Entertainment Room #4

6/28/17- 2:41 PM

The speech had been delayed for several hours due to the darkness that loomed over the city, but that was far from the only thing we had had to worry about.

Instead, we were focused on the gargantuan Hiveship that'd appeared over Turkey, and had been deploying forces. The country was going to be overrun - and soon. ADVENT could respond, but, as far as I knew, they might not be quick enough to fully stop the Collective entirely. I'd heard about Hiveships here and there, but, seeing that massive ship...my god. I'd simply never seen anything like it.

That wasn't all, though. Patricia was making a push towards Seoul, Warlock 2.0 was on the move again, and the Second Guardian was attacking the West Coast. The Collective was seriously making a serious effort to gain some ground here.

Hopefully, we could negate some of that in the end.

The small crowd of soldiers looked back at the screen as the Chancellor stepped onto the podium, beginning her speech.

"The symbology of what is being attempted here today is not something to be downplayed. Today is the day where ADVENT emerged, and declared our intention to form a united Humanity to stand against the alien threat. In that one year, we have secured much of the world under our control. We have killed an Ethereal. We have overcome a plague. We have won battle after battle against the aliens. We have made technological breakthroughs that were considered science fiction months ago. We field psions capable of matching the Ethereals. We have become what the Collective has feared the most – a threat."

Not a bad start. Technically, it was two Ethereals, but the Ravaged One's death was pretty much all XCOM. Then again,Although what she'd said wasn't technically true, it reminded me of just how much of the truth of this war was kept from the public truly. How would they react if they learned of T'Leth, and the true nature of the Collective invasion? About the Synthesized, whose near extermination of the Ethereals led to the formation of the Collective? And XCOM's attack on the UN?

I shook my head. Better to focus on the Chancellor's words, not on hypothetical what-if scenarios.

The Chancellor continued with her rousing speech. "If the Imperator, and his cohort, were as powerful as they believed, then they would have ended this war. The Imperator was said to be powerful enough to dominate planets, and yet where exactly is he? Hidden away, out of fear, or perhaps disinterest. He works through his puppet, because he knows if he came personally…he would risk his own life."

Throwing shade at the Imperator and his little toy, are we? I'd do the same thing if given the chance, just not as exquisitely. I snorted. While I could understand the reasoning behind using the shades as a kind of psychological warfare, it just seemed kind of...cartoony to me. Like something a villain from a movie or TV show would do.

On one hand, fictional villains usually didn't have the backing of entities capable of soloing entire armies or countries.

But on the other hand, villains, be them fictional or real could always be beaten in some way. That gave me some hope for the current situation.

As she continued to speak, listing off the good things ADVENT had done for the world in the year that it had risen to power, I couldn't help but feel more comforted. More safe. More...proud of what I was doing.

It gave me, and the countless others watching, something that was truly powerful.

Hope.

In a way, that's what XCOM was made for, after all. To protect humanity against an alien threat, to give the people hope that they could live to see and fight another day. To give them the hope that there would one day be a day where they would not have to live in fear from powers that wished to do harm.

But to do that, we'd have to fight.

And as her speech concluded, I smiled.

I felt ready.

I was ready.

Barracks, Praesidium

6/29/17- 2:37 PM

My dad's deadpan expression said it all, staring at me through the screen.

"Dawn. How's it going?"

"It's going well," I said. "How's the job?"

"It's good. Though people keep asking me how you're doing. I still have to tell them you're in the PRIESTs, you know," he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I know I can't tell them - it's for your safety. But I miss you, Dawn."

I gulped. "I miss you too, Dad. I...I'm sorry. I wish it was different sometimes."

"Yeah." He nodded. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

"I wanted to talk about us, Dad."

He raised an eyebrow. "What about us, exactly?"

"About me joining XCOM, and our relationship. I know you're angry about it, and I want to talk about it with you."

He pursed his lips. "Okay. What about it? How we've barely spoken since you've joined? How you've changed? How you've been doing things people your age shouldn't do?"

"Change, Dad?" I demanded. "You want to talk about change? How about how you're changing? You've been more distant, working more and more, and you refuse to talk about it! You've been constantly pissed off ever since I joined, and I just want to talk to you about it."

"I'm worried about you because you might die, Dawn! Or that something will fuck up your mind! You're nineteen- how old are the people you're working with? Twenties, thirties? And how much experience do you have compared to them?"

I knew what he was trying to get at - I was too young for this. Would I even be allowed to send Aegis' and Geists' reports to him? As much as I wished Bronis or Geist could give him a stern lecture about this, this was my problem, something I had to do myself.

Hopefully I wouldn't screw it up.

"I know, Dad," I sighed. "That's why I wanted to call you in the first place. I want to offer you my perspective on this, so maybe you can understand this better."

He ruffled his eyebrows. "Alright. Okay, I'm listening."

He leaned back in his chair, in a way giving off an okay, this is gonna be good impression.

Well then. Let's hope this didn't go totally to hell.

"I know you're worried that what I do might have lasting effects on me, be them mental or physical, or even me dying. I know it's hard, but I've come to accept it. I made a choice to come here, and choices have consequences. I am ready to accept the fact that I could very well be killed or injured to a degree that I'd have to undergo severe surgery for. I could lose some limbs in the future for all I know. But I know I want this."

"You want this?" He asked incredulously. "Dawn, a year ago you'd never touched a gun and talked about how you'd make a bad soldier when you talked with your uncle! What changed?"

"What changed? Dad, the war? Hello? I know you wanted me to go to college. I get that - you wanted me to have a good education and a better chance at getting a good job. I know how you feel. But things changed. Joining the PRIESTs was something I just couldn't say no to. Those vids, Dad. Of New York and Seattle? That told me that we had to do something about this. I should do something! I couldn't just turn down my psionic potential. Do you know how many people out there have a ninety or above on the Trask Scale that aren't Ethereals?"

He shrugged. "I'm not sure. I'm guessing it's not very many?"

"Exactly. Not using that would be a waste. You always said that I was smart. I know you weren't happy when I didn't end up going to college when the PRIESTs recruited me, but under ADVENT, the colleges I and Mary would've gone to are free! We wouldn't have to worry about the cost at all!"

He shook his head. "It's not about the money, Dawn. It's about your future, the cost it has on us and you! Your mom and I worry constantly about you and your sister being in danger. Especially you! You've seen how your uncle is, what combat did to him. Have you ever considered what it would do to you? He was in the military for years, and you've only been in it for half a year!"

I knew where he was coming from. I understood what he was trying to say. He was worried I wouldn't be able to handle it. Be it killing people, seeing the horrors of war, people being burned, blown apart, dismembered - and that wasn't counting the psionic aspect of it - seeing into people's minds, controlling them, and making them insane.

Of course, the other way around could also happen, Getting mentally attacked with telepathy could be absolutely devastating if you weren't prepared. Having a telepath go into your mind and puppet you, or seek out the deepest, darkest depths of your mind and having that terror overwhelm you was, in my mind, a fate worse than death.

Well, that or becoming a Bringer thrall. But I didn't want to think about that right now. I had enough on my mind.

"Dad, I get why you're worried. If I were in your position, I'd be worried too! But…" I sighed. "If you were here, you could understand. The people here have been training me well. They've been accepting and really understanding. The Commander and Geist aren't going to send me out if I'm not ready. I've been talking to a therapist, as well as a lot of people who have much more experience than I do. Hell Dad, my bunkmate fought in Beijing. And some of my friends have fought Ethereals!"

His brow furrowed. "Are they really friends, Dawn?"

"Yes! We care about each other here. We talk about our experiences, our lives, our families, whatever! We're a family here." A strange family, but a good one nonetheless. "We're all together in this fucking war, whether we like it or not."

He shook his head. "You don't deserve this, Dawn. You should be hanging out with people your age, not soldiers."

I nodded, my voice getting quiet. "You're right. I shouldn't be. If there was no war, of course not. But there is a war. A war I chose to get involved in. A war we're all involved in!"

"And you want us to move to this...base-place-whatever it is?"

"Yes! You're putting yourselves in danger by just staying put where you are! What if they drop an invasion force on Nashville tomorrow? You could be killed! And what about if the Zararch or someone else decide to pay you a visit?"

He shook his head. "That's not-"

"It could happen, Dad. Please. Just think about it for me, okay?"

"Alright. But Dawn, please. For my own sake, answer this question."

"Okay, Dad. Go ahead."

He paused, staring away for a second before turning back to the camera. "Do you enjoy what you're doing? Where you are?"

I stared at my dad, my eyes filled with conviction. "Yes." I said, swallowing as I mustered up my strength. "I do."

A slight nod, a face blank. "Why?"

"XCOM...here, I feel welcome. I feel like I have a purpose here. Meaning. Being around these people, it's made me think about life. My life, and what I've done. Learning about myself, the war and my powers, the tech, the modifications, what we know - what we're doing. I feel certain about my future and what I want to do. It may not be the future I or you or Mom wanted for me, but it is what it is. And you know what? I like it here."

He sighed, his shoulders slumping. "I would ask you what you do there but that's probably classified - they won't tell us much." He made eye contact with me. "Dawn, I just want you to be safe. You're my little girl, you're my daughter. And all this secrecy and not knowing much about where you are or what you're doing...it's just hard for me. For your mom."

I reached out, touching the screen. "I know, Dad." I said quietly. "I miss you and her. I miss seeing you, being with you all."

"I do too, Dawn."

For a minute, we said nothing. I decided to take a risk. "You remember, back when I was younger? You'd take me and Grace out, walking George to get ice cream from that once truck?"

A slight grin spread across his face. "I remember."

I continued. "And we'd go to that one park bench and just sit there, talking? It'd be warm, but not too warm. We'd pet George and you'd ask us about our day, and just for a while, we wouldn't worry about anything else?"

"I do. And George would always try to chase after those squirrels. I swear, those nut-hiding buggers were trying to tease him." I laughed loudly - maybe a little too loudly. Some of the soldiers in the room turned their heads towards me, giving me the 'you okay?' or the 'the fuck?' look, which I waved off, smiling.

"I miss that dog so damn much."

"I do too. You and Grace loved him."

"He was like family."

"He was."

I sigh. Good times. I missed that Saint Bernard. Truly the goodest boy that ever lived.

"Will you be on for much longer, Dawn?"

"A few more minutes, Dad. Then I'm going to meet up with some friends."

"Any of them aliens?"

"One's a flying cyborg."

He chuckled. "Seriously?"

"Yep."

He gave me a friendly wave. "Alrighty then. Have fun, then."

"I will, Dad. And um...can you think about what I said?"

"Sure, honey. I'll talk it over with your mother. We'll let you know soon okay?"

"Okay. Love you, dad."

"Love you too, honey."

The call ended a moment later. I laid back, staring at the ceiling.

Not bad, Dawn. Not bad at all.

MEC Bay, Praesidium

6/28/17- 1:30 PM

The sim had ended a few minutes ago, so Sierra decided to give me a little impromptu tour of MEC central.

And I was not disappointed.

"Wow."

"It's pretty nice, isn't it?"

I nodded, staring at the Valkyrie MEC. I'd seen it firsthand in the Dreamscape, but this was something else. It was so...huge. Intimidating. Especially the wings - its wingspan along spoke for the sheer power of this machine. If I didn't know any better, I'd want to fly it myself. Truthfully though, as cool as the Archangels looked, I preferred being on the ground. Not that I was afraid of heights or anything. Though I wouldn't mind getting a jetpack or something like that.

"It is. It's...kind of awesome."

She appraised me, though it was a bit difficult to tell what she was thinking, even if her tone sounded amused. "Is that right?"

I knew Sierra was teasing me, but I went along with it anyway. I held up my hands in mock surrender. "Alright, T-X. I'll give you that one. It's very awesome." I paused for a second. "But not as cool as melting people and controlling their minds."

She snorted. "I've not necessarily thought about it in…" she gestured somewhat aimlessly. "Those kinds of terms. But it is...fun. It still is; flying. Terrifying sometimes, dangerous of course, but it's an experience I wouldn't trade for anything. It's...hard to describe to someone who's not a MEC pilot, similar I imagine to how it is to describe psionics to one who isn't." She flexed her fingers, not doing the pull-the-flesh-back part, thank god. That little trick was freaky, and absolutely no one was going to change my mind.

"That's alright. Seeing you in action is all the proof I need. Personally, I don't think I'd be up for becoming a MEC myself, unless they figure out how to make one that doesn't mess with your psionic aptitude. And even then, I'm not sure if I'd even feel comfortable going through with it." I looked at her, trying not to make it sound like I was throwing shade on her choice.

Her face was inscrutable as she formulated a response. "It's not a choice anyone should make lightly, especially not someone like you. Not everyone is cut out for it. I'm not like you or most people now. I can endure it, but not everyone can."

I nodded. "Can I ask you a few things about, well, becoming a MEC?"

I was very curious about what it felt like to go through such a change, not to mention losing so much of your organic body. I'd heard you didn't even have to eat or sleep after undergoing the procedure, which further intrigued me. I'd pulled all-nighters before during sleepovers and on weekends, but never having to sleep or eat for the rest of your life?

She indicated to a nearby empty table, with two chairs. "Sure, let's sit. I've got some time. Ask away." We sat down and she continued. " What do you want to know?"

"Well…." Where do I even begin? "Is it really true you don't have to sleep or eat?"

"Sort of. I don't need to sleep, but I still do anyway." She tapped the side of her flat chest - another thing I kind of wanted to ask her about, but wasn't really sure how to properly word it. "Battery port's right here, gets charged every night."

"Wait, so you just...put a cord in there, and just plug it into an outlet?"

She nodded, noticing my surprised look. "A bit crude, but essentially. I don't really feel anything, because it's all metal in there." She tapped her chest. "It's mostly unnecessary - I can go about a month without needing to charge myself, but I still do it anyway."

I nodded. Okay, so it's true you don't have to sleep, but sleep is sleep, I guess. "And eating?"

She reached into her pocket and pulled out a red vial. "This is what they give us to eat and drink. Tailored for my cybernetics, though most of us treat it as a supplement or vitamin. I can eat and drink - I still do. I don't know how it exactly works, but my best guess is that nanites break it down and convert it to nutrition for the body. The procedure didn't alter my taste, so everything still tastes good.. Actually, let me see…"

She reached into the pocket of her uniform, feeling around for a moment before pulling out a clear vial, filled with red fluid, not too dissimilar to the color of blood. She held it out, as if it was for me.

"I'm not eating that."

She grinned. "Watch."

Sierra pulled up her sleeve, revealing her metal arm as her 'skin' pulled back, revealing a slit in the robot forearm. She gingerly inserted the vial into the slit, which made a little click noise as it hooked up to her system. A second later, the fluid drained out of it, emptying the vial ridiculously fast.

My eyes widened. "Wow. So that's how you feed yourself?"

"'Feed' being a generous term - but yes, pretty much."

"Do you feel anything?"

She shrugged. "No. Though after I put it in my system, I do feel a little rush of energy. Like drinking water while you're thirsty and it's hot out. That kind of feeling."

"You seem pretty used to not being able to do some basic human functions."

She stared at her hands, the skin retracted, leaving only pure metal. "It's easier than you'd think. You have to get used to it or you'll go mad. Yates and the other MEC pilots have been helping me get used to it - the other pilots have been doing this much longer then I have, some of them even before MEC 2.0. They've been really helpful." She briefly trailed off. "But things are different. I don't get really hungry, thirsty, or tired. I don't have to speak with my mouth. All feeling is...artificial. Existing, but artificial. There are other things, though mostly when you're connected to the MEC suit itself ."

I raised an eyebrow. "Didn't the change in your height kind of freak you out? And doesn't your, ah…." I blushed a little, trying to find the right way to say it without sounding like a weirdo.

"For your first question, not really. I have had to watch myself hitting my head on some things I didn't have watch before, but outside of a few inconveniences, it's welcome," she smiled faintly. "If you're implying certain other things...also true. My parts are...intact. Technically. I can't have children. I don't have a sex drive anymore." She shrugged. "Children and sex aren't necessarily priorities right now. It was something I could handle."

"Huh. Thanks for answering that, Sierra. I just...well…" I blushed even more. "Sorry if I sounded awkward there. I respect your choice to do what you did, and it's awesome what you can do now. But I don't think I'm that brave enough to give up things like that."

"Bravery isn't that important when it comes to this, if we are here, we are all brave, yourself included. You had a life and future ahead, and decided this was what you wanted to do, despite the risks You could've chosen to go to college, or stay in the PRIESTs. Few your age would be allowed to come here. Fewer would willingly do so. Compared to me, at your age I was still trying to figure out my life, and worrying about trivial things. I don't know if I would have accepted like you did. You made a brave choice coming here, don't think you're less brave than I am."

The way she said it wasn't insulting or degrading in any way, rather more affirmative in nature. "You're right. And I did, and I'm living with the result of those choices. I guess what I'm trying to get at is that when it comes to sacrifice, I'm not really sure how much I'll need to sacrifice fully for this."

"I don't understand…"

"Here. Let me put it this way. Do you mind if I use you as an example?"

Go ahead."

"Okay. You, for instance. Before this, you were an Archangel - a really good one. But after your injuries, you had a chance to do better. Become better, become something special, something no one had really done before. You sacrificed your own body, along with some of the things many people take for granted, all to become a better soldier. Right?"

"Right."

"See, what I'm saying here is that this-" I gestured to her. "Is something I may have to do - well, not exactly this, but something like it in the future. I may have to do something radical like this if I want to stay alive or get better. I might have to make a choice, Sierra. A choice that could affect me and others around me." I looked down. "And I don't know if I'm going to be ready to make a choice like that. I'm proud of who I am now. I'm beyond anything I'd ever thought I would be. I'm a soldier. I'm a psion. I'm helping make history."

"But I know there's much more for me to do. A lot more. And in the future, there might come a time where I'm going to be in a position like you. I'll have to make a choice, a sacrifice, something." I sighed. "And if that time comes, I don't know if I can do something like that. For so long, before this, I was just following a path. School, homework, friends...it was just so natural. It was a pattern, one that I got used to. And I'll get used to it - I already am."

"So you're afraid that something will happen, and you won't be able to make a clear-cut decision on what to do."

"I guess that's one way of putting it."

She pursed her lips for a moment. "You asked me earlier what it was like being a MEC. I thought about that a lot too, before making my decision. You want to know why I said yes?"

Where was she going with this? "Sure."

"At first, when I was offered it, I wasn't exactly sure about it. Becoming almost entirely made of metal? Not something I could decide right away, obviously," her hand rested idly on the table."But I gave it a lot of thinking. I talked with another MEC pilot about it. After talking with her, and my friends, I knew I should do it."

"And why's that?"

"Because, in the end, I was the most qualified. I had the experience, the skill, and the knowledge. It was a sacrifice, yes, but one I felt like I could do because of what I had learned and experienced." She paused, looking me in the eyes. "Do you see where I'm going with this?"

"I think? You made the choice to become a MEC because you made an educated decision due to your experience and personal judgement."

"Right. And that's the thing, Dawn. You're new. You'll get experience. Through that, you're going to learn more than you ever could just reading files and doing Dreamscape runs. You build that knowledge out there, over time. You'll learn things, get better, become deadlier. And eventually, if you face a choice like I did..." she looked at me with a confident grin. "Then I think you'll know what to do."

She had a point. I'd be a fool if I didn't take what she said seriously. She'd killed hundreds, maybe even somewhere over a thousand enemies. She'd fought in some of XCOM's nastiest engagements, and had seen some serious shit. The only way I could confront a fear like that was to work at it and practice.

I smiled. "Thanks, Sierra. That really helped. A lot."

"Feel better?"

"Yeah. I guess I shouldn't be worrying about that kind of thing right now. But thanks. Really. That helped a lot."

"No problem." She said. "Anyday. I have to go soon, but I've got a sim slot open in a few days. You want in?"

I nodded. "Of course."

As she walked off, making a beeline for another MEC pilot who I didn't recognize, I stared at the MEC suit, hanging off the wall, towering over me. Damn, that thing was a beauty. Suppose there can be beauty in destruction, I guess. Yet Sierra's words had had a calming effect on me. I shouldn't be worrying about the future - worrying about now would be more productive.

Speaking of now, my phone buzzed, reminding me of the upcoming highlight of my day. I was getting an...upgrade, let's call it.

Meet me in the firing range. Bring your Psi Armor, and don't be late! A picture of a psi rifle was attached.

-Kunio

I grinned. This was going to be good.

Firing Range, Praesidium

6/28/17- 2:30 PM

I walked up to Kunio in my full Psi Armor, waving.

"Dawn," he greeted. "Ready to test out a new gun?"

I nodded eagerly. I'd seen plenty of other psions use it, but I'd held off on using it for a while due to the fact that I was both new and had been working to get a better grip on my abilities. Now that I'd been here for some time, and had gotten much better, thanks to my teachers, it was about time for me to up the ante.

"Can't wait."

"Here. Let me show you how it works." I picked up the gun, feeling it with my hands. It was angular and black, yet sleeker and less bulkier than the plasma rifle I was used to.

Kunio noticed the way I was gingerly inspecting it."Be careful with it, it's a delicate weapon, and not as strong as the plasma rifle. Handle it with care."

Don't rough it up too much. Got it. I noticed the wires hanging off the butt of the weapon.

"Wait. Do those cords go.."

"Yep. Into your wrist. Don't worry, though. It doesn't hurt."

I nodded, laying the gun on the table and linking the cords into my dominant hand's wrist. I felt a slight tingle as the cords connected with my internal implants. Once I heard a satisfying click sound, I gripped it with both hands, getting a better feel for the weapon.

"Alright, good start, he nodded. "Now what you're going to want to do here is aim it normally, but remember that it draws its power from you. Use it too much and too quickly, and you'll feel exhausted."

"Alright," I aimed the gun at the target, finger on the trigger. I breathed in, and as I breathed out, I fired. With a small pew sound, a small psionic bolt flew out of the barrel and into the target's head, leaving a smoking hole in its head. I didn't necessarily feel any drain - then again, Kunio said I'd have to feel something if I fired too rapidly or too much.

"How does it feel?"

"Not bad. It's no plasma rifle, but at least I won't have to worry about running out of ammo. It feels a bit lighter than what I'm used to, but I think I could get used to this." I fired again, taking off the target's arm. It hit pretty hard, and had less recoil. And, personally, it looked cooler. I readjusted my aim, firing a longer burst into its legs and chest, shattering what was left into pieces. I felt a small drain. Must've been what Kunio was talking about.

"What do you think?"

A small smile grew on my face. "I think I could get used to this, Kunio. Felt that drain you were talking about. Definitely going to use this more in the Dreamscape later."

"You seem a bit happier lately. What's up?"

"Oh. Well, I've got some good news. I talked to my parents."

He nodded. "And?"

"Went pretty well. Talked to my dad and mom separately, gave my point of view and told them how I honestly felt. They took it well. Went better than I expected, actually. They're considering moving here."

"Oh! Well, that's good."

"Oh, you have no idea how relieving it was. I was kind of on edge during the whole thing, honestly." I put the gun down, disconnecting the cords from my wrist. "I was afraid I'd be saying the wrong thing, and it'd all go to shit. I hate to admit it, but as much as my parents had an issue with me joining, that was just the start."

"I can imagine," he said sympathetically.

"What I did caused some...problems with my extended family. Remember when I told you about my uncle Frederic?"

"Yes."

"Yeah. My aunt and cousins didn't take my choice well. I was close to them - very good people, spent a lot of summers with them. Good times. They essentially have the same worry that my parents do about me."

"That something bad will happen to you and you'll come out completely changed?"

I nodded. "Yeah. My grandparents are also a bit disapproving. They knew quite a few people who went off to war and just never returned or came back completely." I waved a hand. "That can be dealt with later, though. But that's not the real kicker."

"Something else bothering you?"

"Yeah. When I joined XCOM, I couldn't exactly tell my friends. Secrets and all. Only reason Mary knew is because she's already in the PRIESTs, and info there is kept to a minimum. I've had to keep acting through our group chat that I'm still in the PRIESTs. I can't even do videocalls with them, because of the augs." I gestured to my golden-rimmed eyes and hexagon-adorned face.

"You going to talk to Yates about this?"

"Oh yeah. I just feel guilty for lying to them, you know? I know it's in the name of secrecy and all, but honestly, I feel like if I told them, I'd be putting them, myself, and my family in danger. It could be totally unfounded, or maybe I'm, just being paranoid."

I looked at Kunio. "Thanks for listening. I trust you, you know?"

He nodded. "Well, that's what friends are for, no?"

"Fair enough. Now...about a little competition?"

"What do you mean?"

"You down for some shooting, portal boy?"

Ten minutes later

Kunio's shot hit the target right in between the eyes, taking the head clean off.

"Another one." He lowered the gun with a satisfied smile. "And I believe that's eleven for me, ten for you."

I snorted. "Show-off. My turn."

I stepped up, aimed my gun, and pulled the trigger. The bolt nearly hit, barely glancing the target's neck, hitting the wall behind it. "Shit!"

He gave me a small grin. "Everyone misses."

He stepped up and fired again, hitting the target in the chest. As we'd progressed, the targets had been moved further and further back, as well as moving from left to right with increasing speed to make them harder to hit overall. It was a nice challenge, and kept you on your toes. You really had to focus and concentrate if you wanted to hit your shots.

At least my shooting had gotten much better since coming here. My old aim was absolutely atrocious. If Kunio had gone up against the old me, I wouldn't have had a chance. Made me wonder how he'd do against Carreria. She'd been in the military longer than both of us combined. Hmm. Maybe that could be arranged.

Focus on one thing at a time, Dawn.

I stepped up, and aimed. However, I didn't fire just yet. I noticed that two of the targets were going to cross paths soon. Perhaps...oh yes. Yes, this would be something.

"You going to shoot, Dawn?"

I chuckled, aiming down the sights.

Steady. The two targets came closer and closer. If a normal human was holding the gun, it would've been nearly impossible to tag both at the speeds they were traveling at.

Breathe. My pull on the trigger tightened.

Aim. I lined up my sight with one of the targets, tracking it as it moved towards the second.

As soon as one overlapped the other, I fired.

Bam.

The two dummy's heads exploded at the same time, completely decapitating both.

I put down the gun, turning to him. "Twelve me, eleven you."

"Good shot. You're catching up to me."

"Well, I have a good teacher."

"The Borelian? I don't believe I've actually met her."

"You should. I think you'd like her. She looks intimidating on the outside, but she's actually quite nice."

"Seems like that could apply to a lot of aliens. Maybe it shouldn't be surprising that she's a bit warm and fuzzy on a personal level."

"Ha ha ha ha ha. Very funny."

"What's your opinion of Paperclip Base like? I've not been there often."

"Oh. Uh, I've only ever really been to her quarters, so I really can't vouch for it. She is going to give me a little tour of it soon, though. She told me I'd be meeting some of her other friends, which sounds cool."

" That's nice of her."

"Between you and me, Kunio, I think she might see me as a sort of daughter-like figure."

One of his eyebrows went up. "Oh?"

"Yeah. She calls me 'cub', which is super cute, by the way. She's got a lot of experience, and she's been teaching me a lot of stuff. War stories, tactical advice - she really knows her shit. Oh, and don't get into a fistfight with her. Ever."

"Figures. But that's nice you've got her working with you one-on-one."

"Yeah. She's been really kind to me. Never really got to know an alien so well before meeting her. She's left a good impression on me, I'll give her that."

"So she's been like a parent figure to you?"

"Well, yeah. But a mentor too. The Commander chose her well to help train me."

"Well, I'm glad you see her that way."

I shrugged. "Eh, made sense to me. She's done a lot to help me, and it'd just make me look like an asshole if I refused it. Hell, I practice with Caelior sometimes now."

"So I've noticed."

"Yeah. He's actually kind of a nice guy once you get to know him. Be lying if I said I didn't feel bad for him."

He cocked his head. "Oh?"

"He's been through a lot. It's...hard to explain without getting into some private stuff, but let's just say that pretty much almost everyone in his life treated him like shit and we're the first people to actually pretend to give a damn about him. He's doing better, but it's a start. We've been talking some things out, doing some telepathy practice."

"Hey, it's alright. You're respecting his privacy. That's a good thing to do. You were on his team for the basketball tournament, right?"

I grinned. "Still sore I beat you?"

"Nah. I'll get you next time."

"I'll be waiting. But...Kunio. Thanks for listening."

He fired again, hitting a dummy in the chest. "Anytime."

His phone buzzed, catching his attention.

"Ah. I gotta go, Dawn."

"Simulation?"

"Yeah. I gotta go. Hey, see you around."

"Alright. I gotta go put this armor away anyhow."

He smiled. "See you later. Oh - do you want to see a magic trick?"

"Couldn't hurt. what-"

His hand flared with psionic energy, and I dropped into the floor, appearing in the armory.

I yelped in surprise. "What the-fuck!" Oh. I just got teleported. Wonderful. "Little bit of warning next time, Kunio?"

I looked at myself, making sure everything was still on one piece. Huh. It certainly didn't feel like what I thought getting shot through the Psionosphere in a portal would feel like, but it wasn't bad or anything. Well, there's a first time for everything, I guess.

I shrugged, as I began to remove the armor, piece by piece. I had more important things to worry about.

Funny. A little over a month ago I had arrived here, worried out of my mind and had no clue what to do next. I was a wide-eyed rookie with all these ideas about what XCOM would be like, and felt alone, being the young person I was.

How wrong I was about myself back then, thinking so little of myself. I thought that just because I was a kid, no one would take me seriously. That I might somehow fail out because I was afraid of what I might have to do.

Now, here I was, being friends with a teleporter, a large fuzzy alien, and a nine-foot tall teenager capable of leveling cities, taking all of it in stride while simultaneously learning how to use my mind not just to think and act, but as a weapon.

Funny how only last year my greatest concern was getting into a college and getting good grades.

Then again, a lot of things had changed in only a year.

Made me wonder how things would look a year from now.

Hopefully, things would get better in that time.

As I put my uniform back on, I felt something in my pocket.

I reached in and pulled it out, thinking it was something I'd forgotten to throw away, I instead pulled out a photo.

Silly me. Must've forgotten to put it away after I showed it to Carreria earlier.

I unfolded the picture, revealing a copy of a black-and-white photograph of my grandfather in his uniform, standing in the middle of a group of OSS officers. I immediately recognized two of them - James Donovan, the founder of the organization, and Moe Berg, a major league ball player who'd been essential in gathering information on the Nazi's nuclear weapons project. I flipped the picture over, showing a little message written in ink.

To Dawn. This is a much younger me at Camp X before being deployed to assist Yugoslavian partisans. Look it up - it was really something!

Keep this with you for inspiration. I'll alway be there for you!

Love you!

Written at the bottom was a smiley face. I closed the picture, putting it back in my pocket. I was only seven when my grandpa died. He'd put it in his will that his old war stuff - medals, letters, photos, things like that which would be given to my sister and I once we were old enough to understand. A few of his other things were back in my room.

Would you have been proud of me, gramps? Carrying on your legacy of kicking tyrants right where it hurts?

I looked at the grin on his face, the pride he had from serving his country and doing all the good that came with his job, and coming out of it barely unscathed with a few medals for some well-deserved honors.

You know what? I think he would be. At the end of the day, he and I fight for the same purpose. To defend what we know and love, whatever the cost.

And isn't that what matters in the end?

I smiled, putting the photo back into my pocket.

Thanks, Gramps. I really needed that.

I love you, man. I wish you could see who I am now. What I do now.

I do it to protect your children, and everything they've built.

To protect the world you and your comrades fought so hard to protect.

I do what I do so the sacrifices you made would not be in vain, and that you can rest, knowing that we will live free.

Wish me luck.

Caelior's Quarters, Praesidium

6/27/17- 7:35 PM

The ship flew up into the sky, away from Earth and into the stars as the music played, and we watched as the screen went black, ending the film. I turned to the other watcher of the movie, his helm curiously leaned towards the screen.

"So." I decided to break the silence. "What did you think of it? It's good, right?"

"While I can recognize its more...juvenile aspects, I see why you wished to show me this movie. I must say, your species is quite unique when it comes to fictional stories. Such were rare in the days of the Empire."

"Wait, you guys had movies?"

"Yes. Though they were not as...how do you say, emotionally invested as yours. They are more...clinical. Comparable in some ways to documentaries. Focusing on the larger picture of the plot, and less the characters. It was to primarily convey ideas the Empire thought were provoking or important. Visuals were highly important. It was not considered as...entertainment as yours are. It was something many in the Divisions did on a regular basis. Almost educational, in a way, and later, propaganda.."

"Really? No romance or action movies?" I wondered if they had sitcoms or soap operas. An Ethereal soap opera. Heh, that' be something.

"Military displays were fairly common, but it was more cerebral and strategic in the portrayal. Less explosions, more meetings. Romance is...not the same. Ethereals are not as emotional. Such stories of bonding occured, but they rarely were a focus, and tied into larger themes of parenthood and that experience. Many of those who wished to be parents watched them for education on raising a child. Far from your own romances which often seem...shallow. Ludicrous at some points."

I almost laughed out loud on that one. He wasn't entirely wrong about that.

"Beyond such videos, the usage of psionics in training or for recreation allowed us to have an engaging recreation. There were places similar to your parks where we practiced with our psionics. Sometimes there would be animals to control, though this was very regulated."

"You mind-controlled animals?"

He nodded. "In schools, specifically in biology, animals would be brought in from various planets for us to study. Entering an animal's mind, learning its thought processes and seeing through its eyes can be...an enlightening experience."

"I can imagine. It sounds interesting, but at the same time a little immoral."

"Because we were controlling them? That is hardly malicious, it was not as though they were abused."

"Oh." I cleared my throat. "So, uh, the movie?"

"Ah, yes. The 'Eee-Tee' creature is curious and has some similarities to my own species, via the telepathic connection between the boy and the extraterrestrial, and its manipulation of the flowers seemed reminiscent of biopathy."

"Fair. I'd watched the movie too many times when I was a little kid. My sister never really liked it, but I always found it charming, wholesome even. But I have to thank my parents for showing me it."

"You watched this with your family?"

"Um...yeah. We'd have a movie night every Friday. Get on the couch with some popcorn, hang out together and watch something. Why?"

His helm slightly tilted down. "It is not the same experience with my own family. We had bonding experiences, yes. Mother would always find time in her day to take me to play spaces, like the one I told you about earlier. She would read me stories, and tell me about her family's history. Did you know that her great-grandfather was a Battlemaster?"

My eyes widened. "No shit?"

He nodded. "'No shit.'"

He had been picking up on human slang and...other words since joining XCOM. It was kind of funny when you heard a being like an Ethereal say words or phrases that a human would normally find insulting or hilarious. But here, the blunt way he said it made it even more funny. I didn't laugh though, but I did give a smile and a chuckle.

"But back to what I was saying. Due to the psionic bond created while I was growing in my mother's uterus, there was something of an emotional connection. But the truth was, while there was love concerning both my parents and extended family, it was not love like you understand it. Their emotional capacity was limited, but it was not their fault. It's just how we are, Dawn."

As he spoke, I could feel something from his mind. Normally it was locked up tight, but I could feel something almost resonating from him. Then again, I was pretty much sitting right next to him, and if something was off, I could tell. It felt like...almost regret. Sadness.

"That movie for example, Dawn. The human child could have easily abandoned the alien, left him alone for the government or a wild animal to take him. But no. He took him in and helped him, with a great risk."

Where was he going with this?

"I looked at the family in the movie, and it was almost completely different from the family I had, with the exception of the absent father. Yes, they had their issues and tensions. There is no doubt there. But they had a connection, love for one another. The young daughter, for example. She was irritating, yes, but yet her brothers cared about her. Protected her. The older brother helped the alien escape, even though it may have resulted in him dying. There was a trust there, a bond more...real." He sounded frustrated. I really hoped he didn't freak out again like he did in the Dreamscape.

"I don't feel right, Dawn. I had a family, but it seemed...empty. My birth and my psionics made me stand out, and that's only what made people care about me. It wasn't because I was a child, it was because my mother and father got lucky when attempting to have a child. A childhood I did not fully experience because of the war Selfish...but I realize now that choice has been deprived of me my entire life, knowing and unknowing."

"I..." I wasn't sure what to say.

"And look where I am now.. All because they used me, and I am here with an alien species who I find I feel more connected to than my own." He turned away from me, shutting the TV off. "Something I could not have expected. Almost jealousy."

"Jealous of what? Not having enough emotional connections?"

His voice was soft. "I suppose that is a way to qualify it. Being among your species makes me realize what I lacked in my life. The war took my childhood, and my parents were...more distant than I was. I was not normal, in more ways than one. That is what I wish I had at some point. A family which saw me for who I was, not because of what I could do."

"Doesn't XCOM kind of do that already?"

"Yes, but it is a start. I have become better. I have grown. I have learned. I became something that not even the Ethereal Empire could forge. But I wish I could say I am healed from what I am now aware of. There is something missing."

And then I realized what he was getting at.

What Caelior described to me was what years of fighting and lack of connection and love gave him. If I didn't know any better, what had happened to him was borderline emotional abuse. Manipulation, lies, gaslighting, lack of caring people in his life - he was a tool to them, both in the Empire and the Collective, not a person. And when he lost his usefulness, they threw him away like they did everything and everyone else who strayed from the Imperator's will.

I was glad Caelior was still alive. But it was very clear that he had a lot of internalized pain and loss. He never got to be a kid like I did - or at least the Ethereal equivalent, or have a life, make his own choices. From day one, his genetics defined him, and that was both his blessing and his curse. He was powerful - but the more powerful he was, the more of his worth as a person was reduced. Deep down, there was a part of him that hadn't fully grown. The sentiment of being afraid and needing someone to lean on was still there.

Even though I couldn't see through his helm, I could feel the pain and anger under it. It felt reminiscent of the Dreamscape incident. Sadness. Pain. Loneliness.

"You have a home here. With us. We do care about you, Caelior. You've got a second chance here. You have mentors and teachers that are productive and actually give a shit about you getting better."

"While that may be true for now, it cannot be like that forever. Though I feel like I can tell you these things because I trust you and you're a nice person and you listen to what I say." He paused. "Am I talking too much?"

I shook my head.

"No. You're being perfectly honest."

And with that, I decided to do something that he more than needed.

I scooted over and hugged him.

For a moment, he said nothing, simply looking down at my arms doing their damn best to hug as much of him as possible. Then, I felt a gentle pull of telekinesis wrap around me, pulling me up to his shoulder area.

And he hugged me right back, with all four arms.

It didn't feel cheesy or romantic. It just felt warm. I could feel his body relax, as the grip on me was quite delicate. He didn't say a word - we just sat there- or in my case, floated there, and hugged it out.

After a minute, he lowered me back onto the couch, passing the popcorn tub to me.

"That was a hug, right?"

"Damn right it was."

"That was...very nice."

"Do you feel better?"

"Yes, Dawn. I think I do. For now."

"You want to watch another movie, maybe? Same time next week? You get to pick."

"Sounds like a plan. Oh, and Dawn?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you for the hug."

Barracks, Praesidium

6/30/17- 8:52 PM

I got into my bunk, and under the covers, pulling out my phone. I propped the pillow against the wall, laying back and staring at the ceiling. I had to admit, this was usually the most relaxing part of my day. Out of my uniform, in my nightclothes, surrounded by my friends, in one of the most comfortable beds I'd ever slept in. I had to give it to XCOM, they spent a pretty penny- or alloy, really, to make sure their soldiers felt comfortable.

Things had been going decently. The Collective had been pushed back from Aleppo, Caelior had been kicking some serious ass in Salt Lake City, and the Hiveship in Turkey had been damaged somewhat. Things felt a little better, but this was far from over.

My phone buzzed. Weird. Thought I hadn't missed any messages. My eyes widened when I picked it up, the screen displaying a message from Bronis. I opened it, my heart almost skipping a beat.

Dawn Conley,

Your latest reports have demonstrated that you are ready for combat. Because of this, you have been assigned to your first mission. More details will be linked below.

Oh fuck. It was happening. It was really happening.

I scrolled down, my heart picking up while my whole body filled with a mix of nervousness and excitement.

Operation: Syracuse

Mission Parameters: To assist ADVENT in Operation: Scipio, XCOM will assault the city of Malabo, the capital of Equatorial Guinea, to liberate it from the Ethereal Collective and SAS.

Your primary objectives are to secure two Gateways within the city and the elimination of any SAS or Collective forces.

"What's going on, Dawn?"

"I got assigned to my first mission!"

Her eyebrows went up. "Really? Where?"

"Malabo. Equatorial Guinea. Going to liberate a city from the SAS."

"Alright. You think you're ready?"

I nodded. "Y-yes. Just a little worried about it."

She patted my shoulder. "Hey, they wouldn't have assigned you for that if they didn't think you were ready."

Take a deep breath, Dawn.

Fuck. Okay. This was happening. This was actually happening.

This was going for real, Dawn.

"Dawn? You okay? Do you need something?"

I waved her off. "No, no. It's okay, I'm okay. I'm alright."

"You sure?"

"I'm sure. Wan'an, Lian! "

She looked at me reluctantly. "Goodnight, Dawn!"

Well, it was going to happen sometime.

Time to prepare, then.

A/N: 100K words finally! So happy!

So in August, I'll be going to college. I'm not going to lie- I have no idea how much this will affect my writing output. I'll do my best to post one chapter a month for you all, but we'll see. I won't have as much free time as I do now, but unfortunately, no guarantees. My chapters might be shorter, my posting schedule might be more random, I'm not sure One thing's for sure though- New Blood is, has been, and will continue to be an absolute blast to write. Writing a story in the Xabiarverse from a teenage perspective has been a very interesting and fun experience, and one I will continue to write. I can assure you that you will still be getting more of Dawn Conley and her various adventures, and am glad her character has been received so well. And thanks for the support. Couldn't have done this without you all, after all. Shoutout to Xabiar for approving this story, as well as his Editing Team, and Guest Contributors for helping me with in-depth universe and lore information, as well as giving me inspiration, ideas, some cool art, and going over my work to make sure it is accurate both grammar and lore-wise. Without them, this fic would've never come to be, and wouldn't be as good as it is now.

Vigilo Confido,

OfficialWeedTesterGuy

To be continued in:

Operation: Syracuse