Repercussions

The Citadel, XCOM Intelligence Control

Zhang read her report in silence while she stood straight, hands clasped behind her back as she waited for the inevitable questioning. The extent of the emotion he'd displayed when she'd told him the brief story had been a frown, though she could tell he wasn't entirely happy. Something seemed off with him, though if she hadn't been enhanced, she'd probably miss the facial cues that he wasn't as focused as normal.

Then again, XCOM Intelligence operations rarely failed this extensively.

"You're certain that the man you killed was Cerian Irelan?" Zhang finally asked, setting the report quietly down on the table.

"Certain," Abby confirmed flatly. "Ruth assured me he was. Do you know him?"

"No," Zhang answered. "But if he was UN, I would expect any traces of him were removed. His team, however, we were able to identify."

"And who are they?" Abby asked.

"The two people you killed were former intelligence agents," Zhang informed her, picking up some pictures and handing them to her. "Olivia Croian and Baston Novian. MI6 and NATO respectively. As far as we've been able to determine, they haven't been transferred. That being said, that gives us a line of questioning into the UN's involvement."

She could read between the lines easily enough. "But that's not enough."

"No," he stated bluntly, his hardened eyes boring into hers. "As you were unable to bring in Cerian for questioning, we cannot officially prove it."

"Would it have helped?" Abby asked, meeting his unwavering gaze. "If he was wiped from the records, then how exactly would that help us prove the Council was behind it. You know they'd just deny it."

"Of course they would deny it," Zhang almost growled. "But what it would have done is connected him to the other bodies we found. It would give us more validity and made it harder for the Council to deny this. I believe you, but we will have to act on this carefully."

"I did what was needed," Abby defended neutrally. "I preferred not to risk getting shot in the head."

"I know," Zhang said in an equally neutral tone. "But in the future, exercise restraint. I know she was your friend, but that cannot affect you completing the mission."

Abby gave a sharp nod. "Understood, sir."

"Good," Zhang said, pursing his lips. "Now as to what we will do with this, that has yet to be decided. If the Council is taking action against us, we may have to speed up the execution of the Demeter Contingency. I assume you read it?"

"Of course," was all she said. "And I assume you have plans to deploy me in preparation?"

"I do," he nodded. "But I am curious. Will you have an issue carrying out this contingency?"

She was silent a few moments before answering. If he'd asked her that even a few days ago, the answer would have probably been a yes. She'd probably have still done it if ordered, but it wouldn't have been something she'd ever endorse. But that wasn't the case now.

She'd always thought that no matter how misguided, the United Nations was for the most part, more interested in the well-being of humanity. This past mission had been eye-opening in that regard. They didn't care anymore than the thousands of politicians around the world. They were more concerned about their own power than either EXALT or the aliens.

She'd been naïve to have ignored that. And she had ignored every problem in the UN, tried to justify it even when knowing deep down that it wasn't an ideal humanity should strive for. It was just as vindictive and traitorous as EXALT, even worse since EXALT hadn't ever hidden behind the façade of friendship.

How ironic that the Commander had been right all along to be suspicious of the United Nations. No wonder he had plans to remove it if it had ever became an enemy. She'd always thought it was a grudge, and it might be in part, but given what she'd seen now, she was now wondering if the stories surrounding the War on Terror were completely accurate.

Or maybe it was propaganda. The result of United Nations creating a scapegoat to hide their own failure to contain the Caliphate. Maybe. She didn't know anymore. But what she did know now was that she would have no remorse when the General Assembly building was burned to the ground. And if she had a hand in it, all the better.

So her response was easy. "No, Director. I will carry out whatever you order."

Zhang nodded once. "I'm glad to hear it. The attack on New York killed quite a few people, United Nations personnel included. You've proven that you can perform well undercover, so I believe that skill could be applied there until the Demeter Contingency is executed."

Abby nodded. "Just let me know my identity and position and I'll assimilate myself properly."

"I will need some time to find an appropriate file, but you will know soon," he answered. He appraised her for a few seconds, his face seeming to soften ever slightly. "You've become an excellent agent, Abby. Ruth would have been proud."

"I'll do my best to live up to her," Abby promised.

"I'm certain of that," Zhang said, his tone softening slightly. "And be patient. We will deal with the United Nations decisively."

Abby's hand snapped into a salute, her fist over her chest towards her Intelligence Director. "I look forward to it."

"As do I," he nodded grimly. "Get some rest, agent. It will be some time before you're deployed."

With that, she exited the room and headed towards the Barracks to see if she was still able to sleep.

The Citadel, Training Area

As Patricia watched the Commander attempt to manipulate several objects at once telekinetically, she wondered why she hadn't picked up on anything before. He had always felt different even before becoming a psion. He was controlled, cold, distinct. A combination that was not like most people at all. But not once had she ever thought that there might be an explanation for that.

The Commander himself. Alive and in front of her this whole time.

Odd how…unaffected…she was by the idea.

Because Shen and Van Doorn had been right. He hadn't hidden anything. The only lie she could actually point to was his identity. Granted it was slightly important, but as far as she could see, even if he hadn't said he was the Commander, he'd certainly acted like it. She understood exactly why he hadn't told any of them at first, and back at the beginning, at best she would have been unnerved that someone like that was her commanding officer.

But now? No, if there was anyone who understood what it would take to defeat the Ethereals, it was him. She understood his mindset better now that she agreed with it to a large degree.

The fact that he'd still allowed her, a mind-reading psionic, into his inner circle, even knowing that at any moment she could break into his mind…that showed that he actually trusted her. She'd always known there were secrets he was keeping, and now that she knew what some of them were…he'd still promoted her anyway.

Had he really been that confident she wouldn't take advantage? She'd said as much, but this had been before his own psionic awakening when he could accurately confirm. Her lips curled up as she realized the answer to that question. Of course he did. He trusted all of them, even if they didn't reciprocate. He expected loyalty from them and gave his own in return.

She remembered all the speculation back in the days of the War on Terror. How people around had wondered why he was doing his infamous acts. Asking how he could possibly justify them. Most didn't know, but after what she'd seen, there was one core mission she knew the Commander was trying to achieve.

He wanted to help people.

And sometimes doing that involved hurting others.

The Commander thrust his arm forward and sent the small blocks towards one of the dummies that had been set up. The metal cubes struck the dummy with enough force to push it over. Wincing, the Commander shook his arm. "That's a little more difficult than it looks."

"But it's better than before," Patricia encouraged, walking up to him. "Three at once isn't bad."

"Agreed," he nodded, emanating some frustration and unhappiness. "Though I'm not sure I'm focusing on the right thing."

She raised an eyebrow. "Explain?"

"So far I've just been throwing things," he said, gesturing to the blocks. "Why not just try to attack the target directly?"

She shrugged. "No reason why not, go for it. I only suggested that because I thought it would be good for training."

"And it is," he nodded. "But…I don't think it's the most effective form of attack. Manipulating targets directly is probably harder, but I'd imagine it's more effective."

Patricia got an idea then. She was little help with him developing his telekinetic abilities. The most she could do was teach him some mental defenses, and unsurprisingly, he'd been decent at shutting her out, lasting a full half-minute against her. Not especially great, but in the middle of a fight, it would be more than enough.

"Practicing on dummies isn't going to really help," she told him, taking a few steps back. "Try it on me."

He scratched his chin, no doubt appraising the risks of that method of training. But he was above most else, a practical man who knew she was perfectly capable of keeping herself safe. "I agree. Fair warning though, I might be a bit rough."

Patricia smirked. "Don't let Vahlen hear that. She might get the wrong idea."

The Commander just raised an eyebrow, though she could sense his amusement. "How cute. Do you really think I would be stupid enough to risk the wrath of Vahlen and Creed?"

Oh. Well, she wasn't aware he knew about the two of them. "Point taken," she scowled, wishing she'd held her tongue with that little jab.

"Get ready," the Commander warned, as the air began distorting around him, rippling around his raising hand. The hand was cupped as if grabbing something, a physical motion she knew was to help focus the power. She was getting better at not relying on it, but it was so much easier.

Nothing happened at first, but a few seconds later she felt the air compress around her. Not suffocate. Compress. Like she was enveloped in an invisible blanket. Almost like being underwater, really. There was something around her, but it wasn't uncomfortable. The blanket closed in and that changed.

She felt herself hoisted up a few feet, the compressed air around her enclosing her in an intangible prison. He was fully drawing upon his power now, sweat beading his face and looking up at her with purple-tinged irises. His hand closed into a fist and she gasped as the compression became inexplicably tighter.

Alright, maybe this hadn't been such a good idea. If he squeezed any harder she was worried that he would cause physical damage, which was fine when he wanted to do it to an alien. She preferred her body intact for the moment. The Commander swung his fist sharply to the right and she was suddenly tossed that way, freezing a few seconds later.

He opened his palm and the pressure vanished and she fell a few feet to the floor. There was a thin sheet of sweat over him now, and he was breathing a little heavier than before. "Not bad," she complimented, walking up. "You weren't kidding about being rough."

"Sorry," he apologized as he wiped his face with one of the nearby towels. "But I have a pretty good idea about how to practice now."

She raised an eyebrow. "You want to do this again?"

"This was more to see if I could do it," he amended, taking a long drink from his water bottle. "Or if I lacked the coordination. No, Patricia, I won't need you for it."

She frowned. "Then who-ah." Then it made sense. There was a whole plethora of test subjects in the labs that he could practice on without worrying about hurting them. Well, they would be hurt, but they didn't really serve any other purpose right now. Using them for honing psionic talents was a good a usage as any other, she supposed.

"Unfortunately it seems like my offensive talents need actual people to practice on," he commented. "Telepaths, Defense and Offensive specialties don't always need live people. Fortunate, I suppose, since I'd think we'd go through test subjects quickly."

"Speaking of which," Patricia recalled. "You might want to get some new ones. You and Vahlen are likely to go through them fairly quickly."

"That will be taken care of," the Commander assured her. "There isn't a shortage of criminals."

"No," she agreed wistfully. "There certainly isn't."

The Citadel, Mess Hall

It was surprisingly good to be back. Herman hadn't realized how much he missed the Citadel until spending a few days away. Although after thinking on it some, he decided that it was more likely due to that the Citadel was connected to something. The largest and most important cause humanity had, or likely ever would face.

That made it a little more important.

But still, it felt good to be part of something productive again. He hadn't heard anything from the Council, as expected, and Big Sky had happily offered him a flight back. To Herman's utter lack of surprise, he actually perked up when Herman had mentioned that he'd quit the Council. He didn't regret the decision, it needed to be done.

He did regret that it had come to this, however. He hadn't know what had happened to the good men and women of the United Nations, but if there'd been any left they wouldn't have acted like scared children, Commander or no Commander.

Herman wasn't even sure they'd listen to what he'd said. His words had been the truth, as far as he could tell. But for some reason, it felt like it was yelling into an echo chamber where people only heard what they wanted to hear. He had the feeling that nothing was going to change. Warnup was going to believe that he was right and that Herman had been corrupted or turned by having the audacity to suggest that maybe the Commander shouldn't be the focus right now. And Tamara and her faction was going to feel emboldened, maybe going so far as to make use of their influence in more radical ways. Either way, the divide was only going to get worse and he had no desire to be a part of it anymore.

He wondered if something similar was what had pushed Peter to leave the United Nations. He wouldn't be surprised anymore, and maybe he'd tell him now that they were both ex-UN officers, now serving under a damn war criminal. The irony was not lost on him.

Life sure had a sense of humor sometimes.

As luck would have it, he spotted Peter sitting alone at one of the tables in the Mess Hall. Well, he could use a friendly face right now. Food could wait. There were several groups of soldiers scattered around the room, quite a few he didn't recognize at all, but none of them paid him any attention. Peter didn't react as he sat down beside him, just staring ahead with a glass filled with ice in his hand.

"Welcome back," he said robotically, finally turning to look at him. "I assume that your meeting with the Council went well?"

Herman smirked. "I quit."

He blinked at that, some actual interest in his voice now. "You quit the United Nations?"

"For now," Herman amended. "I'll rejoin when they actually have some intelligent people in charge."

Peter frowned. "Was it really that bad? I know that relations are strained for…good reason, apparently, but enough for you to quit?"

"Sadly, yes," Herman sighed, looking ahead. "Long story, but it's all centered around the Commander. And no, don't ask me why, I still have to respect the label of classified-"

"Don't bother," Peter interrupted wearily. "I know who he is."

Herman glanced over at him again, now connecting why his friend had seemed distracted and was here instead of working. "He told you, I assume?"

"Yep," Peter stated tonelessly. "He did. I don't know why I'm so surprised. It wasn't like he really tried to hide anything. You knew, I assume?"

Herman nodded. "I did."

"But you had orders," Peter nodded. "Right. I understand. But still…" He sighed and swirled his drink again, the ice cubes clinking around the glass. "I'm still trying to think. Wrap my head around it. I'd wondered what the Commander was really like. A heartless killer. An emotionless sociopath. A genius manipulator. I almost wish he were one of those. Would sure make this easier."

Herman rested his arms on the table. "Why is that?"

"Because despite everything I've…XCOM has done," he answered slowly. "I always believed that he was only doing what he believed was needed. Because he thought he had no other choice. We didn't always agree, but I liked him. He's a true Commander, someone who you want to follow. But now…"

Peter sighed again. "I don't know. It's difficult to picture him carrying out his crimes during the War on Terror, but at the same time, it's because I know how he would have done it. I can now picture clearly his justifications, tactics and reasoning for every action. And you know what? A part of it makes sense." Peter set the glass gently on the table. "The Commander is a persuasive man. Insidious in a way. You don't know what I've seen and approved because he convinced me that even if it was wrong, it was necessary."

Herman was now realizing that he'd missed quite a lot of the internal dealings of XCOM, and knowingly or not, Peter was essentially admitting that XCOM wasn't exactly holding itself to a high moral standard.

But then again. This was the Commander.

"You don't have to forget, you know," Herman finally said. "Trust me, I felt the same coming here."

Peter raised an eyebrow. "Forget what?"

"What he did," Herman clarified. "You're probably wondering how you can justify even being friendly with him now that you know what he did. You want to like him, be friendly with him, but think even allowing that is wrong. Listen, it isn't. Don't forget what he did, but always move forward. Because he is doing some good now, even if some of it is apparently…questionable. Don't dismiss that just because of his past. You've known him longer than me, so do you think he really is the best hope against the invasion?"

Peter looked down at the steel table, wearily staring into the reflective metal. "I did. Still do, really. I know why the Council kept him alive. Because men like him are needed in times like this."

"Right," Herman nodded. "So work with him. You don't have to be friends to be allies. The Council doesn't understand this, and I don't want you falling into the same trap. This is bigger than you or the Commander. Fighting or leaving isn't going to help anyone, aside from maybe give you a clearer conscience."

Peter was silent for a few minutes. "You're right," he finally said. "Whether or not I work for the Commander, my primary mission is to defend humanity. I can't ignore that now."

"No, you can't," Herman smiled. "So snap out of it and get to work. Make it clear to the Commander where you stand, and he'll accept that. In the meantime, you probably need a drink. I think you deserve one right now."

Peter gave him a weary smile. "You know, I think I'll take you up on that. Just a few shots. It's been too long since we've talked anyway."

"That it has," Herman chuckled. "So before I go get something, anything else happen besides the Commander?"

Peter thought for a moment. "Well, I'm a psion now."

Herman stopped chuckled. "Are you now?" He asked slowly. "Well then, I see I've missed a lot."

"Go get the drink," Peter chided. "I'll tell you the whole boring story if you're really that interested."

Herman gave him a mock salute. "On it, General." Standing up, he went off to get the drinks, looking forward to hopefully getting caught up on all the recent events happening here.

Well, at least the ones Peter could tell him. The rest he might have to figure out on his own.

The Citadel, Mission Control

Mission Control was moderately busy as he walked in. Relatively quiet too, and no one really noticed or acknowledged him as he walked in. The hologlobe still spun slowly on its axis, pinpoints of red dotting the world, signs of alien activity. Countries were highlighted in green indicating satellite coverage, for what good that did.

The Commander didn't see Bradford, but knew Zhang had called him down for something a short time ago, leaving Jackson in charge for the moment. He stopped walking for a moment, then finally located her standing along the far wall, observing several screens with various news stations broadcasting various stories about the world and invasion.

Just another day in the media.

But he had an ulterior motive beyond simply checking in. Time to see how Jackson was handling all of this. He walked up to her, hoping he was noticeable enough that she wouldn't be surprised. It seemed he was as he saw her glance out of the corner of her eye and slightly scoot to the left to let him stand beside her.

"Anything new?" He asked, keeping his voice low in the subdued atmosphere of Mission Control.

She shook her head. "Not anything worth noting. All the American stations are trying to puzzle out the President's bill and the rest are talking about Israel, China, the Koreas, and Brazil of course. But little of substance." He detected a hardness to her tone as she finished, but what he felt from her was confusion.

He let the silence last for a few minutes, feeling her growing more uncomfortable. "Jackson, if you have something to say, just say it," he finally said. "I promise I won't take offense."

"Probably not," she agreed quietly, brushing a non-existent strand of hair back unconsciously. After a few more seconds she finally spoke. "How much of it was true?"

He glanced down at the analyst biting her lip and staring straight into the screens. "Of what was true?"

Perhaps a rhetorical question, but she answered seriously. "What you did. How many you killed. Medina. Mecca. How much of it was true?"

He looked at the screens filled with speculation pundits. "Most of it was true," he finally admitted. "You can ask specifics if you want, but very little of what I did was exaggerated. Why make stuff up when the truth is much more damning. I never hid it."

"Why?" She asked, finally looking up at him. "Was it really worth everything you did? Did you ever think there could have been another way?"

The Commander thought for a long time before he answered. "I don't know."

She frowned. "You don't know?"

"It isn't a simple question with a straightforward answer," the Commander said. "Did I wonder if there was another way? A better way? Of course I did. Every day, I wanted there to be a better way. I wanted there to be a better solution. And every time, the same question came up, and there was the same answer."

"There wasn't one," she finished.

"Not one that solved the problem of the Caliphate," the Commander said. "The Caliphate had to die; uprooted by root and stem. And that was what I did. NATO would not have done it, they wouldn't have been as thorough, because being thorough requires monsters to carry it out. If your question is if I regret what I did…"

He trailed off for a moment. "There are things I did that I regret. Choices I made. Easy to say in hindsight, now that I know how it turns out. I would have done things differently. Ended it in a way that didn't leave little but devastation. I do not regret the destruction of the Caliphate. I regret that I am the reason the Middle East was ruined."

He looked at Jackson, his eyes tired. "There is a debt I owe to that people and region I will never be able to pay back, what I did was unforgivable, and I knew what I was doing. Or at least I believed I did. What I did was worse than the murder and arson. It was the condemnation of a generation to exploitation, poverty, and humiliation."

He looked away again. "I don't know if it was worth it in the end. The Caliphate was destroyed, I lost my family, my people, and the region exploited and destroyed. There is no grand tyrant ruling over Arabia, only petty ones, and foreigners from across the seas. I was not responsible for the Caliph's rise, but I am responsible for this."

Jackson didn't answer right away. "I remember what you did when the Accords were being renegotiated. I thought it was odd at the time; I didn't know why you were fighting so hard. It wasn't really worth it, just from the numbers." Her voice went quieter. "I understand it now. Even if it didn't work…"

"I needed to try," the Commander said. "I need to try. I don't accept that this is inevitable. That the world must remain in this way. If I can change it for the better, that is what I will do. They are owed that much. All of Humanity is owed this. If I don't do this, then I deserve none of this authority and power. I don't deserve this chance to…amend."

"Forgive me for making an assumption," Jackson said. "I didn't know you during the War on Terror - but I doubt that man would have said what you just did to me. You may wonder if you deserve another chance, Commander. I think you do, and you shouldn't think otherwise."

"Deserve? No, I don't," the Commander shook his head. "But what we deserve and what we get are rarely aligned. I may not deserve this, but I am not going to waste it. That I promise."

"Good, that's the best we can do," she agreed. "We can only try and be better."

"Learn and grow," the Commander nodded. "The past can't be changed, the future can be written. If my part isn't over…then I can do my best to leave a legacy that is more than just destruction."

"A worthy goal to aspire to," she said, then cleared her throat. "Anyway, we have new threats against the world to contend with. The Caliphate is dead and gone, the Ethereals are still coming. Lots of work to do."

"Well said," the Commander nodded. "Time to focus on the future. Our survival is a bit more important."

"That it is," Jackson agreed softly, scratching her chin. "That it is."

The Citadel, Situation Room

The good news was that both Van Doorn and Bradford seemed to be fine being around him again. But both of them, especially Van Doorn felt especially distant. Cold. They were willing to work with him, but not more beyond that. Which was fine for him, dealing with the aliens was more important.

But now they needed to get to business which was what Zhang had asked them here for.

"We received a new message presumably from the Zararch to Nartha," Zhang stated, handing him a piece of paper with a combination of alien symbols on it. "However, unlike the others, we couldn't translate it into something legible. It's gibberish."

Bradford frowned, one hand scratching his chin. "Are you certain the decryption was done correctly?"

Zhang almost glared at him for that. "Yes, Central. Yes, I'm sure the decryption was done correctly, that is my job."

Bradford winced at that. "Just making sure."

"So why the change?" Van Doorn finally asked, his tone deliberately neutral.

"Two possible reasons I can see," Zhang continued. "One, this was planned. Perhaps a system where Zararch agents rotate decryption keys every few weeks or months."

"Wouldn't he have told you about that, then?" The Commander asked.

Zhang nodded. "Yes," he said flatly. "Which is why the other explanation is likely. They suspect he is compromised and don't want anyone else reading their orders." Zhang nodded at the piece of paper. "I do think that this does mean something to Nartha, but won't be something we can easily figure out on our own."

"Then we show it to him and see," Bradford suggested with a shrug. "Problem solved."

"Which we will do," the Commander nodded. "But before we do so, I think we need to discuss what to do with him. The Zararch will learn he's compromised eventually, so we should do something before he loses all potential value."

Van Doorn crossed his arms. "You have an idea." It wasn't a question.

The Commander nodded. "A very risky one, but short of executing him, probably our best one. He said that there were other Vitakara who might be willing to rebel against the Ethereals, given sufficient motivation and opportunity. That is an opportunity that we shouldn't waste."

"A double agent," Zhang pursed his lips. "Assuming he is reliable, that would be a good idea."

"But that would involve letting him go," Bradford pointed out. "And if we do…there's nothing stopping him from giving everything he has on us to the Ethereals."

The Commander sighed. "I know. But what exactly could he give to them that he hasn't already? Our names? Our soldiers? He doesn't know our plans or the extent of our tech. He doesn't know about ADVENT. Even if he does betray us, there is very little damage he could do that he hasn't done already."

Bradford scratched his cheek. "You do raise a good point. But if he's a double agent, I assume he would have a way to contact us. He could potentially be used to feed bad intel similar to what we're doing now."

"That is something we'd have to consider," the Commander agreed. "However, there is a way we could ensure that, at least going in, that Nartha wouldn't betray us willingly."

"Patricia," Van Doorn finished flatly.

"Exactly," the Commander confirmed. "I would have preferred for the Manchurian Program to be utilized here, but as that isn't finalized yet, psionics would have to suffice."

"So what happens if an Ethereal suddenly takes an interest?" Zhang interjected. "He cannot defend against that."

The Commander shook his head. "No. He couldn't. But that would be one of the risks. The question I have is if this should actually be considered, or if you feel there are better alternatives?"

All of them were silent for a few minutes. "As you said," Van Doorn answered dejectedly. "Short of killing him, this is probably the best solution. Provided he agrees to it at all."

"His cooperation won't be an issue," the Commander dismissed. "He genuinely does seem to want to help, and alien or no, that isn't something I'll turn down. Zhang and I will go speak to him soon and bring this up. If he's willing we'll begin working out specifics, but for now it isn't decided. Sound good?"

Bradford nodded. "Yes, Commander."

The Commander pinched the bridge of his nose. "Good. Is there anything else we should discuss?"

"Here is Abby's report," Zhang said, handing him his tablet. "The implications are unpleasant, to put it lightly."

The Commander pursed his lips. He had been appraised of the newest development and reading the report itself didn't make things much better. "I find this difficult to believe, even for the Council."

"It seems unlike them," Van Doorn muttered. "Even if they are genuinely afraid of you, they typically don't send out kill squads, especially against friendly forces."

"Unless of course we were infringing on a UN operations," Bradford pointed out slowly. "Or they were getting close to something the UN didn't want found."

"Both of which are possible," the Commander said grimly, setting the tablet down. "Unfortunately the only people who knew for certain are dead, and we only have some vague suggestions as to how this was carried out. From what agent Shira implied, this wasn't a simple attack. They were approached as friendly and betrayed later."

"I think that the big question is if they actually are UN or not," Van Doorn said slowly. "How exactly do we know that these aren't EXALT agents, especially given the proximity to Solaris Industries?"

"We don't," Zhang stated flatly. "Under most circumstances, I would be in agreement with you, General. But there are several things that don't add up, namely why EXALT would risk breaking our truce in the first place."

"They might not have known they were XCOM?" Bradford suggested.

Zhang snorted. "Unlikely. But I suppose that is a possibility. Aside from that, the two bodies were identified as MI6 and NATO, and are supposedly in very different locations. Even if you dismiss the MI6 agent, the NATO operative adds validity to the theory that the Council is involved in some capacity."

"Not to mention agents Shira and Gertrude are reliable and honest when it comes to this," the Commander reminded them. "They wouldn't make accusations like this if they weren't completely sure."

"No," Van Doorn agreed. "But it is also possible they are wrong."

"That it is," the Commander said. "I suppose I could have Patricia examine Abby's memories to be sure, but ultimately, this doesn't change much. We don't have enough information to act, and the Council and United Nations will not be a problem much longer."

"True," Bradford sighed. "Are there any other new pieces of information?"

"Some topics regarding ADVENT," Zhang said. "Thanks to the Russians, Israeli and North Korean Cooperation, they appear to have developed a variant of our gauss weapons without relying heavily on alien metals."

The Commander raised an eyebrow at that as he pulled up the report on his tablet and began reading. "Excellent news," he said as he scrolled through. "Is it the same level as ours?"

"Not from what I've seen," Zhang shook his head. "Their variant, while more powerful than conventional weapons, isn't quite as strong as ours. Though the trade-off is worth it, especially when armies need to be enhanced."

"On the subject of ADVENT," Bradford interjected. "Several of the member nations have made inquiries into the individual who will be the Chancellor."

"Still to be determined," the Commander said. "If they must know, tell them I have narrowed the number down to three candidates and will decide one soon. It will be resolved before ADVENT goes public."

"Some of them aren't going to like that," Bradford warned.

The Commander shrugged. "Probably not. But they can ask me themselves, since I think a preliminary meeting with the soon-to-be ADVENT representatives is in order."

"I think they won't object to that," Van Doorn nodded. "A good move, and keeps everyone on the same page."

"Speaking of that," Zhang interjected. "I believe that President Treduant has just revealed her secret military project. Take a look at this." The Commander took his tablet and raised an eyebrow as he looked at the designs for what appeared to be a kind of humanoid, autonomous robot.

"I appears she took some inspiration from our MEC troopers," he said, handing the tablet back to Zhang. "But an army of those would definitely help."

"She specifically requested North Korean and Russian assistance with production," Zhang confirmed. "She's definitely looking to take advantage of ADVENT production capabilities."

"Smart woman," Van Doorn said. "Let's hope that everything keeps going this smoothly."

The Commander could bet that all of them agreed with that. Unfortunately, he'd learned that the chances of everything going right were essentially impossible.

Although there was a first time for everything.

The Citadel, Holding Cells

At least he wasn't completely blind to the outside world anymore. While Shun didn't know the inner workings of the Commander's Internal Council, there were other aspects she was able to tell him about in between him telling about his species.

The Ethereals were being quiet. The only recent contact had been a scout that had been promptly shut down and raided, with no casualties a day or so ago. Which was extremely concerning to him. That meant that they were preparing for something. No more probing attacks or abductions could only mean that they'd gotten what they'd wanted and were just waiting for…something.

If an invasion was coming, this Ethereal would probably wait for whoever the commanding Ethereal was to approve the invasion of Earth. Even if the lowest Ethereal still outranked everyone else, he knew that had their own command structure, though how it worked he could only speculate. But if that was the case, it also indicated that Earth was valuable enough for them to warrant several additional steps.

Of course, they could just be dealing with issues beyond Earth. Maybe they'd found another species and were dealing with that. Or there was another, more advanced species that had made contact. He knew they existed, though the Zar'Chon had been tight-lipped on specifics, but had insinuated that Zararch agents were watching them.

He did wonder how the Ethereal would deal with a civilization as advanced as them. Would they try to negotiate? Sabotage? Go directly to war? It largely depended on if they were psionically capable or not. If they were, it might give the Ethereals pause. If not…well, they were essentially doomed. He shook his head. No point in thinking about that. If events ever progressed to that stage, then the chances of him still being alive were slim at best.

Nartha perked up as he heard the door opening. Shun had only been here a couple of days ago, so he hadn't expected her for some time. As it turned out, it was not Shun walking through the door, but the Commander and Zhang.

He stood to face them. Well, time to finally learn what they'd decided to do with him. "Hello, Commander," he nodded towards Zhang. "Director."

The Commander's expression was unreadable, though Nartha knew he was likely sensing his emotions, or trying to at least. He handed him a piece of paper. "Do you know what this is?"

Nartha looked down at the paper and went cold. The specific arrangement of symbols, binary and length only indicated a very specific kind of code. He couldn't decrypt the specifics, but that header was only used in one instance. "It's a recall command," he answered, looking up. "Orders to return to a designated point."

They both immediately understood the implications. "Then they're going to attack?"

"That," Nartha nodded. "Or they suspect I've been compromised and they want to see what I'll do."

"So this might not mean an attack is coming," the Commander said slowly.

Nartha thought carefully before answering. "Technically, no. It might mean they just want to pull me out. But realistically, that means they are planning a major strike."

"We decrypted the message as best we could," Zhang said. "But this was the best we could do. Is there another method you neglected to tell us?"

The threat was very clear, but unfortunately, Nartha had a good answer for that. "This likely means they're worried I've been compromised, so they modified the key enough so that I could make out the general order, but not specific places and details."

"But you already know where to go," the Commander finished. "Which makes this a safe message to send that you'll understand."

"Essentially."

"How long do you have?" Zhang asked, crossing his arms. "Before they either assume you failed or are compromised?"

"From XCOM?" Nartha paused. "A week at least. They know I can't just walk out of here."

Both of them exchanged a look. "Good. That gives us time to decide what to do about you. We received the message not that long ago, which leaves us plenty of time to act."

"Are you preparing for an attack?" Nartha asked.

"We've done what we can," the Commander said evenly. "Though short of activating the Atlas Protocol, we can do little more than what's already been happening. But we're very aware of the possibility."

"So what about me?" Nartha asked. "I doubt you intend to keep me in this cell forever."

"I was hoping I could get some more assurance, but we're out of time," the Commander said. "You said that there are Vitakara who would rebel if given the chance?"

He gave a single nod. "Yes, I did."

The Commander focused his yellow-rimmed eyes on him. "Would it be possible to locate them?"

Ah, he knew where the Commander was going. "If you're asking what I'd be able to do….yes, it would be possible. But it wouldn't be fast, and you likely wouldn't notice any impact. Not to mention if anyone discovers talk of this kind…the Ethereals would put a definitive stop to it."

"But it could be done." The Commander repeated.

Nartha nodded. "Yes."

Both humans appraised him for a few seconds. "Is that what you want?" Nartha asked. "For me to be a double agent to make trouble for the Ethereals at home?"

"Ideally," the Commander stated neutrally. "The issue isn't the plan. It's that I don't believe you're completely reliable."

Which did make sense. The Commander had no control over him if he sent him away, which meant he could tell everything to the Ethereals with no fear of immediate reprisal. If he knew at all, since he didn't believe the Commander had ears within the Zararch. "I can only give you my word," Nartha shrugged. "Think about if that's worth anything. But keep in mind that we wouldn't be having this conversation if not for me."

The Commander pursed his lips. "I've taken that into account, Nartha, and it is the only reason I'm even considering this. But you know that, regardless of your motives or decisions, it won't matter if they decide to debrief you with an Ethereal present. You won't be able to lie under that."

Nartha nodded. "That is a risk. But an Ethereal is unlikely. The Zar'Chon is a more likely possibility, though he'll be hard to convince unless I have some kind of proof of what you're 'planning,'"

"Yes, you will," the Commander nodded. "And what we would presumably leak to the Ethereals is still being discussed. But it will be enough to show you've done your job."

"Provided we do allow this." Zhang amended.

Nartha met his suspicious glare quietly. "Of course, Director."

"We might not be able to predict what will happen when you return," the Commander continued. "But there is a way we can determine your reliability."

"Patricia," Nartha said.

He nodded. "Correct. And not a simple sensing of emotions. A full mental interrogation, as much as she deems appropriate."

His lips twitched. It was reasonable, but he disliked the idea immensely. However, he had a feeling that the Commander was going to require this if he planned to use him as a double agent. He was in agreement with the idea, and he was glad the Commander had the idea to use him in the most logical way. Still, this kind of intrusive requirement was disconcerting, no matter how much he could understand it.

"I don't like it," he stated, likely to the surprise of neither of them. "But I don't really think I have much of a choice if I want to convince you. Do it if you feel it's necessary."

The Commander nodded. "I'm glad to hear it. It will be done within a couple days while we work out specifics of what we want you to do."

The door suddenly swung open and Patricia stormed up to the Commander, then muttered something into his ear without sparing a glance at him. The Commander's face went blank, his lips pursing as he nodded once. "We need to go," he stated immediately. "We'll finish this conversation later."

Based on that abrupt exit, Nartha suspected that something important had just happened.

Unfortunately, he had an idea of what that could be.

The Citadel, Situation Room

He was almost glad that they'd shot down that scout, since that had been sort of a unifying moment for all of them, when they realized that even if there were major disagreements between them, they could still work together to focus on what really mattered: Stopping the Ethereals. Even Shen had come to terms with it, even if he felt there were still some things they needed to discuss

So it had been an eventful week, but a quiet one alien-wise.

He suspected that was about to change in light of the reason he was being called up.

Flanked by Patricia and Zhang, they strode into the Situation Room where Bradford, Jackson and Van Doorn were standing around the holotable. "Status update!" The Commander demanded. "What's going on?"

"A massive UFO was just detected," Bradford explained, pointing to the holotable which was displaying what he assumed was the UFO. It looked similar to one of their transports, though he suspected that it wasn't carrying abducted civilians this time.

"Define massive," Patricia demanded, looking at the hologram.

"About the size of the Dreadnought," Bradford clarified, voice unable to hide the worry he clearly felt. "But this one seems designed to be able to land. It's similar to the supply barges we've seen and raided, except that I'm afraid that this is a troop transport."

"And why do you assume that?" Zhang asked.

"Because it's heading for the Citadel," Van Doorn said slowly as he looked at the hologram unblinkingly. "Estimated time of arrival is three hours."

The Commander felt a calmness descend around him. So it was happening. "Then they've found us. We knew it was only a matter of time."

"That's not the only ship approaching," Jackson added, switching the hologram. "It's being accompanied by three UFOs. Two Raider-class and another design we've only seen once."

"Where?" Patricia asked.

"New York," Jackson answered quietly. "Specifically, the one the Ethereal flew off in."

All of them exchanged a look. "It looks like they're serious about finishing us off," the Commander noted, fixating on the holograms. "Showtime, then. We've prepared for this eventuality. Time to put it into practice."

He nodded towards Bradford. "Open base-wide intercom."

Bradford nodded solemnly. "Yes, Commander."

He pressed several buttons on the holotable and nodded once it was ready. The Commander stepped forward, took a breath and recited the words he'd hoped to never have needed. "Attention all XCOM personnel, this is the Commander. The Citadel has been compromised and hostile alien forces are en-route to our location. Initiate the Atlas Protocol."

Supplementary Material

The Atlas Protocol

OVERVIEW: In the event that the Citadel is, or is assumed to be compromised by a hostile force, the Atlas Protocol will be activated to ensure an organized defense and response to ensure the survival of XCOM.

Note 1: Please note that the activation is not exclusive specifically to the Citadel. The Atlas Protocol is the standard defense protocols assumed by all locations under XCOM control.

1. ACTIVATION: The Atlas Protocol can only be activated under the following circumstances:

A. There is confirmation from either Central Officer John Bradford, Intelligence Director Shaojie Zhang, Tactical Advisor Peter Van Doorn or Psion Patricia Trask of an impending attack.

B. The impending attack is confirmed by both XCOM Intelligence and XCOM Analysis and Communications.

C. Activation of the Atlas Protocol has the approval of both Tactical Advisor Peter Van Doorn, and Psion Patricia Trask.

D. The Atlas Protocol shall be officially activated by only the Commander of XCOM.

2. INITIALIZATION: Upon activation of the Atlas Protocol, each member of the Internal Council shall assume control of their respective divisions and begin the protocols specific to their division (Outlined below). Each respective head shall attempt to keep in contact with the Commander throughout the defense.

3. TERMINATION: The Atlas Protocol will only be terminated by the Commander of XCOM when it is determined that there is no current threat posed to the Citadel or XCOM personnel.

Notice 1: In the event that the Commander of XCOM is incapacitated or dead, Tactical Advisor Peter Van Doorn has authorization to order the termination of the Atlas Protocol.

Notice 2: In the event that Peter Van Doorn is incapacitated or dead, Psion Patricia Trask has authorization to order the termination of the Atlas Protocol.

Notice 3: In the event that Patricia Trask is incapacitated or dead, Intelligence Director Shaojie Zhang has authorization to order the termination of the Atlas Protocol.

Notice 4: In the event that Shaojie Zhang is incapacitated or dead, Central Officer John Bradford has authorization to order the termination of the Atlas Protocol.

Notice 5: In the event that John Bradford is incapacitated or dead, Chief Analyst Ariel Jackson has authorization to order the termination of the Atlas Protocol.

Notice 6: In the event that Ariel Jackson is incapacitated or dead, Head of XCOM Research and Development Moira Vahlen has authorization to order the termination of the Atlas Protocol.

Notice 7: In the event that Moira Vahlen is incapacitated or dead, Head of XCOM Engineering Raymond Shen has authorization to order the termination of the Atlas Protocol.

Notice 8: In the event that the entire command structure of XCOM is incapacitated or dead, the soldier with the highest rank and seniority will take command and has authorization to order the termination of the Atlas Protocol.

4. INITIALIZATION OF THE HEPHAESTUS CONTINGENCY: Upon termination of the Atlas Protocol, the Hephaestus Contingency will immediately go into effect once the Citadel has been fully locked down and cleared of all hostile forces. (SUB-SECTION RESTRICTED TO INTERNAL COUNCIL)

SECTION 1: XCOM ANALYSIS AND COMMUNICATIONS (RESTRICTED TO XCOM ANALYSIS AND COMMUNICATIONS)

WRITTEN BY: Central Officer John Bradford

APPROVED BY:

-1. The Commander of XCOM

-2. Chief Analyst Ariel Jackson

-3. Tactical Advisor Peter Van Doorn

1. PRE-INITIALIZATION DIRECTIVES

Upon the publishing of this document, the following shall become standard practice within this division:

-1. BACKUP OF ALL ESSENTIAL FILES: All files and documents critical to the maintenance, upkeep and operation of XCOM Analysis and Communications shall be stored on an off-site location with an update cycle of no more than twenty-four hours.

-2. TRAINING OF MILITARY EQUIPMENT FOR NON-COMBAT PERSONNEL: All non-combat personnel within XCOM Analysis and Communications shall receive training in the handling, usage and safety of current XCOM military weaponry and armor. Those with previous or current military service or training are exempt.

-3. CONSISTENT AERIAL MONITORING: At all times the airspace around the United States of America shall be continuously monitored for signs of alien activity and/or UFO movements.

2. ACTIVATION PROTOCOLS

-1. PREPARATION: All personnel within XCOM Analysis and Communications will arm themselves with weapons and armor from the local Analysis and Communications armory.

-2. PURGING OF DATA: All data on current and former XCOM operations and personnel will be purged with no form of recovery.

-3. DISTRESS SIGNAL: Upon authorization from Central Officer John Bradford, the distress signal will be sent out to the Council, as well as countries allied with XCOM.

-4. PLACEMENT OF FORCES: As Mission Control has been identified as a weakness of the Citadel, it will be utilized as a choke point, and once reinforcements from XCOM's Armed Forces arrive, they will take forward positions, and all XCOM Analysis and Communications Personnel are ordered to take supporting positions to assist the soldiers.

-5. CONTINGENCY: In the event that Mission Control cannot be held, all surviving personnel are ordered to retreat towards the Engineering Bay or the Research Labs.

SECTION 2: XCOM RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (RESTRICTED TO XCOM RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT)

WRITTEN BY: Head of XCOM Research and Development Moira Vahlen

APPROVED BY:

-1. The Commander of XCOM

-2. Tactical Advisor Peter Van Doorn

-3. Head of XCOM Engineering Raymond Shen

1. PRE-INITIALIZATION DIRECTIVES

-1. BACKUP OF ALL ESSENTIAL FILES: All files and documents critical to the maintenance, upkeep and operation of XCOM research and Development shall be stored on an off-site location with an update cycle of no more than twelve hours.

-2. TRAINING OF MILITARY EQUIPMENT FOR NON-COMBAT PERSONNEL: All non-combat personnel within XCOM Research and Development shall receive training in the handling, usage and safety of current XCOM military weaponry and armor. Those with previous or current military service or training are exempt.

-3. TRAINING OF UTILIZATION OF CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL ELEMENTS FOR COMBAT: All personnel within XCOM Research and Development will receive instruction and training about the application of chemical and biological agents for the purposes of self-defense or prolonged combat.

2. ACTIVATION PROTOCOLS

-1. PREPARATION: All personnel within XCOM Research and Development will arm themselves with weapons and armor from the local Research and Development armory, as well as biological and chemical weapons from the Labs themselves.

-2. PURGING OF RESEARCH: All current and former research shall be purged with no method of recovery

-3. EXECUTION OF TEST SUBJECTS: All test subjects (Human and alien) are to be immediately terminated with the exception of weaponized chryssalids.

-4. DEPLOYMENT OF SECTOID CONTAGION: Upon first contact with alien forces, the completed Sectoid Contagion will be deployed utilizing the ventilation system.

-5. DEPLOYMENT OF WEAPONIZED CHRYSSALIDS: Upon authorization from Moira Vahlen, the weaponized chryssalids will be deployed against hostile forces, under the direction of the ranking psionic operative.

-6. INITIAL DEFENSE: XCOM Research and Development Personnel shall take positions within the Labs until orders are received from the Commander to assist other lines of defense. Until those orders are given, the Labs shall be fortified and defended.

SECTION 3: XCOM ENGINEERING (RESTRICTED TO XCOM ENGINEERING)

WRITTEN BY: Head of XCOM Engineering Raymond Shen

APPROVED BY:

-1. The Commander of XCOM

-2. Head of XCOM Research and Development Moira Vahlen

-3. Tactical Advisor Peter Van Doorn

1. PRE-INITIALIZATION DIRECTIVES

-1. BACKUP OF ALL ESSENTIAL FILES: All files and documents critical to the maintenance, upkeep and operation of XCOM Engineering shall be stored on an off-site location with an update cycle of no more than eighteen hours.

-2. TRAINING OF MILITARY EQUIPMENT FOR NON-COMBAT PERSONNEL: All non-combat personnel within XCOM Engineering shall receive training in the handling, usage and safety of current XCOM military weaponry and armor. Those with previous or current military service or training are exempt.

2. ACTIVATION PROTOCOLS

-1. PREPARATION: All personnel within XCOM Engineering will arm themselves with weapons and armor from the local Engineering armory or Bay.

-2. PURGING OF ENGINEERING DATA: All data on current and former XCOM engineering projects will be purged with no form of recovery.

-3. SABOTAGE OF EQUIPMENT: All equipment relating to the construction and manufacturing of XCOM equipment is to be surgically sabotaged to prevent usage by hostile forces.

-4. CONTROL OF POWER: Under orders from the Commander, all power is to be strictly controlled by XCOM Engineering to be shut off or turned on in various locations within the Citadel.

-5. INITIAL DEFENSE: All XCOM Engineering personnel shall take positions within the Engineering Bay until receiving orders from the Commander to assist other XCOM personnel. Note that some personnel will remain behind regardless to continuously monitor power to the Citadel.

SECTION 4: XCOM INTELLIGENCE (RESTRICTED TO XCOM INTELLIGENCE)

WRITTEN BY: Intelligence Director Shaojie Zhang

APPROVED BY:

-1. The Commander of XCOM

-2. Central Officer John Bradford

-3. Tactical Advisor Peter Van Doorn

1. PRE-INITIALIZATION DIRECTIVES

-1. BACKUP OF ALL ESSENTIAL FILES: All files and documents critical to the maintenance, upkeep and operation of XCOM Intelligence shall be stored on an off-site location with an update cycle of no more than twelve hours.

-2. TRAINING OF MILITARY EQUIPMENT FOR NON-COMBAT PERSONNEL: All non-combat personnel within XCOM Intelligence shall receive training in the handling, usage and safety of current XCOM military weaponry and armor. Those with previous or current military service or training are exempt.

2. ACTIVATION PROTOCOLS

-1. PREPARATION: All personnel within XCOM Intelligence will arm themselves with weapons and armor from the local XCOM Intelligence armory.

-2. PURGING OF INTELLIGENCE DATA: All data on current or former intelligence operations will be purged with no form of recovery.

-3. CODE RED SIGNAL: As per protocol, the Code Red will be sent to currently deployed XCOM Intelligence agents to warn them that the Citadel is currently under attack and to keep a low profile until the all-clear signal is sent.

-4. DEPLOYMENT: Under the direction of Intelligence Director Shaojie Zhang, all XCOM Intelligence agents will be deployed to various parts of the Citadel to assist in the defense of the base.

-5. SPECIFIC SUPPORT: All XCOM Intelligence agents will focus on the targeting and elimination or priority targets. Upon no specification of a priority target, they will focus on the debilitation and wounding of highly mobile hostile forces.

SECTION 5: XCOM ARMED FORCES

WRITTEN BY: The Commander of XCOM

APPROVED BY:

-1. Psion Patricia Trask

-2. Tactical Advisor Peter Van Doorn

-3. Central Officer John Bradford

1. ACTIVATION PROTOCOLS

-1. PREPARATION: All XCOM Soldiers will arm themselves with weapons and armor from the armory.

-2. DESIGNATION OF WEAPONRY: As the current weapons stores are not sufficient to equip every soldiers with the latest weaponry, it will be determined on rank and seniority, with veteran soldiers receiving Pulse weaponry and Aegis armor, and the remaining soldiers will equip Gauss and laser weaponry and Phalanx armor.

-3. DEPLOYMENT: XCOM soldiers will be deployed to three locations within the Citadel (See Atlas Protocol Deployment list for specific soldier locations) that have been identified as weak point. The Hangar, Mission Control and Supply Halls. The soldiers deployed will defend those locations until a retreat is ordered or they receive orders from the Commander.

SUBSECTION 5.1: MEC SOLDIERS

WRITTEN BY: The Commander of XCOM

APPROVED BY:

-1. Psion Patricia Trask

-2. Tactical Advisor Peter Van Doorn

1. PRE-INITIALIZATION DIRECTIVES

-1. CONSISTENT COMBAT PREPARATION: All MEC suits are to be kept and maintained in a state suitable for combat at all times.

2. ACTIVATION PROTOCOLS

-1. DEPLOYMENT: As the number of MEC pilots is limited, they shall be dispersed in an even fashion, with two being sent to Mission Control and the Hangar, while one will be sent to the Supply Halls (See Atlas Protocol Deployment for specific soldier deployments)

SUBSECTION 5.2: PSIONIC SOLDIERS

WRITTEN BY: Psion Patricia Trask

APPROVED BY:

-1. The Commander of XCOM

-2. Tactical Advisor Peter Van Doorn

1. PRE-INITIALIZATION DIRECTIVES

-1. CONSISTENT AWARENESS: All XCOM psions must continuously be aware of nearby or friendly psions, as well as sensing for hostile psionic enemies or Vitakarian infiltrators.

2. ACTIVATION PROTOCOLS

-1. HOSTILE PSIONIC ATTACKS: Upon initialization of the Atlas Protocol, all XCOM psions are to focus on the mental defense of Citadel personnel, specifically on non-military personnel, to defend and prevent psionic debilitation or mind control.

-2. DEPLOYMENT: Under the direction of Psion Patricia Trask, all XCOM psions will be deployed to assist in various locations within the Citadel.

-3. CONTINGENCY: ETHEREAL: In the event that an Ethereal is confirmed to be within the vicinity, all XCOM psions will converge on its location and focus on eliminating it from the battle.

INTERNAL COUNCIL DEPLOYMENTS: The deployment of the members of the Internal Council is as follows:

1. The Commander of XCOM: Hangar

2. Head of XCOM Research and Development Moira Vahlen: Research Labs

3. Head of XCOM Engineering Raymond Shen: Engineering Bay

4. Tactical Advisor Peter Van Doorn: Mission Control

5. Central Officer John Bradford: Mission Control

6. Chief Analyst Ariel Jackson: Mission Control

7. Intelligence Director Shaojie Zhang: Supply Halls

8. Psion Patricia Trask: Supply Halls

GLOBAL PRIORITIES: The following are universal priorities for all XCOM personnel in the event of the activation of the Atlas Protocol.

1. DO NOT REPOSITION WITHOUT ORDERS: Unless a retreat is ordered or orders are received from the Commander, XCOM personnel should not leave their designated position no matter what. This includes advancing or taking ground within or outside the Citadel.

2. PROTECT XCOM PSIONS: All efforts should be made to ensure that XCOM psions are protected from unnecessary danger, as the loss of a psionic operative would be catastrophic in the event of a hostile psionic opponent.

3. PRIORITY TARGETS: In the event that one of the following targets appears on the battlefield, all XCOM personnel are to target it and eliminate it immediately.

-1. Ethereal

-2. Sectoid Hive Commander

-3. Cyberdisk

-4. Muton Elite

A/N: I suppose this passes the 500k word mark. Honestly didn't expect it to be this large, but I can't say I'm unhappy with it. Thank you everyone for sticking with it and putting up with my abnormally long chapters. The upcoming base defense will also not be the end of the Atlas Protocol, but it will be drawing to a close soon. Now to do the Base Defense justice.

Thanks once again.

-Xabiar