Borelian Wastes - Vitakar

Vitakar was a pleasant world. It reminded him of several planets in the Empire at its height. A place with numerous unique biomes, from snowy dunes, to scorching deserts, to mountainous heights and hidden oceanic depths. Many preferred a planet with a stable biosphere, one with a moderate temperature.

He didn't really agree with that, but then again, he was far from a normal Ethereal.

Even now, it seemed.

Mortis'Ligna stood alone on the frozen tundra, far enough away from civilization to not pose an unintended risk, though not so isolated that he didn't see any life whatsoever. It wasn't uncommon for Borelian patrols to wander in the general area, though they stayed beyond the perimeter. They didn't know an Ethereal was here, but they were hardly one to defy Sana's request.

The thought made him happy.

Sana was one of those who deserved their adoration. He'd learned what she'd helped do, and it had been more of a relief than he'd thought. Even with everything that had changed, she had not, and even seemed to have taken some inspiration from him, if her act of defiance against the Imperator was anything to go by.

He wondered, as he stood in the snow, if that was why there had been little outreach since Paradise. Stick him on a planet, even a pleasant one, and just forget about him. A quarantine he had not necessarily consented to. Of course, he'd not been idle, and had spent countless hours these past months getting up to speed on everything that had happened since the Empire's fall.

He felt he should be more…affected by the vast gap of time he'd been…well, comatose. Not dead, but effectively so. Yet he didn't. Tens of thousands of years had passed, and nothing was what it had been. Though in contrast to the shock he could interpret from the initial reports, it almost excited him.

A new start. Something to rebuild into something better.

Or, it would have been.

There were good and bad things he could see with the Ethereal Collective. No more did the Ethereals ignore the other species of the galaxy, though it struck him as more necessity than an actual desire to broaden their minds. They had used their vast technology and expertise to do great things, such as saving the Vitakara from a self-inflicted extinction event.

The Ethereal Collective was, also, a true Collective. Though one that struck him as…unbalanced. On paper, the Collective was a coalition of autonomous peoples, but there was an imbalance in how that was enforced. The Vitakara were more or less a puppet state of the Zararch, which was the effective intelligence arm of the Collective.

The Andromedons and Sectoids were less clear-cut. Mortis didn't know the rationale for the Sectoids, but their sheer disregard for life disturbed him, not least of which is reading some of the Hive Commanders reminded him of certain Ethereals who had advocated for more radical cultural enhancement. Had they had their way, the natural birth itself was a hurdle to break, overcome, and ultimately render pointless. A society where each citizen was designed and grown, one which could be fully and utterly controlled.

The prospect revolted him. The Greater Hive Commanders were that in practice, and it was just as horrifying as he'd believed. An alliance of convenience, and even he could not deny the Sectoids were brilliant in their cold science, but…he wanted nothing to do with them. Knowing what they were now made his encounter with Preximius all the more disconcerting, as that was not natural.

Good that he was dead.

Paradise would hopefully one day follow.

The Andromedons…were interesting. A species obsessed with war, and splintered by division, subdued as it was. He felt it was very likely that the Zararch was working to keep them focused on each other. It felt like the Federation couldn't last, though that was the last thing anyone needed right now.

Then there were the Mutons. He was torn on them. Most things seemed to indicate that they were a barely sapient species, and their usage was something akin to using war beasts. The average Muton seemed to imply as much – even Sana's own notes indicated that. And yet…they couldn't be. Not when the Muton genome had produced intellectual masters like the Sargons and Praetorians.

He disliked thinking that the Collective was employing a slave army, but there was no getting around such an inconvenient truth. It gave the Collective an army for sure, and on paper the Mutons were the perfect soldiers, and after being put through training on Desolan, were a formidable fighting force.

But one in servitude to the Ethereals.

It wasn't right.

There was a lot of the Collective which wasn't right. It was better than the Empire had been in some aspects, but in others it was worse. Culminating in an invasion of a wholly uninvolved alien species for dubious reasons, while harnessing the power of a psionic entity which by all accounts should not exist.

The Imperator's plan was one he could see the cold, harsh reasoning for. It was one of pure pragmatism and assumption. The purely pragmatic mindset was one he could understand, and subsequently despise. Those with power and authority had a responsibility, one that was ethical and moral, to not abuse it.

That so few seemed to realize that could explain why the galaxy was in the state it was in. Power was ingrained in the Ethereals, and with such power invited an opportunity to use it. What use was power if left ignored? Mortis didn't believe in abstention, such was unrealistic and a waste, but such power was restricted to insulted factions, or used to oppress when left unchecked.

Was it so difficult to use power to do more than create and enforce an empire?

He released a sigh. Thus his conundrum right now. The Imperator did not have his loyalty or support, no matter how much he might think his little action on Paradise placated him. However, leaving was out of the question. His sister was kind and compassionate; she was as hurt by this conflict between Ethereals as the rest of them, and her response was to wash her hands of it.

Much as he understood it, he disagreed with the approach.

Neutrality was cowardice. Apathy was death. It wasn't unexpected given her tendencies, but this was something where a clear stance had to be taken. Though he distrusted Aegis' intentions, as well as the Sovereign the Humans had aligned themselves with. Their own actions were questioned in many ways too, and there were hallmarks of the old Empire in their measures.

Aegis' influence? Or Human nature as they said?

Not a question he had an answer to.

At the same time, the Ethereal Collective had too many of its own issues for him to fully back it. There could be no support so long as Paradise Station stood. Yet the Battlemaster still supported it, even though he had similar reservations. Loyal to a fault, which Mortis felt was a shame. The Battlemaster could do better.

He turned around and went inside the little place which had become his home over the months. There was no good answer here, though he already knew he was not going to defect. The Collective could be made into something right, it just needed the right people, the right idea, and the right circumstances.

He felt that was also the Battlemaster's calculus.

Although…

There was the Imperator.

The sheer power contained by the Imperator was majestic to behold. How powerful the Synthesized must have been to have beaten such beings. Unfortunate that it did not extend to their intelligence. No, no, intelligence in and of itself was not the deciding factor. Many in the Empire had been far more intelligent than him, yet that did not necessarily did not translate to being smarter.

An opinion of himself Sana would be exasperated at, perhaps, but the conformity of the Ethereals hadn't helped them in the end. Even if he'd gotten what he wanted, things might not have changed, but he couldn't help but feel ever so slightly validated. Regardless, it did not help him here.

He disliked just…waiting. Not that he'd done nothing, but he'd been acutely aware of the war raging while he learned all that he needed to. Now this was done, and he still didn't know what to do. Perhaps align himself with the Battlemaster for now, if there was one person he felt could be trusted besides Sana, it was the Battlemaster, and his Human avatar.

Well, the Human he was unsure of.

For now though, he would do small things. Sana's decision to be a neutral party had it's advantages, such as she could be used for passing little messages. Like the one about the Human biopath. Biopath or not, she was barely more than a child, and the fact that the Collective was ready and willing to terminate her was disgraceful.

He hoped that Sana had managed to convey that to XCOM. He did not really know if it would matter, as XCOM was just as content to weaponize the girl it seemed. Well, perhaps they would be able to protect her, even while they used her. Her situation reminded him of Caelior. A child with a gift of power, used as a pawn of the powerful.

Maybe it wasn't as clear with XCOM, but innocent parties would not use a child in war, or one who was practically such. War was no place for children, be they Ethereal or alien.

Sana had promised she would convey any response. He was looking forward to when she returned, and by then, hopefully he would come up with a solid plan of what to do next.

This part of Vitakar was too cold for Sana's liking. She preferred the more temperate parts of the planet, and would even settle for the heat of the deserts or humid jungles of the Dath'Haram. The cold was an element she actively disliked. It made her feel too many things, reminded her of too many days.

Death was cold, and she had felt death all too often. It had been years, but she still could not separate the connection she'd forged between cold and death. Perhaps it was fitting her brother had decided to stay here. Not many places more fitting for the Revenant, nor what he could wreak upon the galaxy.

Fortunate that he retained his restraint and drive to do action.

She'd encouraged him to stay and learn, fearing that his brazen and outspoken nature would lead to consequences from the Imperator. Right or wrong, Mortis did not understand tact or strategy in achieving a goal. In that sense, she admired him, for he had the courage to stand for something in a way she could, or would, not.

Cowardice on her part, perhaps, or resignation. A lone rebel accomplished nothing but failure. A cunning one survived long enough to grow that lone rebel into more. Though she knew herself, and knew she was not a rebel. She could not find it in herself to ever fight against her own kind, not willingly.

Though as it turned out, even she had lines. She was away from the Collective now. Ties were broken. The Imperator had, surprisingly, not demanded she return. She was free to do as she wished, within reason. So why did it feel that nothing had really changed? Why did it feel she was still under the Imperator?

Because you do not resist him.

Not really.

You stay out of his way, and that does not bother him. You change nothing with your actions, and thus he does not give you reason to change your mind.

A thought that had been growing more and more in her mind as of late. One she was having difficulty stopping, even as she knew rationally that it was a poisonous pill. Violence would lead to no solution. Aegis and the Imperator were both willing to sacrifice as many people as possible to achieve their own version of victory.

At the end of the day, she wondered how many millions would die in this conflict.

All started because of ambition.

The Humans could not be faulted for fighting, but they could be faulted for continuing to do so, even when there may be other ways. It was why the negotiations had been an encouraging sign. Both sides, coming together for a brief moment of calm, Aegis and the Battlemaster united in the shared purpose of protecting one of their own, no matter what had been done.

Both of them had saved the Second Guardian from death, of that she was certain.

She opened the door, Mortis' mind clear on the other side, and he became well aware of her presence. "Sana," he greeted, standing from the chair he'd been seated in. "Your journey was not difficult, I hope?"

"No," she shook her head, lowering the hood from her head. "Though you isolate yourself in an unfavorable climate."

"To you, perhaps. I personally happen to like the area," he said. "I followed the negotiations. It was a better ending than I expected."

"Yes, it was," she agreed. "But she is returned and safe."

"Good, the Battlemaster did the right thing," Mortis nodded approvingly. "And ADVENT held to their end. I suppose I am surprised that the Battlemaster was willing to give up what he did – and that ADVENT didn't pull out. They tend to prefer killing their enemies outright."

Sana felt the corners of her lips stretch back, a sense of certainty filling her. "I am not surprised. She is one of us, and even though now so much divides us, we still protect our own. It gives me some hope."

"Yes, though in no small part to you," Mortis pointed out.

"I did less than you might think," she admitted. "The Battlemaster was the one who pushed for an agreement, and the Humans were willing to listen. I merely kept the conversation going when needed."

"Better than doing nothing," Mortis snorted. "Like the Imperator. I do not believe he spoke once of what happened."

"He did not."

"Disappointing, but I suppose not surprising," Mortis sighed. "I'm glad it ended the way it did. Will you be returning to Earth when you leave?"

"I will make a stop at Sanctuary first."

A nod. "I may come along, if you do not mind."

She cocked her head, surprised, and immediately concerned. "You are leaving?"

"Yes, it is time I do something more than sit on the sidelines, especially as a war rages," he said pointedly. "However, I have made a decision about what to do. The Battlemaster has shown his priorities are, largely, in the right place, and I trust him. I believe that for now, I will stay close to him."

That was better than what she feared. The Battlemaster would be one who could perhaps keep Mortis somewhat in check, and keep him busy so he did not attract the attention of the Imperator. "Did you share the information of the Human girl with the Commander?"

"Yes, I did," Sana said. "He thanked me for it, and promised that they would take precautions. He also shared some more details about her. Apparently she is moderately skilled in Biopathy now – she seems to have the basics. Apparently she learned from our own lessons."

Mortis seemed surprised. "How did she acquire those?"

"Aegis, most likely."

"I forget he likely took a copy of everything when he left," Mortis muttered. "I am oddly pleased that an alien has found some of what we learned useful. Unfortunate that it is an alien child soldier. I do not suppose that XCOM will not utilize her – for that matter, why is the girl even with XCOM?"

"I do not know myself," Sana admitted. "However, my impression is that she was originally with ADVENT, but they did not know how to train her. I believe her Biopathy may have manifested. ADVENT likely believed XCOM could train her better. I believe they were right."

"Perhaps, but now she is a useful pawn for XCOM," Mortis shook his head. "I do not understand the fascination Humans have with child soldiers."

"Technically, she is an adult by their standards."

"Technically, but both of us know that is not the case," Mortis waved a dismissive hand. "You more than anyone should be familiar with Human development. Their brains do not fully mature until they have reached their early twenties. She has yet to even live twenty years. A child, though I suppose it is hardly the first time Humans have sent children in wars."

"I doubt she is acting against her will," Sana cautioned. "The circumstances of Earth are…enough for her to shake her doubts she may have."

"No doubt, which makes her all the more useful," Mortis said flatly. "It was wrong when the Empire did it to Caelior, XCOM is no better. However, Biopath or not, I do not want her to die in this war if I have the power to stop it."

"Unfortunately, we can only rely on XCOM now," Sana said.

"I thought so too, and then I had another idea," Mortis has a satisfied tone in his voice. "I will instead request that she be captured – alive. She would make an ideal Harbinger for the Revenant, would she not?"

Sana blinked. "You are serious?"

A snort. "No. I have no interest in this science project. However, if it will mean they do not kill the girl, I will play into the Imperator's expectation. I doubt they will suspect falsehood considering her skillset. She will not survive long against the Imperator's assassin otherwise. Here she at least has an opportunity to live. And if she happens to 'accidentally' escape, or otherwise remain out of danger, then all the better." He paused. "I will need to develop a better plan in the event that happens. However, a good plan, no?"

Sana clasped her hands together. "A dangerous one, especially if the Imperator learns…"

"And what is he doing to do?" Mortis demanded. "Condemn me for attempting to prevent the assassination of a child? I do not fear his condemnation."

Yes you do, or you would not go through this elaborate scheme. She said nothing though, and let her emotions speak for themselves as she continued. "Be safe during this, Mortis. There is a reason I left."

"I know," he said, voice softening. "And I admire you for it. But I cannot stand by and do nothing. I must either accept the Collective as it is, or become one who will change it. Waiting and seeing is not what I do."

Despite herself, she smiled. "I would expect nothing less."

"You should not," he looked around the room. "Before we depart, I have a few things to pack, and let the Battlemaster know of my return. If you want to help…"

"Of course, brother."

"I'm glad," he said, as they began walking towards another part of the small home. "And while we do this, you can give me your impressions of the Negotiations beyond the summary. I have a feeling the knowledge will be useful the day I meet any of them."

To be continued in:

Going Dark