Briefing Room, Praesidium

7/1/17 - 4:22 PM

Okay Dawn, it's your first mission. Don't do anything stupid. Just focus, listen, and kill things.

I sighed, opening my eyes. I was clad in my Aurora armor, Psi rifle slung over my back. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little nervous. Then again, this had been coming. I'd done well in training, and everything checked out. My biopathy still took a bit to actually do its thing, but it was better than nothing.

I walked into the briefing room, helmet under my arm, putting a smile on my face. I straightened out my hair, as it was in a mess after changing into my armor.

Please don't look like a nervous wreck. A woman who I presumed was Sahra Kesselman, the squad overseer, walked up to greet me.

"Dawn! Welcome to your first mission!"

Act professional. Don't make them think this is some kind of babysitting service. You're a soldier, just like them. Nothing more, nothing less.

I extended a hand. "Thanks. It's a pleasure to be here. I have to admit I'm a bit excited, ma'am. Ready to do my part."

"Call me Overseer. Glad you're here, Dawn. I'm sure you'll do well."

I nodded. "Yeah, thanks. Where's Kunio?"

"The teleporter? He's on his way."

I turned towards the briefing table, where the rest of the soldiers were standing around. The huge dude with the buzz cut must've been Hank, the gunner. I'd seen their weaponry in action, it made me a little jealous, to be honest. But, as much as lugging around a veritable cannon and mowing down everything you saw sounded awesome, psionics could do that just as easily, and with less effort. In my case, I didn't need bullets to kill a crowd of people, all I needed was a thought.

He noticed I was looking at him and nodded back, as well as the rest of the squad. Okay, a little awkward, but it could be worse. I gazed at the rest of the room. Those two women in the back chatting must've been our two Engineers. The chick with the alloy cannon had to be Henderson, and the one guy left must have been Matthew...who? Damnit, I'd forgotten his name. Have to ask what it was later.

Sahra walked over to me. "You look nervous."

"A little, ma-Overseer. Pre-mission jitters, I guess."

She nodded, smiling at me. "I get it. We've all been there." She gestured to the rest of the squad. "Is there anything in particular you're worried about, or is it just about the op in general?"

I shrugged, trying to suppress the very obvious terror on my face. "The whole thing overall, I guess. Afraid I might mess something up."

"Try not to focus on what you might do. Focus on what you should do. When you're in the moment, focus on that. Don't overwhelm yourself by thinking of everything that could go wrong, think about what you can do to make it go right, so that it doesn't go wrong. You see what I'm saying?"

"Yeah. I think so."

"We'll definitely be fighting human SAS soldiers in this op. Have you gone against them in sims before?"

"Once or twice. But it's fine. They're the enemy, and I'll kill them if I have to."

She patted me on the shoulder. "Good. And your biopathy?"

"I can only kill one or two targets with it right now, and I need a few minutes to actually do it. I'll stick with my regular telepathy, only use my biopathy if I feel it's absolutely necessary."

"Alright then, you're all set. Now, we'll wait for Kunio. The briefing will start when he gets here. If you need anything, tell me."

"Got it." I leaned against the wall, gazing around the room. A minute later, I noticed Kunio walk in, and I pushed myself off of the wall to say hi.

"Kunio!"

"Dawn! You all ready to go?"

"I think so, though I'm a bit nervous."

He responded in a reassuring voice. "Everyone has their first time."

Sahra walked over to us, smiling at me warmly. "You'll do fine. Just do what I said. Follow orders, kill some aliens, and you'll fall into a rhythm. Of course, we have to get there first."

Awww, thanks.

The Commander walked in a few moments later. We all quickly gathered around the table.

This is it, Dawn. This is where it begins.

"All of you have been apprised of the overview of Operation Syracuse. This is expected to be a low-intensity operation, and an augment to the ongoing Operation Scipio ADVENT is conducting."

The briefing table lit up to highlight the target in question. "Malabo is the capital of the Equatorial Guinea, and, fortunately, on an island off of the continent and SAS mainland. ADVENT is seeking a staging point to move onto the mainland proper, for the latter stages of Scipio, and the island Malabo is on serves that purpose, is minimally protected, and vulnerable."

"Objectives, sir?" Sahra asked.

"Malabo has two major Gateways the Collective installed. XCOM Intelligence has located where they are – they aren't hidden or overly well-protected, but they need to be secured to prevent a rapid reinforcement of the island. Once both Gateways are secured, ADVENT will begin moving in forces to mop up the remaining SAS and Collective forces."

Kunio spoke up. "We want this to be a stealth operation?"

"Ideally, until you secure the Gateways," the Commander said with a nod. "Directly destroying their power sources would accomplish the same thing. If you must destroy the Gateways, that is acceptable, but they should, ideally, be taken intact, since ADVENT can utilize them to rapidly reinforce the island."

A stealth op? Huh. This is going to be interesting.

Bryanna lifted a hand. "Question, sir. Are we going to be receiving any assistance in the operation? Or are we on our own?"

"Admiral Grady will be standing by to provide cruise missile assistance. He will also be in contact with you during the operation, and will be opening lines to the SAS command. It's unlikely to accomplish much, but he is going to attempt to see if the SAS forces stand down. Otherwise, he will be your primary means of assisting in the takedown of the few Sectopods on the island."

We have cruise missiles? I couldn't help but slightly grin. Oh, this op just got ten times better. I'm not going to say no to some free fireworks.

She nodded sharply. "Understood, sir. So no Lancer support."

"Not this time."

The Overseer looked over the hologram. "Both Gateways seem close together. We could secure both of them quickly, and call in the reinforcements."

"Or cruise missiles," So suggested with a faint smile on her face.

"Or those," Sahra agreed. "Kunio, you're our teleporter – where do you think we'll start?"

Kunio indicated the exterior. "I'll bring us outside of the city perimeter. Teleporting directly into the city is risky – a very high chance that we could be seen by someone, be they civilians or soldiers. We'll be preparing on the carrier, I assume?"

"That's correct," the Commander said.

We get to go on an aircraft carrier? I'll be damned, never been on one of those before.

Sahra nodded. "Good, we can work with that. Stealth is going to be the biggest issue – we have some advantages, namely night, the minimal number of Collective and SAS personnel, and the curfew."

She looked at me. "I know you're a Biopath, but you're also a telepath. We're going to need your telepathy here. Make sure that anyone we might encounter is detected or neutralized. Can you do that?"

I gulped. "I can."

"No special units we should be aware of?" Sahra asked the Commander. "Outside of the Sectopods, obviously."

"XCOM Intelligence has not reported anything," the Commander ticked off his fingers. "Mutons, Runianarch, Sectopods. There was a potential sighting of a Seeker, but this is not confirmed. Again, this is a minimal presence for now – we expect that to change shortly as Admiral Grady's fleet moves closer."

"Understood."

"There is one more thing," the Commander said slowly. "The Gateways are likely to be connected to Collective points of interest - bases, and so on. We have an opportunity here to do significant infrastructural damage. Your squad is authorized to carry a low-yield portable nuclear explosive into this mission, prime it, and send it to the Collective."

Wait, what? My heart almost leaped out of my throat as he said that.

I'm sorry, did he say a nuclear weapon?

Looks like the stakes just got raised.

The Commander and the rest of the team talked about it- priming it, the likelihood of the Collective accepting the package through the Gateway, but I kind of zoned out.

I knew hard decisions like this would have to be made, especially with the stunts the Collective had pulled recently, but...fuck. I felt...heavier. Like a weight had been placed on my shoulders.

How many is that bomb going to kill? Thousands? Millions?

What if it hits a city?

I snapped back to reality. Fuck. Pay attention, Dawn.

The Commander was looking at me and Kunio. "I know this operation is going to be a bit different for some of you, but I've seen you are capable of during your training and elsewhere. I'm certain you'll succeed here. Good luck."

The Commander saluted, and we all responded in kind. After he left, Sahra rested her hands on the table. "Alright, we've got a few hours left before the mission. Let's hash out the details, get some dinner, get some short rest, and then head out. Any objections?"

No one said anything. With a slight grin, she nodded. "Good. Let's get started."

Maybe some tacos would get the nuclear weapon off my mind for a bit.

Mess Hall, Praesidium

One Hour Later

Like Uncle Frederic said, 'never go into battle on an empty stomach'.

True enough, but here it was more like "never handle a weapon of mass destruction on an empty stomach".

As I dived into my second taco, fresh from a quick nap, Kunio sat down next to me, both of us in our Psi armor jumpsuits. I liked the sleek, black look of the suit. Felt like a one-piece, though much more stylish.

"You ready?"

"Ready as I can be. I must say, I didn't expect my first mission to be against the SAS. But hey, a mission's a mission."

He shrugged. "I suppose. My first mission was the Caelior rescue. Hopefully this will go smoother."

I grinned. "Oh, I'm sure it'll go better than that. Just seize control of some Gateways and kill any enemies we see. Simple enough."

"And deliver the bomb."

I took another bite. "Yeah. That, too. Didn't expect that of all things, but hey. If it hurts the Collective, I've got no issue with it."

"You're not concerned about it?"

I shrugged. "The Collective's done worse to us. Don't see why we can't bite back."

"Fair. You let your family know?"

"Yeah, texted them before I hit the sack. Couldn't get a video call in - they're at work. They wished me luck, though. Visited my sister, too. Things got a little emotional. Keeping it quiet from Mary, though. If I come back, most I'll say is that I went on a mission and killed some aliens."

"Fair enough."

I nodded. "Kunio, listen. Can you do me a favor?"

"Yeah?"

I pulled a piece of paper out of my pocket and handed it to him. "Kunio, I trust you. A lot. So I'm giving you this."

"What is it?"

I paused, twiddling my fingers. "If I don't come back...on this mission, or ever, I'd like you to have it."

He unfolded it. It was a picture of me and him outside of the gym, a week or two after I'd gotten here. I'd just gotten my augmentations for real. He'd taken it upon himself to do some workouts with me, to show just how much I could do with my enhanced muscles. The look on my face when I lifted a 160-kilogram weight without breaking a sweat got a laugh out of him. Nothing like having super-strength, I suppose.

He solemnly nodded, pocketing it. "Thank you Dawn, I appreciate that."

"Hey, I trust you. It's the least I can do for you. You've been such a big help and a great friend. Honestly, if you weren't here, I don't think my time here at XCOM would be so enjoyable. You've been supportive, you comforted me when I had that meltdown..." I blushed. Jeez, I sounded cheesy as hell. "In a way, you've kind of been like a brother to me, y'know? Like the older brother type who watches over his younger sibling, giving him advice and having a good time while doing so."

"Hey, no worries. I get it. You look up to me. That's a good thing."

"Yeah, but I don't want to sound like I'm super clingy or anything."

He waved it off. "No, no. You're not. You're showing gratitude and appreciation. No worries, Dawn."

"Thanks. Anyway, it's a gift. I'd thought you'd like it."

"I do like it. It's nice." He looked at the photo for a moment, gulping. "Thank you for trusting me with this.. I'll keep it with me."

I smirked. "Think of it as a memento from your friend who can melt you."

"A great friend, that is. I'm glad you're here, Dawn. You're a good person, and XCOM would be lesser without you."

"And without you, I could never say that I have a friend who can teleport."

I held up my glass of soda. "Cheers. To being friends!"

"To being friends!"

We clinked glasses, and drank. It was go time. Time to kill some aliens- for real this time.

I was ready.

Joseph Ray Shannon- Deck

7/2/2017- 11:22 PM

I stood on the deck of the huge ship, looking at our target in the distance. My helmet was off, taking in the cool sea air. It felt good, actually. Reminded me of the beach vacations we used to take as a family. Mom would always complain about the sand in the car, Dad would always play his annoying, yet catchy, 80's music, and I would constantly get sand in my hair.

Sure, it could be rough, coarse, irritating, and get everywhere, but there was something alluring about it. The way it flowed through your fingers, its golden color, the many ways in which you could shape and play with it. Kind of like what I did with cells, only instead of building sandcastles, I was the metaphorical wave that destroyed their structure.

I missed those days. Maybe, one day, I could do that again.

But not today. Today was about killing aliens.

You can do this. You're not going to mess anything up.

I turned around, looking at the rest of the squad. Kunio had seemed a bit on edge ever since arriving on the carrier. He hid it well from the rest of them, but I could tell. It was about teleporting, I was sure, and I was fully confident in him that he could do it. After all, he had T'Leth's best teleporter teaching him every step of the way.

Not sure why her psionics were green, though.

But hey, as long as he didn't send us to Desolan or Paradise, I'd be content with it.

Sahra walked up to us. "Slight change of plans."

Hank looked at her. "Good or bad?"

"Good. The SAS commander on the island surrendered."

I'm sorry, what?

I blurted out a very surprised "What?", as the rest of our squad reacted to the news, mostly with raised eyebrows and a few gaping mouths.

Kunio blinked. "What do you mean surrendered? Can they do that?"

Sahra responded. "Well, yes and no. From what Grady explained to me, the SAS forces there aren't going to fight us - the Collective forces are still a threat. Basically, our job is now a lot easier."

"Are they going to help?" Kathryn asked, idly handling her Alloy Cannon.

"Yes – kind of," Sahra said. "They have some influence over the forces there, so they're going to call them to assemble. They're going to call the Vitakara to one place, force them to stand down, and call the \ Muton units to various places and gun them down. Once we're on-site, we let Grady know, he lets the SAS commander know, the city goes dark, we help take out the Sectopods, secure the Gateways, and mop up anything else."

"Right," Bryanna said, her voice skeptical. "And how do we know this isn't a trap?"

"Worst case?" Sahra shrugged. "Original plans still apply. Grady seems to believe him, and I don't think he'd intentionally risk us like this. Anyone have any questions before we go out?"

None of us shook their heads. Despite this very odd turn of events, we'd hashed out the planning hours ago, and gone over everything important. It was time to actually do the mission – though it was now going to be a unique mission, with this strange development. Fighting alongside the SAS – defectors they may be – was going to be very odd.

They were still traitors. I'd do my best to keep an eye on them. If they turned on us, I'd put them in the ground.

Sahra nodded to Kunio. "Take us over."

A second later, a purple portal appeared in front of him, which he walked into.

Hope this works out. I followed the rest of the team in, and we found ourselves right in front of the city.

Alright. Nice work buddy.

"Admiral, this is Caesar-1," Sahra said. "We're on-site, and ready to move in."

"Roger that, Caesar Squad," Admiral Grady replied through the comms. "Will communicate to our mutual SAS contact. My fleet is standing by to provide fire support for the Sectopods."

"Will do, moving in now," We moved under the cover of darkness, ready for anything.

"Conley, let us know if we're coming up on any alien patrols," Sahra said as they followed the streets on the path to where the Gateways were. "No attacks – not yet, just let us know."

I nodded. "Got it."

I immediately began scanning the area around us for enemies. I almost immediately picked up a squad of Mutons ahead.

Just like the simulations.

"Mutons, coming up the street."

"Any others nearby?"

"No, not immediately close by."

My heart's pace quickened as we continued moving. For a stealth mission, it certainly gave me a feeling of tension. One slip-up could send this whole mission sideways.

Only thing worse than that happening was if the nuke Song was carrying blew up. A dead XCOM squad and an irradiated city would be of no use to XCOM.

The nuke's not gonna misfire, Dawn. Worry about yourself, not the weapon of mass destruction.

Hank clutched his autocannon tightly. "We going to jump them?"

Sahra responded, turning to me. "Not necessary. Can you take them out quickly?"

"I...yes sir."

"Do it, no reason to go loud if we don't need to."

I took a deep breath. "Ok. Give me a moment."

I focused on their simple minds, taking them over with ease, sending a single thought to their minds.

Die.

They obeyed, and collapsed onto the street.

I felt a pat on my shoulder. It was Kathryn. "Good job."

My first true kills. I'd really done it. So...simple. And quick. "Thanks."

Sahra motioned for us to continue. "We'll celebrate your first combat kills back at base. Grady, when is the city supposed to go dark?"

"Any moment."

We were a little over a third of the way to the Gateways when the whole city went dark, throwing the already dim-lit city into pitch darkness. We had night vision and my telepathy, so visibility wouldn't be an issue. At least the enemy wouldn't be able to call for help.

The stillness was broken with the sounds of explosions and impacts from the Admiral's fleet as streaks of light flew through the night sky and into various ground targets.

A few minutes later, gunfire and explosions were popping up all around us and in the distance, some closer than I'd like.

Hank scoffed. "Looks like the SAS commander is legit. Honestly kind of surprised."

Sahra agreed. "Makes our job easier. Let's keep going- and give some help if any of them are on our path."

We continued moving through the streets. I immediately picked up several civilians in the streets who had definitely seen us.

"I've got some civvies. They have visual on us."

"Knock them out. We don't want any potential liabilities."

"On it, Overseer."

I got into their heads, giving them an easy command - sleep.

You saw nothing. Relax. Lie down and sleep.

I felt their minds obey my commands. As they fell asleep, I detected another Muton patrol, which I immediately killed with a thought.

Killing did feel easier once in combat. Huh. Just had to go with the flow, and focus.

"Good work, Dawn. We're almost there."

We turned a corner, heading into the city center. It was being guarded by a Sectopod and some Mutons. Damn, those things are big once you see them for real. Pretty damn intimidating, too. We all took cover, while Sahra radioed the Admiral for fire support. While she was doing that, Bryanna and Yong-Ja pulled out a laser targeter and aimed it at the Sectopod.

Once Sahra rattled off the coordinates, we waited for the barrage. After a minute passed by with nothing, I turned to look at Sahra.

"When's that strike c-"

There was a loud shriek, and the entire block exploded, the shockwave knocking me over. I clamped my hands over my ears, trying to suppress the ridiculously loud barrage.

When the dust settled, I looked up, and nothing was left. The Sectopod had been totally flattened, and the few Mutons had been turned to ash.

Hank muttered, taking a look at the cratered city center. "Wish we had that on a few missions. Think XCOM could look into fielding a navy?"

I could tell Sahra was rolling her eyes behind her helmet. "Take it up with the Commander," she said before she spoke over the comms. "Assistance appreciated, Admiral."

"Of course, Overseer."

We reached the port containing the Gateways soon after, straight into a firefight between the 'friendly' SAS forces and a horde of Mutons, backed up by multiple Sectopods. Luckily, the Gateways were intact.

Your first real firefight, Dawn. Keep your cool. Just kill shit and don't shoot the allies.

"Engage!"

At the Overseer's command, we entered the fray. I threw a Thought Bomb into a squad of Mutons, killing them instantly. I heard Hank yelling something about the high ground to Kunio.

A meme in the middle of a firefight? Seriously?

Ah, never mind. Focus on killing things.

As I picked off targets with my psi rifle, I focused on a particular Muton hiding behind a crate. I got into his mind, seizing control of the body.

Kill your comrades, whatever it takes. Do it.

He obeyed, throwing a plasma grenade into a crowd of Mutons, killing them. Kunio oh-so-helpfully summoned a portal next to me, which transported me to the top of a nearby cargo container, giving the SAS forces cover.

"We going to get more artillery support?" Bryanna called as she wounded a Muton, which was dragged into cover by several of the aliens, who returned with suppressive fire. I immediately killed them with a telepathic attack.

"Too close!" Sahra said, sniping and taking out another Muton.

"Let me try something!" Kunio said, not sure it was going to work, but thinking there wouldn't be a better time to try it. "Cover fire! And distract the Sectopod."

"Hank! Focus on the Sectopod. Kunio, make it fast!"

What are you going to…

I blinked, realizing what Kunio was going to do. His tone said it all.

Oh Kunio, you wily little-

I watched with one eye as Kunio extended a hand towards the Sectopod, opening a huge portal underneath it, transporting it who knows where.

Slick move, Kunio.

I focused on a grenadier in the back, who had been hitting the SAS soldiers with heavy weaponry.

I wanted to try something. I took cover behind a box, and focused on him.

Get in his head.

That's it...into his mind. Deeper, deeper.

I heard the Overseer call my name over the radio. "Dawn, what are you doing? Why have you stopped shooting?"

I gritted my teeth, knowing I couldn't respond to her calls. I was too deep in, too focused on the target. I felt myself penetrate the Muton's deeper layers. He was mine now, ceasing his shooting. But I went further down.

C'mon, where is the layer?

Ah, there you are.

I felt the deep layer as I slowly bent it to my will.

It's like the bricks. Just...hold them together.

I felt a plasma shot slam into my metal cover, wincing as it almost hit me.

C'mon.

I felt the cells' resistance in his head break down, mobilizing and straightening out like new recruits in front of a drill sergeant. The ever-increasing gunfire threatened to break my concentration, but I clenched my teeth, blocking it all out.

I grinned. I had full control now.

You're mine.

Aaaand pull.

Snap.

The Muton's head melted, killing it after a minute of focus.

"Dawn, what did you...oh."

"Target down, Overseer."

She coughed. "Uh, nice work Dawn. Move to the Gateways!"

I followed the Overseer's order, leaping off the container and onto the ground, killing several more Mutons with a telepathic attack. We rushed forward, the SAS soldiers letting us through.

Don't try anything, seriously. I monitored their minds just in case they tried to pull anything.

A real XCOM squad.

They wiped the aliens out like they were nothing. They could easily do the same to us.

Did that one just use a portal?

Did that Muton's head over there just melt?

I ignored that last thought, remaining outside while the engineers went in to send off the nuke. The enemy forces were basically wiped out, with only a few Muton stragglers left. I took care of them with a few thoughts, clearing the area.

I lowered my gun, panting as the last Muton slumped over and died. Killing and fighting in the Dreamscape was...similar to this, as a matter of fact, it felt almost the same.

Almost.

Here, it felt like there were stakes. No respawn, no knowledge that, in the end, it was all fake, and you could redo it. At the same time, it made you feel like you were actually having an impact, accomplishing a real objective that did something for the war effort, no matter how small.

In the Dreamscape, the objectives and the goals, at the end of the day, were all simulations, but, here, each enemy you killed meant something, every target you captured or killed was one more step, no matter how small, to winning. It had an effect, for real, which made it all the more satisfying. The fighting felt... oddly thrilling - it kept me on my toes more than I'd thought it would. Yet, at the same time, there was a sense of thrill to it. The rush, the action, the constant need to be alert, it felt oddly energizing.

I turned my head, watching the engineers and Kunio come out from the Gateway room. By the looks of it, it seemed like they pulled it off.

Wonder where that bomb went.

Yong-Ja whooped, and gave Bryanna a high five.

"Great job," Kunio told them.

Bryanna patted him on the shoulder. "And you did good too, you stood there perfectly,"

Kunio shook his head. "How did you justify the connection?"

"Materials transfer."

I snorted. Very funny.

Sahra interrupted our banter with a raised hand. "Alright team, we have one Sectopod left to go before the mission's over. Follow me. Engineers, you did great. Kunio, good work on that Sectopod. Dawn, you're doing well, keep it up. Nice work with your biopathy back there. We're almost there."

Awww, thanks.

I nodded, following the team to our last target, which was a Sectopod in a nearby park. Thankfully, the Mutons in the port had been the last foot soldiers in the area. I used a nearby car for cover, myself and Hank shooting at it, while the Overseer called in its coordinates and the Engineers used the designator.

Same time as before, the Sectopod was blown apart, ending our op with a nice fireworks show.

"Mission completed. Good work, Caesar Team."

I breathed a sigh of relief as the Overseer's words came over the radio.

Your first mission.

You did it. And you even used your biopathy!

Damn.

Kunio walked over to me. "You alright, Dawn?"

I nodded. "Yeah. It's over. Kinda felt like it just started, actually."

"Yeah, that tends to happen." He patted me on the shoulder. "You see? I told you you could do it."

"I did do it."

"Damn right you did. C'mon, let's head back to the Praesidium. You've earned it."

Barracks, Praesidium

7/1/17 - 12:10 AM

When I got out of my armor and received my congratulations from the rest of the team, the rest of my barracks was asleep. I had to tiptoe through the darkness while everyone else was sleeping, trying very hard not to wake anyone. I got in the shower, hoping no one would hear it.

The blast of warm water on my face got me out of the post-mission daze. I blinked rapidly.

Focus. Just a little more, then you can go to sleep.

As I scrubbed myself clean of sweat, I leaned my head against the shower wall, letting my hair flow free as the water ran down my back.

Holy shit.

You really did it.

You went on a mission.

You killed people.

You used your biopathy.

And no one died or got hurt. Well, no one on our side anyway.

Felt like a dream, and yet it really did happen.

You did great, Dawn.

But I knew not all missions were going to be like that. Sooner or later, I'd go on an op that would go sideways, or go into a battle on the scale of Florida, Sherman, or even a hellscape like Beijing.

I might have to go up against an Ethereal.

Or an Avatar.

Or a Bringer thing.

Or a...whatever those New York people were.

But not today, because right now, the only two things on my mind were a hot shower and a nice, long sleep.

As I was drying myself off, my phone buzzed.

Fuck, my parents. I picked up the phone, sending them a quick text.

[Back from my mission. Nothing's broken. XCOM should send you the report soon. Love you.]

I got dressed, throwing on a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. I threw my dirty clothes in the laundry, getting the last drops of water out of my hair. I shivered slightly as my uncovered feet padded across the cold, grey bathroom floor. It was almost eerie how quiet the barracks were- at almost any time of day, you'd have soldiers coming in, cleaning themselves, changing clothes, making their beds, what have you.

I walked to bed, making sure not to disturb my fellow soldiers. I slipped under the covers, staring at the ceiling, my head sinking into the pillow, taking in the smell of soap and wet hair as I breathed in and out, relaxing.

You're a real soldier now, Dawn.

You did good today. Really good.

Feel proud of it.

And I fell asleep with a smile on my face.

Barracks, Praesidium

7/2/17 - 6:25 AM

I woke up, rubbing my eyes and groaning.

"Dawn? That you?"

I looked at the bottom bunk, right into Lian's face.

"Hey Lian. I'm back."

She looked at me with a confused look. "I didn't see you come back last night."

"It was late. You guys were asleep. Didn't want to wake you all up."

She shrugged. "Fair enough. Hey, how'd it go?"

"It went great, actually! Nothing went wrong, no one got killed, and I got my first real kills."

She patted me on the shoulder. "Congrats! I'm proud of you. You feel alright?"

"Yeah. Be lying if I didn't feel a little anxious about it, but I'm good." I hopped onto the floor, grabbing my uniform.

"Well, good job Dawn. I'm proud of you."

I nodded, smiling at her as I walked off for my morning routine, running into my Templar friend.

She grinned at me, arms outstretched. "Look who's back from her first mission!"

I accepted her hug. "Ah, thanks."

"I knew you could do it."

I scratched my hair, ruffled by the helmet and a late-night sleep. I looked messy. "I know. Hard to believe that a month I used to be that kid crying under the covers, huh?"

She shrugged. "So, how was it?"

"Not bad. I killed things, used my psionics. Flowed like a Dreamscape sim, with real stakes of course. Oh yeah, get this."

"What?"

"What if I told you that the SAS in the area actually surrendered, and fought with us?"

That turned some heads nearby.

"You shitting me?" Her Norwegian accent kicked in as she muttered something under her breath. When she looked at my very serious face, she shook her head. "You're not."

"Nope. Believe me, the team was as surprised as you are."

Firsova, a burly Russian woman with blonde hair, entered the conversation."What caused it, do you know? Far as I'm concerned, I've never seen that happening before."

I shrugged. "Admiral Grady convinced them to surrender. They were helpful, though. Helped drive the enemies into killzones, and even captured quite a few Vitakara alive."

"Sounds like you got lucky."

I snorted. "Beginner's luck, maybe. I gotta go shower. I'll keep you guys posted if anything happens. Thanks."

As I walked away from them, I couldn't help but feel proud. I felt like I could relate to them on a closer, more personal level. I'd had my trial by fire, just like the rest of them, and passed it with flying colors. I'd gone into battle, just like them, killed the enemy, just like them, and came out alive, just like them.

After finishing my morning routine and putting on my uniform, I headed to breakfast, where I noticed Sahra and the rest of the team waving me over. I sat down right in the middle of the group, where they'd left a seat open for me. I sat down with my tray, and they all raised their glasses.

Kunio grinned. "Cheers to Dawn, our resident biopath, for getting her first kills in battle!"

I raised my glass, clinking as we all toasted to my first mission. My glass was one of the only ones not with alcohol in it, but I didn't care. "Cheers!"

"How're you feeling, Dawn?"

"Pretty good, Sahra. I'm feeling great about myself. I did pretty well - you guys did too, though, Sahra, I think you did really well for your first time leading a squad. "

I think she almost blushed. "Thanks, Dawn."

I turned to my resident teleporting friend. "Kunio, nice trick with the Sectopod. Looks like Fiona's training paid off, eh?"

He nodded. "Thanks, Dawn. I saw you use your biopathy on that Muton."

"Ah, you saw my signature move," I smirked. "It's a bit messy, but it gets the job done."

Bryanna's face morphed into a confused expression. "I've seen biopathy in the vids, but seeing in real life..it's kinda nasty. Not that I'm insulting you or anything, but it makes your skin crawl."

"Oh, no worries, I get it. The first few times I did it, I either had a panic attack or lost my breakfast, lunch, and dinner all in one go. I was pretty much the bane of my facility's janitorial crew. Wasn't fun."

"If you don't mind me asking, how exactly does one get used to watching someone literally melt in front of them?"

I shrugged. "You get used to it. After you do it a lot, the revulsion towards it is just...nullified. Desensitized, even. I don't use it liberally, and for most of the time I'm probably going to use my normal telepathy anyway. I know it sounds morbid, but, in my case it's just something you get used to. It becomes routine after a while."

The rest of them nodded at me, listening to what I had to say, but something felt off. Behind those smiles, it felt like there was this slight feeling of glumness, as I talked about bending life's most basic components to will.

Contrary to what I wanted to believe, I wasn't really a teenager anymore. At best, I was a soldier in a teenager's body.

Teenagers didn't brag about liquefying people. Teenagers didn't celebrate deadly missions where you risked your life. Teenagers didn't worry about their friends coming home to them in a body bag, if they were lucky. Teenagers didn't have to face the grim reality of warfare, knowing that any day could be your last.

As much as I wanted to connect with my graduating class again, I knew in the back of my head that, if they ever did see me again, they would have a very hard time recognizing me. Sure, I looked similar, but, inside, I was almost completely different. I may have still had my humor, my tendency to make terrible puns, and the ability to put on a good smile. But one could easily tell I'd changed.

This is who I am now.

You're not in high school anymore.

Hank chose to break the silence. "If you don't mind me asking, what's it been like being here? I can't imagine many people your age would choose to come here."

"Everyone here's been really nice to me. I mean, yeah, there's a big age and maturity gap, but, other than that, I just do what's expected of me here. No real reason to step out of line and do something immature." Like covering the principal's office in bubble wrap for senior prank day. Fuck you, Mr Jenkins, and your stupid bra strap rule.

"I get that. I don't think any soldiers here would appreciate someone immature in their ranks."

"Right, but I can still find moments here when I can have fun and feel like my old self again. Playing video games, swimming, things like that. Overall, it's been really something. I'm not sure how to say it, but, for the first time in my life, I feel important. I feel like I'm actually making an impact, a difference."

I looked at my hands, at the hexagons that painted my peach skin. "For a long time, I felt that something was missing from me, like a puzzle piece that was lost. I always wanted to go to college and have a life, but I felt like...like something was off. And then this war hits, and it turns out I'm a powerful psion. And now I'm here, living a young adult fantasy's wet dream in real life. It sounds so cliche and dramatic, but honestly? I kind of feel like I was made for this. It just feels natural to me now. I never saw myself doing something like this, but I'm not complaining."

Sahra nodded. "I get how you feel. I joined the military straight out of high school and fit right in. Learned a lot from it, but it's definitely not for everyone."

"True. I guess part of me regrets not going to college, but, hey, what's the point of getting a degree if we lose, right? And, besides, I feel like I'm putting myself to good use. Don't see anywhere else where I could do this and apply myself like this."

"Well, that's good. Just be ready for anything. There's a chance your next mission might not go as well as this one."

"That's what the Dreamscape's for. I'm definitely going to be upping the ante in the sims, now that I have some experience."

"Just don't get cocky. Just because you've done one op doesn't mean you're a badass yet. There's still a lot to be done here."

I snorted. "As if I was. I think I've got a ways to go before I can call myself that."

We finished our breakfast, and we parted ways. As I walked out of the Mess Hall, Kunio pulled me aside.

"You feeling alright?"

I smiled. "Yeah. I'm feeling good - real good."

"Anything you want to talk about?"

I shook my head. "No. Didn't really have any qualms about the killing or anything like that. I-"

My phone buzzed. "Excuse me for a sec."

It was my parents.

[Dawn,

We've thought about it, and were stuck on the decision until we saw your mission report. Although we are still concerned about your safety, it's become clear to the both of us that this is something you are fully committed to. For that reason, we've decided to move into the family section of the Praesidium. We'll be there tomorrow, around 3:00 PM.

We're sorry that our initial reactions to your choice hurt you. We should have put more thought into supporting you, and we hope that we can prove to you that we still care and love you.]

My jaw dropped.

They did it.

They actually did it.

I sighed, putting my phone away.

"My parents. They decided to come."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. I know. Um, listen. After they get settled in and all, you wouldn't mind meeting them?"

He shook his head. "No. Not at all. Do you need me to come with you?"

"No. I need to do this myself."

Family Section, Praesidium

7/3/17 - 3:00 PM

I stood anxiously next to the Gateway, twiddling my fingers.

But I wasn't alone.

Grace was next to me, arm on my shoulder.

"You ready, sis?"

Of course I am. She simply chuckled. I'd been sending her telepathic messages every so often, something she found to be funny.

"Yeah. Just haven't seen them in person in a while. And they haven't seen me like this in person."

"They're not going to judge you."

"I know. But I don't know how they'll react. Seeing what I've done. Who I am."

She reached out and hugged me. "It's going to be alright. You're still the Dawn that I know and love." She ran a finger through my hair. "Just a little different, that's all."

Just a little different.

That's all.

The Gateway turned on, an officer hitting several buttons on the panel.

"Gateway active. Transport imminent."

And then, they appeared.

My mom, in a gray t-shirt and jeans. My dad, in a button-down shirt and jeans, wearing glasses and sporting a salt-and-pepper beard. They both had two suitcases with them. They thanked the officer, nodding at him.

And then they turned and saw me, in my boots and fatigues.

"Hey, Dad, Mom. How's it going?"

My mom stared at me, eyeing her daughter.

"You look different." She squeaked out. "And your eyes are...yellow."

"Well, genetic augmentations are a helluva drug. I-"

My dad rushed forward into a hug, wrapping his arms around me.

"I missed you, Dawn. I missed you baby. I'm sorry we didn't come sooner. I'm sorry I-"

I wrapped my arms around him. "Hey Dad. I missed you too."

"Oof. You're strong."

"As I said - augmentations."

"They look really cool! I mean, wow! Your eyes!" He looked at my eyes with great interest.

"Cool, right?"

"Yeah! I gotta say-"

This is cool too.

My parents both froze as my eyes glowed purple, confused as to what just happened. My mom was the first to speak up.

"Was that telepathy?"

I nodded proudly. "I've had some good teachers."

"Wow I mean- that's really something. I'd never-" My dad set the luggage down. "I'm sorry, Dawn. It's just-"

"I know it's a lot to get used to. Trust me, my first few days here were difficult too, but there are people here whose families have been here for a while. They're going to help you adjust, okay? And don't worry, I'll be visiting you guys a lot. Hey, I might even bring some friends."

"I don't suppose we could meet some of your teachers."

I grinned. "Well, one of them has four arms and is over a thousand years old, another is a...let's say interesting chemistry teacher with the highest human Trask Level ever recorded, and the third is a large, white, fuzzy alien bear that likes to shoot guns and have snowball fights. Take your pick."

I watched as my parents' eyes went wide. I turned to Grace.

Did I scare them too much?

She shook her head. I turned back to them. "Here, I've got some time. How about I help you guys with your luggage. Let's talk on the way."

With one hand, I grabbed their largest suitcase, throwing it over my shoulder.

The last time I saw them, I had trouble doing several pullups.

How things have changed.

My dad shook his head grinning. He turned to Grace. "Hello, honey. It's...been a while."

"It has. I missed you two."

My mom walked up to me, hands together.

She sighed, shifting her feet. "Dawn. Grace. I just want to say to the both of you that I'm sorry. I wasn't there for you two when you needed me too, like a good parent should." She looked down at the floor. "I should have been supporting you, been more kind. But I wasn't. And, for that, I'm sorry. I hope the both can forgive me for how I acted."

I looked into her eyes. I didn't need telepathy to tell that she was telling the truth. I turned to look at my dad, anxiously watching mom and I talk.

My dad looked back at me. "I know that the way I acted back when you first signed up to join XCOM was unnecessarily childish. I shouldn't have done that during such a stressful moment for you. There's no excuse for my radio silence, or your mother's. And for that, I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted, guys. I appreciate it." I put the bag down, hugging both of them again. "Now, how about that tour?"

"Sure thing."

I picked up the bag. "And Mom? Dad?"

"Yes?"

"It's good to have the family back together. I really can't wait to show you guys around."

Grace took them to their room, which was right across the hall from hers. As we were unpacking, the door opened.

"Excuse me?"

I turned around, my heart jumping as I saw Creed standing at the door.

"Sir. I was just-"

"It's fine, Dawn. It'll only take a minute." He turned towards my family. "I hate to interrupt here, but I have to borrow your daughter for a second."

My Dad and Mom looked at each other.

"Guys, it's fine." I walked over to Creed, who led me into an adjacent hallway.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, Dawn. But this is important."

"Is it another mission, sir?"

He pursed his lips. "Yes, but it's not going to be a standard mission."

I nodded. "What are the parameters?"

"We are having Caelior bring down the Hiveship over Turkey. Considering the mission in question, and your friendship with him, we believe that you should accompany him on this mission."

My jaw dropped. "What?"

"The Internal Council has decided that Caelior is going to be our best bet for taking down the Hiveship. I want to stress that you're accompanying some of our best psions and Aegis. ADVENT will also be there, preparing to assault the Hiveship."

I pointed to myself. My heart was pounding, and I felt myself shaking. "So-so you want me to do what exactly? I can't take on a Hive Commander if he decides to attack us."

"You won't be alone, and we're not expecting you to be the focal point of this assault. The reason we want you on it is because you're the one who is friends with Caelior." He set a tablet in his hand on the floor, putting a hand on my left shoulder. "He trusts you - You're both youth who've had to make hard decisions in hard times, and you've done well so far."

I looked down at the floor. "Hey," he said in a quiet voice, causing me to look up. "I think you can do this. Caelior's going to need all the help he can get while doing this. That is all we want you for. Support Caelior, and we and ADVENT will finish the job."

"The Commander trusts me that much to do this?"

"He does. Why wouldn't he?"

I considered what Creed had said.

Caelior was my friend. A good one. No, a close one.

This would be an opportunity like no other to prove to him that I reciprocated that trust back to him. This would, no doubt, be one of his greatest achievements.

And aren't achievements sweeter when your friends help you out?

After all, that's what friends are for. The ones you come to for support. The ones that, in times of need, turn to you, knowing they can help.

What kind of friend would I be if I said no?

I breathed out a sigh, my shoulder slumping. My heartbeat began to return to normal as I responded quietly. "I'll do it sir. Whatever it takes."

"Alright." He smiled. "Thank you, Dawn. I'll let the Commander know. I'll send you more details later. Take care."

As he walked off, I balled my fists, closing my eyes.

Breathe, Dawn.

Just breathe.

I opened my eyes, walking back into my parent's room.

"What was that all about?"

"I've got a new mission, Dad. Won't happen until a bit later, but...it's really something."

My family's collectively raised eyebrow said it all. I chuckled.

"We can talk about it after it's happened."

Something told me even they wouldn't believe how insane it sounded.

But, as they say in the barracks, that's XCOM, baby.

Turkey

7/15/17 - 12:14 PM

This was it.

I, Dawn Conley, was going to help take down a motherfucking Hiveship.

Well, Caelior and Aegis were going to help with the grunt work. I was going to provide telepathic support at best, augment Caelior's focus and concentration, as well as work with the overall tugging of the Hiveship.

"Are you okay?"

Caelior was sitting next to me in the Skyranger as it neared our destination. It was cramped, Aegis was sitting across from me, the rest of the seats packed with various soldiers, most of them human, with a few aliens here and there. Carreria was participating in this op, but she was on another Skyranger, her hulking form only one-upped by Xarian. A small part of me was disappointed I wouldn't be involved in the actual taking of the Hiveship itself, but I knew I wasn't ready for combat like that just yet.

But this? This would be nothing like the sims.

"Yeah. Just can't believe we're actually going through with this."

"Rest assured, Dawn, that I can do this. I am eternally thankful you came along to help me."

"I'm your friend, Caelior. Of course I'm gonna help. Besides, who else can say they helped take down a Hiveship?"

A low rumble emerged from his helmet, the Ethereal version of a chuckle. "Indeed."

"I'll do my best to support you. I don't have much experience with Ethereal minds. I don't want to mess anything up.

He placed a hand on mine. "You will be fine. Although our brains are different, telepathy will still work. Just help me channel my focus."

"Will do, buddy."

If this worked, it'd be some good news to give to the people. The Battlemaster and his little pet were hitting Ukraine hard, Patricia was getting closer and closer to Seoul, and the Second Guardian was winning in Salt Lake.

If we were going to make a move, now was the time.

The light flashed green inside the bay as the Skyranger landed. Aegis and Caelior departed first, while the remaining human members of the team followed them, standing tall as the ADVENT soldiers gawked at us. I could feel their minds, their thoughts. To them, we were like superheroes, something more than human. Those who inspired hope in our allies, and fear in our enemies.

These are the people you have to protect, Dawn. The people who you're fighting for.

Don't forget that.

As we moved, I felt a psion on the edge of my mind, probing me ever so slightly.

Hello there.

I turned my head, looking around to see who'd done it. I picked out a woman in the crowd in PRIEST gear, a telepath, staring right at me. We stared at one another through our helmets for a moment. I could sense many emotions in her mind. Regret. Pain. Loss.

But there was something else in there, too.

I could feel it not just in her, but the crowd.

A sense of anticipation, hope.

I turned away from her, following our two Ethereals to the designated point. I saw PRIESTs fanning out around us, preparing for possibly one of the most audacious, if not legendary, stunts we'd ever pulled.

Caelior lifted us to the top of a building, where we could get a better view of the Hiveship. It was only a small black speck in the sky, but we could see it, nonetheless.

It is time to begin, Aegis telepathically communicated to us.

Okay Dawn.

This is it.

Do your thing.

I got down on my knees, my left hand flaring with psionic power as I felt Caelior's mind.

With a deep breath, I dived inside. I felt the air around us change, feeling it almost...stiffen. It became more staticy - I felt like I was underwater.

No matter.

Alright Caelior, let's do it.

On it.

I focused on his thoughts, feeling the Ethereal mind. Unlike a human, it was more complex, and with their natural psionic aptitude, things felt more cloudy. My grip on his mind increased, a single word transmitting from my brain to his, as our minds began to link.

Focus.

I felt his grip on the Hiveship strengthen as it slowly began to bend to the combined power of human and Ethereal psionics. The doubt in his mind began to rest as his resolve strengthened, his will steadfast.

That's it.

A part of me wished I could watch with my own eyes, but my helmet cam would record it for later.

My fists balled, the noise outside dimming as I focused more and more on his mind.

I am here for you. Always.

I will not abandon you like the Collective did. I will not see you as a tool like the foolish Empire, not use you like the Maelstroms.

The outside shell of the ship began to rattle, the ship angling downwards as it began to bend to his will.

We will take them down together.

The metal structure of the ship began to screech as his grip...no, our grip, tightened. I could not only feel him, but every other participating psion, pull on the Hiveship.

You are free from them, free from their lies. And now they'll pay for doing so, all of them.

I felt the ground rumble. The Hiveship was attacking! Shit-

Focus.

Caelior's voice reverberated inside my mind.

They will not hurt you. Aegis will see to that.

I felt his mind tug at mine, as if he was pulling me closer.

Keep going. We are close.

"We are close."

"I can do it."

"You can do it."

The mental bonds tightened.

"We are close."

I gasped as, for only a moment, we spoke together, like a chorus singing a verse, two voices united.

I grinned.

He grinned.

I tightened my fists, raising them as he did.

Pull.

The sounds of explosions and the rumbles of projectiles hitting Aegis' shield were null to me, as my mind was only focused on Caelior. I could tell the ship was getting closer and closer by the second.

Become the hurricane you were always meant to be.

I felt a telekinetic field strengthening around me, from Caelior.

What-

I realized what it was a second later, as the ground shook like a massive earthquake had just hit, almost knocking me onto the floor, if not for the telekinetic field that held me up.

Caelior, we did it! We did-

The connection between us ceased as I felt his body hit the ground next to me, the telepathic blowback hitting me.

I fell to the ground as the connection broke down. I opened my eyes, staring at the downed Hiveship off in the distant desert, far away from where it could've fallen on any of us.

We had done it.

We'd really done it.

I smiled like a kid on Christmas, in awe at what we'd just pulled off.

"Another...happy...landing…"

And then I fell to the ground, passing out.

To be continued in:

Two Sides of the Same Coin