January 29th, 2604
Shaday
The Files led us here.
An imposing metal door that could survive the test of time. Built into the side of a mountain- with enough snow to disguise the flat of a landing pad. We'd of thanked the designers to give us such a clean location to land the Drakkar, but. They're long dead. Had the defenses worked as intended either, we'd be cursing them instead for being bastards. But, that was neither here nor there.
Metal door, attached to a solid Plastasteel frame. Wide enough to accommodate a vehicle bay and... arguably tall enough for a Ethereal walker to go through. A curious design decision. Did Humanity invent their own war machines, before the end? Or was that the Knights of Cydonia? We knew that they made one desperate gamble to claim victory from an impossible situation... Maybe we got very lucky. Maybe we just found a cache. Their last testament on this world.
Or maybe its desperate thinking, as I can see my own breath in this cold. I can tolerate the chill and even I'm Starting to get bothered by it. We cant stay out here for long, and we have to get inside somehow."C-capnyan."
One of the Claw-Sisters takes to my side, shivering. Even bundled up with furs and a scarf, even with that a funny hat of the Red Revolution and the little flaps on it- she cant handle this cold. She'd holding an 'Aye-Suite', something a bit fancier then just the 'Phone'. Motion, Radiation, Thermals- with a penetrating X-Ray Layer to see through it. The Knights however were far more clever then the average human, as it turned out."W-we cant tell what's inside... Radiation levels are present, but low. M-more like a leak, instead of an atmospheric effect. C-clean otherwise. T-The walls are lined with lead, and we cant get a deep scan. L-low level energy signatures are present, its why we likely didn't get shot coming in..."
I nod gently to her, hand resting on my hip as I breathe in deeply. Right. My ears flick with irritation- as I look to the door once more. "I see. Can we get through the doors with the codes we've gotten from the Russian files?" Otherwise, we were going to need the mining laser, and that could take a few minutes- if not more."
A SolMine Geo Charge was going to be a bit much here and risked bringing an avalanche on our head. As much as 'Big Explosion' was tempting and a rapidly growing favorite amongst the crew."N-not without power from an external source."
I sigh sharply, and rub my face. Okay then. "Then get one of the bloody cables and hook in the onboard engine to the front doo-"
Claxons then fired off. Everyone present immediately twisted to the sound- weapons up."Who the fark just triggered an alarm?!" "Wasn't me, I was too busy admiring the view!" "I'm providing overwatch- I aint anywhere NEAR!"
Accusations go flying until the source of the sound is sourced. All guns turn to the kit standing in front of the keypad- her hands up as her comrades stare at her, blinking. Her knife instinctively drawn in the ready position- she'd just... thumbs towards the keypad- before clearing her voice. "You were all putting in the codes wrong!"
People lower their weapons. Some incredulously. Some amusedly. I step in as I pull up my cannon and motion with my head. "Alright Claw-Sisters, Come on! This doesn't mean this place is safe! Stack up- There might be more humanists on the other side- and we just rung the bloody doorbell!"
"Oh hell, more Nazi Prey? I didn't get my fill last time! I'll feast on their bone mar-"
"Shut it, or I'll feast on
Your Bone Marrow!"
Obediently, my sisters fall in line. Despite the levity, we all knew we were walking into the Lions den that wasn't ours. When we weren't going to tear our sisters a new one, we were predators upon the prey. Seconds feel like minutes, and minutes feel like hours as the doors struggle to animate. Fighting hundreds of years of abandonment, and several blankets of snow- only for its full function to be demanded. Patience was required. We were in no rush, and neither was the machinery.Not unlike the aforementioned prey however, the doors would eventually yield. Lights would flick on- and we would storm inside. Breaching the entrance lobby with the fury of a stormtrooper- it was mercifully clear. That was before us was a service elevator- and no other way down. Well, at least we could all fit on the damn thing, gear and all. When the weight allowance was in full bloody Tonnage- no amount of us that could fit was going to make that thing hitch. So- once more, we exercised patience and got on the elevator. And slowly down did the gears grind, straining to operate past the rust and-"Capnyan, can I have a smoke, now that im not freezing my bits off?" "No." "Empress damn you."
Sometimes, I forget I lead kittens.
With a reverberating stop that threatens to throw us off balance- we brace and ready to storm the facility. A Claw-sister mans the button to open the doors. We take a breath, and then we slam it- as hydraulic discharge reveals the sight of the base.
Its in a tragic state.We barely get half out the door when Momentum dies. Whilst the interior has been preserved as best as it could be, its been hundreds of years. Wall paneling is falling off, lighting is faulty and there are bones. Human bones. Fanning out as we assess the damage, the soft hum of internal batteries and incandescent lights. It has a... Ire resemblance to Starlight in its design. At least, before we had our way with it. My hand drags against the wall- before looking to my fingers.
Not even a mote of dust at all. Hell of a thing, Plastasteel. At least, I assume so. The color is off- and it could be some other composite alloy...
I hear our boots echo throughout the facility- and I take it as my que to step forward in my own direction. I go where my feet tell me, and trust where my gut sends me. Its something I've learned to do, given all that has happened and the powers I command. It is not long before I am the first, though certainly not the last, to step into what seemed to be their heart. Their nexus- Where the Knights of Cydonia planned, observed and died. Their terminals are still abuzz- having powered on to meet their new masters, their holographic map of earth slowly animating to life. As I look around, the permanence of the walls reveals what the Knights called themselves- marked with a distinctive symbol.
An X. X-COM: UFO Defense. Vigilo Confido.I hold up my hand up to the symbol- a bit beyond my reach, but I cannot help but ponder what they could of been like. How much hope they must of placed in these people. How proud they must of been to fight against the Ethereals... How far did they come to fail so close to their goal? Were they even alive to realize how far their people had fallen? Or was it all inevitable in the end?
Would we also inevitably fail? Or did humanity simply fail to become special? The weight of eons suddenly rests on my shoulders. I turn my head to overseers office above all, and the stairs leading up to it- before flicking my head to the Geoscape. I could look at it later. Shaking my head, I start the ascent up the metal steps to... What was obviously a sealed door with a keypad lock. Goddamnit. I slam my hand against the steel X infront of me- as if a target to hit, and growling in frustration. And there was nothing about a code for this door either- or rather. I don't know what it would be called, and I don't remember each one off the top of my head. So I just slam some of the buttons with my finger in an instinctive rage.
Then it clicks and lets me in. The hell? I would guess I got lucky, but... No. I've learned to not believe in that anymore. Or at the very least, to look twice. I peer at the code for future reference... 0451. Hah.Stepping in- Stale air escaped and what was left was... a room. A simple thing that. I only saw the deck- but this was nothing more then a quarters for someone whom led this organization. A Captains quarters, one might even say. But it was filled with the mundane and the Xenological. On one hand, items for hobby. Ruined by the eons and inattentive care. On the other- Trophies of what was clearly the Ethereal forces. A mutons skull, mounted on the wall. A Recticulan weapon alongside a disassembled laser pistol... in a pattern I've never seen before.
The humans had access to Lasers before their fall. They had access to Good lasers.
Alongside it- there was a terminal, with a dull light. An audio file was left open- and was asking to be replayed. Without hesitation, my fingers drifted to the touch screen... How did I know it was one? Never mind. It responded to my touch- before the terminal would bark back at me. Thankfully, it was in Terran Common- so. I could understand it.'Chief Agent Zander-
If you are hearing this, I am either dead, or incarcerated. Congratulations, you are now the Commander of XCOM. Treat her well- Or at least, better then I have.
As you are aware of, Witch Point was bombed out of existence and Men in Red barely weathered their last assault. We've transferred all industry here to Last Light, along with any spare equipment that could be afforded. Considering those bastards in the council are going to cut off our funding- Your going to need to lean on our contacts and start reselling weapons to anyone that'll buy them. Try the UAC corporation- They still owe us for that favor on the moon. Otherwise, do what you can to try and pilfer from what you can from the Golden Academy. Its a miracle that they're still around- but when your the favored child of the Ethereals, what can you do?
Your going to have some Ruskies come on by as well. Don't panic if this happens- they're still trusted allies. Not a single one of them wants to bend the knee, and thank god for it. Part of the compromise is access to our research labs. Yes, I do realize what this means, but considering our ass is to the wall right now, and that half of the known world has turned against us, seduced by power? Theres only so much we can do. We have to fight fire, with fire. Besides, I'm not against having the Ruskies armed with Turbolasers or whatever nonsense they come up with.
If your wondering where I've gone, I've taken the avenger along with the rest of the Crusade unit for an operation against the MiB. We're going for what we've suspected: That those traitors have the movements and permanent installations for the Aliens. As long as one of us can get that Rosetta Stone to you, we've a hope of finishing this fight. We've staging it as if we were going for a 'last desperate gamble'. Perhaps in some ways, it is. But you have to trade a cut for a kill, Zander. We're bringing enough ordinance to make this a grave for two. And if we cant make it out, they should be able to recognize my armor and the Ancient Katana. They'll know they 'got the commander' and that they have 'beheaded us'. That should buy you some time and space to figure out the rest.
We'll be launching from where it all started: From Starlight. Wish us luck. And should we not return, keep up the good fight, soldier.'Well. Hell. That explains a lot. And shows how long we've been guided on this entire journey.
I slump my head against the counter- as I sigh deeply. I was not comfortable with this. But... We could review this later. Right now, I needed to download this information and get it on my Tac-Pad. Though, Turbolasers? Once I'm plugged in and starting the process- I flit back to the menu, Thank god I've got administrator access, and begin to browse what files there are. It looks like they had a Codex themselves- the 'UFOPedia'. I'd make a comment on the matter, but the Brainers named Ours the 'Bootypedia', so. Stones at glass houses. Thankfully easier to navigate too, given its got a search function.
It only takes a minute to find what I'm looking for. XCOM lives- if but in a small way. The old earth has yet to yield itself.Stream is over!I am watchful. I am Vigilant.Edited: Fixed up a minor Lore Oopsy, and did some spell checking. Somehow missed some things on the first pass.
