Unification Day
Forward Observation Station, Mars Orbit
"Emergency crews are continuing to sweep the wreckage of the collapsed headquarters. To date there have been no confirmed survivors, and we have just been updated that multiple United Nations offices across the world have been destroyed. We continue-"
Swipe right.
"The immediate impact of the sudden loss of any sort of United Nations command structure has sent shockwaves throughout the world, even as the aliens continue to land in Australia. With no world leadership structure, the question is now how an effective defense can be mounted-"
A good question. Swipe right.
"We're now receiving reports of multiple world leaders preparing for some major event. Details are still coming in, but it appears to be a response to the alien attack this morning on the United Nations leadership. Currently Presidents Treduant and Savvin are confirmed to be attending as well as Chancellor Habicht of Germany and…uh…"
"We will be right back before we confirm further."
It was infuriatingly going like he'd expected. Swipe right.
"XCOM has yet to make an official statement, but we have confirmation that they will be addressing both their plans to assist in handling Australia, and their response to these attacks on the United Nations."
"Yes, and everything points to them also attending this announced event with what appears to be the national leadership of United Nations countries. There is a strong likelihood that this will be the first public appearance of the Commander of XCOM, who has been one of the most obscure figures in the world scene to date."
"Off," he ordered, and the holographic screens displaying the multiple human networks flashed off, letting him stare blankly into the red sand of the planet below him. Mars, so the humans called it. Named after a human deity of war, according to the history he'd read on them. Rather fitting, if he was being honest, and rather ironic that the grand strategy of the war was to be waged from here.
Even more intriguing was that despite the humans never setting foot on this planet, there was clear evidence of previous civilizations. Or previous watchers, which only added to his theory that this entire situation was not nearly as much of a surprise to the Ethereals as they were letting on. While Quisilia was irritatingly vague about what exactly had comprised the Ethereal Empire before their fall, he wouldn't have been surprised if at one point this was an Ethereal installation.
Which would explain how they knew about the humans. The question was, of course, how long they had known.
And if they had known, why didn't they act before now?
Dangerous thoughts. Especially since Mars was not the only planet in this system to contain obscure and dilapidated outposts and equipment. Pluto, Venus and Jupiter had all at one point been held by someone. But he supposed it didn't matter; whoever it was, they were long gone now. But it would make for an interesting project after the Humans were assimilated.
Regardless, it was very clear that the Humans were going to make this as difficult as possible for them. All signs pointed to a unification, and if these planted attacks were any indication, the Commander was not concerned about it being a peaceful one. For it was the Commander who had to be behind this.
He was of the opinion that the Commander was the sole reason why the Humans were in this fight to begin with. Or at least how they'd survived so long without collapsing under their incredibly divided and schizophrenic political and cultural structures. The Commander reminded him of the old Union Leaders of the Andromedons; brutal, uncompromising, charismatic, intelligent and incredibly dangerous.
Although now he doubted the Commander, nor XCOM, was working on their own. He had no doubt been recruiting allies and the chances of the traitorous EXALT being involved was high. He sniffed at the thought. EXALT had been handled exceptionally poorly and bluntly, though that could all boil down to the Ethereals deciding they knew better.
And maybe they did, but from where he stood, things were not looking as successful as they could have been.
He heard the barrier dissipate behind him and he turned around to see his Vitakarian assistant walk in, her steel gray skin dully reflecting the pale light off her scalp. He frowned, her eyes seemed a less vibrant blue than it should be. Likely the oxygen levels fluctuating again, he'd have to look into that later.
"Zar'Chon," she greeted stiffly, which immediately told him that she was nervous. He resisted the urge to sigh. Why they insisted on sending newer recruits than the veterans he'd requested was something he'd have to speak to his staff about. It was entirely possible that one or more of the Ethereals was intervening, since that seemed to be what they enjoyed doing most nowadays.
Hands still clasped behind his back, he inclined his head. "Zar'gamlia'usar, correct?"
She blinked. "Yes, though you can-"
"Gamlia then," he interrupted, knowing what she was going to say. "I'm not normally this blunt, but we do have a mission to subdue and assimilate a hostile species. What exactly do you have for me?"
To her credit, she held together under his bluntness, as he should expect from one of the Zararch. "The latest plans from the Battlemaster regarding the status of the invasion and captured continent," she pulled a small data drive and handed it to him. "In addition, the latest Zararch reports from our agents in the Collective are on it as well."
"Thank you," he answered, turning away. "Dismissed."
He didn't bother to see if she'd actually left. When his agents heard his orders, they followed. Time to see exactly what the Battlemaster was planning for Earth. He walked over to the small cylinder that stood in the middle of his briefing room and stuck the drive into it.
The holographic words "Authorization required." Popped up as usual. A necessary security measure, but one that was irritating most of the time. He held his right hand over the cylinder and let it scan the gray skin of his palm. The hologram then updated with the regular "Identification accepted: Zar'Chon'ravarian'vitiary."
That out of the way, Zar'Chon Ravarian twisted his left wrist around and slid the small metal panel to the side and pressed the button that synched the augmented arm with the data from Gamlia's drive. It flashed blue, he shut the panel, turned his wrist back over and opened up the holographic projector on his palm.
The file list came up and he quickly scrolled through it, once more thankful for his neural implants to perform the mundane acts like scrolling and selection and not have to do it manually. If that were the case, then there was very little point to using holograms for information. Still, it was going to take some time to go through everything.
Then he got that feeling again.
He could never figure out if it was just a strange extra sense he had, or if it was just Quisilia toying with him every time he decided to talk. "The Battlemaster is planning to first strike the land the Humans call Japan," Ravarian said out loud, knowing the Ethereal would emerge sooner or later. "Battle strategy up now." With his free hand he took the appropriate hologram and amplified it independent of the one on his palm.
The utterly silent Ethereal stepped out directly in front of him as if emerging from nothing, though by now, he knew better. His purple robe with the embroidered gold lines and patterns was as immaculate as ever, housing his entire body inside. The helm that the all Ethereals were so fond of was as polished as ever, a smooth blend of weak metal that extended below the neck into the robe, and formed into curves on the top, which also curved down over the eyes. What made Quisilia's helm more unique than others was that the lower face was exposed, though he suspected that in battle, some covering would come down.
Which made it all the more disconcerting when Quisilia elected not to speak verbally. He tended to speak verbally for the most part, but definitely wasn't above switching it up. Ravarian fixed him with a stare. "How long were you standing there?"
"Since the young Vitakara entered this room," he answered, his low baritone accompanied by a rasping whisper at the end of each word. Tame by Ethereal standards. "And her presence here was nothing more than an error. I do not intend to make your job difficult."
Ravarian nodded. "Good. Then I assume you're up to date on the situation on Earth?"
Quisilia walked around to face the hologram, his footsteps making no noise. "Are you referring to our invasion or "our" attacks on the Human United Nations?"
"Both."
"The Commander continues to surprise me," Quisilia mused, pulling up the hologram of a muted Human news station. "His methods continue to show he will do whatever it takes to beat us. Admirable, and yet predictable."
Ravarian frowned. "This is not new to us. I suggested we remove him after he played the German country against us. But as you told me, there are 'plans.'" He motioned at the hologram. "With all due respect, we need to act, otherwise he is going to unite the Human nations into a true fighting force."
Quisilia looked at him. And you believe the humans are that great of a threat?
"Only if we let them become one," Ravarian answered, resisting the urge to react to the unnatural telepathy. "They killed the Ravaged One. That shouldn't have happened. I know that you portray yourselves as invincible, but both of us know that isn't the case. The Humans should not have been able to kill him."
"The death of the Ravaged One was a necessary evil," Quisilia said, not looking away. "But I agree. Unfortunately, assassinating the Commander is out of the picture."
"Why?" He asked in disbelief.
"Before I answer, I will reiterate that nothing will be shared beyond us without my authorization," Quisilia said, the helmeted eyes boring into him. "Aegis has defected to XCOM."
That…had to be…bad? Although there was one problem. "Who, or what is Aegis?" He asked, puzzled. From the sound of it, it could be one of the many secret projects the Ethereals ran, or it could be one of the Andromedons. It probably wasn't anything from the Zararch, otherwise he'd know about it.
"An Ethereal," Quisilia answered simply. "One of our most influential."
He was unable to keep a neutral expression, and his jaw lowered slightly. An Ethereal defecting wasn't just unthinkable…it should have been impossible. He'd long suspected that the Ethereals weren't as united as they'd let on…but he'd had no idea that it had been so divided to the point where one of their own would betray them.
For good reason, Quisilia communicated. The disputes of our species would not be comprehended by the assimilated races. And the betrayal caught even us by surprise.
Ravarian took a breath. Just one. "I see. That…complicates things."
"Yes, the plan has changed," Quisilia agreed. "But we are not concerned. We believe Aegis defected for…ideological reasons. He will not kill an Ethereal."
"But he will kill Collective soldiers, give XCOM our technology, and protect the Humans," Ravarian pointed out grimly. "I can't say for sure since this is the first I've heard of him, but is that incorrect?"
"Our numbers can be replaced," Quisilia dismissed, telling him all he needed to know. "Ultimately, this is irrelevant and will only delay us. The overall goal has not changed, but our immediate plans have. Before the anti-alien sentiment gets out of hand, I want the Zararch to make contact with pro-alien organizations or ones that can be swayed to us."
About time. He'd only suggested that plan from the beginning. Better late than never though. "Of course. I have some targets in mind." Ravarian pulled up a holographic globe and pointed to one of the continents. "This is South America, and thanks to EXALT, they have incited the country of Brazil to invade several nearby nations. Reading the psychological profile of the Human in charge, she is aggressive, easily manipulated and has a tendency to take a military approach."
"We provide protection," Quisilia mused. "A good start. What of the conflict in the Middle East?"
"Too ineffective," Ravarian disagreed immediately. "There are too many nations interested in control for any sort of operation to be successful. A better target would be to attempt to take control of the Chinese criminal organizations."
"That did not work last time, if I recall."
"I made unfortunate assumptions about the species," Ravarian admitted. "Mistakes I've learned from and will not repeat. But while I oversee those operations, the Battlemaster will conduct the ground campaign."
"To great effect, I'm sure," Quisilia said, turning lazily to look down on Mars. "What of the infiltrator you placed in XCOM?"
Ah, right. That was another mission that was past its time to end. "Nartha will be arriving within a few days. Gateways have not been established on Earth yet."
"It is possible they won't be for some time," Quisilia warned. "With Aegis defecting, our normal strategies will need to be adapted or cut. But it is good to hear he will be returning…I will look forward to examining him."
"In the meantime, it appears that the Humans are going to make an announcement about their defense against us," Ravarian said, bringing the muted hologram to face him. "Let's see what their plans are."
Geneva, Switzerland
Saudia stood in front of the mirror, uncharacteristically…not nervous…but apprehensive. For the first time she was going to address the world. Not the small council she'd kept in EXALT, but millions of regular people across the world.
It highlighted just how much she'd hadn't actually expected to take EXALT to the place it was now. It had been her goal, but now she was like the dog who'd caught the car it was chasing. Now she had to decide what to do with it. Thankfully, that was the easier part. But speaking to the world, as the voice of ADVENT? That was sticking out in her mind as much harder.
Not the least of which is that her emergence would no doubt bring questions. Questions she'd already heard whispered by the staff around her.
Who is she?
Where did she come from?
Why is she in charge?
Why are we trusting her?
Because the Commander of XCOM trusts her.
She snorted. How ironic that the main reason that people seemed to be willing to give her the benefit of the doubt was because of the Commander. Who she did admittedly owe her position to. She disliked the feeling of being indebted to him, but he'd made it clear he'd only put her in charge because of pure practicality.
She agreed with his reasoning…but knew that he wouldn't hesitate to remove her if she suddenly posed a threat to him. He didn't appear to expect her to act like a debt was owed, so she'd done her best to consider everything between them even.
It never would be, but she could try.
In the meantime, the entire planning of this event had been an experience for her. It was…interesting to interact with people on her level that weren't part of EXALT. People like Gwan, Treduant, Habicht and Savvin. People who she'd conducted operations against without their knowledge. Ironic that they were all committed to one goal now.
And that goal was one she had made her central theme of her speech: Unity.
Surprisingly, or not so surprisingly, Iseul had been rather helpful when she wrote her speech. She supposed it made sense for the Supreme Leader to have a good grasp on what to say to a crowd to properly entrance them, but he appeared to have genuinely been interested in helping. Whatever his motivations, she was pleased with the result.
What she was to say would go down in history, so it was essential that it not only be passable, but memorable. It needed to remain in the minds of the people long after she'd spoken the last words, it needed to occupy their thoughts until they felt motivated to do something. Did she have that capability?
She had the potential. That at least she knew. She could understand the mind of a soldier. She could understand the motivations of a criminal or politician. But an ordinary civilian…that was alien. She couldn't imagine going through life and not feeling motivated to do something with it, to at least try and make an impact. To change things in some way.
But those people made up the majority of the population, so they must be sufficiently motivated to contribute. If words failed, there were other ways.
But that was a worry for another day.
"You can comment anytime," Saudia said to her silent husband who was leaning against the wall, clad in his armor minus the captain's helmet. "Sufficient?" She asked, turning around.
"More than that," Ethan answered, walking over to her with a smile. "You look like a Chancellor."
When all was said and done, she had to admit that she definitely looked the part. In the end she'd decided on her dress uniform for EXALT, minus the emblem on the sash, which had been replaced with the stylized ADVENT logo which to her appeared to have more in common with the alien glyphs than human language.
Black pants, boots, a plain black jacket with the red sash going around her right shoulder to the opposite waist and matching gloves. Combined with her height and demeanor, and with a pistol strapped to her waist in plain view, she had to admit she could come across as an intimidating and commanding figure.
That would work to her advantage today. The media would honestly probably care more about the Commander speaking than her at the moment, since he was set to say something after her. But she was to set the tone, not just for ADVENT, but for her leadership.
"How are you feeling?" Ethan asked, taking her hands. "Ready?"
"I'm ready," she admitted with a sigh, running her thumb over his armored fingers. "Though somewhat concerned, as always. A lot rides on this."
"And you'll do fine," Ethan reassured her. "I read what you wrote, and it's very good. Everyone here is behind you, even if they don't know you well."
"It's not them I need to reach," Saudia insisted, letting go of his hands to motion in the general direction around her. "It's the people. I have to sell them unity, hope and ADVENT. And I know that I'm going to have enemies trying to discredit me everywhere. This is my only first impression, no matter how it goes, it will only go downhill from here."
He grew a little more serious. "I know what you mean, and I'll do whatever I can to help. But in the end, Saudia, they don't matter. You know that."
"Yes, I know," she agreed. "But it makes things easier. A friendly population is much easier to utilize than a skeptical one."
"Mhmm, words of wisdom," Ethan said with a smile. "But you've done enough that one speech shouldn't cause this much worry to such an accomplished woman."
"Flatterer," she chided, but ultimately felt a little more at ease. "Easy for you to say, you're just going to stand behind me and look menacing."
"Don't discount that," Ethan said, walking over to the couch to pick up his helmet. "In all seriousness, I do think the amount of military personnel here is making the media nervous. They aren't used to seeing so many armored soldiers walking around them."
"Good," Saudia said, looking at the hanging clock in front of the door. "It might temper their wild speculation for the first day."
"Well, we wouldn't want to keep them waiting," Ethan said, putting on his helmet, obscuring his face behind the red and black ornate helmet. He extended a hand formally to the door. "Would you like to take point, Chancellor, or should I?"
She smirked and strode forward. "I'll take point, thank you. Let's go."
Exiting the building took slightly longer than she would have liked, mostly due to the unfamiliarity of the place, as well as having to stop and wait for her official guard, three other men and women wearing the same uniform as Ethan. The only thing that distinguished them as the Chancellor's Guard from regular officers were that their shoulder capes were a pure white with the ADVENT insignia emblazoned in the center.
Saudia pushed the door open to the outside and was immediately hit with dozens of sudden flashes from cameras and shouts for her attention. They apparently weren't expecting an armed guard, at least not one carrying fully loaded weapons, and the mass of journalists and media took a step back as she led them out.
"No questions for now," she told them, sweeping her head around the throng as she kept going forward. "That will be at a different time."
It of course didn't stop them from yelling questions after her.
"What are you planning to do about the aliens?"
"What is happening to the United Nations?"
"Did XCOM have something to do with this?"
She ignored them, walking down the sidewalk which had ADVENT soldiers in their black armor stationed regularly. She wanted this to be extremely controlled, and the soldiers would give anyone second thoughts about trying to start something, as well as keep the media in line. She did not plan to be lax in enforcing boundaries.
As a matter of fact, Ethan had reported that one reporter had been escorted off the premises after he'd tried to get into a restricted zone, despite a soldier telling him not to and the barriers with the words do not enter plastered on them. His own fault, and she had no issue kicking him out. It had seemed to have the intended effect, as the rest of them had stayed in their respective zone.
The leaves from the landscaped bushes around her rustled as a cool breeze blew through them. It was a beautiful day, one that couldn't have been timed better. The sky was cloudy, a pleasant breeze was constant and the temperature was moderate. Compared to Antarctica, this really was a paradise. That being said, she missed the Bastion and it was unfortunate it had to be abandoned.
But considering that it was too isolated to really stage an effective defense, especially against the aliens, it was a necessary sacrifice. Geneva was a sufficient replacement, once it was improved to more…practical accommodations. Renovations to turn it into the official Executive Building were well underway, and she was looking forward to properly catching up on what her respective science and engineering divisions had accomplished since her first meeting with them.
"Let them begin coming to fill the area under the podium," Saudia ordered as they approached the place where the speech was to take place. The elevated stone entrance to the columned building behind her made a suitable backdrop, and the open fields were large enough to accommodate the large crowd that had gathered, as well as her soldiers.
However, the ones waiting on the stage were almost as significant as her, at least in how so many of them were gathered together. It was a major deal for the leaders of just two countries to be in the same place together, here she counted….well, quite a few more than that.
The Presidents of America, Russia, South Korea, Armenia, Taiwan; the Supreme Leader of North Korea; The Prime Minister of Israel; the Chancellor of Germany and the Marshal of Brazil. All in all, it was a gathering of elites the world hadn't seen in decades, perhaps ever. That alone should demonstrate the gravity and significance of ADVENT better than any speech could, and they would be in the background at all times, standing behind with their personal guards while she addressed the world.
"And so it begins," the Commander said wistfully as he walked up beside her. Saudia motioned her guard to take their positions as she joined him in observing the multiple conversations taking place between the world leaders. "I didn't think I would see something like this."
"Not like this," Saudia agreed, crossing her arms. "But it is…encouraging. At least for today."
"They feel optimistic," the Commander said, looking up at her. "While that will not last, it is good to know they are willing to work together."
The Commander's psionic abilities were still a concern, but there unfortunately wasn't anything she could do about that. She was somewhat surprised in his own choice of attire. Instead of the traditional black XCOM fatigues he normally wore to diplomatic meetings, he'd instead chosen to show up in his scratched, scorched and dented silver armor.
She supposed it made sense, and would definitely make his purpose clear to those watching. While she had been relatively open about what her speech was going to consist of, the Commander had been incredibly secretive. Knowing him, he might deliver some scathing remark she didn't entirely want to deal with. But the Commander wasn't an idiot, and probably wouldn't do something like that on the first day.
"Chancellor," Ethan said, coming up to her. "They're ready."
"Showtime," the Commander said with a smile, and together they walked up the stone stairs. The respective leaders quieted and began lining up in neat rows, flanked on all sides by her ADVENT soldiers. The Commander was flanked by two of his own XCOM soldiers as he took a position in the back, but with a clear view to watch her.
Saudia stepped onto the podium, and her guard took their positions, two to each respective side of the podium, and two behind her. They stood in perfect military poise, their hands clasped behind their backs. She adjusted the microphones up a tad to accommodate her height, then rested her hands on the sides as she looked into the crowd.
Cameras, flashes and dozens of microphones were pointed towards her, with the faces of those in attendance waiting in rapt attention for her to begin. Complete silence filled the air, save for the breeze rustling the leaves around her. A light on her podium flashed to green, indicating she was cleared to begin.
So she did.
"Greetings, citizens from across the world. After the tragedies that have recently taken place in this world, you no doubt have questions, and are hoping for answers. While I will not be able to address every question or concern you may have, rest assured that I will be in the coming days, but for now it is imperative that some basic information be shared and understood by all."
Saudia let her gaze sweep across the crowd. "I am Saudia Vyandar, the Chancellor of ADVENT, as designated by the esteemed leaders of the world behind me. My name is unfamiliar to you, but that is simply because of the nature of my work before my appointment here. I've led a global intelligence organization, working to prevent and protect everyday citizens from the numerous threats that arise in everyday life. This has led to me having firsthand experience with the alien threat we face today, and is ultimately why I was chosen, because I have the knowledge, drive and passion to understand the threat we face and defeat it."
She paused. "But actions speak louder than words, and I intend to prove to you of my intentions. But beyond myself, there is much else that needs to be addressed. I can unfortunately confirm that the entire United Nations leadership is dead; murdered in the alien attack that killed thousands of innocent people. The motivations for this attack are still unknown, but they are done likely as an attempt to destroy our leadership, divide our people and cripple our resolve. The aliens believe that we are weak-willed enough to be stunned into submission or splinter out of fear, but I can assure you now, that will not happen."
She gripped the podium tightly. "I value honesty, so the harsh reality is that this was a possible contingency that was planned for. This was the worst-case scenario that sadly came to fruition, despite our best efforts. But this will only have the exact opposite effect the aliens have intended for us. By attempting to weaken us with these acts of terror, the only thing they have accomplished is bringing us together, and we will emerge to face them as one."
Saudia steeled her tone slightly to drive this point home. "And that is what we require now. I do not speak just for myself, the ones behind me or the soldiers on the front lines. But I speak for what is required if we want humanity to survive. We are a diverse species, with many differing beliefs, opinions and outlooks. We have become bogged down by trivial debates between each other, fights over superficial issues and topics and intolerance and polarization everywhere."
"We must rise above that. We stand at the crossroads today. Australia was the wake-up call, and these attacks are the warning. We have to stand together as one united humanity. As one united people. We should not see each other as simply Russian, American, Chinese or Canadian, we cannot become solely defined by our nationality, nor should we believe their respective ones have all the answers. But we need to see each other as humans; humans fighting, living and surviving together in one common cause."
Saudia raised her index finger upward. "The aliens? They are united and focused on one goal: the subjugation of our species. The answer to them is not simply our soldiers, weapons or technology, it is if we are united or divided. That will ultimately determine the outcome of this war. Divided by our differences we will lose this war, but united by our cause we can protect ourselves from the encroaching threat."
Saudia paused for a brief moment to let it sink in. "This is the end to which ADVENT is established; an initiative that was to be introduced over a period of decades through the United Nations. But we cannot wait any longer, we cannot afford the delays and debates about the strengths and weaknesses. ADVENT is not simply a united army to push back the aliens, it is the future of humanity."
"ADVENT exists to execute three specific directives," she continued. "Security, prosperity and advancement. Under ADVENT our citizens will be protected by the best soldiers in the world; a true multinational army that will be dedicated to ensuring that the alien threat is pushed back and defeated. Crime will be stamped out under our Peacekeepers, as we can no longer afford to be lenient while the world is at stake. The nations will be protected by each other, and ADVENT will come to the aid of any member nation attacked by a hostile force, be they alien or otherwise."
She swept her gaze once more on the crowd. "We also recognize that the future rests in the hands of the people, and thus it is appropriate to recognize you as such, and give you all the advantages necessary to ensure our continued survival. People will no longer need to worry about the crippling fear of debt acquired by medicine, schooling and living. It will be provided from ADVENT, to achieve our goal of improving the lives of all citizens, not just the influential or wealthy. Political representatives in ADVENT will no longer be leashed to the traditional political parties, businesses, lobbyists or wealth that has corrupted so many others, but will be qualified representatives of the people, and chosen by them in fair democratic elections."
She still appeared to have their attention. "Finally, the goal of ADVENT is also not just to accept who we are as a species, but actively attempt to push past our boundaries to achieve that which we once thought impossible. Some believe that uniting our species is impossible, and yet I say that it will happen, as evidenced by the men and women behind me. Some believe that the aliens cannot be defeated, I say it is already possible, as evidenced by the fine work of XCOM. Some will also no doubt believe that the picture I paint at this moment is nothing more than a fantasy; a dream that cannot ever match up to reality."
Saudia smiled. "And while I disagree, as will be demonstrated over the coming days, ask yourself this: Is it not what we should strive towards? Is it not the goal to achieve a global unity of our species? To have a society where all are taken care of and have the ability to advance on their merits? To have a military that protects the people from threats, and a government to represent them accordingly?"
"In the end, the question truly is if our unification is not merely a solution to our survival, but a necessity. And if it must be a necessity, why not take the opportunity to craft the best iteration of our species possible? It is to this end that ADVENT was created, why I was chosen, and what I will continuously work towards during my tenure as Chancellor of ADVENT."
"The nations of the world face a choice: Fight this threat alone, or join us and fight it together. What is decided will ultimately determine the fate of our species. So I say to them all, choose wisely, for the time has run out. There are no second chances in this war, and there is no turning back."
Saudia stepped back. "That is all, and I believe that what will be unveiled over the coming days will prove both my and ADVENT's intentions. And I am also pleased to present before you the Commander of XCOM, who's led the major offenses against the alien threat to this date." Saudia stepped off the podium and watched the Commander take the stage.
It wasn't a bad speech, not at all. Had he not been responsible for the framework of ADVENT, the Commander would have personally been too cynical to really believe anything that Saudia was saying. He would have been the one saying it was impossible. But in this case, he knew better, though Saudia was downplaying the sacrifices that would undoubtedly come to bring the vision of ADVENT into reality.
And that was not going to make everyone happy.
And so he took the stand, looked out into the cameras as the people watched and waited for the shrouded leader of XCOM to reveal himself to the world. "As Chancellor Vyandar stated, I am the Commander of XCOM," he began. "Since the first abductions, I have been orchestrating the defense against the alien threat, and the time has come to do so in a more open manner."
He trailed off for a moment. "While our operations have been, and will remain, secret, our mission is the same as it always has been; to protect and defend humanity from extraterrestrial threats. Much like ADVENT, we were a contingency; a last-ditch effort that no one expected to use. But much has changed over the past year, and I, along with my senior advisors, have ensured that XCOM will lead the charge in the fight to defend our world."
The Commander paused, sweeping his gaze around. "Vigilo Confido. That is the motto ascribed to us. Ever vigilant. Ever watchful. So we are and continue to be, and while our role will solely be related to the alien threat, we will be watching beyond them. The aliens are subtle, devious and intelligent. They do not solely rely on armies, and I have learned that their goal is not simply to conquer our species. It is not to enslave or kill."
He looked directly into the main camera. "No, their vision for us is far more insidious. They want us to be what they cannot; adaptable, versatile and powerful. They want us as a willing subservient race, and will promise much to convince you that their plans aren't solely for their own benefit, but for yours. But to accomplish their goals would only serve to strip out what makes us human. Our diversity, ingenuity and individuality. For under the aliens, there is no independence; there is no freedom; there is only subservience to their leaders."
The air around him was charged with interest. Yes, he had their attention. "You have seen glimpses of the aliens themselves, and their leaders are as ethereal as I have been before today. They are beings of power that are said to be able to take on entire armies, New York was the result of one such being."
The Commander's lips curled into a toothless grin. "But they are not invincible. They are not omnipotent. They can be killed. They led an attack on our main base of operations with the intent to kill us once and for all. But they failed. They could not win against us before and XCOM will not let them win now."
He motioned to the crowd. "Don't be deceived into thinking that the aliens have every advantage. The soldiers around you can stand against their armies; ADVENT has been created to ensure that anything they can throw at us, we can defeat. And their leaders are few, they cannot simply be thrown at us, for each one killed will only makes us stronger."
The Commander lowered his hand back to the podium. "This war is bigger than what I or XCOM can realistically counter. We lack the numbers to wage a war, but we have enough to make a difference. XCOM will support ADVENT as an independent ally, one as committed to defending our species as we are. Both our organizations will be communicating closely as the war progresses."
The Commander paused, then lowered his voice slightly. "I do want to reiterate a point that Chancellor Vyandar stated in her own address to you today. She stressed the importance of a united humanity and I will do so as well now. This is not the first war I have partaken in, and I have seen firsthand how wars were won or lost because of the unity of each side or lack thereof."
"Division and polarization have been the downfall of civilizations before, not just the armies. The people at home are often forgotten as inconsequential, even in the military. But they often hold just as much sway, they can be the reason for the push to victory, or their division is why the battle is lost. But there is another component that goes hand-in-hand with unity and that is trust."
He smiled. "That is the one lingering question in the back of the minds of those watching, isn't it? How can we trust you? How can we trust those leading us to make the right decisions? I stand with Chancellor Vyandar in believing that actions speak louder than words, so simply look at what XCOM has accomplished: We were responsible for responding to multiple alien incursions that have not graced the media; we were responsible for crashing the Dreadnought over China; we ensured that both Hamburg and New York were not razed to the ground; we have staved off direct attacks to our bases of operations and we dismantled the shadow organization known as EXALT. We have done more that you wouldn't be able to confirm on your own, but I hope that is enough for you to trust that we are fully committed to our mission of defending you from the aliens."
He paused. "The nature of Chancellor Vyandar's work prevents me from giving the same reasons, but I can assure that she is just as dedicated not only to stopping the alien threat, but uplifting humanity into a new era of prosperity and security. She has extensive experience leading from behind the scenes, and I am confident that her skills are already translating well to preside over the most prestigious body this world has seen."
The Commander looked to the center camera. "So in addition to a call for unity, I also call for trust. Trust in ADVENT leading you, and trust in XCOM for protecting you. And in turn, we place our trust in you in deciding the future of our species. As Chancellor Vyandar said…there are no second chances here. The crossroads for our future has appeared, and I will do everything in my power to ensure that we succeed in this war."
He gave his salute and inclined his head. "Prepared or not, the time for action is now. Thank you, and Vigilo Confido."
To his mild surprise, the ADVENT captains beside him imitated his salute and as he looked out, he saw the rest of the soldiers copying him. It was an unplanned, but uplifting display he couldn't help but feel pride at. The rest of the reporters noticed as well, and it spoke to the level of respect and authority XCOM commanded to elicit this reaction from soldiers of another organization.
In any case, he couldn't think of a better ending, and simply stepped down from the podium. And with that it was done, the announcement of ADVENT was complete. Now it was time for the real war to begin.
The lack of a crowd outside of the media made the lack of applause noticeable, but a faint murmuring soon filled the air as everyone started talking after it was clear that the speeches were over. From what she could tell, most of the people closest to her approved of the direction, at least Patricia hadn't sensed any sort of anger, resentment or outrage that would accompany strong disagreement.
Although everyone had definitely wondered if the Commander was going to be the wildcard here, since he'd kept what he was going to say to himself, only revealing that it would be in line with Saudia's speech, and lo and behold, it was.
The question Patricia had was what the reactions would be elsewhere. From her view it had gone well, though she was admittedly biased and ultimately knew that all the talk of unity was simply a means to get public pressure on the more reluctant nations to join ADVENT. That appeared to be Saudia's playbook: Diplomacy first, force second.
Besides, there was still a lot that needed to be established, and just the countries involved now were going to take months to fully implement the entire military, intelligence and Peacekeeping Division. But it would happen, she'd seen enough proof of that from looking over the reports sent to the Commander.
Of course…that wasn't what was occupying her mind now. It was past time they interrogated Aegis on why the hell he was here. And of course he had to show up right before the Demeter Contingency was activated and directly after that ADVENT had to be unveiled. Which left very little room to actually sit down with the Ethereal who'd so kindly surrendered to them.
Her face turned hard under her helmet as she watched the Commander and Saudia talk, recalling how Aegis had rather easily put down her entire squad. It would have been embarrassing if it wasn't a terrifying implication of just how underdeveloped they were to properly combat the Ethereals. Aegis had of course been vague after they'd taken him on the skyranger.
It was one of the most awkward rides back she'd ever had, but they hadn't exactly had much time to debate, and stuck him in alien containment where Vahlen had been analyzing the Ethereal with a rapt expression on her face. Everyone around Aegis had been strangely confident as they worked, with no hint of nervousness at all.
An unnatural lack of caution, that she suspected was attributed to the aura he emitted she'd sensed before. For whatever reason, he had the ability to harden the resolve of those around him; negate debilitating emotions and conditions like fear and caution. It was both useful and disturbing how easily she'd been affected, and even more insidious since she didn't particularly feel the need to block it.
With the Ravaged One, it had been simple. Pain was bad and she'd been happy to block it. Aegis had the opposite effect. She wanted to feel secure about what she was doing; she wanted to be without fear. And because of that, she felt like there was some hidden catch she wasn't aware of. So ever since then she'd fought to prevent herself from being affected by him in that way. Not until she knew how exactly it worked.
That being said, it was interesting. She wondered if all Ethereals had this kind of aura around them. A passive telepathic presence developed over likely centuries of practice. If so…hmm, perhaps it could be replicated. She supposed she could do it to a degree, seeing as how she'd mentally synched her squads together in the past, but that had been after intense concentration, not something she did on instinct.
Another question to ask him when they returned to the Praesidium.
"What did you think?" She asked Carmelita who stood beside her, clutching her alloy cannon. The woman had been tense ever since arriving here, and Patricia knew it was likely being in such close proximity to Iseul. Whatever the Commander thought of him, it wouldn't erase the friends she'd lost during the Korean shadow war. The fact that both countries were now technically part of one government under ADVENT didn't seem to help.
"Both of them weren't telling the whole truth," she answered flatly, admittedly relaxing a little bit. "I've seen enough propaganda to tell. Saudia's speech had the mark of Iseul in places, and the Commander is attempting to appeal to the basic intelligence of the public." She snorted. "Ha. It's sad that even an alien invasion isn't enough to get everyone to work together."
"Agreed," Patricia said wearily. "But I have a feeling that is going to change when the attacks start."
"I suppose so," Carmelita said, looking over to where Presidents Chia and Treduant were talking. Chia waved her over. "Looks like she wants me," Carmelita said. "I'll be back."
"Go ahead," Patricia said, admittedly curious why Chia wanted to talk with her. But it admittedly would be a nice change from just standing around and looking intimidating. She felt extremely out of her league and out of place here. The sheer amount of presence these people exhibited was staggering, and little more than a year ago, she had been a mid-ranking soldier in the Royal Marines.
She had admittedly come a long way since then, but this made her…uncomfortable. She was a soldier and psion, not a politician. She also suspected that they wouldn't be quite as friendly if they knew she could read their minds at any time.
Now there was someone coming up, a very distinct mind. "Patricia Trask, correct?" Iseul asked coming up beside her. Her armor made her tower over him by a few inches, but he didn't seem perturbed. "I'm not sure we've been formally introduced."
"Yes, correct," she said, not sensing anything hostile from him, and took his extended hand. "Do you make a point to greet every soldier this way?"
He gave a humorless smile. "Only the ones worth knowing. The Commander does not choose just anyone to accompany him, and I can see the uses for a psion."
She was somewhat surprised he knew, and she could easily sense he believed what he was saying and it wasn't a trick of some sort. "I'm curious how you came to that conclusion."
He nodded toward her. "Your armor. The color is rather distinct, and I have seen the footage of you from New York. Correct me if I am wrong, and besides…there is something different about you that I can't place. Call it a feeling."
Patricia raised an eyebrow. "You don't make assumptions based on feelings. I know that much about you."
"Correct, I make educated guesses on what I know to be true," he answered easily. "And what I know for certain is that you are not like others, Psion. The Commander must trust you a great deal to permit you to work with him so closely."
Ah, now she was beginning to see what his point was. "Be careful with accusations, Supreme Leader. No, I am not influencing the Commander."
"So blunt," he said with a smile. "So tell me then, is it possible for you to influence someone without them aware of it?"
She narrowed her eyes, aware that any effect was lost from behind her helmet. "Of course I can. That doesn't mean I do it. And I'd appreciate it if you either got to your point, or accused me properly."
Iseul turned completely serious. "If you insist. I've learned what I could about you, and by all accounts you do not seem a threat. But I am not convinced that psionics are something that can be properly handled by XCOM. The fact that you are so highly promoted within it is dangerous, since your kind are dangerous, would you disagree?"
"No, your concern is reasonable," she had to admit. Much as she hated hearing 'your kind' he unfortunately had a point. "But you forget that this is the Commander. Do you really think he doesn't have an answer for…us?"
"No, I think he does," Iseul admitted. "But I'm not sure it is the correct one. If it was, you would not hold any position of influence."
She almost chuckled. That meant that he was unaware that the Commander himself was a psion, which would prove…interesting when he found out. But at this point she was getting a little tired of this conversation, and didn't exactly want Iseul raising unnecessary questions. She reached out to his mind, easing it open a little to make it easier to suggestion.
It was interesting that if the target was unaware, it was easier to sway an intelligent person than one less so. Their minds were organized to a fault, making it easier to spot crevices. She raised a hand and then simply lowered it to her side while saying. "The Commander has a plan, you don't need to worry about it."
She pressed those words into his mind as well, as he'd been distracted by the motion she'd done with her hand. "I suppose you have a point," he repeated dully. "The plan the Commander has is likely sufficient. There are more important things to worry about."
"Let's move on then," she said.
"I agree," Iseul said, eyeing the Commander and Saudia speaking. "I will leave before your South Korean soldier comes back. I doubt she would like to see me."
"No," Patricia agreed as he walked away. "She wouldn't."
Iseul's suspicion of psionics was a somewhat important piece of information to learn. It would probably be best if the Commander heard it from her before he accidentally revealed it himself. But she probably shouldn't worry. The Commander was much better in these situations than she was.
The Praesidium, Barracks
Rare was the time where the soldiers crowded around the television to watch something on the news, but this was one such time. All of them had been silent as they watched the Commander and this new Chancellor give what essentially amounted to a replacement for the United Nations. Personally, Sierra Morrow found it…difficult…to believe that ADVENT was going to be some kind of utopia, especially given the current situation.
What she did think was that this had been in the works long before the alien attack on the United Nations had gone down. "The Commander's been busy," Leonid, one of the Russians commented. "There is no way he didn't know this was happening."
"Of course he knew," Sierra agreed, swinging her arm absentmindedly over the couch, a habit she had yet to break. "I wouldn't be surprised if he was involved in creating it. He was former CIA. They like doing this kind of stuff."
"And I suppose you're an expert on intelligence?" Mordecai said with a wry smile. "Special forces and intelligence work are not exactly synonymous."
She resisted the urge to roll her eyes at him. "True, but I wager I know more US history than you, and more about the CIA."
"Perhaps," he said, standing up. "It will be interesting to see how this works out."
"Yeah," Sierra said, unable to keep a frown off her face. Despite how…encouraging it was that a global alliance was already being formed, she wasn't entirely comfortable with how it had all come together. It all seemed too well planned, and she wasn't thrilled with how an entire army had apparently just come out of nowhere.
"I'm kinda surprised America seems to be joining this ADVENT," Karen Dais, one of the Canadian CSORs commented, flipping a pen lazily between her fingers. "Sierra, can the president do that?"
Sierra scratched her chin. "Hmm…let's see…alliances would fall under the executive branch I believe…but this seems a lot bigger. It seems like whatever nation joins ADVENT is subject to its laws."
"A world government," Lesedi clarified, the South African sniper looking rather happy with the idea. "Never thought I'd see the day."
"Agreed," Jona, the Swiss Grenadier nodded, brushing her snow-white hair behind her ear. "It's what we need, like it or not."
Sierra and Leonid exchanged a glance, and from his blank expression she knew he wasn't quite as on board with the idea of a world government as some of them. Neither was she. "You won't have a peaceful transition to a world government," Leonid said, leaning back in the couch. "One: The people aren't going to like suddenly being under a world government that they feel doesn't represent their interests. In particular, America and Russia are very…patriotic. Savvin might push for it, but I don't see America following suit."
"Don't forget that China will probably just laugh and say no," Sierra agreed. "And I can agree with America. For the record I'm not entirely sure America should join yet, not until Saudia proves herself and we know a little more about ADVENT. Anyway…" Sierra looked back to Karen. "To answer your question, no, something like this would need to pass Congress at the very least. And since it would likely nullify our Constitution, it is not going to get bipartisan support from the Democrats and Republicans. There is no way they will willingly submit to an international power."
She was interrupted by a chuckle from another soldier sitting on a chair behind them, his black skin illuminated by the florescent light directly above. What was his name…Joseph? And some strange last one. She did remember he was a Green Beret. "What's so funny?"
"You haven't kept up with the news, I guess," he said looking over to them, raising his tablet.
Sierra frowned. "What are you talking about?"
He tossed the tablet to her which she caught easily and looked at what appeared to be a government document. "Senate bill 117B," he continued. "I have a habit of checking exactly how my representatives are voting and this bill was passed about a week ago."
Sierra did a quick scroll-through, somewhat irritated at the length. "You can't just throw something forty-one pages long at me and expect me to know what the hell I'm reading. So it's a bill? They do it all the time."
Joseph stood up and walked over to them. "Not just any bill, it was introduced by President Treduant herself. Want to guess what it does?"
"Stop being smug and tell her." Leonid chimed in, crossing his arms.
"It gives every executive agency complete autonomy in times of declared war," Joseph explained. "In essence, it renders the government free to operate without the legislative and judicial branches. And of course, the military answers to the Commander-in-Chief."
Sierra went cold as she realized the implications. "She wouldn't do that. There will be riots in the streets. This kind of decision can't be made unilaterally."
"Except that it can," Joseph confirmed, taking his tablet from her fingers. "I have no idea how she managed to get this through both the House and Senate in so little time, but she did and I wondered what the purpose of this bill actually could be. Considering ADVENT, I think we know now."
Leonid whistled. "And I thought Madam Treduant was the woman who listened to the people."
Sierra raised an eyebrow. "Where the hell did you get that idea? She's the one who gets things done, and admittedly that lines up with what people want most of the time. I liked her, she's a principled woman…still," she shook her head and glanced at the TV. "This is going way too far for her…assuming she does declare America is joining ADVENT."
"She was at the address," Karen pointed out quietly. "I think that's exactly what she is going to do."
"She's probably doing what's necessary," Lesedi said. "We don't have time for all the congresses to debate over if they should help fight the aliens."
"It's not that simple," Sierra scowled, trying to think. "This isn't just bypassing Congress, this is undermining our country. This is throwing out everything we've built in favor of whatever the hell ADVENT is. And I can guarantee that they won't hold the same values and rules as our Constitution."
"If it comes between defending against the aliens and your constitution, which would you prefer?" Lesedi challenged. "Because I don't think there's much of a choice, for America or anyone else."
"You wait and see if the new world order is actually good before preemptively signing on," Sierra countered. "We need information, facts and evidence before even considering joining something like this."
"The Commander is backing it though," Jona added. "He wouldn't be doing it unless he was confident it would work. He's American too, if that makes you feel better."
"Eh, I don't know if the Commander really sees himself as just American," Leonid said, motioning toward the TV. "I mean he did say kinda imply that nationalism was a problem and we needed to focus on the aliens. From everything I've seen of him, he's going to do whatever works best against the aliens."
Sierra had gotten that feeling as well. Worse was that she had a suspicion that what he would like wasn't exactly democratic. It wasn't much to go on, just from how he'd acted, what he'd written and how he operated. The contingencies in particular had unnerved her the first time she read them, clearly prioritizing efficiency and results above all else. And the thing was…a democratic republic wasn't exactly the most efficient form of government. That he was working with Nowinski and Supreme Leader Gwan told her that he didn't really care how people operated as long as they shared his goals.
"In any case, there isn't much we can do," Lesedi said, standing up. "We're XCOM now."
"Copy that," Leonid smirked. "Probably better this way. I trust the Commander a hell of a lot more than any politician."
"A shame he isn't one," Jona said, and they chuckled at that.
Sierra didn't join in. She sort of wished she could just fully commit her loyalty to XCOM, but she was still American and that wouldn't change. A glance with Karen shared the same feelings. And in terms of trusting the Commander…she respected him now, though she wasn't quite sure she trusted him yet.
Well, she did trust him not to get her killed for no reason, but not necessarily about making the right decisions.
The Praesidium, Practice Range
Jamali still wasn't entirely used to the curved and bubbly architecture of the Sectoids. The Praesidium was alien in every sense of the word, and he couldn't shake the feeling that they didn't belong here. The hum of the elerium generators was pervasive, yet he'd personally adapted to the pulses rather quickly, as had they all.
Still though, it felt unnatural. Out of place.
Like he did now.
It did speak to the level of respect all of them had for each other that none of them had made comments, insinuations or the like about where he'd come from. They weren't exactly supportive, or anything like that, but they didn't broach that topic and he returned the favor.
But it was never out of his mind and now it was coloring his outlook. He genuinely, truly, could not understand what unholy force had gripped the leaders of his nation to stoop so low as to not only assassinate foreign leaders, but kill their families as well. It was sickening, and he hadn't slept the past nights after Israel had begun the attacks on Jordan, Syria, and soon to be, Iraq.
His homeland and first loyalty. A loyalty he wasn't sure he could keep anymore.
True, it wasn't without its faults to say the least. Iraq had embraced the extreme during the War on Terror and had paid the price. Jamali was well aware that many of his countryman were bitter and vengeful against Israel, the West, anyone who'd allowed the demon known as the Commander loose and hadn't done anything to stop him until it was too late.
He'd been a lot younger then. And growing up seeing his country mocked and dismissed over the years had been troubling and difficult. But also as he grew older, he was able to tell it wasn't without reason. It wasn't undeserved, as harsh as that truth was. But it was a truth that he'd kept to himself as those around him wanted nothing more than revenge. They were too blinded to see that Islam, and by extension, Iraq, had been responsible for its own downfall. The religion had been hijacked by extremists, brought into the mainstream while purposefully ignoring aspects of the Quran that condemned everything the Caliphate stood for.
As he'd seen it now, after Mecca was destroyed, there should have been some serious internal self-examination after the Caliphate was finally defeated. And…there had. Though not by choice. Worse that the War had created a true hatred for the religion itself to the point that it wasn't safe to openly practice it, even in western nations like the United States.
Laws had soon been passed regulating the practice significantly in multiple countries, and now the open practice of Islam was only openly tolerated in a very few places outside the Middle East, such as Canada and Switzerland. Jamali had wondered if the religion would ever recover, though with the attack on Israel, it seemed like that would be the actual death knell for Islam, as well as the regular way of life he'd experienced.
He scowled, once more trying to wonder what had possessed Saudi Arabia, Iran and Yemen to think that this was the solution. If it was simply vengeance, it would have happened a long time ago. Was it opportunism? An alien incursion would admittedly have everyone distracted, but if they seriously thought Israel was just going to ignore an attack, they must have been seriously impaired.
He finally reached the practice range set up. It was clearly modeled after the one in the Citadel; various cutouts and targets of various aliens populating the range at various distances. The room itself was empty, thankfully, all of the others watching the address by someone called Saudia. He'd never heard of her, but could guess what she was going to say: "This was such a horrible attack by the aliens, now unite and fight them." Only with a lot more eloquence than he could be bothered to muster at this point. Not that he'd particularly believe her anyway.
ADVENT, the United Nations, he couldn't muster up strong feelings for them. Truthfully he'd never really thought of them much, mainly because they'd never really done anything of note. What was truly horrible to him were the people who'd died in the attacks, not that the organization itself was coming apart.
And he supposed ADVENT was the replacement for the United Nations, maybe with a more military focus. He supposed he'd get the details later, but that conflict wasn't the one he was watching now. And from the latest reports there, he needed to take his mind off it for a while. He took a stance, raised his pulse rifle and took aim at the cardboard cutout of a Borelian soldier, one of the recent additions.
The pulsing beam sliced through it with ease and he quickly moved to the next one, then the next until every target was sliced into charred, crisp pieces lying on the floor. He lowered his weapon and surveyed the damages. He really wondered if he was wasting his time here. Very rarely did he ever have shots that were hitting targets standing in the open, not to mention that pulse weapons weren't like ballistics. A sustained beam pretty much negated any need for precise aiming even if it took far more power.
And his reflexes probably couldn't improve more than they already were, although they did need to be maintained. However, this little jaunt did occupy him for…he glanced at his watch…thirty minutes. He grunted and turned to leave, hitting the button to notify that the targets needed to be replaced.
"You could have left some for me," a voice chastised, a dry one with a soft tint. Jamali turned to see a smaller woman walk in, a gauss rifle slung over her shoulder. Short curly black hair framed a concerned face, which was overlooked by the scar from her right ear to lower chin. Right, even if he didn't recognize her from her accent and brown skin, he would be able to tell by her posture that she was special forces, probably Israeli.
He shrugged. "They'll replace them in a few minutes. Sorry."
"Unneeded," Fakhr al Din answered, raising a hand. "I'm curious why you aren't watching up there with the rest of them. Seems pretty important."
"Not to me," Jamali answered, not wanting to elaborate. "I doubt it will change anything. Military alliances are expected."
"Mhmm," she said, crossing her arms. "Look, I know why you're down here and I don't blame you. Trust me when I say I know what it's like to have Israel invade your home."
He frowned and appraised the smaller woman. "You're Israeli special forces though. Sayerert Makul if I remember you correctly."
"Oh, I am," she confirmed. "But I wasn't always. You do remember Palestine, right?"
He winced. Ah, that made much more sense. "Right. I didn't realize that happened to you."
She sighed. "I don't make a habit of telling. Anyway, in retrospect it makes sense why it happened. They antagonized Israel too much and they got sick of the threats and acted. If they went that far, I can't say I'm surprised to see them take on the rest after they were attacked."
"It makes sense," Jamali said, frustrated. "But what I can't figure out is why? None of it makes sense. They had to know what they were doing."
Fakhr's face contorted in confusion. "I agree. And I'm not sure we'll ever really know. But for what it's worth, I'm sorry it's happening to you as well. Contrary to what you might think, not all of us want a war with your country."
"Thank you," he said with as much sincerity as he could muster. "But I'm curious…why join the IDF after what happened?"
She was silent for a few moments. "Guess I wanted to prove something. I can't say the Israelis treated us badly, but they definitely looked down on us, were suspicious despite in theory being all 'one nation' now. No, we were Palestinians first, Israelis second, if at all. Never openly either, but there were enough looks, gestures and tones to get the general idea that we were not welcome."
She shrugged. "The only way to change that is proving them wrong. So I did my part. People are stubborn in their prejudices and like it or not, Israel is my home and I feel obligated to defend it. And even if I can't attribute it completely to me, I do like to think I changed the minds of several officers about fielding native Palestinians."
Jamali nodded. "Good for you. Hopefully…it will end quickly," he sighed. "The IDF is moving on Iraq now. Russia is moving into Iran and America is concentrating on Yemen and Saudi Arabia. I hope it ends before too many people die."
Fakhr nodded, leaning against the wall. "I think that it will. Don't forget we have the aliens to deal with. Focus on that, and not something you have no control over. You'll just make it worse for yourself."
"Probably a good idea," he agreed reluctantly, despite probably going to still keep up-to date on the status of the war. "I guess you saw the address, right? Anything interesting?"
She snorted. "Oh yes. And from what I've inferred and seen, I do think ADVENT is going to change the world."
Supplementary Material
The Advent Directive
SECTION 1: Organization and Structure
Subsection 1.1: Introduction
Upon initialization of ADVENT, the organization of this body will be divided into several different branches, both civilian and military. The first of these will be federal or civilian positions, which will govern over the general population and represent their interests. The main organs of this are as follows:
- The Legislature, which consists of the ADVENT Congress of Nations, presided over by the Chancellor of ADVENT (See Section 2 for further details)
- The Judicial branch, which is responsible for the enforcement, sentencing and reviewing of ADVENT State law (See Section 3 for further details).
- The Executive branch, overseen by the Chancellor of ADVENT which includes multiple agencies responsible for ensuring that ADVENT remains in prime condition. The Executive Branch also has direct influence over the ADVENT Military and Peacekeeping Forces.
In addition to the civilian and federal branches, the final major organs of ADVENT are the ADVENT Military, ADVENT Peacekeepers and ADVENT Intelligence.
- The ADVENT Military consists of the armed forces of ADVENT, and oversees troop deployments, strategy, intervention and their internal research and engineering programs. The ADVENT Military is subject to the Executive Branch and the current Chancellor, though can be overridden if certain conditions are met (See Section 8 for further details).
- The ADVENT Peacekeeping Forces are responsible for the protection of ADVENT member nations, as well as the enforcement of laws passed by the Legislature. Peacekeepers will be strictly used to maintain domestic security which encompasses all criminal elements that occur in member states. Peacekeepers are subject to both the Judicial and Executive branches, though as with the ADVENT Military, exceptions are in place should certain conditions be met (See Section 7 for further details).
- ADVENT Intelligence focuses on information gathering, analysis and application. It is the organ used for covert ADVENT operations against both civilian and military application, at the discretion of the Intelligence Director. ADVENT Intelligence answers directly to the Executive branch and ADVENT Military Leadership (See Section 6 for more details).
SECTION 1 Table of Contents:
1.1 – Introduction
1.2 – Legislative, Judicial and Executive Structures
1.3– ADVENT Agencies
1.4 – ADVENT Member Nations
1.5 – ADVENT Military, Peacekeepers and Intelligence