XCOM: Ranger

by Wanderer D

Chapter 236: Hive

Ranger

Chapter 236: Hive

By Wanderer D

Rainbow Dash held her automatic rifle tight. She felt calm—calmer than ever, and yet, she felt like the calm within was somehow fighting back the panic that gnawed at her heart, pushing back against desperation with the quiet knowledge that she was doing something, even if there was an underlying threat of it being all for nothing.

Still, she was surrounded by friends. This time, she wouldn't be alone if things went south. The way things had ended up, the circumstances, the surprises, the losses and sudden shows of loyalty… she was lucky in a way, that the Commander was so fiercely loyal to the point of doing this. She tried not to kid herself—chances were they were all dead, but just being here was better than not knowing.

She kept her eyes open, and her ears strained to hear something—anything—that would rekindle hope, but other than the gentle hum of the site, which had been reported from the very beginning, there was no sound betraying any living beings in the area.

Her thoughts strayed back to the Skyranger's flight out of the Avenger.

"There are no absolutes in this situation," Chrysalis said as the Skyranger took off. "There are too many factors that make it a deviation of a failed mission. We have no bodies. There is no sign of anyone leaving the scene, alien or human. Alien technology was at work. Equestrian magic might be involved. Our third enemy, Chimera, revealed herself, but her radio chatter ended the moment we lost contact with our team. The whole site went dark."

"So you're thinking they're all there?" Jane asked. "Is this really worth it?"

In the cockpit, Rainbow Dash gritted her teeth, but before she could retort, Chrysalis spoke up.

"I don't make a habit of explaining myself, Kelly, but this once I think I can share." Her voice wasn't completely cold, but it held an edge. "Ghost is too much of a valuable source of information to ignore. Not only is she in the ADVENT Network, but she's also been participant in every major XCOM event since Earth's Sunset Shimmer and I joined. She knows too much that she didn't share with EXALT or ADVENT. If she had, we'd be in even worse shape. She was there when we trained psi-ops. She was there when EXALT trained their Psionic Black Ops team. She was there when we were invaded. When I was caught. When I was plugged into the ADVENT Network. She is not one of the Elder's aliens—she's from a place where making a mental connection makes psi-ops' heads explode, and yet, she, Aria and Sonata are able to use both. She might be the only way to fight Fugue—"

"We have the bullets," Jane whispered, shivering. "They might feel like magical death incarnate, but that's their purpose."

"Do you really want to kill your best friend?" Chrysalis asked after a moment.

Jane was quiet for a moment. "Yes."

Rainbow Dash didn't look back, but the silence had been oppressive, no one else in the plane could believe what they had heard. But they could all tell that Jane was not joking.

"But, how can you say th—" Estella had started to say, when she was interrupted by Chrysalis.

"We will still investigate other avenues of fighting Fugue," the Commander said, "And even if we end up killing her…"—the distaste of that option was clear to anyone that could hear her—"...the value of getting not only Ghost, but our team back, it's not something I'm willing to ignore."

"So why am I here?" Estella finally asked. "I'm not a combatant, even Princess Twilight went through combat training before heading out!"

"You have the technical expertise in both magic and alien tech to make something happen if needed," Chrysalis said. "As for the others, well, we can't just go the three of us, right?"

The wind howled, creating little clouds of dust as it ran its course through the otherwise completely still field. There was no movement. No sign of aliens or even local wildlife. Most of the structures still stood, silent monoliths rising to the sky and bending towards the center of the field as if they were bowing to the empty platform in the middle.

Chrysalis climbed on top of one of the few collapsed ones, overseeing the area. As far as she could see, there was no sign of aliens or XCOM survivors, but she had learned the hard way that with the Elder's technology and magic, things could change very drastically, very fast. "Central, this is Hive Actual, over."

Bradford's voice came through the static of the radio. "Did you really have to name your team that?"

She smirked, even though he couldn't see her. "It's just an obscure reference."

"Anyone that heard Princess Twilight knows what you're referencing, and they wouldn't take it as a good sign."

"Are you saying I'm not a tyrannical, shapeshifting, psychotic, sexual deviant?"

"I never said you were able to shapeshift."

Chrysalis smirked. "Good enough. I don't see any changes to the site since the last scan. Confirm satellite info, over."

"Satellites confirm no unusual activity." Bradford sighed. "Commander, I must once more raise my concerns on your participation on this mission."

"Noted, Central," Chrysalis said, "Once Tygan and the engineering team have confirmation of network surveillance from ADVENT being down, you have permission to approach. Have all units ready to provide cover and escape route from edge of field."

"Roger that, Hive."

Chrysalis nodded and turned to the others, "No one is expecting us. We're playing this safe, and must remain undetected. Single file. Elena is point; Estella is behind me," she listed with her finger, "Dash. Jane. Deadwood. Follow my lead, don't stray, don't play hero, don't question orders."

Estella gulped, holding her gun close to her chest as she nodded.

"This is an in and out, understood? If there is no reason to suspect any further action is needed, we're walking straight back." She said, staring at Rainbow Dash straight in the eye.

"Yes, ma'am." Rainbow Dash saluted.

"Let's go."

It didn't take them long to reach ground zero, even moving from cover to cover and in absolute silence. There was nothing. No one. Alien or friendly.

In fact, if they hadn't reached the spot where Apple Bloom's equipment remained, it could have been an ancient tomb of some sort. The electronics were mostly whole, with white still-blinking lights—flashing almost lazily, as if their energy was ready to die at any moment—being the only indication that it was still somewhat working.

"Huh," Estella spoke up, scooting up to the computer screen and turning it on, "that's odd."

"Yes?" Chrysalis asked, walking over to where the scientist was twiddling with the equipment. "What did you find?"

"Hm… there's a program running in a loop… seems intentional," Estella said, bending down to type on the keyboard. "It… seems to be controlling several alien systems. I'm not sure how they managed this, Commander, but they accessed the main core of this… structure. It's just waiting for completion."

Chrysalis looked at the others, nodding at them to get ready. "We don't know what will happen, but we'll be as ready as we can be." She took a deep breath. "Do it."

Estella pressed a sequence of buttons, then dove for cover as the whole area shook.

"Commander, we're reading a spike in energy! Is everythin—"

A bright flash of light enveloped all of them and suddenly she could hear more voices. Familiar and alien. When Chrysalis could blink again, she was surrounded, and right in front of her, a tall sectoid with green-glowing veins stood, sneering at her.

o.0.o End Chapter 236 o.0.o

Comments

[Reese]

"anyone that could her her"
"anyone that could hear her"?

"value or getting not only"
"value of getting not only"?

"AS far as she could see"
"As far as she could see"?

[diablo4000]

What just happened?

[Bronycommander]

Very tense!

[Dark Feather]

Time Bubble?

[Marker]

Umm... Oops?

[RolkFlameraven]

Huh, so SciTwi set a trap, or was whatever the CMCs were doing just tap into the psiweave and teleport in this new Sectoid Ruler?

[Black_Knight]

Time to use the hip fire.

So did they teleport or changed plan of dimension ?

[Frostgear]

Darn it they didn't telefrag the the guards.

[djthomp]

Hey, sounds like we found that miracle that might mean everyone still alive can be saved. Assuming Hive can survive what they just found.

[Neece]

At least they have proper fire support now.

[FanOfMostEverything]

"Are you saying I'm not a tyrannical, shapeshifting, psychotic, sexual deviant?"

"I never said you were able to shapeshift."

Magnificent.

In any case, this definitely could've gone better... but this is the Great Commandy One we're talking about. I'm not seeing a TPK this time.

[TristanWE]

9614759
Praise The Great Commandy One for she shall save scum her way to victory

[tsaukpaetra]

Boom!

[Jirodyne]

9614450
They should have aimed better.

[Yutah123]

She smirked, even though he couldn't see her. "It's just an obscure reference."

Hah!

[Sun Sage]

"Are you saying I'm not a tyrannical, shapeshifting, psychotic, sexual deviant?"

"I never said you were able to shapeshift."

...When a story can still make you laugh, even after it's gone this far...

Well played. Easy to forget how quick these chapters read... I'll be caught up far too soon.

[Black--Soul]

Sectoid: Pick a boo, we found you!

What a twist, was that how they ambushed the Team before?

[Black--Soul]

That is just a cheap shot! H@X I called h@×