Aliens. I slept through an alien invasion. It sounded like some sick joke.
So here's the "gist". In the summer of 2015, an alien force calling itself "Advent", launched an assault on the globe. This was no evil race of big-headed Martians with tripods you could sneeze on. This was a wide stretching empire with highly specialized soldiers taken from various worlds throughout the cosmos. In short: we fought, we lost, they took over. And, in perfect understanding of human beings, created a wonderful new society for us where material goods, entertainment, alien technology, and gene-altering therapy were used to cajole us into ignoring the complete lack of real freedom, the violent silencing of dissent, and the fact that citizens routinely disappeared.
It was not until 2035 that XCOM, a multinational paramilitary group that was supposed to save the world during the first stages of the war had returned after finding their commander under a desk something. Anyway, they get back on track, going on small skirmishes and helping resistance groups around the globe. They find the alien base, tell the world that their extra-terrestrial overlords are manning a genocidal operation to turn us into cough-drops or some shit, shut down the mind-control network controlling the soldiers, and save the world.
But, in reality, the world fell into a new kind of shit very quickly. When the psi-network fell, many energy plants and machines called "fabricators" either self-destructed or were destroyed by soldiers along with their power supply, elerium, as some sort of end-all fail-safe. So, despite XCOM's initial management of the whole thing, there are cities around the globe in chaos and anarchy, along with human and alien groups fighting or vying for control in the still habitable pockets of the world.
As for the aliens themselves, well, they're here. Left behind by their late overlords. Some are bad, some are good. Most of them are similar to humans in intelligence, but there are others that are just animal-like and cannot be reasoned with. Some are still loyal to their masters and fight against humans, others try to survive on their own or, in rare cases, attempt to live amongst humans, just as Adam and Mary do.
I sat back in my chair, looking up at the ceiling as I tried to- no. I couldn't process this. I think I'll just follow Eric's advice. "Just accept it."
"And this place?" I asked after a few minutes of silence.
"Hm?" The Doctor replied having been surprised at my sudden question.
"The hospital, the city- why are you here?"
The Doctor leaned back in his chair, his hands clasped over his gut.
"Oh, well, I've been here for about a year and a half. I came with a refugee caravan coming from a resistance camp a few months after the network fell. The city was damaged during the war, and its high-tech and elerium got destroyed once the troopers learned they were on the losing side. But the dam was able to be secured before they got to it. I found this small hospital on the outskirts of town and decided, with the help of some other fine people, to renovate it and provide healthcare for those who didn't live in the inner city. Mary and Adam came along about six months later and said they wanted to help out. My staff, understandably, didn't approve. But once they showed their dedication I managed to turn them around. And, well, we've been here ever since."
I sat in silence for a few minutes more. I felt queasy thinking about my next question. I hoped for a good answer.
"Doctor?"
"Yes, Mr. Woodcroft?"
"My family… is there any way I can contact them?"
The Doctor sat back in chair and looked uneasy.
"The thing is, XCOM handles the international communications networks. People have been scattered all around, and with the Brazilian Crisis and That havoc in Australia, XCOM have got their hands full. Considering your, um, unique predicament, I think they'll have an interest in helping you, but it will take a while before I can contact them."
I gave a long sigh.
"Alright, Doctor. Thank you for helping me."
"I will find a way to contact them, George. Trust me on this."
"Okay, yeah. What's the Brazilian Crisis?"
Dr. Acharya put his hand to his face.
"Look, it's nothing to worry about right now."
A light buzzing was heard coming from Dr. Acharya's direction. He pulled out his tablet and looked at it.
"Ah, your room has been prepared. Follow me please."
I was led back downstairs to the first floor and led back to the small room. It was only slightly less cramped than before, with the cabinets removed are replaced with an old wooden desk and chair. Still, it made the room seem much more habitable.
"Sorry, but this was all we could spare. The nature of your recovery attracted some unwanted attention so we had to separate you from the other patients."
"Unwanted attention?"
"When you were brought in, there was a quite a crowd following you. It took a while for me to get them to disperse." He said while I walked over and sat on the bed.
"How did you find me?"
"From what the Clean-Up Crew told me, your stasis pod was found alongside some debris that floated down the river after some seismic activity occurred a few miles east of the city. They brought you to me once they found out you were alive."
That must have been quite a sight. I imagined something like a glass coffin floating downstream while on-lookers stared at the sleeping man inside.
"Can I meet this Clean-Up Crew? I'd to thank them for finding me."
"I'm actually expecting a visit from them later today. For now it's best you rest. I'll see you soon, Mr. Woodcroft."
"Thank you, Doctor."
"Just one thing." I asked as he was about to leave.
"How much longer am I going to stay in this hospital?"
Dr. Acharya put his hand on his chin.
"I'm not entirely sure. Staying here for too long won't do you any good, but it'll be difficult to find a place to stay out there. Most newcomers live in tents by or in the ruins that make up the outer city, and have stayed there since they made it here. I don't want you sharing the same fate. Hopefully someone on the city council will make a reservation once I have your profile sent but it could take months for a response to come back, so you'll have to bear with me."
Even in the future, red tape was still a problem.
"I will, Doctor. Thank you again for all your help. You've been really patient with me and I hope I can return the favour in the future."
"You are welcome, Mr. Woodcroft. See you later."
Dr. Acharya closed the door and I was left alone again.
In the silence everything slowly came crashing down around me. At first I was angry, frustrated, confused, I probably would've wrecked his office if it weren't for the inhibitor. But now the despair returned. The world had changed in such a bizarre and inconceivable way, but all I could think about was what was left behind. What about back home? Dr. Acharya was vague on the details about what happened to Britain, saying that he had no solid info on what was occurring in the "West European Region". Was there even a home to go back to? How the hell could I fit in here? I'm just a guy with half a horticulture degree. Even my great "powers", things that I thought would make me destined for great things have only made me a danger to others due to my own lack of discipline.
I was falling into the pit again. I had to stop myself. It's going to be alright. When all things change, I focus on that which cannot, on the immutable.
I moved to the centre of the bed and crossed my legs, my body resting on the left heel as the other sat atop the thigh. For once it was good that a hospital bed was firm like wood. Gently holding my knees with my hands, I sat upright.
I steadied my breathing, and focused on the Unconquered Sun.
I felt that same energy rippling up and down my spine, but with a much slower and calmer speed.
It was going to be alright. It wasn't going to be easy at all, but I was going to make it. I just needed to be brave.
My trance was suddenly interrupted by a knock at the door.
I gently opened my eyes and turned towards the door. A similar set of black eyes were staring back at me.
"Hey, there!" Said a chirpy voice from behind the door.
"Can you open the door?"
I walked over to the door and opened it.
Adam was standing there with a relaxed posture, his head slightly leaning to the side with a smile on his face.
"Morning, George. How are you doing?
"Hello, Adam. I'm, well, I'm holding up. Why are you here?"
"Just came to check up on you. Do you need anything? Or… Do you just need someone to talk to? I don't get back to work for about twenty minutes so I have time to listen."
I looked at Adam for a second. He really just wanted to see how I was doing? Well, it was welcome, especially with how I was feeling now. And there were some things I wanted to get off my chest.
"Yeah, sure." I pulled out the chair by the desk and sat on the bed opposite. Adam sat down and faced me.
I didn't know where to being, but when I looked at Adam, his big black eyes and shiny ruddy skin, one thing came to mind amidst the fog of mental confusion.
I sighed and slumped my shoulders.
"Ye' know, before all this, I didn't believe aliens existed."
Adam's head tilted and eyes widened in what looked like surprise.
"Believe?"
Adam raised his arms in front of him and looked at them up and down.
"They seem pretty real to me."
That lifted my spirits a bit, absurd as the situation was. I was worried at first that I somehow offended him by letting that slip out, but he seemed a friendly sort. I felt foolish for being afraid of him this morning.
"How come you didn't believe in life beyond the stars?" He said with a grin.
"I heard most humans believed aliens years before Advent came."
I felt uncomfortable talking about this, it was something I often thought about but never discussed with anyone. People often thought of me as strange, but I knew when to shut my mouth. But, with the evidence staring me right in the face, I assumed now was good time to be brave and honest.
"Because I thought our place in the universe was special. That the story revolved around us. As for the UFOs and all that, I thought it was spirits doing it."
"Spirits? You mean ghosts?"
"Not as in the souls of the departed, but as in terrestrial spirits or entities from alternate vibrational frequencies, or dimensions, if you like. I believed, and still do believe this, because the "crafts" described by eyewitnesses often describe morphing or organic shapes. This was because they were not machines at all, but rather singular entities phasing in and out of our reality. As for the so-called third-type encounter, the circumstances surrounding them highly reflect with that of ancient folklore regarding fae-folk and other localized earthbound spirits. Whereas others think of that as just being just an old interpretation of extra-terrestrials, I think-."
I stopped myself. I was rambling again. I looked over to Adam, praying to God that I did not embarrass myself any more than I had. His face was hard to decipher, not just because he didn't have any eyebrows, but because his eyes displayed a wideness that either meant intrigue, or outright confusion.
"Are you okay?"
"Sorry, I was rambling again."
"Don't apologize, I was finding it very interesting."
"Yeah, it's just, I didn't talk about this kind of thing much before. So I went a little overboard."
"I think it's good you're opening up, and what you were saying was definitely more interesting than most stuff talked about here."
"Thanks."
I looked at the psi-inhibitor on his wrist, and remembered the night before.
"I've been meaning to ask… How did you knock me out last night?"
His eyes widened and his mouth opened slightly. His head moved about the room a bit before responding.
"Well, I mean um..."
Adam slumped his shoulders before looking back at me.
"Well, I'm a Sectoid. We all have psionic abilities. But the City law state that we all have to wear psi-inhibitors at all times."
"Do you have trouble controlling your powers too?"
"Oh, no. It's just that our kind are used to speaking telepathically, and well, humans consider that an invasion of privacy. That and our… Other abilities, such as the one I used to calm you down, are considered too dangerous to left alone."
An entire race of beings capable of such astonishing feats. Fascinating.
"But, you're still able to do it?"
He lifted his arm and pointed at his inhibitor.
"Like I said, flimsy."
He placed his hand behind his head, his smile turned into a nervous frown.
"Look, I only did it to protect you, stop you from hurting yourself or anyone else if things got worse. You understand, right?"
"I'm not upset, Adam. I understand, I was erratic last night and you took initiative. I just, I just never knew you could do that with these powers."
"Well, I'm glad we cleared that up. But please, George." He said with a look of sincerity on his face. Despite the aforementioned lack of hair on his brow, the flesh moved in such a way to still display that expression.
"Keep this between us. I don't want anyone else finding out about this."
"What happens to you if someone finds out?"
"Probably… I'll get exiled. The City doesn't have anything like the a prison for psikers or that processing facility they have in City 31. Either that or worse..." His tone became sombre.
"Don't worry, Adam. I won't tell anyone. You can count on me."
That smile of his returned, it was beginning to grow on me.
"Thanks, George. I gotta go now, I'll catch you at lunch and maybe we can continue our chat then, alright?"
"That sounds cool, I see you then." With the type of food they served here, lunch would certainly be better with some company.
"Alright then, see ya!" He said as he walked out and closed the door.
I laid down on bed and took a deep breath.
Adam, despite being from some distant star, seemed more human than most people I had met in the last few years. Well, years that I was awake at least. It gave me a little bit of hope knowing that I could have a friend in these difficult times.