Caelior's Quarters, Praesidium

7/20/17- 5:53 AM

I slowly woke up, blinking groggily as I looked up at the bare ceiling, the darkness only illuminated by the lava lamp sitting on Caelior's nightstand. I sighed, lying on the makeshift, yet comfortable bed.

I hadn't done this in ages.

I needed a break.

I reached out and grabbed my phone lying on the floor next to me. Huh, looks like I woke up a little early. I turned to look up at Caelior's sleeping form on his bed, his body slowly rising and falling as he slept.

Thank god he wasn't a snorer.

I wiggled my toes, my body getting used to being fully awake. Ever since my surgeries, I'd noticed it'd been much easier to fall asleep and wake up. There was still that mental fuzziness, but there was much less of it after it was all said and done.

Only drawback being there was no such thing as sleeping late in here. 6:30 sharp, no later, no exceptions.

Well, unless you were on designated medical rest or in the infirmary, of course.

As I got up, crossing my legs under the sheets, I felt Caelior's mind. I didn't pry - what kind of person would I be? Even if I tried, it'd be sloppy - my mind wasn't fully in the right place yet. But he felt...more at peace. Relaxed.

I smiled. Good for him.

I remembered what it felt like to go into his mind back in Turkey, feeling and seeing so much. His mind was so complex, yet in that moment it had seemed so simple, focused on the Hiveship and nothing else.

But that bond...man, I didn't even know what to say. In those few seconds that our minds were joined, I felt so much. I mean, I knew that compared to an Ethereal I wasn't much, but my god, I felt small compared to him. All the things he'd done, seen, and that wasn't even mentioning the sheer power he had.

In that moment, I felt...it wasn't overwhelming in that sense, it was more of feeling outmatched in a way - though not in a bad way. It felt more enticing. I had a taste of his power, and in that moment I felt like I'd wanted more. The ability to crush entire armies, pull buildings from the ground, rip spaceships from orbit and bring them down to earth.

But it wasn't what I did, and in that sense, it felt unnatural.

I'd wanted to ask him about it, maybe ask if I could show him some of my memories, but I didn't know how to say it. We were friends - really good friends. His unmasking showed that.

But I didn't know what else to say. He was a good friend, better than any I'd had in high school. We weren't together together, but that was fine with me. I'd stick to humans or Vitakarians if I wanted to date someone, thank you very much. But I trusted him. A lot. He'd seen more shit in his life than my entire family's recent history, and there was a lot to learn from him.

But he could also learn from me.

I noticed his body slightly move, him groaning as he woke up.

"Dawn. You're awake."

"Sleep well?"

"Yes." He swung his legs off the bed, yellow eyes staring right at me. "Why are you not wearing any footwear?"

"Hm" Oh." I chuckled, hands gripping my ankles. "Shoes can be overrated. Plus, I really can't sleep in socks, my feet get too hot." I got up. "I gotta say, thanks for that. This was really fun."

"I am glad it was. I'm happy to see you enjoy yourself."

"Don't we all. Listen, I kinda want to ask you something."

"Sure."

"About the Yoink-"

"Is that what your people are calling it?"

I chuckled. Leave it to us humans to give something so awesome a silly name. "Well, some of us. It's about that bond thing, before you fully pulled it down."

"Ah. That. Did it make you feel uncomfortable?"

I gritted my teeth. "I kind of feel like I sorta breached your privacy. I don't really remember seeing any memories - well, not ones that I can comprehend or remember, really. But I was just so deep in there, and I wanted you to know that if it felt weird or intrusive or anything-"

He held up a hand. "No, you are alright. You went into my mind to support me, not to breach it."

Well - that was good. I nodded. "Well, I was thinking, if you ever wanted to do something like this again, maybe I could show you some memories or something."

His left eye slightly slanted. Huh, must be their version of raising an eyebrow. "What would you show me?"

"I have a few ideas. School, vacations - hey, you ever gone swimming with dolphins?"

"...What is a dolphin?"

I smiled. "You'll see."

"Very well. I will take you up on that offer. Do you want to set a date?"

"How about next Friday?"

He nodded. "Consider it done. Do you want to play videogames as well?"

I nodded. "You want to watch a movie too?"

"What kind of movie do you have in mind?"

"A few movies, actually. Not all in one night - unless you're down for that. Relic from my childhood, actually. Hell, they were basically all I watched for a long time as a kid."

"Sounds intriguing. What are you suggesting?"

"Ever heard of a Disney Movie?"

"No."

"Then you're in for a treat. Um, can I use your shower?"

"Yes. I requisitioned some shampoo for you. Ethereals lack the body hair you do. Did you need a toothbrush and toothpaste? That is what it is called, yes?"

I snorted. "Yes. Don't worry, I brought all the necessities in this baby." I patted my backpack. "Some clothes too, so things don't get awkward."

"The shower is quite large. Do not get jealous."

"I'll try not to."

He wasn't lying. The shower was large.

Of course, it had to fit someone nine feet tall. Couldn't exactly cramp someone in a six foot space like in my bunks.

Lucky. Only issue was that I had to get on my tiptoes to turn the damn thing on, but whatever. Sure was nice of him to get me that shampoo, though. Gotta say, it was a welcome break from showering in the barracks. No loud commotion of women in other shower stalls talking in languages you couldn't understand, with the occasional bout of cursing. Combine that with the smell of sweat and soap with steam everywhere.

At least the aliens that built this place had the decency to make the showers one-person only each. Didn't exactly feel comfortable with...well, you know. But hey, the women there respected my privacy, and that was good enough for me.

I did my thing, got changed, gave him one last hug, and walked out to the barracks to drop off my stuff.

"Hey."

Lian stepped in front of me as I was about to open my locker, with a suspicious look on her face.

"Hey, Lian. What's going on?"

"Where were you last night?"

"Ummmm…"

"Um, what, exactly?"

Hmmm. How should I go about this? Make a joke? Be sarcastic? Play dumb?

Eh, straightforward's gonna have to do.

"Hung out at Caelior's place, played some videogames. I got really tired, so I slept over there."

She raised an eyebrow. "Really."

"Uh, yeah."

She pursed her lips, muttering something in Mandarin. Probably a curse. "Well, alright then. You do you. Some of the others were asking around what happened to you. You'll have to tell them sooner or later. Let someone know if you go off like that, we notice when routines are broken."

I sighed. "I'll do that."

"Alright. You should know there's going to be a drill next week."

"LIke a fire drill?"

She chuckled. "Same concept. It's something the Internal Council conceptualized after Patricia's attack, it's very new. It's basically practicing several scenarios in case the Praesidium comes under attack. They've been installing a lot of new defenses after they rebuilt the place."

"Such as…?"

She shrugged. "Ethereal or Harbinger attack, nanite swarm, et cetera. I'm sure we'll get more details on it soon."

Looks like XCOM kept on giving me new things to worry about. What was I supposed to do, throw on my armor over my pajamas? It took me a bit to put on my armor - would that even be enough time to fight anything hypothetically attacking the Praesidium?

She noticed my expression. "If I had to guess, you'll probably have orders to haul ass to the nearest gateway. I was talking to Knight-"

"The nanokine?"

"Yeah, nice person. You should talk to her sometimes. Anyways, everyone gets a little email with descriptions of where to go, what to do. Since she's our only non-Sovereign nanokeine, her orders were to get her ass to the Gateway room. 'Asset protection', she called it. Wouldn't be surprised if they did the same for you."

"I see. Thanks, Lian. Got something else to look forward to."

"Take care, Dawn. Oh, and nice job with the Hiveship. Made for a hell of a show."

I put my backpack back in my locker. What a night, huh?

No worries, no stress. Only wholesome bonding. And hey, he showed you his face! That's awesome!

Who knew that one of my best friends would be an alien of all things?

And yet, he wasn't just an alien.

He was like me, two sides of the same coin. Only, he had seen what I hadn't, done what I hadn't.

I could learn from him, yes, but he could also learn from me.

I shook my head. It was a shame it had gotten to this point to have him improve. It said a lot about Ethereals when they couldn't even do something that we could do in a matter of months.

Care. Love. Acceptance.

I found it funny that I'd done something the Battlemaster hadn't when 'training' Caelior- relate to him, befriend him, and in the end, care. Help him better himself without belittling him and making him feel like shit.

I was glad Caelior was away from the rest of them- away from their lies, their pain - maybe here, among humanity, he could finally find peace.

Well, time to eat breakfast, then.

I had a lot to think about - and to plan our next hangout.

Paperclip Base

7/21/17- 11:25 AM

It's not everyday that you're the odd one out species-wise at the lunch table.

Not that I was intimidated or anything - sure, they were all taller and larger than me, but the only thing that really stood out was the food, especially the amounts of food they were eating - Carreria and her friends especially. I know Borelians required more calories than us humans- they were taller, stronger, and had more muscle mass, which meant they had to eat a lot more than us.

It was a little odd to see such large, overbearing aliens using small utensils to eat. Although they used their large incisors to break down the food in their mouth before digestion, they refrained from using their huge claws to eat. As Carreria put it- "We're not savages, kid."

As I watched them eat and talk amongst one another, I couldn't ignore their loud chatter and laughter. Their attitude seemed pretty lively, and due to their nature, I couldn't exactly blame them. As I said before, her people were loud and proud, and they sure as hell let everyone else know it. It made sense- they were physically imposing among Vitakara, second only to the Oyariah. Their militarized culture, while somewhat reminiscent of ancient Sparta and Rome, encouraged showing off and pride to reinforce their 'bring it on, motherfuckers' mentality.

They were seen universally by other Vitakara as the military strongmen of their race, and for good reason. Even before the Collective found them, they had Vitakar's largest military to bear, having more tanks, planes, and ships then anyone else; and post-contact, they made up a vast amount of Runiararch and Luranian. Quite simply, they were built to fight. Even without augmentations, the average Borelian could hands-down kick any regular human's ass: they could take more hits, lift more, run faster, and hit harder.

It made me thankful for my psionics and the next-gen arsenal I had access to - it made killing them much easier.

Carreria took notice of me watching her impromptu pack decimate the steak. "You think this is intense? Be thankful you've never seen a Borelian feast, Dawn. The amount of karva meat we consume alone would take up an entire alley of one of your supermarkets!" She again chuckled upon me raising an eyebrow, giving her a really? look. "I am only joking. Mostly."

It wasn't just her extreme chow that intrigued me; it was the sole Cobrarian at the table, Sallien, a female who had been sitting...well, sitting's not exactly the right term. Her serpentine body allowed for her to coil her lower half allowing her to sit...on herself. I'd never met one in person, and the sheer physical differences made it hard for the uninitiated to believe that she was even remotely related to the other races. She was basically a very large snake with arms, with brown-golden scales and black eyes.

She looked exactly like an oversized cobra, without the hood. Actually, that was just a viper. Yeah, viper was a better comparison. She was using utensils like everyone else, until a piece of corn fell off her fork. Without hesitation, her long tongue shot out of her mouth and nabbed it, pulling it back in. She noticed my surprised expression.

"Allow me to guess. It is the first time you have seen one of my kind in person, correct?"

"Yes?"

She shook her head. "If you were interested, you could have always asked me a question. I would have been more than willing to answer."

"I'm sorry, I was just…"

"Hey, lay off, Sallien. She is new to this, remember?"

Thanks, Ravas. "I didn't mean to look weird or anything. I-"

"What is your ability again?" She asked, cocking her head. "Something to do with cells?"

"Biopathy. I can do the opposite of what Sana'Ligna does."

At the mention of her name, the two Vitakara perked up. Carreria and her friends were busy discussing something about guns, or something like that.

"Can you elaborate?"

"Well, what Sana does is that she uses her telepathy to control cells. In her case, she can heal many wounds, and even cure diseases. I do the opposite. I control cells and tell them to break apart, melting someone's limbs, head, you get the idea. I'm basically a smaller version of her brother."

Their eyes lit up. "That is fascinating! If you do not mind me asking, what is it like controlling cells? It must be very different from controlling one's mind."

"Oh, you have no idea, Trella. It's...hmm. How do I say this? When you control someone's mind, you're managing one person, one thing. When I do biopathy, I have to go under the layer that normal telepathy operates on. I have to go in deep, like really deep. Then when I actually get there, I have to focus on a certain body part or organ. I picture it in my mind, and then I focus my power on the cells. It's kind of like training a pet, only I tell them what to do over and over again."

"And then it just...melts?"

"Well, yes. But that's not quite it, Ravas. I can't really melt an entire body yet, only parts of it. So when I'm practicing or in the field, I have to choose a body part, like the head, and melt it."

"Can you do it to multiple targets?"

"No, not yet." I said shaking my head. "I think I could eventually, but for right now I can really only focus my willpower on a single target. With my normal telepathy, I definitely can...think it's like twenty-something now? But for biopathy? Just one."

The two Vitakarians looked at each other. Sallien cocked her head again.

"I must say, although I've talked to psions before, I've never heard of anything described like that. It must have been harrowing for someone so young to learn all of this."

I shrugged. "To be honest, I kind of...just got used to it. XCOM's been really accommodating with me, and I have to say, although I never saw myself ever doing something like this, in the back of my head, it just feels right."

Trella took another bite. "It's interesting how you humans look so similar to us, and yet are so different. I am...confused on something."

"Uh, sure. I think I can help you with that."

"What is your opinion on ADVENT? For a government that sprung up so fast and so quickly, I am surprised many humans were not suspicious of it."

"Oh." I scratched my head. "I can't really speak for humans overall, but I can speak for me. When ADVENT came around, Australia had been taken, and everyone around the world was freaking the fuck out. Tons of people stopped showing up at my school because they thought the world was going to end. Me? Well, I was scared shitless- I thought we were going to lose straight up, just like that. I mean, it was like a plot from a movie. And then, right the fuck out of nowhere, this 'ADVENT' shows up and starts fixing everything."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean...things got better under them. See, I come from a country called the United States of America. Pre-war, it was a superpower - massive military, massive economy, crazy amounts of global influence. We weren't too dissimilar to your Vitakarian Republic when it came to our governing style - we're a republic with a voting system, equal rights, things like that. That gave a lot of its people pride in their country- me too. But it wasn't perfect. There were...well, a lot of issues. There was a lot of racism, shittons of corruption, poverty - I could go on for days. Far from it, really. ADVENT changed all that. Before ADVENT, I'd always see homeless people in the streets and parks, asking for money and being treated like shit. ADVENT gave them homes and a new life. Before ADVENT, the people that were supposed to speak for me in government were neck-deep in dirty money, putting their greed first while everyone else suffered. ADVENT locked them all up and gave us a system that actually gave two shits about us."

I sighed. "I'd always wondered when the system would change for the better. Part of me thought it would never happen in my lifetime. But when something like ADVENT comes along with all this new stuff, buffing our armies to effectively fight the aliens, and making our lives better. Hell, Grace and I probably wouldn't have been able to go to college without being in debt for possibly the rest of our lives. But with them - it's all free! People like me have a real chance in life to become better!"

Ravas pursed his lips. "But were you ever suspicious of them?"

I scoffed. "Of course I was! It didn't feel natural for so many changes to happen so quickly. My friends and I all had our little theories - but we didn't care, because we felt like there was hope, that our lives were going to be easier because of it. When I got here and learned the truth, a part of me almost felt like 'oh, of course it was the fucking Illuminati the whole time'. But…" I shrugged, taking another bite. "Some things you just gotta live with, I guess. If ADVENT ever does try to pull something. I'm sure XCOM will stop it. In a way, we're like the ultimate check and balance system against ADVENT. If they try to pull a fast one on us for some godforsaken reason, boom." I snapped my fingers. "We've got an AI, and a metric fuckton of advanced tech. Not to mention our own psions. So, that's something, I guess."

"I never thought of it that way. It is an interesting viewpoint."

"Hey, I did my best." I smiled. "I really should come here more often. You guys seem nice."

Trella smiled. "You are welcome anytime, Dawn. It was very nice to meet you. Are all of your race's young like you?"

I grinned. "Enough, yes."

Carreria tapped me on the shoulder. "Are you finished with your lunch, Dawn?"

"Yep."

She smiled, showing off her incisors. "Some of the others here are going to do a volleyball match. Do you want to come?"

My eyes lit up. "Did someone say volleyball?"

She chuckled, patting my head with her paw. "Come along, little cub. Let us see you stand against the might of the Vitakarian race on the court."

I elbowed her side. "Don't make me use my psionics!"

"Don't make me bear-hug you!"

"Ha!"

Medical Bay, the Praesidium

7/21/17- 1:00 PM

I walked into the medical bay, scanning my ID on the door. It beeped, and clicked open. Aegis was lying on the hospital bed. His helmeted head turned to me as I sat down in a chair by his bed.

"Dawn. Glad to see you are doing well."

"You too. Heard you got injured fighting in the Hiveship against the Guardian and those Meat Puppets."

"It indeed was a challenge. Though I will be fully recovered shortly."

I nodded. "And we're all grateful for that. I gotta say- I had my doubts about the Hiveship op, but we really did it. Hell, I wasn't even sure if I could help Caelior." I sighed. "But I did. I really did it. And I couldn't have done it without you, Aegis."

He rumbled, adjusting so he was sitting up, his upper back lying on an oversized pillow. "I am pleased to see my telepathic training has worked. I am proud of you for helping Caelior pull down the Hiveship. I am glad to see the two of you have become friends."

"Well, I guess you could say we're both sides of the same coin, if you get what I mean. We're not that dissimilar. We've been helping each other out with our own issues. Met my parents, too. He's growing, but there's a lot more for both of us to cover when it comes to the whole fighting department."

I adjusted my hair. "Actually, I kind of came to tell you something about your teaching."

"And that is?"

"I never properly thanked you, for teaching me what you have. I know that I've complained a lot when it came to our lessons, and looking back, I just felt like I may have come off as ungrateful sometimes-"

"You have not."

"Sorry?"

"I see what you are trying to say, and I understand. But you have been a good student of mine, and have applied your skills well. You take what I say seriously, and I can tell you enjoy learning from me. Yes, you have complained, but you have learned and adapted. If you had not, and resigned to mere whining, then I would have taken other measures. But you have taken my lessons seriously."

I smiled. "How could I not like being taught by an Ethereal? You're legitimately one of the most interesting teachers I've ever had. And it'd be dumb of me to ignore someone with so much experience. I guess…" I looked down at the floor. "I guess I just thought I wasn't being appreciative enough."

He nodded. "While I appreciate your concern, I prefer you taking my lessons and applying them to be successful."

"And you think I've done that?"

"While you have a lot to learn, you have taken my teachings to heart. Were you an Ethereal and an aegii in the days of the Empire, you would have made a good Aegis."

"I don't think I would have made a good Aegis."

"Really? Because it is not so different from what you do now."

"Hmm?"

"Dawn, what is the primary goal of XCOM?"

"To protect humanity, whatever the cost."

"Not dissimilar from the Code of the Aegis. We served to protect the Empire and its citizens with our abilities and skills, no matter what it took or cost. Let me ask you this - why did you want to join XCOM?"

"I joined because I thought I could use my abilities to the best of my ability here, pardon the repetition. I wanted to improve and get better, so I could protect humanity. In a way, I'm unique, and I didn't want to waste that."

"You see? Like me, you wished to protect your people. A respectable goal. You have many good qualities, Dawn. Yet I can tell you underestimate yourself."

"You can?" I said somewhat meekly. "I mean, you're not wrong…"

"You have much potential, and you've been working towards that. Yet I can sense some fear and doubt in you."

I nodded. "Yeah. I know. I'm still working on that. It's getting better, but it's going to be a while. Just need more experience, like you said. Rome wasn't built in a day, and I sure as hell won't become a super soldier in one day either."

"Is there anything else you wished to say, Dawn?"

"No. Just wanted to stop by and check on one of my favorite teachers. Get better soon, Aegis."

"I will, Dawn." As I got up to leave, he muttered something that must've been in the Ethereal language. It was strange - whenever an Ethereal spoke English, there was always what I called the 'Ethereal accent'- certain letters, especially the letters a and u, would be over pronounced, and the normally booming and echoey voice was somewhat limited, as if said Ethereal was holding back in some way. Maybe their phonetics didn't work like ours did? I had no idea, I was no linguist. But when they spoke their natural language, it sounded smoother, more stronger. Even though I couldn't understand a word of what he was saying, the way he pronounced his words felt almost poetic and relaxing, like listening to a river flow downstream.

"What was that?"

"I was simply wishing you good luck, Dawn."

"Ah. I, uh don't suppose that after our next lesson, you could maybe teach me your language?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"Doesn't hurt to be curious. Plus, Caelior sometimes dips in and out between English and Ethereal Script, so it could be useful."

He paused for a moment. "Very well, I shall teach you some of my language during our next lesson."

I waved goodbye and left.

Well, that was a good talk. Glad he's doing better. My 'schooling', if you could call it that, wouldn't be the same without him. He didn't talk all that much, but his lessons were the most important - and why wouldn't they be?

Dreamscape

7/24/17 - 10:05 AM

Geist stood across from me, staring at the Ethereal I had spawned. It stood inert, waiting for a further command. It wasn't based off of any certain Ethereal, so it looked like a standard Ethereal soldier from the Empire from Caelior's memory. My resident German teacher was here to check up on my weekly progress. He'd been doing this ever since my first mission, to see what I was doing in my free time to improve my skills.

I hoped he would be impressed by what I had to show him today.

"So Dawn, what do you have to show me today?"

"I've been working on a little something with my biopathy. I think I have something that, if all goes well, could be pretty damn effective against high-value targets on the battlefield."

"Very well. Proceed."

I rubbed my hands together. "Okay, so I've been doing some thinking about how to apply biopathy on the body. Completely melting the target, like how Mortis does, while guaranteeing a kill, is both very time and energy-consuming."

"Correct."

"So, I was doing some thinking on which body parts or organs to melt to do the most damage. I was initially considering the brain, which on the surface would make sense when fighting something like an Ethereal. And I remember what you and Aegis said. Although telepathic attacks could prevent biopathy from being used on one's head, many telepaths aren't properly equipped to block biopathy at such a low level that it operates on."

"That's correct."

"But it got me thinking. Why just think about the brain? Sure, if you took out someone's brain they're dead. If you control someone's brain, you control their mind. But...you can't extend the mind to other parts of the body. So…" I pointed to the spine. "If I were to melt a certain part of it off, say in the neck area, it'll be immobilized. Plus, the spine is smaller and less complex than the brain, which makes it much easier to melt, especially for a beginner like me." I looked back at Geist. "Can I demonstrate?"

"Of course."

I cleared my throat. "Observe." The imaginary Ethereal fired several Dynamo blasts out of its hands towards the wall away from us, scorching it. "Using its limbs, it can project directed psionic assaults. Now…"

I closed my eyes, focusing on its body, in particular the spine. I imagined it in my mind, thanks to transferred Ethereal anatomy charts Aegis telepathically gave me earlier. I focused on the neck area, concentrating on the spinal cord and the bonds holding it together. I imagined the nerves inside, communicating with the neurons and transmitting biological data at incredibly fast speeds as I wrapped my mind around it, visualizing the cells.

Just like bricks, they come crashing down.

C'mon...there you are. Break.

I felt the cord slightly shake, sending a wave of pain to the Ethereal.

Break.

The bonds began to be whittled down. The alien shook in response, twitching.

Break.

The discs between the vertebrae melted.

Break.

The nerves collapsed.

Break.

The spine broke, severing it right at the Ethereal's neck. The sound of the body hitting the floor snapped me out of it. I opened my eyes, taking a look at my handiwork.

"Good work." Geist looked at the immobilized Ethereal.

"As you can see, it can't move. It can't use its arms or legs, therefore not being able to direct its attacks, making it easier…" With a thought, my psi rifle materialized in my hand. I walked over to it, pulling off its helm, revealing an Ethereal head with a blank expression. I shot in the head a few times, blue blood spilling out of the hole in its head. "To kill it. However, it's not as easy as it looks."

"No, and it is unlikely to be applicable on the battlefield without significant training and no shortage of luck," he said. "The concept, however, is sound.""

I nodded. No battle plan ever survives first contact with the enemy. "Yeah, it's a lot easier on paper. But I think it can work. All I have to do is focus on the target, picture the organ or body part, and have at it. And as the target's weakened, it makes it easier for allied forces to kill them."

"And you picture it based off of charts?"

"Yes, Aegis has helped me a lot with that." I tapped my forehead. "He gave me some knowledge of alien anatomy, since some of their organs are slightly different from ours. But overall it's pretty similar."

"You also mentioned the heart?"

"Yes. The heart, while a bit more complex, is another target, though in this case if it's destroyed, it's going to take longer to do, but it sure as hell is gonna hurt a lot more than a severed spine, and will definitely kill anyone who I do it to. In fact, I'll give you a demonstration, if you want me to."

"Unnecessary. You're overcomplicating this."

"What?"

"There are easier ways to kill if that is your intention - what does the heart do Dawn?"

"Uh...pump blood through the body?"

"Yes."

He seemed to be waiting for me to get the connection. "I...uh…"

He released a small sigh. "And what carried the blood?"

It seemed like a trick question. "...blood vessels?"

He nodded. "How fast will a Human die if they bleed out?"

I suddenly got it. "The arteries!"

An approving nod. "A blood vessel is far less complicated than a heart. It will incapacitate an enemy just as easily and in less time."

"Very well. Proceed."

I closed my eyes, asking T'Leth to summon the next target.

Let's make it special.

A copy of Yang Shuren, the only and only traitorous Dragon appeared, swords at the ready, frozen in position. Even as a fake, seeing her so close was downright intimidating, if not outright scary. In any other situation, I'd be running.

Although the armor was kind of cool. I wonder where she got the stuff.

But not today.

I closed my eyes, focusing on her arteries around her wasn't much of a challenge, since human biology was the easiest for me to navigate, for obvious reasons. They were funny little things, their design being like a massive bundle of strings spread across the body, helping to deliver fresh, oxygen-rich blood. I couldn't focus on all of them across the body just yet, so I picked the ones closest to the heart.

But even the most advanced warrior could be undone with a single action, a single thought; but only if it was applied right.

And here, it was no different.

I concentrated, the silence of the simulation aiding me in my zen-like focus. I knew that it would never be like this on the battlefield - not like the enemy would oh-so-politely cease fire so I could pull off my signature move. There were a lot of factors that would have to make this work- line of sight, cover, the target being within proximity, the target being in range (in my case a few city blocks at best, and even that was stretching it), and so much more.

But I was going at this by baby steps. Still targets first, then moving, then add other enemies...it's like climbing the stairs - you did it one at a time, because if you took all the steps at once, you'd most likely fall over.

Of course replace 'falling over' with mutilation, death, or whatever else the enemy could come up with.

Here we go.

I focused on the arteries, feeling the blood flow through them as my influence slowly wrapped around them. It...wasn't that different from picking up spaghetti with a fork, watching each individual noodle wrap around the fork as you brought it to your mouth.

I couldn't decide if that was funny, mobid, or just plain disgusting.

As I breathed through my nose, I began to close my fist, concentrating more and more on the arteries. I'd figured that associating certain body movements with certain thoughts or actions could help with the telepathy. In the case, the closing fist was akin to me tightening my grip on the arteries, putting pressure on the cells to fall apart. If I did it right, not even her augmentations could stop the sheer amount of bleeding.

And if I didn't do it right? Well, I'd look like a fool in front of Geist.

Not something I wanted right now.

As I felt the cells begin to move at my whim, I felt the arteries' structure walls began to weaken, as the outer layers were being shaved off by my biopathy. I felt Yang's body shake, her grunting in pain as she put a hand to her heart.

I grinned.

Too late, bitch.

I squeezed my fist, tightening my grip as I shaved off more and more of the arteries' layer. I could feel more and more blood pumping into them; it was like a balloon filled with air, about to burst.

Gotta keep the pressure on.

I felt the blood flow through them, the arteries beginning to swell. I heard the Avatar's cry of pain, but I didn't care.

Boom.

The arteries collectively all exploded at the same time, the flow of blood having been thrown out of wack. She screamed, falling to her knees as more and more arteries blew, blood spilling out and flowing freely with nothing to stop it.

Oh no, has the Dragon lost her wings?

As her body contorted in pain, Geist held up a hand, her body vanishing.

"You have made your point."

I snapped myself out of my trance. "Did I do a good job?"

"You proved a concept. In that sense, yes, you did. I would caution against practicing like this if you wish to continue. A battlefield will not allow you to get your bearings and allow serenity so easily. Nor will your target stand there and wait for you to kill them - you will need to be in close proximity for this - and they will soon realize what is happening, and target you. However, this was an acceptable demonstration of your refined skill." He placed a hand on my shoulder. "A reflection on how you've improved. For that, you should be commended."

"Hey, I have a good teacher. Well, teachers, but yeah, you've done a really good job. It's been pretty fun working with you."

He arched an eyebrow. "Good. Students learn more when they enjoy themselves. I'm glad you think so."

"Exploring my abilities, learning lessons from you and the others. It just feels kind of unreal, doing my psionics. You were right when you said that you didn't want your students just sitting at desks, doing busywork. This-" I gestured to the Dreamscape. "Is just so much better than practicing on rats, prisoners, or the occasional alien ADVENT brought in."

"I appreciate that. I am glad you take my teachings and use them. Many of my students felt the same way back when I taught chemistry."

"Sure as hell be better than my chemistry teacher. All he did was give us the textbook and drone on and on about whatever the subject was."

"And I assume this method of teaching made you disinterested in chemistry?"

I nodded my head. "Yeah. We did some hands-on stuff, but he was kinda overbearing about the whole thing. You'd be leagues better than him."

Hopefully ADVENT got rid of him and replaced him with someone else.

"Therein lies my point. Keeping a student engaged as I did with my students, and now you, is the best way to make a student interested in a topic."

"Well, it's definitely working."

"Indeed. Which leads me to my next lesson. Next week, you'll be fighting me telepathically."

I gulped. "What?"

"I will attack your mind, and you will defend it. After that, you will be attacking my mind next."

"So I just try to last as long as possible?"

"No, you will resist. Or you will not. Fight as if you are intending to win, not pass a test. When you will be attacking me, how deep you are able to get through my defenses will be judged."

"I see. Anything else?"

He hesitated, frowning down at me. "I can feel you are worried about this, Dawn. I am not unreasonable, nor do I expect you to surpass me during will do fine based on what you have shown me and XCOM. The Internal Council is pleased with your progress."

I looked up at him. If my helmet wasn't off (I had a habit of keeping it on, even if it wasn't entirely necessary), he would've seen my eyes light up like my neighborhood block's Fourth of July party.

"Seriously?"

"The Commander spoke with me yesterday. He is pleased to see you are doing well, and that I am putting my previous teaching experience to good use."

"What did he say?"

"He said you have done very well so far. I do not believe he ever expected a teenager under his command, but he is pleased to see your recent performance in Guinea and Turkey."

I gulped. "That's...uh, that's something."

"Indeed. However, it will likely be a while yet before you are put in any large-scale battles."

I nodded. Perfectly understandable. "I understand, Geist. Thank you for that."

"And thank you, Dawn."

"I'm sorry?"

"I have not had the enjoyment of teaching someone like you for...a long time. Watching you learn and expand your knowledge is greatly enjoyable. It was the reason I became a teacher. To give my students the best chance they could to take what I told them and apply it in ways that many others could not. While the context of your lessons are radically different, the basic principles never changed. You have been a very good student of mine, and I will not forget that."

And then he...smiled?

"Geist, I…"

"That will be all, Dawn." His voice sounded lighter and warmer, almost….happy. "That will be all."

Sparring Room - Praesidium

7/25/17 - 2:30 PM

My feet dug into the padded floor, my bent legs keeping my body straight as I panted, sweat beading down my face as I shook my head, getting my hair out of my eyes. I held my fists in front of me, ignoring the minor bruises on them.

My opponent reacted, throwing a punch at me. I dodged it-

While his other fist hit me right in the gut, knocking me down. I hit the mat back-first, falling over onto my side.

"Ugghhh…"

"Need help?"

I noticed Said's offered hand, and took it, him helping me up, patting me back. I hadn't actually met the last remaining Fury in person before, and when I decided to go to the sparring room today, I'd decided to try my hand, as I had several times earlier.

This time, like the ones before, all ended with the same result: while two adult XCOM soldiers sparring would be called a fight, it became a game of throw-the-teenager around. Even though I had augmentations just like the rest of them, my body wasn't done developing yet, and I was no athlete - the closest thing I had to sports experience was playing basketball with my friends.

Hence why I was the lowest-ranked on the sparring scoreboard.

"You alright, kid?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry, you didn't break anything. Imma go sit down for a bit."

"Take care."

I got off the mat, putting my shoes on, as my socked feet tended to fare better when moving around on the mat. I walked away, and sat down, leaning against the wall and downing some water. So convenient to have so many damn water stations all over the place, ready to hydrate Earth's Finest. I watched as the next pair started sparring, throwing punches and blocking, as one does.

I scoffed. Even with Kunio and Zara giving me some tips, along with the hours of working out, I still really couldn't compete with any other soldier on a physical level? Psionically-wise, I could do a decent job. But going head-to-head in a fistfight?

Hell no, I'd lose every time.

Kind of reminded me of when I'd see Fiona duel the Templars, teleporting around and so-and-so, deflecting hits and moving like some kind of killer cat. I admired whoever was brave enough to do that, because truth be told, I didn't have the balls to get up close and personal like that in combat.

Not that I had any in the first place, but that's besides the point. Heh. Besides, I was more of a stay-back-and-shoot person.

Speaking of Fiona, I'd never actually gotten a chance to have a conversation with her, besides a hi and how are you doing here and there. Whenever I'd see her, she was almost always with Kunio, teaching him. I had no doubt in her skills - if anything, her footage alone spoke for itself.

Speaking of footage...I'd been wondering about some things since the clusterfuck that was Patricia's failure to turn New York City into mincemeat.

All of them concerning some of our, ahem, Sovereign-aligned coworkers.

For one, why the fuck did Ir Nara's armor look like a carbon copy of those soldier dudes who Kunio had fought? It could have been a sheer coincidence, but XCOM had taught me that in this war, there was no such thing as coincidences.

I wasn't the only one concerned about this - I'd heard whispers here and there speculating about it. Nothing too serious, but something about it just didn't feel right. Sure, Nara was sort of - no, really a bitch. I'd heard from friends of friends who were scientists that, while incredibly smart, she could be a pain to work with. She regarded many things with absolute disgust and contempt - Fiona especially, whom in that case, the feeling was mutual.

And then we got to Fiona.

I had nothing against. Really, I didn't. But the more I was around her, the more I began to feel off about her. Like something was just...not right. It wasn't the hair, or even her armor. It was the green psionics she performed.

Now, I wasn't some kind of expert about the color of psionics and why, but I knew some basics. My psionics, the purple one, was a sort of 'basic' kind of psionics. The Agents' blue psionics was probably some result of Sovereign science. Ok, that made enough sense. Not that I was actually smart enough to understand how it worked, but alrighty then.

But green?

Odd.

Was it even psionics in the first place-?

"Busy, Dawn?"

I immediately recognized Bronis' thick Russian accent and perked up. He was standing above my sitting form, holding a tablet.

"Uh, no Overseer. Just sitting down and resting after I got my ass handed to me."

"I can see that. Do you want to step outside?"

I nodded, following him outside, where we sat down at a nearby table.

"Something you want to talk to me about, Bronis?"

"Yes. Another of your progress reports came in, and I wanted to update you on a few things, particularly concerning your recent mission."

"I see."

"Same as last time, your biopathy's time has been whittled down, and Geist made a special note of the demonstration you gave him with the targeted biopathy. He seemed quite pleased with your progress."

"I do my best, sir. Can't take all the credit, though. He's been a superb teacher, and I'm lucky to have him."

"I'm glad to hear that. Everything checks out on the report, and progress-wise, you're doing well. There is something you should know, though."

"Yes?"

"The Commander wants you to do an in-person demonstration of your abilities. He's been monitoring your progress, and wants to see you do it in person, as well as give him a run-down of what you've been doing."

The Commander? "So like a...presentation?"

He nodded, noticing the look on my face. "Don't stress. Think of it as a...presentation of sorts for your commanding officer."

So like a homework assignment, but with extra death. "Is there anything specific he wants me to do?"

"Let me see...his exact wording was 'a demonstration of your current abilities, as well as speculation of possible strategies and applications of biopathy in the future.'" He set the tablet down. "That makes sense?"

"Yeah, fair enough. Just melt a target or two, and tell him what I've been working on, and what I plan to work on in the future."

He nodded. "Sounds good, Dawn. That's everything I wanted to bring to today. You've done well here, and shown XCOM that hiring teenagers can be beneficial to our operations - if done right, of course."

I chuckled. "Well, sometimes us teenagers can get the job done just as good as you adults. A lot of people tend to forget that. You just have to give us a chance.."

"And it's paid off, in no small amount to your work and dedication."

"Of course! I mean here, I've been shown more respect here than a lot of adults have in the past. A lot of people think that just because we're young doesn't mean we can't make an impact on things. I know respect goes both ways, and it shows. I mean, I really respect you a lot, Iosif. You've fought the Collective's knight in shining armor and came out alive. Not to mention your mission in China. I don't really know if I could ever do that."

"Well, it took me a while and a lot of lessons learned to get there. What you're doing right now is going to build up your experience. You're not ready now, but you've certainly got the initiative."

I shrugged. "Maybe. But hey, maybe one day you'll be like our own knight in shining armor. You've got the whole dueling thing down, and you're very deadly."

He chuckled. "I doubt it. I don't even have a flashy armor set or anything."

"Don't need fancy armor to be a knight. A lot of people here look up to you, me included."

"Fair enough. Well, I have to go. See you later Dawn, and good luck!"

"See ya!" I waved as he got up and walked away.

I got up, walking to the Dreamscape room.

Time to get my mind off this- and to prepare for my little biopath demo.

Therapy Office - Praesidium

7/28/17 - 3:30 PM

I sat down in front of Doc Yates as she shuffled through her notes, finally setting the notebook down.

"How're you doing this morning, Dawn?"

"Well enough."

"That's great. Anything you want to say before we get started?"

I shook my head. "No." I didn't feel comfortable talking about Caelior's unmasking with anyone besides him yet. I felt like that'd be a serious breach of privacy- Ethereals took their unmaskings very seriously. Going around jabbering about it would make me look like a huge asshole.

Not something that would've exactly helped with my already odd reputation here.

"Very well. Today, we'll be covering some more hypothetical things in relation to you and how you've been progressing."

I raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"It'll be quite simple. I'll give you a hypothetical scenario, and you tell me what you would do in it or why."

"Sure, that sounds interesting. I'm up for it."

"Alright." She picked up her tablet. "Are you ready to begin?"

"Yes."

"First question. Let's say that tomorrow, XCOM tells you that they've recruited another teenager around your age, and they want you to help them get settled in and used to XCOM. How would you help them?"

Coming right out with the interesting questions, are we? "Well, first I'd introduce myself, try to be as friendly as possible, get to know them a little. Ask them about their psionics, experience, things like that. I'd show them around, give them the lay of the land, rules and all. I'd offer to practice with them in the Dreamscape whenever, and introduce them to some of my friends. I wouldn't be like super clingy or anything, but I'd make it clear from day one that if they needed help of any kind, I'd be there."

"Is there any advice you'd give them?"

"Oh yeah. Put on your adult face. Basically, yes, you're still a teenager, and you'll have time to fuck around here. But people here aren't gonna appreciate the shit we used to pull in high school. Rumors, pranks, that's not really a thing here."

"So, acting mature is what you're saying."

"Yep. So don't say shit like 'Oh yeah, the Chronicler's so old he probably fucked the Mona Lisa' or anything about Creed and Patricia. Because I'm very sure that if you do, he will actually kill you. But you didn't hear that from me."

"Another thing- friendship is key here. Despite what one may think, XCOM isn't made up of one-man-armies. Whether it's your bunkmates, the people you sit with in the mess, or your squad, friendship and connections are important here. You're not going to get anywhere by acting like you're some kind of badass from day one. Talk to people, get to know them. Look at the schedule, see if there are any activities you might be interested in. Swimming? We've got it. Basketball? We've got it. There's always something to do here, and that makes the experience even better."

I paused, wondering what to say next. "And don't be afraid to say hi. Yes, you may be much younger than everyone else- hell, some of the soldiers probably have kids your age. But that doesn't mean they're not going to like you or shun you. Trust me, I was afraid of that when I got here, but that pretty much went away when I started talking to people. XCOM's like a family, and no member here is left behind. If you take the time here to talk to people, you'll integrate here a lot easier. "

"What about combat?"

"Well, that's a bit more difficult. I really haven't been in any big battles in real life, but I could try. I'd probably say for starters is to focus. When you're fighting, The first time is hard for everyone, but XCOM's not going to send you out there until they think you're ready. I'd accompany them in some sims, kind of guiding them along like Kunio and the others did for me."

"I see. Is there anything you think you could improve on that XCOM didn't when they were integrating you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Do you think XCOM mishandled any parts of your early integration?" She noticed my concerned expression. "Whatever you say is confidential between you and me, Dawn. It's against my position to tell others this information- it's a violation of privacy and doctor-patient confidentiality."

"I don't really know." I shrugged. "I mean, no one was really outright assholeish to me, and no one here really has it out for me. It's not like 'Oh, there's the teenager. What'd she do to get in here?' or 'Shouldn't you be in high school?' stuff like that. I guess I need some more time to truly judge that."

She smiled. "That's good, Dawn." She took more notes. "Are you ready for the next question?"

"Sure."

"Let's say that right now, you could go back in time and talk to you the day before twelfth grade begins. You can say whatever you want, no limits. What do you tell her?"

"I can say anything?"

"Yep. Anything."

Well, shit. That's something.

"Okay. Um…"

I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath before I let it out, opening my eyes.

"So it's your senior year. I know you're worried about college, friends, and the money. You know money's been tight for your family, and you still don't know if James likes you. Should you ask him out? Yeah, you should. Ignore Mark though. That's not...it doesn't work out."

I sighed. "Focus on grades, and you're going to do well. The year's gonna be great - well, some of it. I don't know how to say this to you- it sounds crazy, insane, borderline like something from a book or a movie. But there's going to be something that changes the world. Overnight, you're going to see and learn things that are going to make you feel small and insignificant. You'll feel like the world itself is going to fall apart. You'll wonder if all those nights of studying and stressing about that next test or project was even worth doing in the first place."

"Because it was. Because all that work taught you how to work hard. It taught you to give a shit. And college is going to be a no-go. Something….something is going to happen. I know you've been looking for something all your life that made you different. It wasn't that failed cheerleader tryout - hell, it wasn't even that job you had that you got laid off from. It's...inside you, part of your genes. And it's been there from day one. Trust me - there'll come a time when you know when to get tested for it. You pass the tests, and you become something more. Someone more."

"But there's one more thing. Eventually, your skills will uncover something that seems unnatural. Scary even. But when you feel like a freak, when you feel you're at your lowest, you'll be invited to a group. A group that you never thought you'd be a part of. And once there, you'll find things beyond your wildest dreams. You'll find people so different from you you never thought capable of even existing, let alone being able to understand. You're going to find the friends you never thought you'd have. People with...so many things. I can't tell you what these things are because you'll have to discover it yourself, like I did. You're going to become a part of something greater, and it may seem tough the first few days, I promise you it's going to get better. You'll know people that you will come to call sisters. Brothers. They don't care how young you are, they'll love you for who you are."

I smiled. "I can't promise you how it'll end. I can't say if the ones around you will have a happy ending. But I can promise you this. You're going to have those fantasies of becoming a hero come true. You're going to be afraid, you're going to be scared- but you'll also be happy, and flowing with such much excitement you'll wonder if sometimes it's really all real. But it is. The stakes will be high, the odds will be on another level, unlike what uncle and pops fought. But you will fight. You'll be working for people who you may not truly understand or comprehend, but you must trust in them."

"Trust the people you will sleep will, the people you will eat with, the people you will train with. You'll learn, you'll grow, you'll laugh, but most importantly, you will live like you never have before."

"If I must tell you something, I'll tell you this. There are a few words you'll want to remember. Some are names, others are titles, but when the time comes, you'll know what to do."

I cracked a knuckle. "Storm. Aegis. ADVENT. XCOM. Geist. Kunio. Sierra. Commander. In time, they'll come to make sense, but remember those names. They will be extremely important."

"And one day, you will discover there are...others like you. Two of them. One likes to heal people and wear white, but she's no better than a toddler trying to shove a toy in its mouth. The other kills and wears black, but his odd mindset made many of his people shun him. You may learn from them, but whatever happens, you can't become like them. Don't follow their examples and emulate them. Because whatever you do, whatever you want, do not let what happened to them happen to you."

Yates looked at me, and smiled. "That was very good, Dawn."

"Was that too dramatic?"

"No, no. You did well."

"What about it was 'well'?"

"You put a lot of focus on emotion and yourself- it sounded like you were actually talking to a past version of yourself. You seemed very comforting and understanding if the past version of you did know."

"I did?"

"Yes. You did great, Dawn." She smiled. "Is there anything else you'd like to say?"

"No. That was...it was something. But there is something I'd like to talk about with you."

"Of course."

"I've been thinking about this for a while, and I just thought I should talk about it. So, I've been writing a lot about my life recently. Kinda like a journal, but I've been putting more...material in it."

'What do you mean?"

"Kind of...it's harder to explain. It's kind of like a bare-bones autobiography, but with a lot of speculation about a lot of things in general in it."

"So it's like your thoughts on paper?"

I nodded. "Yeah, that."

"I don't see why that would be an issue or anything. Writing down your thoughts is a healthy activity for your mind, and a good way to vent emotions. Are you worried about it or anything?"

"No, just wanted some professional advice. Thanks, Yates."

"No problem Dawn, always a pleasure talking to you."

We said our goodbyes, and I left. I had to say, I felt much better about what I wanted to do. It had been in the works, but I think it was about time I'd get down to doing it.

I had a feeling it'd be fun.

Barracks, Praesidium

7/30/17 - 7:24 PM

I sat at my computer, lounging on a comforter, staring at a blank document.

How do I start this?

I was no different from my peers growing up - raised in a middle-class home in Nashville, surrounded by a loving mother, father, and twin sister that looked just like her save an upside-down 7 birthmark on her right shoulder.

I went to school, I learned, I did some hobbies, and I grew.

I thought I was like everyone else around me, destined to grow up and follow the lifescript preached to me by so many. But in the back of my mind, I wanted something more. I wanted to make an impact on the world, but I did not know how. I wanted to grow, reach out, and learn in ways, but I did not know how.

I read books both young and old, about various heroes my age rising up and taking a stand to do what was right. I listened to stories from my grandfather about his fight against the evil Nazis, genocidal monsters led by a twisted mustached little man who horrifically warped and destroyed everything he touched. I listened to stories from my uncle, who fought against the savage Caliph, religious zealots unlike anything the world had seen before, taking the words of an ancient prophet and unleashing with it atrocities and terror onto the Middle East.

A part of me wanted to be like the men before me, but I did not know how.

I wanted to be different- but I did not know how.

But the universe is an odd place - and little did I know the very thing that would make me different rested inside my genetic structure, resting like a sleeping tiger, awaiting the day where it would be awakened.

And when aliens attacked, something that I'd only seen in media, something I never thought would happen, my world changed overnight. A new order took its place, taking a stand against the invaders and solving many of the issues that plagued the pre-unified old world, issues I'd never thought would see solved within her lifetime.

And I saw my chance.

And on the day my city's PRIEST testing center opened, I took a chance and applied. I passed the test, and to my surprise, I was a psion- a telepath at that, and a powerful one. A ninety, six points higher than the then-famed Patricia Trask, before her fall from grace. I chose to be awakened, and I began my training, using my new gift to perhaps do what I always wanted to in life.

But the universe is an odd place - and had one more surprise for me.

I remember that day well. It was the fifth of April, 2017. It was like any other day. I was delving into a Sectoid drones' mind, going deeper than I'd have ever gone before, when I encountered something...odd. A barrier, a deep one.

I broke it, and with that came the revelation that I was much more than just a telepath.

I was a biopath. One who could manipulate the very structure that life was based on, and bend it to my will.

And soon enough, XCOM asked me to join them. XCOM! Asking me, a teeanager to join them! I couldn't say no, so I accepted.

I will admit, I had a rough start. But I adjusted, in no small part due the people around me. I had a new home, a new family. I had new teachers, with an arsenal of knowledge I could never fathom could have existed.

I learned that there had been two others that could do what I had done, one dressed in white, clouded by childlike naivety, the other in black, more human than Ethereal when it came to his mind, but held back by his former rulers; a healer and a cheater of death respectively.

But I was not like them- I had not been born with a silver spoon in my mouth, I was not given the love and attention of an entire race. I did not have the same resources, the same powers that had.

But I did have something they didn't.

You want to know what that was?

My finger hovered over the keyboard, hesitant to finish the statement.

What did I have that they didn't?

My mind raced with ideas, trying to think of something.

Come on, come on….

I gulped. Maybe I could think of that later.

But still, this was a good start.

But what to call this...thing I had created? Could it eventually become a book (with the classified parts removed, of course)? Could it just be my little pet writing project?

It had to be short, nothing too long or too dramatic.

Hmmm.

I shook my head. No, the name would come later. Right here, right now, all that mattered was my story.

And I would be the one to tell it.

And with that, I began to type.

To be continued in:

Operation: Jagged Cross