Ten years after Operation Avenger

NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. – The governments of the world announced today that they have provisionally agreed to the Advent Accords, which would unite them into one administration. In a statement, the leaders who had signed the accord said it would help "bring peace to a world that has been wracked by international conflict for far too long," continuing on to say that people's daily lives would be mostly unchanged or improved for the better by the new administrative structure. The statement also went on to talk about the benefits that had been reaped by uniting research efforts worldwide and that uniting nations as well could only improve the shared success of humanity.

The previous Advent Accords were a series of documents designed to increase international cooperation in areas such as scientific research and medical treatment, with a special focus on alien technology being used responsibly after the invasion. Other supplemental deals on areas of maritime salvage and fisheries also enjoyed general success and acclaim from the community of nations. The most recent summit that generated these accords seems to have gone further however. The question of national sovereignty has already been raised by some radical factions in the U.S. House of Representatives, but the benefits of the previous Advent Accords seem to have won over most the political spectrum in all of the countries that have signed them and seen the expected benefits.

For more coverage of the astounding, unprecedented Advent Accords, check out our coverage hub on our main page.

Cardea Adams, New York Times

Village in Brittany, France – Advent Announcement Celebration

The cheers of people outside kept him awake. Fireworks boomed and echoed, in what would no doubt become the greatest of the new national holidays: Advent Day. The Commander moved to the window. The celebrations had not yet turned excessively rowdy. No cars had been flipped over or buildings burned, and as he watched local Advent supporters carouse, he couldn't help but smile. People seemed to be genuinely happy about the final steps being taken towards worldwide unification. The alien menace seemed to actually have come and gone like a stormy spring.

He brought up his phone software, and punched the first speed dial button. Since the second day of his command, that button had always called Bradford. The Commander chuckled as he remembered putting the number all those years ago after struggling to find it in the base directory. Bradford had subtly chastised him for not being able to reach his executive officer at any given point in time. When the base had come under attack from a massive surge of mind controlled XCOM personnel and aliens, he had barely had time to press the button to alert Bradford as to what was happening. And now he pressed it again, to seek the counsel of the man who had gone even further away from the world than the Commander.

Bradford picked up halfway through the first ring.

"Sir?"

"Damn Bradford, aren't you asleep right now? What time is it there?"

"Not late enough for me to sleep yet. Are you calling about the unification news?"

"Yeah. What do you think? Is it the right decision?"

"Sir, if the aliens come back, they'll have to fight a much more unified force. By the same token, they'll only have to defeat one political entity as well."

"I'm talking about the right decision. Not the one that makes us more or less efficient at repelling extraterrestrial invaders. Will this be better for people in general?"

"Your guess is as good as mine sir."

"Fair enough Bradford. You haven't heard anything shady about the inside of these guys right? Like it seems to be on the up and up?"

"Everyone in every community I have contacts in says it's a normal popular movement, politicians just happen to be latching on to it. I think they saw their weakness, sir, during the invasion. I don't think they want to feel that weak again."

"Very well. Sorry to disturb you Bradford."

"Not at all. It's a pleasure, sir"

Hanging up the phone, he looked again out the window. The crowd had swelled and it seemed like the entire population of the village was present. The Commander ducked out into the street and found himself carried along in the waves of happiness radiating from the crowd. Maybe peace was here to stay after all.