Disclaimer: I do not own Mass Effect or the various X-COM games. They belong to their respective copyright owners. This story is not written for profit. I make no money from it. It is not for sale or rent.
Chapter 3: Retaliation
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Interlude: The Systems Alliance and X-COM
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Login: Insight
Password: ****************
Login successful… Scanning…
Authentication complete…
"Welcome Major."
"Hannah, bring up Project Contact. Continue from last save point."
"Loading file… Have a nice day, Major."
"Let's see..." The X-COM analyst muttered to himself while the holographic screens above his desk came to life with images.
He had his work cut off for him.
"Whose idea was to make our own Codex anyway?" The man grumbled.
Codex Entry: The Systems Alliance
The Systems Alliance is an independent supranational sate representing Humanity as a whole to the galaxy at large. It's charged with the protection and management of all extrasolar colonies, stations and installations.
The Systems Alliance's origin could be found in the aftermath of the Exalt Uprising ten years after the Ethereal War's conclusion. It precursor grew by necessity out of the surviving Earth governments as a matter of practicality. In the wake of a genocidal war, followed by insurgency, Humanity was faced with exploring, exploiting and colonizing the Solar system, a feat that proved prohibitive to any single economy on Earth.
In order to ensure the long term security of Earth, Humanity needed the resources and opportunities that space represented. After the Ethereal War, doing so was the natural outcome. Everyone in power on Earth knew what needed to be done, though the nation states of the time simply lacked the resources to do so by themselves.
With humans knowing that aliens not only existed, but are hostile to Humanity, there was enough political will to form the framework for a single world government. The idea was further expanded with suggestions given by various X-COM think-tanks, until the Earth Alliance, the organization which became the Systems Alliance fifty years later was formed.
Still, until practical commercial FTL become available in the mid seventies of the previous century, the Earth Alliance was often disregarded by the citizens of Earth. Many at the time viewed the organization as an unnecessary one, especially given the high popularity that X-COM did enjoy at the time. That was further exasperated by the fact that X-COM had overlapping functions with what the EA was mandated to do.
With the proliferation of FTL and the establishment of the first extrasolar colonies, the need for governance and defense of those new assets became clear. X-COM by itself, simply lacked the resources and numbers to do so effectively even within the Sol system.
It was during the Toronto Conference of 2083, when the Systems Alliance Charter was first proposed. After multiple amendments and alternations, it was finally voted and accepted by the Earth Alliance members and came into power in 2094, formally establishing the System Alliance as the governing body of Humanity at large, the creation of the Systems Alliance military, consisting of the Navy, Marine Corps and Army, as well as the new duties and responsibilities of X-COM.
Do you want to know more?
"Hmm… That might do. No dirty laundry to show and everything's basically common knowledge. We aren't shoving anything sensitive in a souped up Wikipedia. What's next? Oh, our own entry..." The Major continued muttering to himself. "Is there besides rumors I'm free to add? Hannah, I need you to check something, dear." He addressed the Administrative AI overseeing this section of X-COM.
"How can I help you, Major?"
"What are we cleared to put in our own Codex entry? I obviously missed that memo."
Codex Entry: The Extraterrestrial Combat Unit
The Extraterrestrial Combat Unit, known at large as X-COM or XCOM, was a covert multinational military force established to investigate and if needed combat the increasing UFO activities in the early twenties of the 21st century. It is an independent organization charged with combating any alien threat.
At its inception, X-COM combined some of the brightest scientists and engineers who could be persuaded to join as well as elite soldiers and pilots from all of Earth's major powers.
When the Ethereal War began, it soon became apparent that conventional military forces were vastly outclassed by the enemy, needing a significant numeral and material advantage to stop an attack. That was something often impossible, because the enemy SOP was to usually take out any heavy equipment with air strikes. That combined with regular orbital bombardment of military bases and concentrations of regular forces, left the Human armies at a significant disadvantage long before engaging alien ground units.
There were many things attempted to mitigate those enemy advantages. One of the more effective options, which soon became a SOP was the creation of X-COM Quick Reaction Units, which deployed by Skyrangers all over the world.
While with a few notable exceptions, X-COM suffered casualties that would be considered catastrophic by any other military force in Humanity's history, they kept on replenishing their ranks with veterans and deploying on missions that were often seen as suicidal.
Despite what some thought at the time, X-COM's strategy wasn't madness aimed at wasting lives. Instead it was a cold blood calculus, spending some of Humanity's best soldiers in order to gain even the tiniest scrap of alien technology for reverse engineering.
In the end, that was a strategy, which paid off in mere months with the first iterations of practical man portable Gauss and Laser weaponry soon followed by personal armors incorporating Vahlenite alloys. That allowed X-COMs QRUs to face the enemy on more even footing, which in turn made possible to recover even more alien technology. While the balance never really swung in X-COMs favor before the war's apocalyptic ending in 2034 during operationClean Sweep, the technologies created by X-COM's R&D divisions were invaluable for the victory in the Ethereal war and Humanity's survival.
Today, X-COM is a quite different beast even if it still has similar functions as in the past. It continues to be an independent organization, something that is guaranteed in the Systems Alliance Charter. One of X-COMs primary functions today continues to be Research and Development, primary concentrating on alien derived technologies and their application for the military.
Following that trend, the X-COM operates various ships, which serve as testbeds for new technologies before they are adopted by the SA Navy at large. Their fleet is the single most powerful and technologically advanced force Humanity possesses.
While the organization does possess its own fleet it's mandated size is to be no more than a tenth of the combined active Systems Alliance Navy during a peace time.
Military, X-COM follows a doctrine first implemented during the Ethereal War , though it is being constantly updated and refined. The organization concentrates on small elite units, usually acting as QRF and fist responders. Those units are the backbone of the Systems Alliance's Lighting Response Doctrine.
X-COM troopers usually act as special forces, scouts and specialists often being deployed in support of System Alliance military operations.
Strictly speaking, there are two functions that are new for X-COM compared to the organization during the war. The first is the already mentioned possession of a fleet, with all that entails.
The second is their dealings with Psionically Active individuals. X-COM holds monopoly over training and monitoring of people with the Gift and is technically in charge of policing them. The latter usually includes X-COM agents being stationed at each major city and settlements with notable Giftedpopulations, though they usually act in concern with local LEO agencies.
"It's short and bland..." The Major mussed. "However I can't really ad anything more without either including rumors, trivia or skirting classified territory." After all, everything X-COM did was on a strict need to know basis with the sole exception of the policing of Gifted individuals, which when all was said and done was a law enforcement problem.
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Part 3: Souping up for a night out
13:25, 31 August 2176
XSV "Rhine"
In transit
Ophelia System
Exodus Cluster
"What about Shepard?" Anderson asked.
"She's with Gamma for the diversion. I'm not trusting her to keep her cool anytime soon." I shrugged.
"The last two VR simulations were better." The LT mused.
"Well two days of constant VR with Batarians was going to either drive her totally around the bend or make her work through her rage and start using her head." I frowned. "Occasionally. What? I'm not a shrink, boss."
"Go get kitted up. We'll be deploying in two hours. Platoon inspection in thirty minutes."
"Yes, sir!" I saluted and left Anderson's office.
A few minutes later I arrived at the main armory, where the rest of the platoon were busy arming and armoring themselves.
"Sergeant, any new orders?" Corporal Quin asked. The tiny Chinese woman wad clad in a form fitting Recon Armor and was busy checking up a Reaper MK VI plasma sniper.
"Not yet. The LT will be dropping on us shortly so look sharp people. I'll be inspecting you in fifteen. Be ready by then."
"We'll be." The Corporal nodded, while giving a pointed look to a pair of operatives.
"Allister, Thorne I want none of your usual shenanigans, you read me?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about, sarge! That wasn't our fault!"
"Of course not. You two were just in the wrong time at the wrong place… again. Right?" I rolled my eyes. I guess that polishing the starboard cargo deck with their toothbrushes wasn't enough to deter those two jokers. Damn clowns. What did I deserve to get two unrepentant pranksters under my command?!
"That's right, sarge!" Thorne, rumbled and beamed at me. Under his heavy assault armor he looked like a great metal bear, something that was only reinforced by his two meter height.
"Finish suiting up and no stunt or I'll be getting creative." It was too bad that nowadays they couldn't be dumped in Dr. Vahlen's lap for scientific purposes. That would have made my life easier.
I glanced at Shepard, who was browsing the weapons, ignored the banter and headed for the armor section checked out a Mindifre armor. It was the spiritual successor of the Psionic Armor that was available back during the war, though it was light years from that kludge. For instance, while it was classified as medium power armor, it offered protection that would have made the old MECs envious. More important were the build in Psi amplifiers that would increase my raw power by at least an order of magnitude, not to mention allowing me to throw psi attacks for much longer than otherwise.
I got off my clothes, leaving me only wearing my thin skinsuit.
I stepped in front of one of the free cradles in the far end of the room. Blue light flashed over me as I was scanned. A chime was heard before compartments slid open, revealing the pieces of the Mindfire. Robotic arms unfolded from the ceiling and placed unfolded armored boots in the center of the cradle. I took a step forward and got my feet inside. The boots clicked and folded up around my legs, locking over the skinsuit. Then the robotics arms went to work and started fitting me with the armor and sealing it up around me.
I cringed as static washed over my implants while they were busy hand-shacking the Mindfire's interface. Then the helm was locked in place and I was plunged in darkness for a few seconds before all systems finished greeting each other and the armor came to life. My face was bathed in green light as tiny holo-emitters built on the inside of the face plate came to life and made it seem that there weren't three centimeters of Vahlenite alloy between my face and the outside world. The HUD flicked on, showing power levels, armor integrity, shield strength and so on. A moment later the transparent IFFs of the already armored troopers were overlayed over a tactical map in the upper right.
Mindfire MK V online… Running diagnostics…
Armor Integrity nominal… Shields active…
NBC protection nominal… Reactor active…
Medical suite online and operational…
Sensor suite operational… Psi-boosters on standby...
Diagnostics complete… Mindifre MK V fully operational…
With that done, I went to the weapon racks. First, I got a heavy plasma pistol and secured it to the magnetic grapple on my right thigh before retrieving four magazines for it. Then I went to browse the fun stuff.
My choice for today's fund and games was a Heavy Plasma rifle with ten power cells, followed by the usual mix of grenades – two frag, two smoke, a pair of EMP and two plasma.
Once everything was squared, I took the time to look over the platoon. Most troopers were already kitted out, with the last squad being on the cradle and getting suited up. Only the two MEC pilots were missing as expected, with their fitting facility being in the hangar, near the drop ships. That's where our SHIV contingent and the combat AI running them were located too.
At a first glance, everyone looked like they were kitted out properly, with nothing important missing. Anyway, neither Anderson or myself were going to take any chances and that's why we were both going to inspect the platoon before we boarded the transports.
It simply wouldn't do to find that we've misplaced some important piece of equipment when we needed it in the field. In my experience, that usually tended to be fatal.
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By the time Anderson came in for the inspection, everything was squired, the troopers were properly kitted out and I had checked up for everything that I could think off. The LT shared my opinion that the platoon was ready to eat aliens and spit Elerium, though that didn't really calm me down. If we both missed something it was guaranteed to bite us in the ass at the worst time.
Anderson gave an once over to every one of us, a few words of encouragement or a joke before going on to the next trooper until everyone has passed muster. That was as the LT put it, being an officer one oh one. Be the good fella as far as your troops are concerned and leave to the sergeants to be the nasty bastards.
I had avoided needing to be the latter so far, but that was a testament for Anderson and the previous NCOs skills rather than any endorsement of my abilities.
When the dog and pony show was over, we went to the hangar, where our two MECs were patiently waiting. They were two and half meter tall behemoths protected by heavy Vahlenite plates and powerful shields. One was armed with a powerful particle cannon and carried an array of indirect weapons integrated into his suit. The other doubled as a mobile AA emplacement in addition to his heavy plasma gun.
Next to the MECs I could see three SHIVs, which were hovering nonchalantly. The mini-tanks were armed to their non-existent teeth with a combination of weaponry, from old fashioned but still powerful laser lances to alloy canons and a lot of plasma weaponry. They were rather well protected too and bristled with various sensors as well as a couple of small scout drones, which were armed too.
When all was told, we had the firepower, toughness and staying power to easily take on an entire armored brigade from the "good" old days and easily win… and we were a simple, even if elite infantry unit.
I shook my head as Anderson waved me forward. It was time for the final briefing before we boarded the transports. Despite all our toys it wouldn't do to underestimate the enemy and get cocky. All it would take would be one lucky bastard or a trooper who didn't take the job seriously enough.
"Andrea, please show us the AO." I addressed the Combat AI who was going to accompany us on the ground.
The figure of a woman armored like a medieval knight shimmered into existence above the closest SHIV.
"Here you go, sergeant."
A blue flash of light followed and a holographic map materialized in front of me.
"If any of you had for a change paid attention to the briefing, our target is in the middle of an asteroid. Our friends in the Intelligence division managed to give us only the location and a very rough layout of this facility. It's a pirate base that usually tends to frigates and the odd cruiser. We're to go in, take out the the outlaws while trying to capture alive whoever's in charge and allow Andrea to take any important information before we make our way out and blow up the place."
"What the Sergeant didn't spell out is the inconvenient fact that we don't know what resistance to expect or who's actually our primary target. That's why our Gifted specialists will conduct field interrogation on whoever we get alive after breaching the enemy base and securing ourselves a foothold. That would give us a chance to actually get whoever is in command over there instead of accidentally or not so much evaporating the sorry bastard. While we usually go on missions with much more intelligence than this, time is of the essence in this case. As some of you might have heard, we're about to be assigned a Council liaison in the form of a Specte agent. As per our current ROE, once they're here, we'll be playing softball, downplaying our actual capabilities unless the situation gets critical." Anderson gave me a curt nod.
"Board the Wraiths and strap up. We're departing shortly." I ordered and waved the platoon to the two waiting Avengers, which were taking most of the hangar space.