1215, 28th February 2016
The doors to the canteen swung open. This, in itself, was an event that happened once every ten seconds at this time of day, and so the sound of it didn’t garner much attention. The sight of a winged purple unicorn entering through the doors, flanked by and chatting to a pair of soldiers, though, drew the attention of everyone in the canteen. Or at least, everyone who was looking the right way and not too engrossed in conversation.
Twilight Sparkle, for her part, didn’t even look around as the vocal noise in the room lowered; she was still talking to Popov and Santiago, neither of whom had actually told her their first name yet. The three of them joined the back of the queue at the counter.
“So, Miss Sparkle,” Popov continued as he took a plastic tray, “any family?”
Twilight nodded. “My parents live in Canterlot, where my dad runs a bookbinding business, self-employed. Mum’s tried her hand - hoof, I mean - at writing, but not full time. My older brother Shining Armour is captain of the Canterlot Guard, and recently married my old foalsitter, Princess Cadance.”
“You became a princess and your brother married one?” Santiago raised an eyebrow, “Your parents have got to be proud.”
Twilight’s breath caught for a moment. “I’ve been gone a month,” she noted, “right now they’re probably worried sick.”
Santiago shrugged. “At least you don’t have to worry about them being safe, eh?”
Twilight cleared her throat before replying, “True, it’s not like there’s a dire threat to Equestria every two months that only I and my friends can resolve.”
Santiago and Popov looked at her silently for a moment, before turning to look at each other. “Snarkle,” they said in unison, before Popov chuckled and Santiago shook his head.
“What-” Twilight began to ask, before feeling another consciousness press up against her own. She sensed mainly concern and inquisitiveness from it, but still pushed back against it, preventing it from entering her own mind properly.
“Something Fireteam Foxtrot came up with,” Popov replied, “but look, I’m sure your family are fine.”
“Mmm,” the alicorn mutely agreed, focusing more on defending herself; whoever was trying to push into her mind, they were stubborn. “Hopefully while I’m gone my friends can deal with- Gah!” Twilight winced, her ears flattening, as a second thoughtstream battered into her mental defenses, this one radiating something more akin to fearful determination. She redoubled her efforts, focussing on fortifying whatever space she could within the inhibitor’s allowance.
“You okay?” Santiago asked, moving to kneel down to her level, but Twilight didn’t respond. More came, maybe seven in total, all pressing upon her, probing her mind for weaknesses. She couldn’t fight back. She couldn’t hold them off forever. Their intent, together, was stronger than hers.
One of them broke through, and Twilight’s mind began to ache as it started scouring her memories for something. She quickly moved to address it, only to have another force its way in before she had started. She could hear voices, but couldn’t make out what they said.
The rest moved. Thrashing, prying, scrabbling at her mind. Twilight lost focus as panic began to grip her thoughts, which the second thoughtstream was quick to intensify.
Another dug into her memories, pulling at them.
A third joined them.
Twilight pushed back, trying to chase one out.
One of them jolted her, forcing a migraine.
One attacked, trying to wrest control of herself away.
Twilight’s legs went from shaking to collapse.
Her memories flashed before her rapidly as they were searched.
Something caught her fall.
Her body was turned to try and fight back against it.
STOP! she mentally screamed, the feedback of its volume stunning her assailants for a moment. One of them was forced back to their own mind for a moment, before reprojecting. She felt her body go limp again before it managed to lash out at anyone.
What are you doing?! she asked, panic and distress still filling her mindscape.
We need to know what you really are, one of the intruders replied, even as some of them resumed their search, right now we don’t have a lot of solid evidence of anything.
You’ve been in contact with Bradford, Vahlen and Shen, another chimed in, pausing from rooting through her memories to do so, and you could have them controlled or implicated somehow.
You’re up to something, you alien scum, a third loudly accused her, and we’re going to stop you.
I can answer everything, okay? Twilight replied, which caused most of the intruders to pause for a moment. Just, just let me get my bearings straight first.
The minds pressing into her were silent for a moment, before the third one replied. No! You're going to change your memories or something! Erase the evidence!
She’s causing a scene right now, another psion chimed in, which will draw attention back to us. Let’s let her get out of the queue first.
We’re not fully backing off yet, though, another noted, Just to make sure you don’t try anything.
Alright, Twilight agreed, as she felt control over her own body beginning to return, give me five minutes to get seated somewhere.
Well, Moreau’s ahead of you, a voice noted, she turns around and you’ll need twenty.
Twilight was mildly pleased that she actually frowned slightly. Now finding the ability to focus on something outside of her own head, she realised that it was Santiago who’d caught her when her legs gave out. He looked concerned, but seemed to relax a little as she blinked and looked at him. “Are you alright? What happened?” He asked as she shuffled upright in his grip.
“I’m fine,” Twilight confirmed as she glanced around, spotting Popov looking outright worried and a few other men and women crowding around, “just a little startled. Someone in here just decided to strike up a conversation with psionics, and I wasn’t ready for them.” Who’s Moreau? She mentally added.
Why not ask Santiago? A reply came back quickly. Twilight thought there was a mischievous undertone in there, but wasn’t entirely sure.
“Using psionics like that stops you doing anything?” Santiago asked, a perplexed look on his face as he let go of the now standing alicorn.
“Well, no,” Twilight admitted, “I could normally concentrate on a mental conversation and act normally at the same time, only the others were being a bit more forceful than I’m used to. Which makes sense, given that they’re used to using it offensively against hostile minds,” she added.
“Others? Plural?” Santiago frowned. “How many and who?”
“About eight, but I don’t know who,” Twilight replied, before feeling some of her visitors signal caution. “One of them mentioned the name Moreau?”
“Moreau?” Popov exclaimed, scratching at the side of his head, “but she isn’t even a-”
“Mon Dieu!” Twilight heard a woman’s voice shout, before yelling herself as she was grabbed around the chest, wings pinned to her back, and pulled completely off of the floor, hooves flailing.
“Il est trop chou!” The woman cried again, as Twilight felt herself being swayed side to side as she struggled, her legs kicking vainly at the air, “Je veux le garder et lui brosser la crinière! Où puis-je obtenir un?”
“Uh, Captain Moreau,” Santiago said, placing both hand on Twilight’s shoulders to stop the woman swinging her, “This is Twilight Sparkle. The one-of-a-kind magic horse alien everyone has been talking about.”
Twilight felt the grip on herself loosen a little. “Donc, je ne peux pas le garder?”
The alicorn herself stopped squirming to look at the two soldiers before her. “Is she going to put me down?” she asked exasperatedly.
Moreau gasped. “Il parle aussi?” she practically squealed, before tightening the hug again.
“Captain, you couldn’t put her down, could you?” Santiago asked,as Twilight started to get a little giddy from being shaken around so much, “S'il vous plaît?”
Twilight heard the woman sigh, before feeling herself be lowered to the ground as delicately as if she were made of spun glass. Relieved to have her hooves back on the floor, she turned to face her ‘attacker’. A fair-skinned woman with loose dark hair and narrow shoulders was kneeling down to the alicorn’s eye level, her crossed arms propped up on one knee. She was wearing a loose white tee shirt, dark blue jogging bottoms, white trainers and a look of absolute endearment on her face. “Vous êtes adorable,” she whispered, glancing between Twilight’s eyes and muzzle.
Twilight cleared her throat before holding out a hoof. “Pleased to meet you, Captain Moreau,” she said, also spotting a man stood a little way behind the woman, holding two trays of food and waiting patiently.
“C'est agréable de vous rencontrer,” Cpt Moreau replied, taking Twilight’s hoof in a firm grip, “je vous présente mes excuse pour le câlin.”
She said hello, and apologised for hugging you, one of Twilight’s mental guests informed her, Moreau understands English perfectly but doesn’t ever speak it.
Thanks, Twilight replied in her mind, before replying out loud, “Don’t mention it, you just surprised me a little.”
Moreau looked a little shocked herself, but Santiago cut in before she could speak again. “Captain Moreau is one of XCOM’s more experienced soldiers,” he explained to the alicorn, “she’s lead Fireteam Echo on more successful missions than some of us have seen.”
“Et je n'ai jamais eu un seul soldat mort,” the Captain added, “Je prends soins de mes gars.”
“That’s really impressive,” Twilight agreed, “how do you do it?”
“Il faut courir vite et bien,” she explained, “et porter une arme balaise.”
“Moreau’s trained as one of our Assault-class soldiers,” Santiago divulged further, “specialising in close-range combat against the aliens. As such, she pulls a lot of the attention away from the rest of her squad, giving them a little more room to breathe.”
Twilight’s ears drooped in concern. “That sounds pretty dangerous,” she noted.
“J'esquive bien,” The captain said with a shrug, before giving Twilight a curious look. “Vous ne parlez pas français , mais vous le comprenez?” she asked.
“Not really,” Twilight admitted after having the question translated for her, “I’ve got someone telling me everything with psionics right now, but I’d like to learn to speak it for myself.”
“C'est peut-être quelque chose avec lequel je pourrais vous aider?” Moreau suggested, before a cough from behind her caught her attention. Twilight glanced around the french woman as she turned, and noted that the entire lunch queue had cleared save for the man holding two trays, who was looking pointedly at the captain. “Désolé, mais je dois partir. Je vais vous laisser à votre déjeuner, c'était un plaisir de vous rencontrer Madame Sparkle.”
“Say au revoir,” Santiago instructed.
“Au revoir, Captain Moreau,” Twilight said with a smile, which Moreau returned before turning and walking towards her squadmate. “Well, I think that’s enough excitement for one lunchtime,” the alicorn said with a sigh.
“Popov seems to agree,” Santiago nodded, “he’s already sat down and eating.”
Twilight nodded silently and headed towards the counter. She quickly selected a red pepper and courgette panini, and at Santiago’s insistence had mozzarella in it as well. Santiago himself had a six-cheese melt, the mere smell of which made the alicorn nauseous. He was, however, kind enough to carry her tray to the table for her, setting it down next to Popov’s. After maneuvering herself into the plastic chair next to the Russian, Twilight picked up her sandwich with her magic and began eating.
Except it didn’t budge.
Thinking for a moment, Twilight rolled her eyes as she remembered how the psi inhibitor she was wearing worked - she was at ninety-seven-point-five percent impedance while walking around the base, so she’d have to use forty times as much psionic power to lift the sandwich. That was a lot for one sandwich, but it was doable and she was hungry.
Still nothing.
Twilight frowned. This shouldn’t be this difficult. Still, perhaps she’d merely underestimated the weight of the panini, and so tried doubling her power usage.
Still nothing.
Aren’t you hungry? one of the voices in her head spoke teasingly. Annoyed, Twilight tried doubling the strength of the spell again, sweat beginning to bead on her brow with effort, only to be again met with no result.
Okay, who’s doing that? she thought, noting that Popov was now watching her glare at a sandwich with some concern.
That depends, the response came, Do you want to try again, or is that your limit?
I could go higher, maybe twice as high again, Twilight replied, but at this point it’s a lot easier to just ask Popov or Santiago to tape cutlery to my hooves.
There was silence in her mindscape for a moment. Alright, I’ll tell Marquez to stop, another voice replied, I think the point was demonstrated well enough.
And that was? Twilight asked.
That inhibitor works, another voice replied, at least well enough that we can lock you down. Combined with your performance when you met Moreau, and the fact that the eight of us managed to break into your mind in the first place, I think we’ve proven that XCOM isn’t threatened because of you.
Sure, a more familiar voice continued, let’s go on evidence obtained while it knows we’re watching, that won’t make it voluntarily lose at all.
Twilight’s heart dipped a little. This whole lunch break had become an exercise in paranoia. Is there anything I can do to convince you that I’m not here to cause trouble? she asked the still wary soldier.
Probably not, a different voice replied, at least not yet. For now I’d suggest you just get used to someone watching you while you sleep. And Jason? I trust you’re smart enough to realise that if it took eight of us to get in here and that inhibitor doesn’t work, she’ll crush you if you do anything brash by yourself, right?
Twilight could feel the man’s simmering anger, but he relented, Fine. I’m watching you, alien.
I’ll add you to the list, Twilight replied as his projection vanished, which earned an undertone of mirth from two of her visitors.
I think the rest of us agree that XCOM isn’t under any serious threat from you, Twilight, a last voice spoke, even if you are secretly against us. We’d like to ask you more later, but for now we’ll leave you to your lunch.
Thank you, Twilight replied before attempting to lift her sandwich again. This time it lifted easily into the air, and she finally got to sink her teeth into the toasted baguette, blissfully enjoying the crisp crunch of the peppers as she bit down. The mozzarella actually worked very well, lightly complementing the tang of the courgette.
Nutrient paste was pretty awful, the alicorn was reminded again.
“So, what was all that about? Glaring at a panini?” Santiago asked, already more than halfway through his own lunch.
Twilight swallowed and rolled her eyes slightly. “Impromptu trial by every psion in the room. Do you mind if I give you the brief version?” She held up the sandwich to emphasize, and Santiago nodded as she began to explain.
***
The cool air of the abductor ship’s bridge troubled only one of its occupants, the Sectoids manning the consoles undeterred by either the cold or the discussion between their superiors.
I lost all of them, the Found One admitted sorrowfully, eyes damp, they followed my instructions to the letter, and I failed them.
They understood the risk they faced, the Ethereal replied, and they followed you faithfully. You also secured a number of the enemy for study. Their deaths were not pointless.
But they shouldn’t have happened! The Found One cried, We should have won! We should have at least forced them to retreat! Eight against six, and they slaughtered us!
Our enemy is persistent and adapt quickly, the Ethereal replied, there is no perfect strategy against them. You underestimated them, but you will not do so again.
One of them had the Gift, the Found One noted.
The Ethereal remained silent.
You told me only truly intelligent beings could have the Gift, the Found One continued.
Their leaders were able to learn, the Ethereal reasoned, perhaps they can project their Gift through their soldiers.
The Found One frowned. Or perhaps their soldiers aren’t the mindless drones you told me they were? They fought defensively, and targeted key units.
What we feared most is coming to pass - they are beginning to uplift their soldier caste, the Ethereal explained. Our new allies confirmed this, but we did not think it could grant them the Gift.
What of our new friends, the Found One asked, what were their terms?
Resources. Technology. Knowledge, the Ethereal surmised. They betray their own kind for power, but we can make use of that. They are ready to begin their task, to give us room for ours.
The Found One was silent, again reminded of past mistakes as tears fell to the floor once more.
Go, the Ethereal commanded, rest. You will have opportunity to avenge them soon.
The Found One nodded, and left the ship’s bridge.
you realise all those psionic soilders are now guilty of crimes aginast EARTH right? I really don't care how you justify it neither Bradford or the commander would ever forgive what they did.
Nice chapter, interesting touch on the soldiers. Gotta say I have one complaint though.
You don't update nearly as much as I'd like
We do want more >.<
Interesting, especially the last part. Looks like the Aliens aren't so united after all...
As history shows, people at war are made to believe that the opposing force are not their equals, but someone lower and can and should be killed, like Nazi were saying Aryan race is supreme or like ISIS says non-muslims are not people. It makes killing easier, but if this opinion is disrupted, troops' morale really falls. Especially when suffering losses from "untermensches" at the same time.
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Against Earth? Let's not think so small now. Sparkle at minimum is a top level ambassador. They, while she was under their protection and control, assaulted her, restrained her, and violated her mind. If they did that to an embassy that's practically a declaration of war. This is worse.
An MLP and XCOM crossover? Interesting... I might have to check this out eventually...
I made my last couple XCOM 2 runs filled with soldiers based on MLP. Rarity sniping a muton from long range is satisfying
Like other said , I sure hope that these idiots are going to face serious punisment for what they just did. It was a gross abuse of power if nothing else.
...use them for a human field test of the inhibitor maybe ?
...let's see how they like being defenseless.
Also , that french was kind of painful to read.
Ok, I expect the Found One to be one of 3 differant things, I shall elaborate more if my theories hold up.
I'm sorry, but if I was in that situation I would've gone straight to Bradford. "Your soldiers are attacking my mind and are going so far as to impede my ability to eat. Just because I understand their paranoia doesn't mean I'm just going to put up with it."
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I guess it depends on how vindictive Twilight is. While she should bring it up, she's so desperately alone that she just might let the "schoolyard bullying" go just to fit in. If Twilight reports it, 20 bits says she will never reveal any names even if the commander heavily suggests she name names. And yes, she is effectively an ambassador for Equestria and that was some heinous actions against her, but I don't see any ponies doing anything about it (mostly due to being in an entirely different universe). Shoot, even Celestia would just make a grumpy face at them and [not that you have a choice kind of-] "ask" they apologize. Twilight, being the incredibly friendly and nice mare she is, would accept and keep trying to win over those detractors.
Yeay! I was waiting for this! Finally! On to a lighter subject, attack-hugs from the french-speaking woman was hilarious. Seriously, I thought she was about to fan-gasim. Lord help her if she was cornered by the CMC. Hnnng! *thud* *die happily* Pretty sure any little kids would do the same because don't all little girls want a pony/unicorn/pegasi?
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This...
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...also this...
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... oh yeah, and this.
You've got a situation here, Ax. You better make very good light of it.
7057341 I think I should restate that I didn't say "Twilight would/should do this", I said "I would do this." But yeah, Twilight should at least try to get an apology.
Ouch! You butchered the french here! It was very painfull to read.
I hope Moreau isn't the one to teach Twilligth french, with how little she know about it, it would be a very poor teaching.
Seriously, these guy think they can get away with it? Attacking an ambassador of an allied nation is kinda a very big offence, even more so since they are elite soldier and thus supposed to be disciplined.
This goes way past asshattery and straight into court-martial and execution squad.
Psionic domination of a foreign ambassador? Yeah, I'm out.
*puts on his hat and leaves*
I have to agree with the others, what they did to Twilight was way below the belt regardless of the validity of their paranoia. I hope this gets addressed in the future.
i really can't wait for them to see twilight's full uninhibated power. Gona be so cool
imagine the Aliens reactions when they learn that there were no drones, and that every single human they fought was an individual...
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I did ask a friend for help with the french, but additional input would always be welcome.
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What these psions did made sense given their circumstance and reasoning, but don't worry, I'm well aware that it goes against everything that was said prior to Twilight being let out of containment. This gives Bradford a good chance to make good of Vahlen's "under XCOM protection" suggestion.
Of course on the flipside, if Twilight had been secretly hostile they'd get commended for their actions. XCOM's a game of risks like that.
7057255 Pinkie Pie got two-shotted by a Commander and friend while behind high cover.
Daring Do was one-shotted by a crit after panicking and running to a very bad cover location.
Carrot Cake got repeatedly hugged to death by snakes.
Lightning Dust (as a sniper) was the only survivor of her squad when a turret popped up in an early mission and slaughtered everypony.
...veteran difficulty isn't much fun. I'm not sure I want to keep playing. The first playthrough was on the normal difficulty and went a lot better.
7057266 Sunset Shimmer?
Twilight got hit by multiple psions while running at only 2.5% and not using that to her fullest and they had problems?
Just how OP are the Ethereals that they just dont bother using for narrative purposes?
Seems like they could mind control 90% of the Earth population without really trying, and the resistant 10% would be swarmed and obliterated or genocide in return.
Will Benson give Twilight the switch to her inhibitor, or better, deadmans switch?
Squads, Pinkie Pie Clone 1-64?
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That's cute. I'm doing Commander Ironman atm. Word to the wise, if you don't have four sergeants by the end of the first month, you're gonna have a bad time.
Fortunately, that first month is as easy as giving your grenadiers a flashbang grenade each, engaging only one ADVENT squad at a time, and realising that on turn 1 Sectoids cannot do anything, so shoot them last.
7057255 if you like xcom, try Stardust and its sequel, mente materia. its an excellent crossover
7057341 It is more than being vindictive. Those soldiers are guilty of insubordination at a time of war. Twilight would be doing the right thing reporting them. In Equestria, I have do doubt that breaking into another mind would be the next best thing to high crime. Earth too if they knew it was possible. I really do not see Twilight putting up with all this BS. Xcom has been the aggressors in everything since she has arrived at Earth and it is high time to show her that humans are not savages.
7057341 I imagine Twi would be ... relatively diplomatic about it, if she brings it up with any of the XCOM superiors. Less "I feel violated" and more "please ask your psions not to dogpile me while I'm eating lunch?"...
Those guys have every right to be paranoid. Doesn't make what they did okay, but still. The aliens have been getting their asses handed to them on the battlefield, all of their tactics failing time and again. Now suddenly an immensely powerful psion is talking and joking with some of your guys like they're best buds? And she's being recruited to the team? Yeah, I'd be scared shitless. Twilight is DEFINITELY in "too good to be true" territory, and I'm a little disappointed at how quickly some of these people trust her.
Though admittedly, being an adorable purple pony and not a clawed/fanged/proboscised/tentacled whatever helps.
7057834 Oh, I meant commander. Veteran was the one that was playable. I had them mixed up.
Flashbangs don't seem to do much after the recent patch. Aliens still hit you when they shoot and use abilities and everything. It does interrupt sectoids at least? And prevents melee. Very weird.
Also, my grenadiers are the ones that always die. I don't think I have any grenadiers above corporal left. Captains in everything else! The aliens seem to go out of their way to target them (eg, Pinkie Pie) and I badly need the shredding so they get sent out every time.
7057622 Sunset, Starlight, Or Trixie.
7057622 Well that is one of the three yes, but certain things said in this chapter make me doubt.
7057341 The "French-speaking woman" is being incredibly rude, both for glomping Twilight (which should be punished, as she was assaulting an ambassador under protection from XCOM) and for ignoring basic courtesy of speaking a language she understands just because she's an obvious elitist. She's acting like an arrogant pig in doing so.
Another great chapter, as always. Really liked Frenchy (Moreau), even if I only understood half of what she said.
Interesting. Looking forward to more.
Keep up the good work. Deus tecum.
I'm pretty sure that psionically assaulting a guest is vigilantism worthy of disciplinary action.
And I found Twilight to be unreasonably calm about the whole thing. Mental assault is still assault. And on that scale apparently physically distressing as well.
7057550 they'd be commended yes and then promptly court marshalled, the military wouldn't forgive there crimes cause a hunch was right.
7057341 actualy celestia or even luna is more likely to mind crush them.
And once more XCOM prove to be jerks. You DON'T MIND RAPE YOUR ALIES!
That's it, story unfollowed.
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Luna may possibly do worse considering her power over dreams.
Looking forward to submit my own characters x3
7058361 Not technically allies just yet. And sure, it's completely illogical for soldiers who risked their lives and watched friends die at their sides for months on end against a relentless enemy to be even slightly paranoid of a new one in the playing field. Certainly.
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Disorientation doesn't seem to penalise aim as much, but it stills shuts down ability use.
And yeah, grenadiers are second favourite to anyone holding a medikit to the aliens, for some reason. Probably due to their incredible usefulness in opening things up for the rest of the squad.
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Currently playing on Commander Ironman, too, and I'm actually finding it to be not that bad. But then again, I've also been forged in the fires of the maximum difficulty on the Long War Mod available for the original game. It pleases me that the base version of XCOM 2 is almost as difficult as Long War. When they finish the Long War Mod for XCOM 2, I'm anticipating the game to become almost unplayable.
The only thing I can suggest to you terry would be to make sure you have researched stuff like the Mindshield and equip it on Soldiers who have low Will, until they get enough Will to resist stuff on their own. That utility item right there can be a Godsend. I'd also suggest taking your time to make a plan. Starting out on Commander, it wasn't unusual for me to take half an hour or longer on a single mission.
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Ok, admit it, you would really really want to hug and cuddle the fluff out of Twilight... or any of the Elements if they were there, right? Me too.
Although I'm fairly certain I'd just keel over [Hnng!] every time Fluttershy looked at me.
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Luna might over-react a little. Mmmmaybe a lot. I dunno. She's not here. In fact, no other ponies are there. I still believe this goes a long way to explain why Twilight reacted this way to several rightfully paranoid humans. If she 'alienates' herself from them, where will she go? Back into the glass bottle? I bet the scientists would love that. Get to poke and prod her all the more. Twilight craves friendship, it's her mission in life. She is obviously going to bend over backwards to gain it from XCOM even if it means some hostility from paranoia. (I bet she read about this from a book somewhere, I just know it, when dealing with those flighty-fighty Gryphons)
All this vitriolic hate towards XCOM and those psychics (firing squad, really???) and no one seems to recall Earth itself, as in the other 7 billion humans, are, you know, trying not to die while creepy aliens want to kill them all in various gruesome ways. Paranoia does some crazy things to naturally curious beings such as humans. Should those psychics be punished? Yes. Sentenced to prison, firing squads, or some other knee-jerk reaction? NO.
I'd be quite surprised if XCOM is willing to cut off their own arm, metaphysically speaking, just to court-marshal what appears to be almost every psychic they have. That would be a strategic move of monumental stupidity, bordering on insanity. This is war folks and sometimes you have to grin and bear it so someone will be left alive to celebrate the end.
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I'm not saying they're unjustified, I'm just saying they're being unnecessarily bastardly about it.
Court martial? Firing squad? Of course not, that would be insane and grossly over-reacting, even if they had done this to a human diplomat.
I said disciplinary action. A week or four of toilet-scrubbing duty? Sounds fair, since they seem so interested getting their noses in other peoples' shit.
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Mmm, like I said, schoolyard bullies. Oh, I'm sure they thought, "You're only called paranoid when you're wrong." And the road to Hell/Tartarus is paved with good intentions...
I'd agree with the excessive Latrine duty, although putting a power-inhibitor on them while off mission sounds about right. I suppose a creative commander could come up with several very unpalatable options that wouldn't effect XCOM's offensive power while reminding everyone of the bigger picture. (The outrageous punishments listed were from other comments, not yours) Not to mention that if XCOM can recruit Twilight, "she can kick some serious ass if the numbers are right." [anonymous quote from an XCOM scientist]
If they are deceiving Luna or maybe Trixie into doing their dirty work, I will take great satisfaction in installing the most cheatingist, most OP trainer mod I can find and wiping out every ethereal in my path.
7059175 because if we can't keep our humanity in the darkest of times, are we really better then the aliens? shen had a whole big speech about this in game, he'd be especially disgusted by this groups actions.
and all there psychics or not there still a military and the chain of command in the military is iron clad. they defied both there CO and his second in command, on this level in a project like xcom, that would have you end up in a military stockade no matter what the situation is. if Bradford and the commander can't trust this group entrusted with training in powers never before weaponized by any nation, then they may as well cut off there arm, better then letting it tab you in the back when your not looking.
and you have to look at this from a political matter as well. they've just run into a species who is on par with the invaders psychically. and they just attacked the first contact.
princess celestia may be forgiving at times but the show has also shown she can also be obstinate. we've seen the condition of yak yakistan, a border closer of a thousand years had to be on her end because from what we've seen no yak lives that long.
if they manage some sort of stable portal, after celestia gets the truth from twilight, and she well. she could decide that rather then sending help, she'll turn the portal off and leave it. this isn't an incident tht effects just twilight or these soilders, this is an incident that could make a political alliance impossible and the commander and Bradford would know about that.
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Oh yes, I would most certainly not survive first contact with Fluttershy. There would just be this loud, gross squishy pop sound from my chest cavity and then I fall over.
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I wonder if Fluttershy knows the Five Feather Death Punch technique?
Whoops, ok, now it's a "thing"... yeay...
That sort of stupid, rogue behavior displayed by those psions would be very harshly punished if discovered, and should be punished. Twilight took it far too calmly as well, which made the entire interaction seem unnatural and unbelievable.
7060451 Really though they just mind raped her at lunch.....