Ranger
Chapter 7: Sushi
By Wanderer D
The Skyranger hummed into life as the newly-minted team, Menace, gathered in the hangar. Sunset had donned her quasi-skirmisher armor, including her grapple-hook, and was all but ready to go. Her machete was taking a bit of getting used to, attached as it was to the back of her armor, but it was designed in a way that made drawing and reattaching very easy.
All in all, she felt a lot safer than in the civilian gear she had worn during the last mission.
Jane was wearing her regular XCOM resistance armor, sunglasses and black cap. Her GREMLIN floated faithfully next to her, almost as if it had been with her all along.
Two more soldiers had joined them; Shintaro Katsu, who had been there almost as long as Sunset herself, and Paula Graca. Neither had a specialization yet, but they had ran the same drills with them over and over.
Sunset couldn't complain, both were a bit more focused than Otis had been, in her experience, and they had been out on a couple of missions together before. Unlike the previous times, however, she was really their superior this time around.
"Menace 1-4," Bradford called in as soon as they sat down inside the Skyranger and it had taken off. "This mission will take place in one of the abandoned cities; we are to meet two representatives. Each is from a different faction that we have deemed a credible threat to ADVENT. Your mission is to meet and escort the representatives to the meeting place, where XCOM will host the negotiations. The commander is currently engaged in communications with their leaders, and negotiations will depend on this mission going through without a hitch."
The screen inside the Avenger provided tactical information and visual aids as Bradford spoke. "You will be divided into two teams. Sunset will head Alpha Team. You will be meeting with the Reaper's representative. Team Bravo will be headed by Jane and meet with the Skirmisher's representative."
Sunset started. "Wait, requesting to switch—"
"Both teams will meet at the designated area with their assigned representative alive. Central out."
The screen went black.
"Crap."
"Everything okay there, Sunset?" Jane asked.
Sunset looked up to see the others were giving her amused looks. "Yeah, yeah," Sunset muttered. The chances of her knowing the Skirmisher representative were slim as it was. "It's just, you know… Reapers eat aliens."
The cabin went quiet.
"Say what now?" Shintaro asked.
"As in Sectoid sushi, yes." Sunset shrugged. "Not entirely sure how it started, but they hunt them down, then cook them. I've heard Muton shanks is a popular dish."
"Eww."
"When you say hunt…" Paula started.
"...I mean hunt," Sunset said, nodding. "Like game."
"Know anything about Skirmishers?" Jane asked.
Sunset hesitated. "Yes. They're ex-ADVENT, very tribal, honorable and loyal to each other. Good fighters."
"Huh," Paula spoke up. "Seems Central kept you well informed, but I still feel you're keeping things to yourself."
"No surprise there," Shintaro added. "You travelled with Central for over a year if I remember correctly. Did he tell you about them then?"
"Sort of," Sunset said. "I've just had run-ins with them… it was educational."
Jane and the others shared looks before leaning forward. Sunset couldn't blame them, usually they would all go mostly in the dark about things and XCOM had kept most soldiers under an intense training regime which had only allowed for select contact outside of the Avenger.
Most outside world information came from situations like these, where one or another soldier would have first hand experience of a location or encounter. The more they knew, the more likely they would be able to anticipate their contact's reactions.
"So… did you try any of that Sectoid sushi?" Shintaro asked, looking slightly disgusted if intrigued.
"No, even they admit it's an acquired taste," Sunset said. "And no, I didn't risk it. To be honest, it smelled awful."
"You actually saw them chop one up?"
"Yes."
"So what's the best part?" Jane asked.
"If you believe Natter… Sectoid loin is a delicacy."
Everyone contemplated this in silence.
"Any idea who the third party he mentioned was?" Shintaro asked, changing the topic. "We have cannibals, ex ADVENT… what could be next?"
They looked at Sunset, who glared back at them. "Templars. And no. I don't want to talk about them."
Jane raised an eyebrow. "I sense there's a history there."
"I said I don't want to talk about it." Sunset crossed her arms. "And they are not important right now."
"I guess that's true," Paula said. "But it would be nice to know why you don't like these Templars."
"It's a long story that I hope never to have to share," Sunset replied. "Besides, we're here, so let's jump a few hundred feet to the ground now, okay?"
The back of the Skyranger opened as it hovered over the city. It didn't take long for Sunset to start swearing the moment she saw the greenish mist that covered most of it. That could only mean one thing.
Shintaro gave her an amused look. "What?"
Sunset gritted her teeth. "I hope you like zombie movies," she said before jumping down.
The street they were dropped at was a sadly familiar sight: tall buildings and half-collapsed skyscrapers, street covered by a thin, greenish mist; desiccated bodies strewn around as they fled from small craters created by alien devices; cars either overturned, abandoned or destroyed, all inevitably covered in rust and vegetation and an eerie, heavy and oppressive silence.
Sunset was quick to activate her 'blood vision' as she had taken to calling it, the moment she was on the floor. Immediately she could see ruby-red lights around herself, and Shintaro, as well as a few other, smaller ones at the top of buildings as well as one behind a car nearby. The sheer size of human cities never ceased to amaze Sunset, nor did the amount of cars they used, although given the size of the things it wasn't surprising they'd want a faster method of movement.
Blood vision was the only one of her bloodspells she could keep up an almost indefinite amount of time. Sunset had a massive reserve of magical energy, which had grown considerably with constant practice and strengthening exercises… it also regenerated over time, and this spell in particular used so little of it that by the time it would make a small impact, her reserves would have been refilled… a much different scenario from other magical spells, be it her natural pyromancy or even basic levitation.
Equestrian high-level spells would leave her incapacitated most of the day, if they were possible at all, and she was more than happy to not use them for now.
"What do you mean zombie movies?" Shintaro asked.
"Oh, you'll see," Sunset said as she started walking down the street.
"Menace 1-2," Bradford's voice came through the comms. "Proceed to the first set of coordinates, Firebrand and the second team will go ahead to the next drop point."
"Detecting increasing biological signatures in the area ahead," Dr. Tygan said.
"Then I'd say we're in the right place," Bradford added. "Stay sharp out there, just because the city was abandoned, doesn't mean it's lifeless. Let's see what the Reapers have to offer, you should be meeting your contact here soon."
"They're already here," Sunset said, just as the heartbeat behind the car revealed itself.
"You have good eyes, XCOM," the woman said, "My name is Elena Dragunova, follow me."
Sunset and Shintaro followed after Elena a block down, to where Sunset was slightly disgusted to see the head of a bug-like alien roasting over a fire. She'd never seen them without the exoskeleton herself, but that was probably the remains of one of Bradford's infamous Chryssalids.
"Feel free to eat if you haven't," Elena said, watching Shintaro turn green and heave. When Sunset's reaction didn't change, she rolled her eyes at her before tilting her head and frowning. "I think I remember you, Bradford's kid, right? You were at that meeting a few months ago. I thought I saw you loitering next to one of the cages back at camp."
That started a series of choking sounds from Shintaro, who still wouldn't face them, lest he look at the roasting head.
"Not exactly his kid, but yeah, I travelled with him for a while," Sunset replied, giving her a dirty look. "I know Central spoke to Volk, is Natter still around?"
Elena's face hardened. "She's dead, last year."
Sunset bit her lip and sighed. "I'm sorry."
Elena turned. "If we have nothing else to discuss, let's get going."
"Is it just you coming, or is the rest of your gang here following as well?" Sunset asked, falling into place behind Elena.
"You do have a good eye." Elena smirked. "No, they'll stay behind, we'll meet your Skirmisher as agreed, one-on-one."
"Good." Sunset said, then, "Speaking of which, who are we meeting from the Skirmishers?"
"We don't know much about him other than his name. Mox," Bradford replied.
This drew an angry growl from Elena. "Mox?! Pratal Mox?"
"You have a problem with that?" Sunset asked, looking at her.
"His death squads killed a lot of my people at the beginning of this war!" Elena hissed. "You would dare do this?"
"It's not like Reapers haven't hunted down Skirmishers for nibbles," Sunset snapped, earning a glare of her own.
Shintaro, caught in the middle, slid back out of the way as both women walked up to each other, neither backing down.
"I'm sure there is plenty of blood on both sides," Bradford interrupted the glare, sounding slightly exasperated. "That's what this is about, burying the past and working together."
That was all that was said for a time. They moved quietly, from shadow to shadow, cover to cover. Reapers were notorious for their ability to blend with their surroundings, and were it not for her blood spell, Sunset would have lost sight of Elena more than once. Eventually they saw one of the machines that had crashed into the cities.
"We can still detect trace amounts of radiation," Tygan said into the comms. "I can't help but wonder what they looked like and their initial purpose."
"We were there, doctor, trust me, you're better off having missed it," Bradford replied.
It wasn't long after they had left the camp and were making their way through the city that they saw their first Lost shambling around an abandoned-looking building.
"I hate those things," Sunset muttered.
"Those things..." Bradford gasped. "They still look like people! We don't have any intel on them."
"That's surprising," Elena replied, looking at Sunset with a slightly bewildered expression. "What was human died years ago… only the taint of the alien survives now."
"XCOM hasn't fought any so far," Sunset said in response to Elena's look.
"These creatures' DNA has mutated past anything we could still classify as human," Tygan added to the radio chatter. "Perhaps a result of continued exposure to the alien radiation… but why would anyone expose themselves to that… I cannot imagine."
"When the governments of the world fell, a lot of people were starving and returned to the cities to scavenge… they did not heed the warnings," Elena whispered bitterly.
"Sunset, anything you want to share?" Bradford's voice sounded particularly annoyed.
"The Lost are… something that ADVENT doesn't want anyone to see… they send squads of ADVENT Purifiers… they're… like troopers but with flamethrowers, I haven't seen any so far outside of the old cities."
"Any additional intel you think would be useful to know before we encounter them, other than 'I hope you like zombie movies'?" Bradford asked.
"You were listening?"
"I am always watching my troops on missions," Bradford replied dryly. "And I'm relaying this information to Jane as we speak."
"Well, do you like zombie movies?" Sunset asked.
"No."
"Me neither."
"I hate to interrupt this father-daughter-like interaction," Elena said, "but if you don't have anything productive to add, we should get moving. They're not human anymore, and a shot to the head will take them down."
"They are also attracted to loud noises, so any large explosion will draw their attention," Sunset added.
"It seems like we'll have to tread carefully," Bradford concluded, "I'm relaying this information to Bravo team. Carry on with the mission... and try to not draw their attention."
"It's always easier said than done," Sunset muttered.
o.0.o End Chapter 7 o.0.o
Oh, so sunset meets Druganova first. I guess that makes sense, though I was hoping for her to meet with Mox. I can't wait to see what happens after this mission.
It would be too much for Sunset to hope for the initial reunion.
Straight into War of the Chosen, I see.
When Mox and Sunny meet, it's gonna be a big like a ol' family reunion
There's something bothering me in this chapter. Sunset wears her Skirmisher armor but Elena doesn't comment on it? Or did she wear it to the previous encounter? Sunset proximity to the Skirmishers should be noticed by her, certainly. Or did she just not comment on that?
Also, if I remember well how this should end... Blood magic is so going to change how this goes, and HARD. I'm anxious to see how it goes.
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No reason to dally on standard fight-the-aliens missions I'd say, and this one is one of the first you play in the game.
Ain’t that the fucking truth.
Who is saying this line?
8709249 I guess that's a fair edit.
Guess Sunset felt like she had a raw deal with the side she was chosen to escort. She'd be loin if she said she didn't mind it though. I have to admit, the Reapers taste is totally alien to us.
I'm horrible, I know.
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Ah, that makes more sense. I thought maybe it was Shin. Thanks.
... and yet we haven't heard a thing about who is the great commandy one... hmm...
Shame that since I haven't done the extensions I don't know when an important character from the new factions is actually here.
Though that might change soon, there is finally a complete X-COM2 package that is coming out.
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I think that Sunset appeared in different world that we know from EG, so no Flash at all. It would explain "normal" names,
8709466
Given the Great Commandy One(Blessed be) is a bit of a self Insert given that's who the player is, it's probably best if they stay in the shadows, and well, unspecified.
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It is a human wearing a bulky armor with grappling hook given advent are probably stronger then humans and Sunset was younger when they gave it to her they would have needed to strip armor out just so it wouldn't hinder her. Also there armor is self made as they don't have access to advent tools and equipment
it may look close but not close enough to draw a conection.
Oh, I really love how you used the mission dialoge. I really wonder if the Lost were inadvertently or not. I also hope that Sunset does not become victim of a Spectre, that would be fatal (If it can copy her magic at all). While I respect her class, her magic would also make her a good Psi Operative, I suppose.
i'd say it's because the Templar leader sounds like discord, but i guess sunset never met him did she?
a lot safer (wearing it)
I wonder, are you taking these names from one of your own runs?
Reapers' and Skirmishers'? Reaper and Skirmisher? Whichever form their names take, they should match.
It's not cannibalism if you're different species, right? Oh, I guess they have been adding more human DNA over time... hm.
To think, some of these soldiers have never even seen a movie... 2035 Earth is a whole different world.
Wait... They said there was an "other" in the psyonic network that that saved the skirmishers from control. And there is only one person that we know of that has bested elders in psyic combat.
BOW DOWN BEFORE YOUR SAVIOR SKIRMISHERS, FOR THE GREAT COMMANDY ONE IS RISEN!!!
Hmm. Does it really count as cannibalism when it's a different species? Heck, I'm surprised that alien tissue has human-digestible amino acids. I'd half-expect high levels of elements that are vital for their biology and incredibly destructive to ours.
But I digress. Great tense note to end on; looking forward to more.
i hate those freaking zombie. they eat throught my ammo fast headshot or not, even with auto loader and expended mag.
And even with the sniper revolver to try and save ammo that pea shooter of his barely do shit.
still it was fun to watch a muton getting mauled to death by a swarm of lost
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Odd on youtube found the best way to deal with lost.
But yeah was fun to see them swarm the advent troopers.
8714405
My way of dealing with them was to put half of my team in Overwatch and have the other half Hunker Down. This way I only have half of my team firing at the damn things at once. Of course, I also run the Long War 2 mod, which lets me have up to 8 soldiers on a single mission which helped, but Long War offsets this by having more enemies show up to fights. Either way, just careful planning of firing lines and making sure I never had my entire squad firing in the same turn let me dispatch them (almost) easily.
No love for Tygan so far? Eh. I'm asking for too much.
Maybe Sunset dislikes the Templars cuz they're run by Discord.
Well, this is already proving to be very interesting, I wonder what Sunset's past with The Templars is ...
I hope I never have to share
I'd recommend 'the size of the places', makes it clearer that you're talking about the cities, not the cars
Very smart man
Inb4 one of them bumps into a L4D car.
Heated start. Interessting to see the Elders slacking enough to let resistance grow out of there own ranks.
Isn't gun fire also a way to attract them?
Still have to watch the chosen dlc... never came up