The interior of the saucer, how would Odessa describe it? It was everything he envisioned when he first thought of the phrase "UFO." Blinking consoles. A central pillar filled with green energy that appeared to be a reactor. Peculiar inscriptions on the walls that he could not help but notice held a resemblance to his new four-armed friend. The walls themselves looked quite angular, their smooth contours in stark contrast to what he had seen of Combine architecture in both color and shape: green and purple instead of blue and black, soft and curved instead of stark and straight.

In a sense, everything Odessa saw felt oddly reassuring. These beings, whatever they were and wherever they came from, were not a part of the Combine. They also did not hail from Xen. However, as he concluded his inspection of the alien vessel, flanked by Sparky and Annette Durand, he nevertheless still felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. His moustache even prickled. They rounded the corner and came to, well, the throne room, where their new guest sat flanked by two hulking guards in red armor, massive green particle weapons carried in their gauntleted hands.

Odessa tried to ignore the puffs of green gas exuded by the covered mouths of the guards, as well as their sheer enormity. He instead strode before and tried to focus on the still-not-entirely-reassuring slender masked figure sitting upon the throne.

"We have concluded our tour and find without a doubt," said Odessa, glancing at his red-eyed vortigaunt companion, "that you are not of the Combine. For that reason alone, I think, we should open diplomatic channels."

"We of the Ethereal ones welcome this opportunity." The being spoke in a harsh whisper that carried without difficulty but did not echo. Odessa gulped, Adam's Apple bobbing. He suspected that the creature did not spoke, per se. But it was heard. "This planet holds much potential, but labors under the yoke of these Harvesters. Our battlefleet remains in orbit and throughout the solar system. We wish to complete our reconnaissance before committing fully to battle."

Odessa's eyebrows shot up beneath his beanie. "You … you wish to give battle to the Combine?"

The Ethereal One gave an airy wave of his hand, the splayed fingers resembling nothing so much as a waiting spider. "Their garrisons sleep. Even as the cores of their cities awaken, their forces flee the countryside. It will be a small thing to take empty ground. We only require cooperation from your Resistance." The Ethereal One's head turned to the vortigaunt. "You … you are marked by something greater. We can sense it. What are you, that which is neither human nor Combine?"

"Something secret steers us, we who wield the Vortessence," growled Sparky, livid central eye glaring at the masked figure before him. "We are Vortikind, and we pledged ourselves to the Eli Vance, and the Liberation."

"You bear the Gift," murmured the Ethereal One softly, making Odessa frown. "We ask you then, Vortikind, what of humanity? Do they, too, bear the Gift?" The masked head turned to Annette Durand. The woman glanced at Odessa, who half-lifted his palm. Steady. I'm sure he means nothing by it. The vortigaunt took a step forward. Odessa could not help but suspect this was out of trying to divert the Ethereal One's attention.

"Their Vortal inputs are impaired," said Sparky. "Some hear echoes of the All In One, and a rare few may even glimpse the threads that weave together and bind us, but none can wield the Vortessence as Vortikind. In time, perhaps, this can be changed."

"I see." The Ethereal One turned its head back to Odessa. "Never before have the Ethereal Ones encountered so many sapients gathered together on a single planet. All will be tested. All will be brought together."

Odessa cleared his throat. "I do hope you do not mean to, ah, assimilate us as the Combine did," he said, painfully aware of how all three aliens towered over him. "Because, assuming that is the case, we must oppose you as bitterly as we do them." He raised a clenched fist, trying to look convincing. The guard on the right snorted. It sounded like a rhinoceros poised to charge.

"The Ethereal Ones will seek the Gift, as we always have," replied the Ethereal, voice raspy but not unpleasant. "We will test. We will judge. We intend to liberate, not establish dominion. The lesser threat must be dealt with, before the greater can be faced."

"Greater threat?" Odessa waited for the Ethereal to respond, but he did not. He merely rose, floating into the air, surveying the three supplicants brought before him.

"The Combine," said the Ethereal, extending a hand. "We have probed and found them lacking, but their leadership is not apparent. From where do they come? How strong are their present forces?"

"The Combine come from another universe," said Odessa, wiping his brow. "They, ah, arrived in enormous numbers twenty years ago through a massive portal. Earth's defense forces, such as they were, lasted only seven hours."

Odessa's words hung in the air. The right guard snorted again. The Ethereal tilted his head at Odessa, considering him somehow.

"Seven hours?" it asked, the "s" in the seven elongated. "They subjugated this entire planet within less than half of a single rotation?"

"Well, yes," replied Odessa, feeling a little embarrassed about it all. "The vast majority of their forces retreated back into the portal after our surrender. Most of them I've never personally seen again." He shuddered, remembering the writhing of twisted metal and flesh, the skeletal creatures with multifaceted eyes and weapons built into themselves. There were too many shapes to consider, to remember. All he could recall fully was running, running as fast as he could from the monstrosities behind him, only to be faced with twice as many in front of him. "I … assure you. What resistance we did offer was to the best of our ability. But there was no fighting something on that scale."

"Vortikind has long fled the long arm of the Combine," said Sparky, making Odessa turn. He could not recall any vortigaunt discussing their history in any detail previously. "Our world is long lost to us, smothered beneath their influence. This is not the first miserable rock we have fled to. Before this, Xen. Before that, Parshaara. And before that…" The vortigaunt closed its eyes and pressed its palms together. "…long has been our exodus. We would urge the Ethereal Ones to weigh carefully their plans of liberation. Sufficient aggravation to our oppressors will only warrant devastating retribution." The vortigaunt sniffed. "Unless the Ethereal Ones feel of sufficient might to stand against several universes worth of hostile entities. Be that the case, we who wield the Vortessence would gladly stand aside your improbable power."

"They hold several universes." The Ethereal's tone remained flat. Then it inclined its head to Sparky. "We well understand the plight of your people. Our home remains far behind us, and our journey stretches ahead. We of the Ethereal Ones still seek the New One, who might succeed where we have failed. We come to this planet and see potential, buried beneath the cold metal. We will extract this potential … carefully. How might we prevent the Harvesters from reinforcing themselves?"

"The Citadel Network," blurted Annette, making them all glance at her. The massive guard snorted again. "Have you seen them? Those huge towers in the centers of our cities?"

"The Ethereal Ones witnessed them from orbit," replied the alien coolly. "Their presence is difficult to ignore."

"Right," said Annette, reddening. "Those have dark energy reactors. They can still open portals – they opened two over the oceans. Maybe you've seen those as well. If you can take them down somehow, they wouldn't be able to call for reinforcements."

"Not to put a damper on those aspirations of yours, Durand," said Odessa, stepping forward, "but at last count, there were fifty-seven citadels on this planet, each of them in possession of their own dark energy reactor. While of varying size, all of them are enormous, and crawling with enemy forces … and it would take but a single one of them to bring ruination on us all."

"The Odessa Cubbage speaks wisdom through his cowardice," said the vortigaunt, making Odessa's own cheeks redden. "Direct confrontation remains impossible. Defeating our enemy means steadily choking him through denial of resources and sudden strikes, perhaps coupled with some scientific breakthroughs courtesy of the Eli Vance and his companions."

"The Ethereal Ones will proceed cautiously." The Ethereal extended a palm to Odessa. Colonel Cubbage … the Harvesters retreat from these wastelands in droves. Where might we strike to best harm them while they are weak?"

"Well, Nova Prospekt lies further north," said Odessa, rubbing his chin, "but, ah, that is a major troop production facility and research center. Attacking there will, for lack of a better term, royally piss off the Combine. Closer, however, there is the bridge."

"The bridge," breathed Sparky.

"The bridge," said Odessa again, nodding. "Yes. We used to hold it, but radio silence in that area suggests it has fallen under Combine control. A pity, as a railroad runs over it, ferrying troops to and from City 17 and Nova Prospekt. We used to be able to keep close track of troop movements. If you wanted to begin establishing a stranglehold over the coast, I would start there … but we warned. You will invite some level of reprisal."

"The bridge," intoned the Ethereal, raising its arms. To Odessa's mild shock, two more arms emerged from under its robes, raised in the air and splaying similarly long fingers. "Yes. We will take the bridge for ourselves. We can see it in your mind's eye – a critical location."

"Taking it would help us link up with the vortigaunt camp and Lighthouse Point," added Annette. "Are you really going to do this?"

"We would ask you three accompany us to this bridge. To make certain all truths have been told." The Ethereal gestured to the guard on his left. The guard pounded his chest once with a meaty thud before marching off, bellowing something in some alien tongue. "You will assist us in combat. All will shoulder the burden."

Odessa reddened. "I – that is to say – I am not a field operator! My role is in the rear, with the radio! I am too valuable-"

"He's going," said Annette bluntly, grabbing Odessa by the arm. "Best head back below and grab a real gun, sir."

"This revolver is perfectly serviceable-" But Annette had already begun tugging him onward, around the corner and towards the ramp, Odessa protesting all the while. A small crowd of, well, practically everyone at NLO waited on the second story of the building.

"We're taking back the bridge!" called out Annette as they stepped from the metal of the craft on to the wood of the house. "Me, him, and Sparky are going to help out. Be back before long. Decker, hand me that rifle."

Decker handed over a pulse rifle to Annette, who then whistled and gestured to Watts. Watts grinned and proffered her own submachine gun to Odessa, who took it with trembling hands. She forked over two magazines, which he entrusted to his coat pockets.

"Can we trust these guys?" asked Krakowsky, his prominent brow furrowing at the two of them. All turned to look up – not at Odessa, to his disappointment – but to the top of the ramp, where Sparky stood.

"We may benefit from this arrangement," said the vortigaunt. "We will ascertain the nature of these interlopers. They are no strangers to the Vortessence, twisted though they may feel. Bringing bloody battle to the beleaguered bridge will better our understanding of their intentions."

"Yes," said Odessa, moustache quivering. "Quite. Ladies and gentlemen, keep this place safe while I am gone. We will return once the bridge is under our control once again."

"Good luck out there!" called out Decker as they retreated back up the ramp, which slid up behind them. The craft's doors began to close. Once shut, Odessa could not even make out the indentations where they folded open. He turned to his companions, weapon in hand, licking his lips.

"Well," he began, "when I got up this morning, I did not think this would be part of today's activities."

"Save it. About time our luck turned around." Annette found an outcropping of smooth metal and sat atop it, rifle across her lap. She looked up at Sparky. "Thoughts?"

"We find this ship's aroma … displeasing." The vortigaunt's face wrinkled. "The Vortessence feels dampened, here. Logic and loyalty demands an open mind for these interlopers. But something inside screams about questionable ethics."

Around the corner, more hulking shapes shambled to the front. At their head, the two brutes clad in red armor. Behind them, clad in green, their upper faces exposed above their rebreathers, stood three similarly massive soldiers. In their arms were smaller, but still enormous, green weapons. The air filled with the sound of their grunting breaths.

"We begin our journey," said the Ethereal, floating around the opposite corner. "You will cooperate with mine own soldiers. Strike down the garrison. Bring their bodies to me."

"Their bodies?" asked Odessa, gaping. The Ethereal inclined its head.

"We have our own research to complete. Retrieval from the cities remains problematic. We yearn to better understand these Harvesters and their designs."

"I … see." Odessa licked his lips. It made sense, but still … it felt creepy, somehow. Well, perhaps we may learn something new about the Overwatch from their research? They should have some fresh insights … better facilities… "So, how long will it take?"

The Ethereal paused. "The journey is complete. Proceed down the ramp."

"What?" Annette stood up, incredulous. "I didn't even feel this thing move!"

"Such technology is not unknown to Vortikind." The vortigaunt bared his teeth. "Truly, the Ethereal Ones bring a bounty of technology to this place. We are honored to fight at their side."

Odessa could not be sure, but he thought he had witnessed the first known instance of vortigaunt sarcasm.

The mammoth soldiers stepped forward, and the three of them were only too eager to get out of their way. One of them let out a deep yelp and slapped the side of his green rifle, which let out a high-pitched whine. Odessa tentatively took his place behind his companions. Annette at least looked ready to go. She always did complain about being stuck behind with the radios. Personally, Odessa always welcomed it. He felt the sweat slick his grip around his gun.

The entrance opened with a small hiss of pressure, the ramp sliding to the gravel below. The soldiers bellowed and rushed forward, sparks from gunfire already lighting up the ramp around them. Odessa saw one get hit in a burst of green blood, but it only boomed out what had to be laughter. They took cover to either side of the craft behind a low wall, calling out in some alien tongue. Odessa started as Annette took his hand and dragged him forward.

"Move!"

Odessa ducked and ran, sliding down the ramp and across the gravel, practically falling under the wall. One of the green soldiers looked down at him and uttered what had to have been a chuckle. It dropped its rifle and reached for its belt, bellowing something guttural. Something beeped and glowed green in its palm. Odessa had a guess as to what it meant. He plugged his ears, gun resting on his lap.

The grenade flew in an impressive arc over the low wall.

"Bouncer, bouncer!"

A flash of emerald lit up the area, and the alien soldiers emerged from behind the wall, weapons firing projectiles of an equally lurid green. Odessa followed suit, uttering his best war cry and firing his weapon in the vague direction of the enemy. Two Overwatch ducked into a beach house, their radios crackling all the while. One of the aliens took aim and fired at their cover. It disappeared in a haze of viridian smoke.

"Overwatch, sector is not controlled. Confirmed exogen breach. Request reserve activation and deploy."

"Overwatch, air pathogen confirmed. Recommend reactivation of emergency containment procedures. Requesting Airwatch activation."

Odessa could barely hear their words over the roaring of blood in his head, the roar of the aliens around him, and the roaring of the gun in his hand. It went click and he didn't even notice, instead staring slack-jawed at his charging allies.

One Overwatch ducked in a barn shed, only for a red-clad alien to burst through it. The soldier gamely tried to shove the alien back with the butt of his gun, only for it to be parried with an up thrust rifle. Then the alien reached out and grabbed the soldier by the head.

"Overwatch, sector is not-" The alien hurled the soldier full force, sending it through the remaining intact wall of the barn. The building collapsed around the soldier, who shouldered through the wooden wreckage with a victorious cry.

"Keep up!" shouted Annette, her own weapon braced against the wall. She let out two sharp bursts. "Colonel! Move up!"

Odessa shook his head and ducked back behind the wall. He felt for the magazine and slotted it in to his smoking gun before vaulting over the wall, back twinging. The alien soldiers now dominated the courtyard, which was really all that was left of the settlement. The main building smoked with three open green wounds, and a fire raged within. The beach house lay half-collapsed. The barn lay fully collapsed. And the Overwatch fell back.

"More fire from the bridge," grunted Sparky, extending a finger to the horizon. The bridge, half-blanketed by mist, some of its architecture, hrm, freshly "augmented" by the Combine. Bringing his hand over his eyes, Odessa could just spot a new metal tower at the far end, near the underside of the train tunnel. As he watched, a flare shot into the sky.

"Damn," he said, more to himself than anyone else.

The aliens took up positions at the cliff's edge, rifles at the ready. Bullets pocked the lip of the cliff, their source indicated by the flares of weapon discharges across the bridge's scaffolding. One look at the hulking forms of their new friends made clear that they were not going to make that journey anytime soon.

One alien fired a green blast, which flew wide, only to be smacked by his red superior. The hulking red monster growled something and pointed to where the stray energy bolt had struck the bridge. The metal twisted and burnt underneath the impact. Odessa got the idea. They don't want the bridge to collapse. Considerate of them.

The alien turned back to the waiting UFO and pounded his chest, calling. Something answered from the inside, gargling a response. Something shot into the air from the ramp of the craft.

Three aliens, each nothing more than a torso strapped to a … jetpack? They roared and hurtled through the air, more weapons clad in their metal arms, rushing for the far side of the bridge. In the distance, more green light leapt from where they flew.

"They will secure the far side," rasped a voice from behind them. The Ethereal One floated from the craft, main arms lifted into the air. "This bridge is ours."

"Sir," said Odessa, not sure what else to call it, "they have called for air support. Perhaps we should, eh, retreat into the craft?"

"The Combine gunship is a worthy adversary," agreed Sparky, eyes still fixed on the destruction beyond. "It would be best to meet it in the air, where it least expects."

"The Combine gunship is mine," replied the Ethereal without emotion. It extended a bony finger and pointed to the middle distance. "There. It hungers for death."

Indeed, Odessa heard the tell-tale sound of the turbine approaching. He coughed, looked around, saw no building he could really hide in, and carefully shifted himself behind one of the red aliens. It cast a look around at him and grunted. Odessa suspected the beast was not terribly impressed.

The Ethereal One lifted its arms high. The gunship roared, its cry both mechanical and bestial. It crested over the far train tunnel, head swiveling this way and that. Odessa saw it sweep its gun over the floating aliens below before seeing the far cliff. It continued to surge forward, and Odessa lost his nerve.

"Down!" he shouted, but only Annette heeded his words. Sparky stood firm alongside the Ethereal, and the alien soldiers instead opened fire. Their projectiles flew wide, hitting everywhere around the gunship, but not striking true. The gunship returned fire, and one of the green aliens flew backward, grunting, blood spraying. With a cry he collapsed to the ground, gun vanishing in a burst of electricity. The Ethereal did not budge.

The gunship crossed overhead, roaring again. It wheeled about, twisting turbine and flippers to alter its course. The Ethereal turned to face it, floating forward ahead of its comrades. The alien soldiers continued to fire, the green flying in every direction, but the gunship merely kept flying gently to the side, the energy hitting nothing. Its compound eyes locked squarely with where the Ethereal floated. It charged, gun blazing.

The Ethereal's second set of arms emerged from under the robes, and it pushed out, a thin globe of translucent material forming around it. The pulse rounds hovered in the air before the Ethereal and held. The gunship, now directly overhead, cried out. The Ethereal held, arms shaking slightly, looking up at the now still gunship. The underside of the creature began to smoke.

"Yes," said the Ethereal, perhaps answering the gunship's dismayed bellow. The Ethereal's hands slowly pushed to the side. The gunship smoked and twitched, stress lines appearing at the edge of the turbine and close to the head. It fired wildly at the Ethereal, but the bullets stopped feet before his body and just hovered there, like a swarm of fireflies. "Yes."

With a groan, the gunship shook and came apart into three pieces, the head flying out towards the sea, the chassis and turbine falling … oh dear.

Odessa shouted and rolled, chunks of gunship falling all around him. The air filled with heat and he closed his eyes, praying this was not how it ended. After a few moments of silence, the air stilled, and Odessa breathed. He stood, shaking, coughing, looking around for his erstwhile allies. The alien soldiers flanked the Ethereal, who stood over a twitching chunk of rubble. With a shake of the wrist, it flew aside, revealing Sparky, leg bent all wrong. The Ethereal turned to his right and repeated the gesture. Annette groaned, her side bloody.

The Ethereal looked to Odessa, lower set of arms retreating beneath its robes.

"You fight like a Sectoid," said the Ethereal, and Odessa could tell that was not a compliment. The Ethereal floated over, hand extended. Odessa scrunched up his face but held his ground, waiting. The Ethereal reached for his cheek and lifted it upward to stare straight at the mask. "Yet, we may have use for you. Your companions are wounded. A mistake on my part. Please permit me to rectify that error, and treat them."

Odessa's eyes darted behind the Ethereal. Sparky groaned, eye half-shut. One of the big aliens slapped the side of his gun, which charged with a high-pitched whine. In the distance, an Overwatch soldier let out a death cry. The Ethereal looked down at him, inscrutable.

"Of course," replied Odessa, voice cracking. "Regrettable accident. Sorry about your man. But … good job with that gunship!"

The Ethereal did not reply. It relinquished its grip and floated back towards its vessel, lifting a single clenched hand as it reached the ramp.

"Bring me the bodies. All of them."

The alien soldiers moved to comply, scooping up the fallen Overwatch soldiers and chunks of gunship alike. One grunted and pointed to Odessa, then to the steaming rubble.

"So it's like that, is it?" mumbled Odessa, but he nevertheless hastened to comply. By the time he had gathered the first armful of gunship and walked up to the ramp, he realized with a pang that he could not see where Sparky or Durand went. He could see the patches of blood where they lay, but no sign of them.

"Excuse me," he said to the nearest alien soldier, but it only growled and pointed to another pile of gunship parts. Then it shambled off, ground rumbling slightly with each footstep. Odessa stared over the bridge. The mists began to clear.

"Yes," he said to himself, heart sinking. "That's exactly how it is."

Two hours later, a train exited the far tunnel. By the time it crossed the two hundred feet of bridge and reached the other side, it blazed with flame. Odessa watched the fires alone, weapon cast aside at his feet.