Ranger
Chapter 101: Communication
By Wanderer D
"Each death is on me, Central."
Bradford turned his gaze away from the map display to look at Chrysalis' face. The commander's eyes were narrowed, her focus—almost angry—was on the red image of the Skyranger, approaching its destination.
"It doesn't matter if shit goes sideways because someone panicked. It doesn't matter if one of them turned out to be a traitor and sent our plans to ADVENT and it cost us most of the team. It doesn't matter that we managed to save Twilight… Galahad and those rookies, all of team Eagle… their deaths are my responsibility."
Bradford sighed, but did not argue the point. Ultimately… the Commander was right.
"That clown… the Hunter, she took down Eagle. So now I send them to fight the Assassin… we're still developing better weapons. Twilight is making leaps and bounds in her Magical research…" Chrysalis snorted and shook her head. "If we had all the time in the world…"
"You've sent one of our most capable teams out there, Commander," Central replied, "As much as the loss of team Eagle hurts us… and even though we're still researching better weapons, I'm sure they will perform well."
"We need more soldiers," Chrysalis said. "We can't keep sending the same teams out over and over… they're exhausted. They barely get a couple of days of rest… and as soon as they're healed they're out there. We need more rotation."
Bradford nodded. "We still have Dragon and Wolf. Both teams are solid, but they are starting to feel the weigh as well."
"I have a list… there's some militia groups out there we could coordinate with," Chrysalis said. "They're not as large as the Reapers, Skirmishers or Templars, but they've got experience. Some of them are even military-led."
Bradford took the pad, scanning the names.
"I want you to create a new Team Eagle…" Chrysalis stated. "And I think it's about time Annette got her own command. We can specialize her team, but I want that rookie… Alejandra… in it."
"Understood, Commander."
"Any word from Ember?"
"Lieutenant Yeung informed us that she was at the location where the Black Market would meet," Bradford reported, "Since they deal with intel, we'll have to give some of ours to them."
"That's fair," Chrysalis said. "Have her concentrate on finding more information about the Chosen for now."
"Understood, Commander."
Chrysalis took a deep breath. "I'll be in my quarters. Link me up to Menace when they hit the ground. I want to see everything that happens in that base."
"Yes, Commander."
"Oh, and Bradford?"
Central blinked, looking at Chrysalis, who was standing on the doorway to her room. "You're also supposed to schedule an appointment with Luna."
"..."
"Understood?"
"Yes, Commander."
"Are you ready for this, Annette?" Sunset asked, drawing the attention of the others. "It can't be easy, fighting against a former friend."
Annette sighed. "You… met her right? Before she became… this thing."
Sunset nodded, biting her lip.
"When I met Aria, she had just saved me from being killed by the aliens in the Paris invasion. She inducted me into EXALT, told me I had powers beyond other human's understandings… but more than that, she trained me. She taught me how to hold a gun, how to run for cover, what to do if I got shot in the leg.
"I was never… one hundred percent on EXALT, but I was a hundred and ten with Aria. She was my best friend. She protected me." Annette looked down, eyes misty. "I… practically worshiped her. I trusted her with everything. All my insecurities. All my fears. All my dreams. I even ignored her increased belligerence as time passed and her evolving disregard for the lives of others. She was with me, protecting me, and that was all I needed.
"I knew… Aria wasn't technically a good guy, but… she wasn't bad in my book. She had dreams and ambitions of her own. She was rash and a bit blunt, but I loved her all the more for it. I thought, at the time, I couldn't ask for a better friend, even… even if it was in EXALT. It was confusing… they were sided with the Aliens but they really did seem to want the best for humanity." Annette laughed. "If I had known… it's all clear in retrospect, I guess."
"But you were betrayed," Elena spoke up from where she was sitting, arms crossed. "I overheard that, during your fight with her."
Annette nodded. "Unknown to us, XCOM had been gaining ground on the fight against the aliens, and the Elders ordered EXALT to cooperate. They moved all of the 'gifted' they had found into a location where they… they strapped us to machines the Elders had provided… those machines wormed orders into our brains and demanded obedience. I fought… but I couldn't deny their will.
"I saw XCOM's base in my mind… Central was there, as well as Commander Chrysalis, and Sunset Shimmer. I didn't know who they were, but they were clearly human. We were ordered to… overwhelm the will of those around them… and guide a ground team to the base.
"I remember crying for Aria to stop it… but she didn't. After that, she comforted me… it helped, although I didn't tell her, that EXALT and the Alien's assault had failed… but stupidly, I trusted her. I think—or I like to tell myself at least—that if it had been the Aria I met initially… not the person I slowly watched become… whatever she became before the Elders "rewarded" her, that she would have stopped what happened next…"
"And what was that?" Jane asked.
"They…" Annette sighed. "Someone in EXALT recorded a conversation of the higher ups. The Elders wanted us… not EXALT "us", but rather all of "us gifted ones", to be sent to them for experimentation. When we found out… it was already too late, but I was… I begged Aria to let me stay with her. I cried. And I called out to her as they forced me into a truck that would take me and others to be delivered… to become experiments.
"Aria… she just… watched. Her sister was laughing at us… but Aria was just watching. Her face was like stone. I don't know if she really felt it, but I think, there was a moment when I saw a bit of recognition a bit of… pity in her eyes. But she didn't do anything… and it almost broke me.
"It wasn't until… Sunset… the old Sunset's team, saved me that I found out who the people I had helped attack were… she opened her arms to me, and helped me settle in. Vahlen performed some non-invasive studies on me… with my consent… and eventually, they just let me join the team as a Support Specialist."
Angel hissed softly, and Annette smiled a little. "Thank you. It was."
"Oh no, another one…" Elena drawled, "I thought we only had one Parseltongue."
"Wait, you don't understand her?" Jane asked.
There was a pause.
"Wait, what?" Sunset blurted out. "How?"
"Isn't Angel speaking English?" Jane asked. "I mean… I just… I-I just thought…" she looked around, bewildered. She turned to Annette. "You understand her, she's speaking English, right?"
Annette shook her head. "I was in mental communion with Thin Men for over twenty years… plenty of time to learn their other languages."
Angel hissed, shaking her head in bewilderment.
"Tell me about it!" Jane retorted, grasping her head with both hands. "What the fuck… how did this…" her eyes widened, and she locked eyes with Sunset, who also had a look of dawning understanding in her face. "Well… fuck."
"Yes," Laetitia said. "But not here, and not now. We need our mind on the mission, not on the possible pleasures derived of a surprise development."
A moment of baffled silence.
"Sometimes I wonder... why?" Elena spoke up dryly, "Why did the Commander assign me to this team? And then I realized she enjoys torturing others. And then it all made sense."
"Well, whatever it is you guys are planning on doing," Rainbow Dash called from the cockpit, "you'd better leave it for later!"
They felt the Skyranger decelerate, and heard the wings shift, setting the aircraft into its hover mode.
"We're here."
o.0.o End Chapter 101 o.0.o
So Jane can speak snek. Called it!
*insert witty snek quote here *
strike team! IT'S GO TIME!
Seems magic sense isn't the only thing to snake into Jane's mind.
One day, we will finally hear Angel speak english through Jane's perspective
8945825
I think she can speak pretty damn much anything now. It's the human magic, that which came before the Tower fell.
I still demand snek pone foals, though
8945847
I approve of this comment... Also fuck you for making it before me.
8945937
Whit Sans around,
you snoz, you lose.
Time for a reckoning. And it will a very very interesting one to see how it goes down with so many to have settlings to account for.
Hmm, so we're invading the chosen lair soon?
PLACE YOUR BETS LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! Who's gonna get the kill shot? Who's making the dead pool? How long until Elena is the only person on Earth that doesn't speak snek?
8945967
You sleeped, you weeped.
8945977
10 on Anette is given the kill shot.
8945825
What made you call it? Really curious, I don't remember any previous allusion to this.
Elena will never get break from parseltongues. Now go team menace. Go and kick Arias ass!
8945977
Dead pool? No-one, but they'll all endup in the infirmary.
Especially Sunny, as the only one who can see stealthed assasin and with no Skirmisher to distract her, Aria will see Sunny as the prime target...
By the end of the mission Sunny will be standing only through the power of her blood magic.
Kill shot: Dunno, I want to say that since this is a story and not the game the little end sequence wont exist so Aria only dies twice.
Another question would be how the monalith and respawn mechanics will be handled.
I think the first "kill" will be too chaotic to call, but the second kill will involve Annette heorically saving Sunset's life and taking down Aria, but Sunset will finish the job.
EDIT Changed my mind, the initial kill will be Annette's, I think it'll be a bitch off/rematch of the previous fight and only then will Aria remember the threat Sunset represents.
8945826
Ssss sss, ssss ss ssssss. Sss sss.
8946097
nice
8946008
Back when Jane started seeing Sunset using her blood vision in the old Xcom base. The only reason Sunset can understand Angel is because of her magic, so when she gave a blood transfusion i guessed that Jane would be able to speak snake now as well. If we ever see Twilight interact with Angel she should be able to understand her as well, UNLESS the understanding is a component of her blood magic, which i dont know how that works obviously. It would be interesting though if the blood magic uh...curse? Im not sure thats the right word either... is transferred over to Jane as well.
The more you know, Jane.
8945977
20 on sunset, frankly she's the only one that gear well work properly for, it's a shotgun and a sword.
Can laetitia understand Angel? Being psychic and all?
Feeling the rumble of the ship, it fills you with determination...
So many snek friends.
Gotta keep focused on the mission.
Let it begin.
More effects of the magic transfusion. The question is whether it'll stick around after Jane's system replaces Sunset's blood.
Damn ! Laetitia.
So Jane has also the magical translator in addition to perceive magic with the blood transfusion.
8946386
It's likely that since Sunset is a blood mage, her blood is saturated with magic. That may mean that the transfusion was also an infusion of said magic, and because of the magics affinity towards blood it could potentially stay within Jane even after the original blood has worked it's way through her system.
er'rry one doin' a heccin' snekspeak
It's starting to become real difficult for me to remember who's who there are so many characters running around now Annette, Leticia, Jane. I'm beginning to forget which one is the quarian which is the mutant and which is the faction representative which I can't remember at this time. if someone could make a small list for me I would be eternally grateful
8983475 Maybe I should post a team roster sometime soon?
8983478
If it wouldn't be too much trouble and maybe with a small bio next to them
Sunset's blood transfusion to Jane of course
Here we go ...
slowly watched her become
Rolling in my bed in laughter.
I love you'r storys Wanderer D!
Ha-HAAA! Snek might get more than cuddles, might Sunset mental health improve do to snek-tacular performance in close quarter snuggeling?
Find out... eventually ~♡
8945825
Snek-tacular development.
8945826
HissSssSSsss?
8945847
Magic is a language bridge = confirmed I guess
8945871
We just did... kind off ...
8945898
What would that race look like? Pony body with snek neck and head with tiny arms on it for fine manipulating?
8945937
Saucy~♡
8945973
If we load one squady with explosives and destroy some of this central hub tunnels or at least railing that guides trains, it delay and annoyed the Elders for sure!
8945977
Yes.
Main or side character, but certainly no redshirt character
Wut?
Not to long?
That woman that is after Bradford might be the last, being after Centeal piece of man hunk.
8945995
Would be a great comeback as a character, also personal...
Who won the pot?
8946008
Yes, but no...
Sunset was surprised she could understand Viper while other could not, implied magic is involved, but Jane can see magic for a while now...
What soundtrack would be good here?
Metal Gear Solid:
Rules of Nature?
The best it yet to come?
8946097
Ssss sss, ssss ss ssssss. Sss sss.
^^^^ ^^^, ^^^^ ^^ ^^^^^^. ^^^ ^^^.
Nice sex, snek is coming. Omg lol.
8946103
The translation is above
8946020
Just one of many ~♤