nodded with a small smile. "Just got a transmission from Dolly and Webb; everyone made it to Site-X safely. They're keeping off the grid and laying low, but so far the Outsiders don't seem to be harassing them. Apparently they didn't even pursue them for very long before disengaging."

"Probably didn't think they were worth the effort to chase down," mused Knox.

"Or they knew they were heading to the place where we're keeping all the recovered Sleepwalkers, and decided they didn't want any part of that," offered Nils grimly. "They must think we're crazy for trying to take care of their 'broken puppets.'"

"We can save the theorizing for the poor bastards who write the history books," said Weaver with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Stay vigilant everyone; I expect another report at 0800 hours. Keep looking for Origin, monitor any UFO movements within a ten-mile radius of our position, and make sure everyone's got the gear they need for deployment. Dismissed."

The majority of the people in her little improvised war room filed out with a salute and a nod. All except Weir, who chose to come closer instead.

"Doctor," she said brusquely. "Can I help you?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing, actually," said Weir with an empathetic smile as he pushed his half-moon glasses back into place. "How are you holding up, Angela? I imagine this can't be easy."

Weaver sighed, rubbing her temples again in a vain attempt to quell the building pressure. "My burns are healing thanks to Summer's friend, and I'm about ten percent coffee right now. I should be able to keep going for at least a few more hours before I need a break. Just gotta stay focused, is all."

She was about to turn and go check on Barnes when a hand laid over her own. Weaver's glare snapped at the person it belonged to, but the soft stare of Weir did not relent or draw away. Instead he simply put his palm against hers, drawing small circles along her wrist with the tip of his fingers. Anyone else who attempted such a maneuver on XCOM's newly-promoted director would likely find themselves kicked into next week, yet Weaver was generous enough to allow it only for the good doctor.

"That's not what I asked, Angela. How are you holding up?"

Of course that was what he'd really meant, and she knew it. But knowing didn't make confronting it any easier. Knowing that the Omega Protocol needed to be manually triggered didn't help process losing the man who pulled it. And knowing that she still had a duty to perform in the midst of her grief didn't make this hurt any less.

Lava pooled in the corner of her eyes, and she wasn't strong enough to blink it back. Not this time. She hung her head in defeat.

"I...he always had to be the big stupid hero, didn't he?" Her words now weren't the commanding orders of the Bureau's acting Director; they were the choked fragmented thoughts of a woman in mourning. "Always going on about 'the greater good' this and 'the price of war' that...and when the time finally came to put his money where his mouth was, he took it without even hesitating."

Weir smiled sadly. "Myron always was the sort of man who'd lay on top of a live wire so someone else could crawl over him. Always had to make sure I cut the wire before he could try and go through with it."

She barked a humorless laugh. "Yeah...and right now I can't decide whether to be proud of him for going above and beyond, or pissed beyond all measure at him for leaving me behind."

The hand on her own squeezed gently. "It's okay to be both."

"Right now I don't think I could even manage one of those." Weaver covered her face with her other hand, wiping a few tears out of her eyes.

"...it just doesn't feel fair, you know?" she continued. "It just...feels like I've got this big target on my back, like life is gunning for me specifically. Mom commits herself shortly after the court papers that take us away forever get approved. Lena gets carried away by literal fucking aliens before she can even start high school. And while that fat piece of shit who has the nerve to call himself my dad is glued to his couch pissing himself and chugging dime-store beers like it's the end of the world - which, for all we know, it might as well be - the real man who raised me and took me in and taught me everything I know is...is...he's…"

The good doctor had the sense to pull her into a hug just before the dam erupted, squeezing her tightly yet gently. She didn't even have the strength to return it at first, just clenching her fists as over a decade of repressed emotions spilled out until her knuckles turned white and her palms bled red. Weir said nothing, did nothing, just held Weaver as she wept while ignoring the hot tears and thick snot that was pouring down her face and staining his best lab coat.

"...I'm fucking sick of losing the people that matter to me," she finally admitted painfully.

"We all are, Angela," he whispered quietly. "We all are."

When she was finally done crying, she pulled away with some difficulty, trying to wipe her face before remembering her tank top had no sleeves. Weir offered another gentle smile (and a much-needed handkerchief) before he patted her on the shoulders, rubbing his fingers along the base of her neck.

"Now then…" he hummed. "Let's make damn sure we don't lose anybody else, hmm?"

"Right…" she choked, wiping her face down as she nodded slowly. "Thanks, Alan. I'm...glad you're here. With me. I don't know what I'd do if you weren't..."

The good doctor gave one more warm gaze and nod before he left.

"There's nowhere else I'd rather be right now, Director Weaver."


The world came back into focus with a bright flash of light that burned his eyes, worsening the pounding aches that assaulted his temples. Blinking and shaking his head did nothing to clear it, and his attempt to rub his brow was thwarted by something tugging on his wrists. A quick search with his fingertips revealed a pair of handcuffs locking his arms behind his back; another sightless investigation told him that the chain of the restraints were looped around a metal pipe of some kind, one that stuck fast in the floor and fed into the wall. He tugged experimentally only to find that the pipe wasn't going anywhere, and thus neither was he. Still, it wasn't the worst position he'd ever woken up in. At least this time he still had all his clothes on - and, more importantly, his hat.

"You're awake," came a frustratingly familiar female voice.

Carter glared up from his spot on the floor, furrowing his brow as a silver-eyed woman in a white cloak stood over him while framed in shadow. Then she knelt to meet his gaze at eye level, content to repay his angry look with one of her own.

"It's about time you came to," continued Summer. "We were wondering if you were gonna just sleep through the whole flight. I hope this is comfortable enough for you - Weir didn't think we'd ever need to hold prisoners on the Avenger, so he never designed a cell block as part of the ship. On the upside, at least sticking you in the food stores means your next meal is never too far away...assuming people don't 'accidentally' forget to feed you."

The rogue agent spared a glance at the seemingly endless maze of shelves stocked with decades-old beans and tins of potted meat, briefly wondering if starvation would be a more humane torture method. He glowered at his former partner again.

"How considerate of you," he grumbled. "You do realize I'm ex-CIA, right? Learning how to pick locks and escape handcuffs is shit they cover in basic orientation. I can bust out of these things anytime I want."

"Oh, I'm sure you could," said a very unimpressed Huntress, "but what would you do after that? You're on an experimental aircraft powered by alien technology, miles away from civilization, surrounded by agents who are all either grieving the loss of their friends or prepping their guns and gear for whatever Origin has planned for us. And if you decide to make your daring escape right now, they might just use those guns on you - guns which can and will hurt you now, because all of a sudden you decided you didn't want to play nice with the friendly alien ghost who's been hitching a ride and giving you all kinds of cool powers. So you might wanna take a rain check on breaking out, Carter - there's nowhere to run even if you do."

Damn. Well there went the top three plans he was already forming in his head. Even if the Huntress was bluffing - which he doubted she was - it was clear from her tone that she was in no mood to play games, and neither was the crew. He sighed and stopped twisting the chain on the cuffs, looking back at the Huntress with a scowl.

"So, you're still upset with me over that talk down at the generator, huh?" He narrowed his eyes.

"Considering that your stupid hissy fit is the whole reason we're even in this mess right now?" She responded in kind. "Yeah. Yeah, you could say I'm a little upset."

"Well, if you came down here for an apology, forget it," grunted Carter. "I know what I did, and I'm not sorry. That 'friendly alien ghost' you're so defensive of is nothing but a soul-sucking parasite who was brainwashing me and turning me into some kind of puppet. It didn't give a damn about who I was or what I wanted - it just wanted an empty shell to serve its own whims, and every shred of myself I ever clawed back was torn apart to get exactly that. And you served yourself up on a silver platter to let the same thing happen to you. So as glad I am to be rid of that thing, all you did was kick the can further down the road. Hell, am I even talking to the real Summer Rose right now? Or are you just some alien freak wearing her face like a goddamn skinsuit?"

The Huntress stood back up and stared down at him with a glare, and for a moment Carter was sure she was about to curb stomp him to prove just how real and in control she really was. But she let go of her anger with a heavy sigh, shaking her head sadly as the rage left her silver eyes.

"You're letting your own paranoia and mistrust color how you're seeing things," she said simply. "I understand how you'd come to that conclusion, but it doesn't work like that."

"Oh really?" he snapped skeptically. "Why don't you enlighten me, then?"

"Gladly," said Summer as she began pacing and gesturing. "Asaru and I have an...understanding, if you will. An agreement. He doesn't move me without my permission, unless I'm in danger. My voice and my thoughts are my own, always. He gives me his psionic powers and keeps my Aura active, but how I use them is still up to me. In return, I protect him and anchor him, give him energy he needs to stay alive and exist in this reality. I'm not a marionette on a wire, and he's not a shady puppeteer making me act against my will. It's mutual symbiosis. We act together, Carter - we're a team. Just like you and I used to be...just like you and him were."

"And how the hell do you know that?" Carter scoffed as his eyes tracked the woman. "How can you be sure he's not just telling you what you want to hear, to get you to let your guard down?"

"Because he and I have been talking." Summer stopped pacing and crouched back down to face him. "You know. Like people do. He has zero reason to be dishonest with me, considering we know each other's thoughts at all times. Maybe if you'd tried doing the same thing, if you'd actually listened to Asaru instead of freaking out, we wouldn't be on the run right now. Who knows? Maybe Faulke and countless others would still be alive, and we'd still have our base."

That made Carter pause as he processed the new information.

Faulke was...gone?

He didn't know how to immediately feel about that. He couldn't claim to have been all that close to the old bastard. After all, his first interaction with the Director was when he'd called Carter out to the ass-end of nowhere in Montana on a dusty October, had his men give him a briefcase he wasn't allowed to open, and sent him on a long winding road trip to Groom Range right when most of the bars were running their happy hour. Every interaction after was while the alien freak in his head ran the show, making him cozy up to the elderly control freak like a brownnoser trying to get a good grade from his teacher.

Was that what he wanted?

Did Faulke know about the Ethereal and its abilities, even before the invasion? How much did the Director really understand about the artifact before he decided to show it off for his friends in Strategic Command? And was Carter specifically chosen as the host because of how expendable he was, how nobody would give a shit if an alien took over his brain and replaced him with whatever it wanted? There were even rumors circulating about how he felt the world would be so much more manageable if humanity had something like Mosaic to unite them...was he just part of Faulke's own attempts to make a copy for themselves?

All these questions in his head - questions he had no good answers for - told him he shouldn't feel sorry that Faulke was dead, and yet the heaviness in his heart refused to go away.

"...so what?" Carter finally said after a moment of silence, trying to mask his sincere sadness as his gaze darted to the steel floor. "It's not my problem anyways. Hell, if anything, it was his fault for roping me into his little war and - "

" No."

The sudden edge that Summer's voice took on made him stop talking completely, and he barely mustered the courage to look up at the silver eyes ablaze once more with anger. It was reassuring when that anger was directed at a Muton. It was terrifying when it was directed right at him.

"You do not get to play the blame game this time, William Carter," she growled harshly, "This isn't like what happened with Julia and Richard, where the only guilty party was random chance. You did this. You chose this. When you learned about Asaru, instead of working with him and finding the truth like I did, you made the decision to lash out and go on a one-man crusade for your freedom. In doing so you destroyed the one tool we had that could have ended the war peacefully, the trump card we all fought and bled and lost friends to get, all because you were angry and didn't want to listen to reason. Your little temper tantrum cost us hundreds of good men and women, forced us into hiding and running and praying we don't get spotted, and pissed off a power-hungry megalomaniac with enough resources and reason to wipe humanity off the face of the fucking Earth for what you did."

Guilt stung his skin like a hammer getting ready to pound in a nail. Carter wasn't sure he'd ever heard his former ASL drop that word before. Something told him he was one of a lucky few to get the honor of witnessing it...if she didn't decide to disembowel him afterwards.

Her rant wasn't done, though. "And even now, instead of sucking it up and admitting you were wrong, that you messed up, you're trying to weasel your way out of the consequences of your own actions as a way to escape your guilt. Because deep down, you know that it's your own fault this time. You know it, I know it, everyone knows it. You think I'm upset with you? Weaver wanted to empty her revolver into your face while you were still out cold. Dresner wanted to cut you open and use your organs for medical research. And it took a lot of convincing on my part to keep even Barnes from chucking your arrogant ass out the airlock while we were flying over the Pacific at Mach Two. You pull any kind of underhanded stunt or keep talking shit about the dead, and whatever goodwill for you that folks still have dies for good. Including mine."

The hammer was giving the nail a few taps now, to make sure it could stick. Summer rose to her feet and spun on her heel, glaring at him over the shoulder as she got ready to walk away after delivering her closing statement.

"You can sit there and say it's not your problem all you want. Hell, if you really want out so badly, we'll drop you off at some shithole bar and let you drink and smoke until the world ends. But the reality is this: however Origin plans to avenge Mosaic, it's gonna become everyone's problem very soon. And we all have you to thank for that, Carter. I hope your freedom was worth it."

Her final words hung in the air and stabbed into his heart like daggers, for reasons he couldn't articulate. Again, he wanted to just brush those feelings off. Yank them free before they could really take root, like stubborn mosquitos or ravenous tapeworms. Nip the emotions in the bud before they began to hurt. But it was all he could do to hang his head and clench his jaw to stop it from trembling, choking out one last question as she started leaving.

"...then why?"

Footfalls of anger and abandonment suddenly stopped. "Hm?"

"Why didn't you just leave me there when the base self-destructed?" The words left him without realizing, unsteady and terse just like the rest of him right now. "If I'm such a huge piece of shit that's doomed the human race...why did you save me anyways?"

The warrior woman from another world was quiet for a moment, and Carter began to wonder if she'd already left without hearing him. His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps coming towards him again, and the rustle of fabric as the white-cloaked woman crouched down and tilted his face towards hers with a hand on his chin. Her expression wasn't quite that of a smile just yet, and her gaze didn't hold complete forgiveness and absolution, but it was genuine enough to ease his fear that the hand caressing his cheek was going to rip out his throat.

"Because even after everything you've done...I still love you, Will," she said with sincerity glowing in her silver eyes. "You, not Asaru, not the self-loathing mask you wear to hide your grief from the world. The real you. And as much as what you did hurts me...the thought of leaving you to die without a chance to make amends hurts even more. You made a terrible mistake, yes...but it shouldn't be your last. You can be better than that. You are better than that."

He must have been more touch-starved than he realized, because he caught himself leaning into the palm that cupped his cheek. As soon as he realized this he jerked his head back, returning his gaze to the floor.

"I told you already," he grumbled dejectedly. "That wasn't me. This is. What you see now is all that's left of me, after…"

"I beg to differ. And so does our mutual friend."

Carter looked up with a confused glance. "And what exactly is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that Asaru didn't change you," said Summer gently. "He doesn't change people. He helps them."

The silver-eyed Huntress started toying with the hem of her cloak as she spoke again.

"I mentioned that Asaru and I have been talking, right? He told me that Ethereals have spent countless lifetimes in an endless number of realities trying to find ways to make a perfect host that doesn't degrade or resist them. They want an immortal anchor that lets them rule their realities forever - you weren't wrong in how most Ethereals are like that, at least. But the truth they're all too arrogant to accept is that such a thing is impossible. They might as well join Sisyphus in pushing his stone up the hill - that boulder always rolls back down the other side, and the original mind and will of the host always rises back to the surface. What makes Asaru different is that rather than waste energy to constantly suppress those original personalities, he's chosen to embrace them, living in harmony with the person he's bonded to and helping them overcome their own faults and failures. That's all he does. That's all he's ever done."

The Huntress's smooth porcelain hand graced his cheek again, and this time Carter didn't pull away.

"When you two were bonded, without either of you ever realizing it...he brought out your best self. The bright-eyed soldier that signed up for World War II and fought for his country without a second thought. The squad leader that inspires and rallies the people under his command, always pulling them back from the brink of despair and finding a way to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. The caring, empathetic man that charmed Julia Crenshaw over a dinner rooted in gratitude, who helped build a family despite never staying for very long, and who even managed to catch the eye of an alien Huntress who'd completely given up on finding love. Asaru found that William Carter, the one that's been sleeping under the poisonous shell you've made for yourself, and woke him up for the world to see. That's the person you've been for the last few months. The person you've always been deep down inside, even after everything."

Silver eyes stared at him for a long moment, before the woman stood back up with a sigh. The hand that left his cheek took with it a warmth that he didn't even know he craved, a lifeline to a ship that was sailing away. Summer's final words stuck to him as she turned and walked away, giving Carter one final thing to think about as he explored the depths of this personal hell he'd created.

"And now that you know he exists...maybe this is your chance to find him for yourself."


"I think we've got something! Beginning recording!"

"Excellent work, Penny! Raymond, help her clean up the signal, this might be what we've waited for!"

"Already on it, sir."

"You as well, Herr Vahlen! Schnell, schnell!"

"I'm hurrying, Doctor! I'm hurrying!"

After her talk with Carter down in the food stores, Summer had just managed to finish drying her tears when she walked into the main deck of the Avenger, only to be greeted by excited voices and bursts of static. She saw Penny hunched over a communications terminal with eager focus in her eyes, with Crawford's hands on her shoulders like the wispy Recon was performing a faith healing on her girlfriend. Shen and Vahlen were gathered around a nearby table with Weir and Dresner, the four men rapidly tapping away at alien-looking keyboards. At the front of the room Weaver's eyes lit up with uncharacteristic hope, while Bradford did his best to remain a stony statue. The commotion soon drew others into the room; first Loveday and Briggs from Strike Five, then Nils and Liz from Strike Two, and finally the rest of her own Strike Three filed in.

"Something finally happening?" Dawson asked with a yawn. "Was just about to settle down with a good book, so this better be good."

"We think we found new orders from Origin," said Penny as she flipped a switch on her console. "We'll know for sure when the auto-translation software's finished running. Should take a minute or so."

Adam knocked back another paper cup of what could generously be called coffee, while Knox spat a wad of black tar into his usual bottle. Summer bit her lower lip in anticipation, an uneasy mix of hope and dread brewing in her heart that was no doubt shared by everyone.

Well...maybe not everyone. Crawford seemed less interested in the possible lead and more interested in a patch of skin on the side of Penny's neck that had miraculously gone untouched by her teeth - an oversight she seemed hungry to correct as her face came closer and closer, every inch adding a deeper shade of red to the comms operator's nervous blush.

Those two seem oddly close, mused Asaru. Are they good friends?

remind me to tell you about same-sex couples at some point, kid, Summer thought privately.

I have existed for at least ten thousand of your lifetimes, said the Ethereal indignantly.

She smirked. Then you should know what lesbians are. Stop staring at them, it's rude.

...as you say, finished Asaru meekly. Apologies.

Don't be sorry, just don't do it again.

"Translation's finished!" Penny announced just before her girlfriend leaned down and delivered the biggest of kisses right on her clavicle.

Weaver didn't react to the breach in fraternization protocol with anything other than an annoyed roll of her eyes. "Play it back. Let's see what we've got."

The giggling comms operator just barely managed to sneak an arm outside of Crawford's embrace to press a button on her terminal, flooding the room with a deep menacing voice that seemed to suck up all the warmth and joy.

"To all Zudjari soldiers still stationed in Cluster Four-Seven-Seven-Nine, begin preparations to abandon the planet. The strongest and bravest of you will reinforce the garrison at Station Zero, while the rest of you must return to the Temple Ship. I will personally be arriving at the base on the world's nearest orbital object, and in one-twelfth of the planet's rotation, I shall release a scourge that will eradicate the primitive species known as 'humans' from the face of their world. Failure to comply will be its own punishment. Moz Zaaik may be gone, but we are still united...and we shall see that the ones responsible for its destruction shall drown in their own blood and choke on their own fears."

Everyone was silent as the message concluded, with even Penny and Crawford looking back up and staring around the room with rapt attention. Summer felt her own blood run cold as Origin's words hung in the air long after the transmission ended, her mind racing to parse what it meant.

"They're leaving," she said in disbelief when she finally found her voice. "Why would they suddenly leave after fighting for seven months?"

"If I had to guess, it sounds like Origin's calling for a tactical retreat," answered Briggs. "That sort of thing is usually done when you want to lure the enemy into your own territory, then punish them for advancing. My pop used to tell me stories about his time in the Great War, how the Germans would suddenly fall back to their far trenches in the middle of a firefight. Nine times out of ten it meant that a barrage of mustard gas or chlorine was about to come next."

"Perhaps it's more than just marching orders to make sure Origin's people aren't in the crossfire of whatever he has planned," mused Weir with a thoughtful hum. "Surely he must know that we're able to receive and understand his transmissions at this point, so he now intends to bait us by sending a message we could easily find."

"He certainly doesn't lack confidence in his own ability, if he's broadcasting where he's gonna be like that," noted Nils. "He wants us to try and fight him now, when he has nothing left to lose. And if Weaver and Rose struggled to take down a Shipmaster - someone lower on the totem pole - then the guy at the top must be a whole other story."

Such a being of psionic power should not be underestimated, agreed Asaru.

Weaver furrowed her brow as she leaned against the table. "This doesn't make any sense. Everything we knew about the Outsiders before the Temple Ship raid told us that taking out Mosaic was the key to both their coordination and the powers their Commanders used. We even saw that 'neural feedback' phenomenon in action as we were leaving. Shouldn't this network be dead and gone, now that Carter's completely destroyed it?"

"Carter destroyed Shamash, the Ethereal powering the network," corrected Summer. "Mosaic was just the name the Outsiders gave to the tech itself, which by extension they started calling Shamash after Origin basically made them one and the same. And as for how he and all the other Commanders still have their powers…"

She closed her eyes and paused for a moment, seeking answers from her alien ally.

"Asaru says that the longer an Ethereal stays bonded with a host, the more of themselves they're forced to leave behind if they have to leave," she explained. "Carter was bonded to him for seven months, so he had to abandon a pretty sizable chunk of his essence when he switched over to me. Shamash and Origin, on the other hand, were merged for thousands of years - so I can only imagine how much of their power he'd manage to keep for himself long after their separation. I'd wager that he's found a way to use himself as a focus for Mosaic, instead of an Ethereal."

Weir pushed his half-moon glasses into place. "So you think he's sustaining the psionic network entirely on his own?"

"He has to be," theorized Summer. "There's no other way he'd be able to coordinate the UFOs to attack our base like that. Or even send orders to his troops at all."

"If that's true, then…" Shen shook his head in amazement. "...that must mean he's directly connected to every single soldier still on Earth, if not across the universe."

"The minds of every Outsider running through his brain all at once…" Loveday chuckled and shook his head. "This Origin chap is either a right badass or an absolute nutter. Probably both."

The force of will it would take to pull off such a feat - and the mental strain it would cause - were all thoughts that Summer was very happy to leave unexplored.

Bradford cleared his throat. "I think we're getting sidetracked on this whole Mosaic business," he said. "What about the rest of the message? The part where he's gonna be at 'Station Zero' in about two hours? Anyone have any idea what that means?"

Dresner crossed his arms as he hummed thoughtfully. "I should think that much would be obvious, Herr Bradford. Origin said that the base was located on Earth's 'nearest orbital object,' so it clearly stands to reason that Station Zero can be found on…"

"...the moon," finished Penny with wide eyes.

" Precisely, Fraulein Cohen."

Knox shook his head in disbelief. "Son of a bitch. We spend years having a dick-waving contest with the Reds to see who can get to space first, and then these alien assholes just show us both up and build a goddamn moon base."

"Well, at least they didn't go and build a hidden city on Mars or something," said Dawson wryly. "Now that would just be silly."

"Doesn't matter where they built it," commanded Weaver. "If Origin is headed to Station Zero, then so are we. Big Sky, are you listening? Is the Avenger still space-worthy after our last mission?"

The pilot's voice chuckled as it came over the loudspeakers. "Compared to jumping through an alien portal into deep space, flying to the moon should be no problem. I can have us there in less than a minute, once you're all ready."

"Kennedy would probably have a stroke if he could see us now," joked Nils with a smirk. "'We do these things because they're hard' my ass."

"Yes, yes, big historic moment, I get it." The Director sighed. "Really, I do. But we need to focus here. Doctor, you were able to get the plans for the Temple Ship before we launched our assault. Does it have anything similar for Station Zero? Floor plans, enemy numbers, defenses?"

Weir typed into his alien keyboard, and frowned. "If there is, the phase plotter won't let us see them. It seems that Origin wanted to keep these stations a closely guarded secret - either the files simply don't exist, or not even Shipmaster-level clearance will allow us to view them."

I may be able to assist. Ask Weir if I may access the phase plotter.

Summer quickly raised an eyebrow, but repeated Asaru's request slowly. Weir looked surprised and taken aback but didn't refuse, stepping to the side and allowing the Huntress to approach the pedestal in the center of the main deck. She took a deep breath and put her hands on the glass dome, looking down at spinning black cube with silver eyes that faintly reflected amber light.

"Alright Asaru...do your thing."

She didn't see the four-armed ephemeral figure rising out of her back and shoulders like a blue specter, but the look on everyone's faces told her that Asaru was making himself visible to the Avenger. Some of them yelled, some of them swore, and still others went for their guns reflexively before trigger discipline clamped down on the urge to attack. Nils unsurprisingly stepped forward to put himself between his beloved Liz and the new alien, while Penny drew Crawford so close the two women were practically merging. Not even her own Strike Team were immune to the shock - Dawson paled as though he'd seen a ghost, Shen moved closer to his mentor with a furrowed brow, Adam raised a machine pistol in trembling hands, and Knox dropped his bottle of tobacco spit with a loud clatter of breaking glass.

"It's okay!" said Summer quickly, both to the visibly-agitated Asaru and to the roomful of Agents on hair-triggers. "It's alright. We're all friends here. Everyone...met Asaru. Asaru...this is everyone. Say hello."

She looked up at the Ethereal, watching as her charge gave a small timid little wave with his topmost hands. Weaver let out the breath she'd been holding and stowed her revolver, which prompted the rest of the room to follow suit as the sudden tension relaxed. Despite this, everyone seemed to keep their distance as Asaru's two lower hands extended violet-blue tendrils into the phase plotter while a small star of light pooled between his upper palms.

Everyone except Doctor Weir, who approached Asaru with fascination rather than fear.

"Remarkable…" breathed the good doctor, "...simply remarkable. This is the species of Asaru and Shamash? An Ethereal?"

Summer nodded. "In the flesh. Well...so to speak."

"He's absolutely incredible. You say he communicates with you in thought, yes? Can he speak to others as well?"

I can indeed, Doctor Weir. It is a pleasure to meet you.

The Huntress laughed softly at Weir's astonished expression. "That answer your question, doctor?"

"Very much so…" gasped Weir. He bowed respectfully to Asaru. "The pleasure's all mine, Asaru. On behalf of the human race, thank you for all you've done for us."

The Ethereal responded with a bow of his own, clearly smiling despite lacking any kind of facial features.

It has been an honor being your champion, he intoned, but our work is not over yet. You need answers to stop Origin...answers I may be able to find for you. One moment, please.

Asaru made some form of circular motion with his glowing palms, before bringing them both to his chest slowly. Moments later, a holographic image began to appear in the center of the room, painting an intangible model for everyone to see and study as they gasped in amazement. Summer watched as a tall spire with a massive dome at the base drew itself into existence, surrounded by three smaller pyramids that dotted the crater-marked landscape around the structure. With the Ethereal feeding information to her as he retrieved it from the depths of the Mosaic network, she spoke aloud to address the room.

"Okay, so...thanks to Asaru, we now have a complete map of the Station Zero facility that Origin mentioned in his message. That massive tower in the middle is the central chamber, and that dome around the base is a well-fortified stronghold. Whatever the Zudjari have in mind for their last attack, it's going to come from there."

"So that's where we're headed," noted Weaver with a nod. "I take it we can't just stroll inside, though."

"I wish we could," affirmed Summer as Asaru's palms parted, zooming in on the central chamber. "The problem is that the main facility is protected by an impervious hard-light barrier - nothing gets in or out while it stays up, and anything that tries to push through anyways gets torn to atoms. There's also a lot of anti-aircraft platforms buried around the compound, so once we show up in the Avenger we'll be under fire almost immediately."

"Oh, Barnes is gonna hate that," said Dawson with a smirk. "We all know how he feels about AA guns."

"There's gotta be a way inside," observed Nils. "If we can't go through the barrier, maybe we can disable it somehow?"

"You read my mind, Nils," said Summer with a nod and a small smile. She pointed to the pyramids that surrounded the main facility. "Our best bet is to hit these three smaller relay stations around the edge of the perimeter. They house the Elerium generators used to keep the barrier running, as well as power just about everything else not tied to the central chamber. So if we disable all three of them at the same time, it should shut down all their defenses…"

"...leaving us with a prime opportunity to attack the central chamber," finished Bradford. He looked over at Weaver. "You got a plan in mind already, ma'am?"

"I do," said the Director with a nod. "But I wanna see what our alien friend comes up with, first. Either of them."

Summer smiled inwardly. She could feel Asaru glowing with pride, while her silver eyes shimmered in delight. The Huntress-and-Ethereal pair carefully studied the image before them like it was the backdrop of a chess game, and they were tasked with deciding the first move of the match.

"This is going to be our biggest op ever, so we should commit all hands on deck," she said after a moment of thoughtful humming. "We deploy three Strike teams, with seven people each, all attacking at the exact same time. Asaru says that we'll need to sabotage all three relays within ten minutes of each other after we attack the first one - otherwise they'll release a pulse of radiation that'll deep-fry us from the inside out. So we have to move fast, strike hard, and coordinate with each other. It's the only way to get inside alive."

She pointed at Weaver, then Loveday, and finally herself. "We'll be heading up Strikes One, Two, and Three, respectively. Make sure to keep open comms between the teams as we advance, we'll need to act completely in sync to make sure all the generators get disabled at the same time. Once the barrier's down, we regroup at the stronghold, make our final push to the central chamber, and corner Origin."

"Sounds simple enough," said Loveday. "Where's the other shoe?"

"Probably waiting to drop on us inside," finished Summer. "There's no doubt we'll find heavy resistance as we move further in - if Origin hid these files so deep in Mosaic that only an Ethereal could pull them out, then it stands to reason that he really doesn't want anyone finding this place. But I've been in XCOM long enough to know that every person in this room is capable of amazing things. Origin thinks he's invincible here. Let's go prove him wrong."

Summer looked up at the rest of the crew gathered around. "Any objections?"

"None from me," said Weaver with a nod. "Your suggestion's pretty similar to what I was thinking - although personally I think you should head up Strike Two, Summer. Far as I'm concerned, you're my second-in-command at this point. Only fitting that you take the second team for this op."

The silver-eyed Huntress blinked, amazed that the woman that was giving her grief just months prior was now directly praising her. It might have been a small gesture, but it carried a great deal of weight behind it to Summer: Weaver trusted her, as both an officer and a friend.

She gave a smile and a small salute. "I won't let you down, Weaver."

"I know you won't." The Director gave her - and only her - a quick smile, then looked around the room. "And how about everyone else? Do we wanna sit around all day talking about strategy? Or are you all ready to kick these bastards off our world for good?"

The roaring cheers from everyone on the Avenger's main deck filled Summer's heart with pride. No matter what happened, these people were fighting for their home.

And the silver-eyed Huntress would march alongside them for her new home, too.


(A/N): Before we end the chapter, I'd like to take a moment to explain my plan regarding the upcoming finale.

As I said at the start, we have four chapters left in the story, with three of those being dedicated to the final mission and the last chapter serving as an ending to the fic as a whole. At the time of this writing, I'd say I'm about 50% done with the entire last block of chapters, and if luck (and the giddy excitement at getting to conclude a big story like this one) continue to hold up, I should be able to finish them up pretty soon. However, to avoid leaving everyone on unexpectedly long cliffhangers, I don't plan on releasing the chapters until all of them are finished. And to avoid dropping four huge updates on everyone's head all at once, I plan to stagger each chapter's release by a few days to give you all a chance to read and process the events therein.

What does that mean for you? Well, it probably means I'm gonna be going radio silent both here and on the REMCOM Discord server about the story, as I write, polish, and perfect the big finale. I'm hesitant to give any kind of promise about when it'll come out, since I'm notoriously bad at upholding those kinds of deadlines, but I can say with absolute certainty that I plan to finish this story before the end of 2021. After that I'll probably take a short break from writing before diving into my next project, which...well, let's just say it's an idea that has me very tickled, and I can't wait to share it with all of you after we're done with Summer and her friends in the Bureau.

In any case, thank you all so much for following the story and its inconsistent updates thus far, I hope you've had half as much fun reading it as I've had writing it, and I can't wait to see you all back here for the finale! Keep moving forward, and keep being awesome!