June 10th, 2010
Amy 'Panacea' Dallon
"Panacea!" The floor doctor called into the break room.
Amy "Panacea" Dallon looked up from where she was preparing some coffee. "Yes Doctor Richards?" she asked the tall, fifty year old man.
"You got some sort of government spook who wants to talk to you, in private." Richards replied and Amy frowned.
"Any reason why?" she asked.
"I don't know why, I asked and they said some bullshit about me not having proper clearance and they are very insistent about seeing you." Richards said and Amy's frown deepened.
"Alright, I'll see him then." She said sharply, unhappy with the whole situation. There were people in the ICU who needed her help dammit, so this government type better have a good reason for seeing her.
Still, she went to the central table after finishing putting her coffee together. She honestly didn't know what to expect to be honest from this government spook. She expected the agent to be a man wearing shades, a suit, tie, jacket, slacks, and dress shoes that together cost more money than she was probably going to make in a single year even after medical school.
That's almost exactly what she got, though she wasn't expecting the man to pull out a manila envelope that was at least an inch thick. "Amy Dallon?" the man asked.
"Yes?" Amy replied, standing up and offering a hand.
The man didn't shake it, but instead pulled out a device and activated it. It glowed with a dull light, it was a tinkertech device of some description. Though Amy didn't know it, the device was a mobile electronic faraday cage projector and audio dampener. No listening devices in the room would be able to hear them talking and the security cameras all went dead as the electronic faraday cage scrambled their transmissions to uselessness.
"I am Agent Flowers, Miss Dallon. I am here to make you an offer." the man said.
"What sort of offer?" Amy said.
He opened the Manila Envelope and pulled out a small packet. "The sort of offer that you must keep from absolutely everyone bar those in the know and we will tell you who you're allowed to talk about this too. To even disclose the offer itself, you have to sign this NDA." he said and Amy frowned, what the devil was this about?
Curiosity she would admit got the better of her. She opened the packet and paused.
There were a lot of government seals.
She didn't recognize all of them.
The fairly blood-curdling warning indicated that going past a specific page, not the next page, would be considered an International Crime if she didn't immediately sign the document and that she would face imprisonment at the Parahuman Containment Block for Leavenworth Military Penitentiary. Oh what the fuck?
She didn't know that there even was a Parahuman Containment Block at Leavenworth Military Penitentiary. But between the Birdcage and Leavenworth, she would take the Birdcage even if she would be able to see the sky at Leavenworth.
One part of her mind, the logical part, was shrieking at her to close the damn folder right now and turn down the offer. The curious part of her mind wanted to know what the hell could be so important that even the xenophobic Chinese Union-Imperial (also known as the Neo-Qing Dystany) was willing to play ball with whatever the fuck this was. The rebellious part of her mind…noted that this was a chance to get out from under her mother's thumb, Mom loved her, she knew that - but the woman sometimes just drove her too hard at times.
She turned the page several times, seeing more government seals she didn't recognize and the seals of government agencies most of which she didn't recognize. Until she got to a perfectly straight forward Non-Disclosure Agreement, one that now she had seen, she needed to sign. But as she read the particulars, while it was very simple legalese so that it could avoid traps in the writing, she could feel her eyebrows going higher and higher.
"Will I have to sign this for every country that had a seal here?" she asked, shocked.
"No you won't, that was a major complaint actually of the first NDAs for this offer. So we altered it so there's just one NDA for the whole thing." Agent Flowers said in an amused tone.
"Thank God, because I don't recognize all of these nor all of these agencies." Amy said dryly.
Agent Flowers didn't show much emotion beyond mild amusement. "That's what a lot of people say when they first see these NDAs."
Amy shrugged then signed the NDA, whatever the hell the governments wanted from her, it actually had her curious.
"Right, so what are at least sixteen nations of the world interested in me for?" Amy said as she put her pen down. If this was about her power, she swore to god.
"Amy Dallon, to give it to you straight, the Council of Nations, twenty-four of the most powerful nations on the planet are interested in having you as a member of the XCOM Project." Agent Flowers said.
Amy's thought processes came to a screaming halt. "Uh-buwh," she said incoherently, shocked trying to get over what had just been said. It took her several long moments for her mind to reboot. "What's the XCOM Project and why is the Council of Nations interested in me? Beyond my power, I am useless."
"The particulars of the XCOM Project is that it's the Extraterrestrial Combat Unit, just in case there is hostile alien life out there. It's to be composed of Mankind's very best, our smartest scientists, our most creative engineers, our finest soldiers, and our greatest parahumans; because we are going to need our very best in order to fight them." Agent Flowers said and Amy paused, aliens? We're they real?
"Wait, you're saying that aliens are real and that they're hostile?" she asked, chewing her lip.
"We've dug up evidence that suggests so and that they possess weapons that are lightyears ahead of even the most advanced mass-producible tinkertech on the planet." Agent Flowers said and Amy couldn't help but feel dread. She disliked her power greatly, but at the same time…she knew what Carol always was saying how she should be doing more and how until she graduated from Medical School she was immensely limited in how much she could do because of Federal Law.
She always did want to make her mother proud, to do away with her contempt. "I'll join." she said slowly. "On two conditions."
"Name them." Flowers said.
"My sister, Victoria, is given the same offer to join the XCOM Project. She's an Alexandria Package and I reckon that flyers would be useful in fighting aliens; and I am allowed to tell my mother." Amy said and to her surprise, the government man smiled.
"Your profile suggested that you would likely only join if your sister was onboard as well. She's being tracked down as we speak. But why do you want your mother to know?" Agent Flowers asked.
"She's my mother, do you want her tearing the country apart because I decided to up and vanish if this thing goes active? She's well connected both in the judicial and cape worlds." Amy said in a simple tone.
Agent Flowers nodded. "That is understandable, we'll brief her before today is out."
"Thank you, I take it that I have more paperwork to sign?" Amy asked.
"We do."
Amy ended up signing several more documents that day. What really caught her though was how much money she was going to be earning. "That's a lot." she breathed, that was more money than her mother made and she was a lawyer.
Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all?
17:43 CST
April 29, 2012
Hayes, Kansas
XCOM Deployment
Operation: SILENT RAIN
The large blended wing, variable swing wing shape of the SR-77 Skyranger Transport roared over the town. Birds scattered in all directions at the sudden intrusion of the large aircraft, but there was an absence of people in the town itself. Not a single soul came out of the broad collection of buildings to look at the low flying transport, the howl of its engines being loud and distinctive to the point that it rattled windows. People should have come out, but no one did.
"Central, this is Skyranger Big Sky, we're at the mission site, setting down to deploy Strike Two." Commander Cameron "Big Sky" Mitchell, the pilot of the hypersonic capable transport said in a grim tone, this town had a population of seven thousand and it had just upped and vanished, having gone completely dark without any warning.
"Affirmative, Big Sky. Deploy Strike Two and then assume overwatch position." John Bradford ordered, his tone serious. "Strike Two, XCOM is on a skeleton crew at the moment pending the outcome of this operation for the decision of whether or not it will be activated. As such, we do not have the forces to properly sweep Hayes, Kansas. Reconnoiter part of the outskirts then get out."
"Central, Two-Actual, roger." Strike Two-Actual replied.
"Central, Big Sky, roger. Deploying Strike Two now." Big Sky said, there really was no good place for this mission to be done with just a single Strike Team. They would have needed at least two, maybe three in order to get this done. What's worse, they didn't have major Force Multipliers like HWPs or MECs. Strike Two had just four riflemen, four specialists, two parahumans, and four SHIVs at its disposal.
Hmm…deploying Strike Two closer to the outskirts could drop them right in the middle of a kill box which would not only be bad for the operatives but would put the Skyranger itself at risk. That being said, there seemed to be a decent spot near a farm that could be used as a staging point, he could land, drop Strike Two off and then request Central to mobilize Strike Five which was the only other full strength Strike Team, he could then leave Overwatch, head back to XCOM HQ and be back in only a few hours and then they could properly sweep the town.
It was a possibility, but one that would need the approval from Central before it was done and that would depend if this really was a case of aliens or if the Slaughterhouse 9 had just up and exterminated another small town in its near entirety.
Landing gear down, ramp lowering. Thump. "Alright hit it Strike Two!" Big Sky called out and he heard the sound of combat boots on metal, followed by the low whine of electric motors as the SHIVs moved out.
The process for Strike Two unloading took maybe thirty seconds at most and then his Crew Chief shouted over the intercom "Clear!"
Big Sky applied extra power and the Skyranger leaped into the air, its engines howling furiously. "Central, Big Sky. Strike Two is deployed, assuming overwatch position." he said over the radio as he gained a few hundred feet of altitude before swinging around and deploying the 30mm cannon that was slung under the craft's chin from its protective fairing.
"Affirmative, Big Sky." Central replied.
"Two-Actual, Big Sky on overwatch." Big Sky said.
"Big Sky, Two-Actual copy. We're approaching the house now." Strike Two said and the men and women of the Strike Team advanced, their IFF tags winking on Big Sky's HUD. They advanced in a standard five meter spread with the SHIVs covering their flanks.
"This is weird as hell, Actual. The S9 would at least leave animals still alive, but I am not even hearing a Kami-damned dog." Two-Three said, a Japanese accent coloring her words, if Big Sky remembered right, she was a Kyushu Survivor having been part of the JGSDF response to Leviathan's attack to boot.
"I know Three and that scares me." Two-Actual replied.
"Boss, got something on thermals on the second floor of the house, left corner room." Lieutenant Jawero Zimnako, his Systems Information Officer said.
"Is it human, Jawero?" Big Sky asked.
"Unable to tell, there's some sort of interference. I can't tell if it's a thermal dazzler or if it's something else." Zimnako replied.
"Affirmative." Big Sky grumped in response before keying the radio. "Two-Actual, Big Sky, be advised we have heat sigs in the house on the second floor, left corner room. We can't confirm if they're human or not."
"Big Sky, Two-Actual, copy on heat sigs. Three, Six, I want you to sweep the house. The rest of you, form a perimeter." Two-Actual ordered.
"Copy, Actual." Three and Six reported just moments apart.
Big Sky couldn't help but feel trepidation as the Strike Team advanced, they were using Masamune tinkertech armor and ballistic weapons - literally some of the most advanced technology that was actually understood on the planet. Yet he couldn't help but feel that something was very wrong here.
The team reached the house and two members entered.
"Clear left." Three said.
"Clear right." Six added.
"Actual, Three, the power's out, no lights and all the drapes have been closed. We got one hell of a stench in here too." the young Japanese woman said after a moment.
"Found the source of the smell, body on the stairs." Six said.
"I see it, Six investigate, I'll cover." Three replied.
"Roger, advancing." Six said, there was the sound of boots on wood before the man continued speaking. "The body's female, can't tell who, but it looks as if a high heat explosion went off insideher. The smell is from her ruptured intestines."
"Christ, so either Burnscar is in the area or we got a problem." Three said and there was a grunt of acknowledgement from Six.
"Central, Two-Actual. Town going dark is likely due to the Slaughterhouse 9, we'll continue investigating. If we spot any members of the Nine, we'll terminate them on sight." Actual said after a moment.
"Two-Actual, Central, affirmative." Central replied.
"Moving up to the second floor now." Six said after a moment.
"Moving towards the room with the heat sigs." Three said as on Big Sky's HUD, the IFF markers moved down a hallway before stacking up.
"Ready to breach." Six said.
"BANGING CLEAR!" Three shouted.
The draped over windows of the room in question had a flash of blue-white lightning erupt behind them. "CONTACT!" Six shouted.
Through the audio was the thudding of automatic weapon fire, the windows were illuminated again by yellow flashes; then something returned fire for there was a distinctive strobbing illumination of green light. "Sweet fuck!" Three yelled.
The crash of a shotgun roared followed by more green illumination. "That shit is hot!"
More gunfire. "Hostile down!"
The whole engagement had lasted maybe ten seconds. "Three, Six! What the hell is happening up there?!" Actual demanded sharply.
"Two contacts down, not human. Repeat, not human!" Three said, her voice high pitched due to the adrenaline rush that she was likely feeling.
"Say again, Three? Did you just say that the contacts weren't human?" Two-Actual said as behind the windows something flared purple.
"Confirmed Actual, this is a Case Twilight Alicorn." Three replied as Six suddenly wailed.
"Get, get, get out of my head!" the man roared in anger and terror.
"Six, what the hell?" Three asked in alarm.
Alarm turned to panic. "Six, lower your weapon! I am friendly! Six! Six!"
There was a discharge.
Three's IFF went black.
"What the actual fuck?!" Actual demanded in shocked surprise, a beat passed. "Son of a bitch! Man down, man do-"
The corner room exploded, shattered wood and glass flew in all directions and then something vaulted out of the blown open room and onto the overhang for the porch. "Take it down!" someone roared.
The small gray creature threw itself off the roof as XCOM X9 Assault Rifles roared their fury, spitting tracers at the alien which dashed with alarming speed. It fired at the SHIVs, bolts of green fire spraying from the pistol that it carried. One such bolt impacted a SHIV, punched through its armor like it wasn't there and set off the ammunition cassette inside, the turret was violently dismounted from the chassis as the hundreds of HEAPI .50-cal rounds in the cassette cooked off simultaneously.
The remaining SHIV on that side fired, tracers roaring through the air as the M2 Browning roared fury. But the creature managed to dash through the bullet hell before darting into a barn.
"Eight, rocket in the barn! Anti-Structural round! Nine, ten, ready your mad powers!" Two-Actual roared as he dashed to a rather beat up red pickup truck.
"Affirmative Actual!" Two-Eight replied as he dashed up to the truck, yanking his recoilless rifle off his back and then reaching into one of the specialized pockets on his armor and withdrawing the 84mm anti-building round and loading it in one smooth motion. He brought the launcher up. "Fire in the hole!"
An enormous plume on thermals followed by a faint, muffled boom. The front half of the barn was blown open in an obscene fashion, splinters of wood and tumbling sheet metal rained down.
There was silence.
Then radiance. A shining beam of green light blew the truck apart, Two-Actual and Two-Eight had their signals just completely vanish in the ensuing explosion. Screams were occurring over the radio as a vehicle growled out of the smoke and dust, it was floating roughly a half meter off the ground, the vaguely arrowhead shaped chassis glittered in the sun - the enormous gun that jutted from its front glowed an envious green.
"Big Sky, we need air support! Now, goddammit, now!" Two screamed as his gun roared in the background.
"I am inbound, ETA, ten seconds!" Big Sky shouted as he adjusted the throttles and the Skyranger roared like a waking beast, hungering for blood.
"Hellfires IIIs on your trigger!" Zimnako called calmly as on Big Sky's HUD, a piper appeared and without effort, he brought it onto the vehicle.
"Rifle away, rifle away!" Big Sky shouted and the Skyranger shuddered as two missiles were kicked away and engaged their motors, they covered the distance quickly, but just before they struck, the gun-tank fired again, another shining emerald green beam ripped through the air. Then there were two explosions on the vehicle as the missiles impacted, followed by a third larger one and the alien vehicle exploded in a green-orange fireball.
"Target destroyed!" Big Sky said.
"Heads up, bogey on radar, three miles to our north, at two o'clock!" Zimnako shouted, his voice breaking.
Big Sky looked and caught sight of an aircraft climbing into the air. It was shaped vaguely, like a Star of Life, each enormous facet of the fuselage had to be ninety meters in length with a height of something like thirty meters and a width of twelve meters. Whatever it was, the craft didn't look like anything that had been manufactured on Earth, not even the most outlandish of tinkertech aircraft looked like that.
As it climbed it opened fire from eight separate points, beams of emerald energy of two different sizes rained down on the town, obliterating buildings and carving great furrows in the ground that glowed red and orange. Flames bloomed up and began to greedily consume what was left.
Then, with a visible vapor cone, the craft just left.
"Sweet Jesus Christ." Big Sky breathed.
20:07 EST
April 29, 2012
Brockton Bay, Rhode Island
Amy's phone buzzed as she stepped out of the break room, ready to go back on duty. Frowning, she pulled it out, tapped in her PIN and saw she had a new text message.
It wasn't from her mother, it was the phone number listed in that NDA she had signed roughly two years ago.
THIS IS NOT A DRILL. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.
Report to PHQ for transport to the Anthill, XCOM Project Activated.
She paled and swallowed loudly, her mother, while she was proud that she had signed up for the XCOM Project, had been skeptical of alien life being a thing. To be honest, she had been like that as well. She knew that Vicky was at home right now, she would likely grab their collective work bag that contained clothes and various knick-knacks just in case this actually happened. But both of them had thought it was a joke that had been played on them.
Now it was obvious that this wasn't the case.
"DOCTOR RICHARDS!" she shouted.
"What's wrong Panacea!?" The floor doctor shouted.
"I need to end my shift now, family emergency!" she shouted, knowing that the Council would come up with a story that would explain her disappearance from Brockton Bay.
"Alright, go!" Richards said and Amy sprinted for the elevator.
In another part of the world, even as Amy met her sister in the parking lot of Brockton Bay General Hospital and the two flew towards the Rig at high speed. Another Parahuman was being ushered onto a Skyranger - the woman in question wasn't happy, she had better things to do than an XCOM Project Activation Drill. But then again, XCOM soldiers typically didn't form an escort either.
It was irritating, but ever since about a year after she triggered, she had been on the shortlist to be the Project's Commander. They ran Project Activation drills twice a year, but it was always a mystery to see who would be Commander.
Something caught her eye, a laptop that usually wasn't there during a drill. She frowned, what the devil was going on?
After sitting down and strapping in, she pulled the laptop onto her lap and opened it. Immediately a man appeared on the screen, his face cast in shadow by the lighting, the Speaker of the Council of Nations. What the hell was going on?
The man spoke, his voice deep yet flat. "Hello, Commander. In light of the recent Extraterrestrial incursion, this Council of Nations has convened to approve the activation of the XCOM Project. You have been chosen to lead this initiative. You will oversee our first and last line of defense. Your efforts will have considerable influence on this planet's future. We urge you to keep that in mind as you proceed." there was a pause then. "Good luck, Commander."
Then the video ended and Contessa shouted in disbelief as data feeds appeared, showing what had happened with SILENT RAIN. The footage was horrifying to see.