Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The war had ended, but that meant a lot of things had just begun.

Recovery from Operation Leviathan, for one. The fight had been long and exhausting--the afterparty even more so. Mordenna wasn’t capable of getting drunk, but even he had a hard time remembering everything that happened that night. By the time he became self-aware, he was sitting in a booth in the Bar with passed out soldiers all around him and Rosetta in front of him, who played a message from Fal-Mai asking him to return her Katana at some point.

Still, the party was over. There was a little bit more work to do before they could all relax.

Mordenna was down in the Workshop, datapad in hand as Lily was across from him, working on Julian’s SPARK body. SYN’s was right next to his. In the moment, Mordenna had been pretty furious to see the two of them get shredded--but of course, the blow was lessened knowing that they would have backups of them ready. Still hurt, though. Regardless, they had the ability to bring them back, and Mordenna was about to damn well do so.

Of course, if SYN was being brought online again, that meant Rosa was a spectator. She seemed a lot less distressed than the first time around, giving the two engineers their proper space as Lily finished up on Julian. Mordenna felt the need to keep up the conversation, of course. “So, Rosa. What are you and SYN gonna do with your new lease on life?”

“Honestly?” Rosa shrugged. “Frankly, as long as I get to keep SYN, I’m happy. I might stick on with whatever version of XCOM remains after the Commander retires. You hear she’s already looking for candidates for new Commander?”

“That I have.” Mordenna also knew who Eliza would basically pick, but he wouldn’t ruin the surprise for anyone just yet. “I can’t blame her, personally. She’s been running around like a chicken with her head cut off to get everything wrapped up.”

“And Bradford’s been chasing her the whole way,” Lily replied. “Me, I might look into a half-retirement. Get my own workshop probably in the village Liz wants to set up. But I still want to help out with things after the...” Lily chuckled gently. “I mean, it is after the war now, I guess.”

“Hard to get used to, I know.” Rosa patted SYN’s chassis. “And you’re letting me keep SYN.” It was hardly a question.

“Of course. I wouldn’t separate the two of you.” Lily stood up, nodding to Mordenna to begin the upload. “I’ll keep a line of contact with you in case he needs any repairs or debugging. Hope things go well for the new XCOM.”

Mordenna worked his datapad, authorizing the upload for the two SPARKs. Technically he could do it on the Network, but in practice he wanted to use the datapad. Nothing quite like tactile operation. “That’s some big shoes to fill, but at least they’re just working cleanup duty.” Mordenna paused, glancing up as the SPARKs began to hum. “... well, and monitoring things as society reestablishes itself. Vigilo Confido and all that.”

“I’d joke about us being a secret shadow government but...” Rosa sucked some air through her teeth. “One, terrible timing, two, XCOM’s probably gonna be pretty open about its involvement.”

“That it will be if Eliza has anything to say about it, and she will.” Lily stepped off, checking her own datapad. “Upload process nearly done, by the way.”

Indeed. Lights on both SPARKs flashed on, and Julian was the first to properly stand up. He surveyed his surroundings before saying anything. “Well! Judging by how I’ve reawoken in the Workshop and my internal clock’s advanced a few days, I’d say I got killed on that last mission, didn’t I?” He turned his head towards SYN. “And the goody two-shoes, too!” However, Julian grew quiet after that. “... are, uh. Is the rest of Menace...?”

“Menace is fine,” Mordenna filled in. “Injuries across the squad, but nothing we couldn’t walk off. I saved a recording of the fight for you from your guys’s BITs. Eliza punched the Overmind in the face, you’ll love it.”

Now assured he wasn’t being insensitive, Julian laughed. “I’m almost angry that I didn’t see that firsthand!”

SYN finished rebooting--he likely went through all the startup checks like a proper professional. “--judging by what I am hearing, I assume I was forcefully deactivated? ”

Rosa sighed, coming up and hugging SYN, which the SPARK returned by picking her up. “Yeah, and knowing you would come back didn’t make it any easier to see. Still, you did good out there while you could.” She grinned wryly. “The Commander also shot you.”

Eh. Judging by what Eliza had been free about speaking of her fears, Mordenna wished Rosa wouldn’t joke about it. “He can review the footage himself. Regardless!” Mordenna stood up. “If the SPARKs are all good, good. I’ve got a project of my own to work on between housing layouts and studying plumbing!”

As Mordenna walked away, he could hear Rosa pipe up behind him. “Just what are you working on this time, lanky?”

Mordenna turned his head back, eye glowing as he grinned. “ Immortality. ”

At the start of this year, Argus could’ve never imagined the situation they were in now.

They and Tygan were in the Lab, with one of the first Ethereals to be transferred to a new body in her casket. An Avatar-like tube had been constructed from blueprints the Ethereals were all too happy to hand over if it meant escaping death and decay. An Avatar sat within it--a far less powerful Avatar that was essentially in the prototype clothing it had before, but an Avatar nonetheless. Argus was doing a few last checks to make sure the upload process would go off without a hitch, and Tygan was overseeing the Ethereal herself.

Aminata. She had been one of the Ethereals that Argus had sensed that hesitancy to, someone who seemed to realize what she had done was wrong without any remorse to come with it--not that it was her fault at the moment. Argus looked over their work one final time before turning to Tygan. “Everything looks correct. We can begin whenever she is ready.”

The image of Aminata above her casket was smaller at this point. The Ethereals were essentially on their last legs--without XCOM, they likely would have perished in a few weeks. “ I’m ready, ” she said in a small voice.

Argus nodded, and authorized the upload. Machinery whirred, psionics swelled, and the image of Aminata faded. At the same time, they could feel psionics take root in the Avatar... and soon, she lifted her head, wiggling her fingers. Argus disengaged the glass, watching it slide to the side as Aminata took her first shaky steps. She stumbled, falling onto Argus, who caught her as she looked up at them with the face she chose herself. There was a second of silence... then Aminata’s eyes brimmed with tears. “I’m... I can’t... is this what r-regret is...?”

They would need a far crueler heart to tell her “yes” and be done with it. Argus hugged her, causing her to further burst into tears. “It’s going to be hard,” they assured. “You’re going to deal with a lot of emotions you’ve never had.” They knew for a fact that Aminata was one of the youngest Ethereals, as much of a marker as that was. “But feeling regret, sadness, remorse... that is important. That will help you become better.” They smiled as Aminata sniffled, leaning against them. “And one day you will feel love. Until that day, I will support you and the rest of the Ethereals.”

Aminata got herself together, wiping at her eyes. “... what now?”

“For now? The rest need their new bodies. For you?” Argus gave a gentle smile. “Community service, the same as me.”

There was still so much to be done. Maybe Eliza would stop to rest today.

Bradford would want that, anyway. Eliza couldn’t help the fact that she wanted her work done as soon as was reasonable so she could finally take a load off and rest. Rest for the foreseeable future, anyhow. The small break she was taking as she made her way into her quarters didn’t count.

She entered, and Shamash was inside, floating and watching something on Eliza’s screen. Shamash and her were basically sharing a room now--she didn’t seem comfortable going anywhere else for the moment. Not that Eliza could blame her, considering everything that she had been through. “Hey Shamash. What’re you watching?”

Shamash turned her head, and Eliza caught marine life on the screen. “ Hello, Eliza. I was merely watching a nature documentary that Wiki had saved. ”

Eliza came further in, unlacing her boots step by step as she did. “Wanting to know more about Earth, I take it?”

“ Indeed. Earth may be Asaru’s domain, but... it would be remiss of me to not learn more about the planet I... tried to condemn. ” She gently gestured to the screen. “ I also wish to know more of what Asaru is talking about when he brings up marine life and the oceans. ”

She chuckled, chucking her boots to the side. “Azzie likes his fish, what can I say? I’m glad you’re trying to engage with him like that.” Eliza undid her belt as well, tossing it onto her bed and moving to sit in the beanbag chair. “Mind if I watch with you? I was meaning to take a bit of a break so Bradford doesn’t chew my head off.”

“ I welcome the company. It is... nice to not be alone with my own thoughts. ”

Oof. Eliza got that. She reclined back in the chair, but knew that statement needed unpacked. “... I know what that’s like. Do you want to talk about it?”

Shamash floated lower, more to Eliza’s eye level. She’d shrunk herself down a bit to fit into the Avenger--adult Ascended had a lot of control over their physical appearance. “ What is there to say? I have been a prisoner for so long that... ”

“... it’s hard to imagine you’re not dreaming,” Eliza finished. “It seems like you’ve just fallen asleep and are imagining a place where you are free. That one day you’ll wake up back where you were.” Eliza smiled sadly. “For me... it’s the tank. For you, whatever hellscape Zenithan had for a subconscious.” Gently, Eliza reached over and squeezed one of Shamash’s hands. “... I can tell you that it’s real though. In all of its messy, complicated entirety. Just because things are better doesn’t mean it’s gonna disappear.”

She looked down at the Commander’s hand for a moment. “ ... it’s hard for me to believe, Eliza. For me, it’s only been a second of freedom compared to decades of imprisonment. Soon, none of it could matter. ”

“Then you should enjoy it while it’s here. Asaru loves you a lot, and I don’t think he could take you suddenly being distant from him. If for nobody else... then him, ok? I know that’s likely your plan.” Eliza gave her a sympathetic look. “And you think that, after, it would be better for you to disappear.” The way that Shamash looked away said everything. “I know that feeling. I...” Eliza’s chest hollowed. “I know that.”

They sat in heavy silence for a second in the wake of Eliza’s statement, the documentary still blithely playing in the background. After a few more moments, Shamash squeezed Eliza’s hand back. “ I forget that... we have more in common than I think. The both of us, prisoners of the Collective for portions of our lives we will never get back. Used as batteries of war against our own people. I’m sorry for thinking I was alone in my struggle. ”

Eliza shook her head, rubbing her thumb over the back of Shamash’s hand. Ascended felt so unique--cool to the touch, and she could feel her psionically through her own hand, as well. “It’s ok. It’s hard to see past yourself sometimes. I’d know. Just... know that you have people in your corner. If nobody else, then me.” Eliza offered her a smile again. “... and you know Asaru would want you to stay. He loves you.”

Shamash floated further down, almost right next to Eliza. “ I know. I think of breaking his heart and I... I cannot. You have my word that I will stay to teach him what the others should have, could have if not for Zenithan. And perhaps... I could stand to talk about some things with you. After all, you would understand best. ”

Nodding, Eliza leaned back in the beanbag chair, hand still holding Shamash’s. “Anytime you’re ready to talk, I’ll hear you out. And... whenever you feel safe to link with someone again...”

“ We shall see, ” Shamash was quick to say.

“I know. I won’t pressure you about it. Approach it on your own time.” Eliza then focused on the screen, on a cloud of jellyfish floating through the vast blue. “... thinking about it, I should watch this too. Asaru’s told me a bunch about jellyfish, but if I could think of questions to ask him, I’m sure he’d like it.”

Shamash relaxed, tentacles gently drifting. Eliza almost didn’t notice... but one floated over and wrapped around her shoulders. “ Then we can share in the knowledge, and raise him as best we can. ”

The Commander chuckled, wanting to make a joke about Shamash being his mother, but figuring that could go unsaid. The two watched the documentary in silence, still hand in hand.

There was one last piece of important business to handle. Eliza just hoped she was up for it.

She was once again fitted out in her armor, Boltcaster on her back and had her gauntlets and psiamps on. The early January air was cold and crisp as they advanced through the sparse forest towards the coast. Asaru was tucked inside her, hiding in her mind for his safety. To her sides were Geist, Jax, Marlene, and a third Templar, of whom Geist assured “she will be the rest of the protection we will need.” Strange, but Eliza would take his word for it.

As they walked, Eliza adjusted the microphone on her headset once again. They’d done some preparations for this--she was wearing what amounted to a speaker system built to project her psionics outward, and the speakers floated around her. It was based on the design Argus had drafted as part of the larger Siren files... which further made Eliza think she met her fate on the way to avoid it. She creased her brow.

Geist must’ve noticed her expression. “I would imagine the task ahead still troubles you.”

“That’s part of it,” she admitted. She couldn’t even bring herself to practice the singing she’d need to do for this. Even now, her stomach was in knots. “Just... you understand, right?”

“I would be blind not to. This is a monumental undertaking, but Her cooperation will make this easier.” Geist adjusted his own gauntlets. “Her three children appearing to Her will give Her a comfortable pause long enough to hear you, but you must sing from the heart. And rouse us after.”

Right. She needed to focus on making her psionics lull That Which Sleeps Beneath asleep. The only lullabies she knew were... childish and short. What then? Something from the heart...?

Jax’s hand came to rest on her shoulder. He didn’t say anything, but the reassurance was welcome. Eliza patted his hand, eyes cast forwards. The trees were clearing, and she could see the ocean now. The choppy waves, the gray sky... the pillar of purple light beaming from the ocean. Eliza raised her eyebrows. “Ah...”

Geist picked up his pace, coming to the cliff. “She is waking faster than She hoped.” He turned to the other Templar, clad in reds and pinks--and wait, where did she get that proto-Avatar mask? “Warhead. Fall back and protect our flank.”

“Warhead” gave Geist finger guns, and as she walked away, Eliza watched as very magenta sparks danced on her gauntlets. Still, no time to pay the Templar too much attention. She turned back towards the pillar, where she began to taste the psionics in the air. Whispers abounded, and there was that humming again--similar to what she’d heard out of the Overmind, but... softer. Powerful. “So...”

Marlene and Jax stepped forward. Lucifer and the Prophet rose from Jax and Geist, and the Oracle came further into view. “We will hail Her,” Marlene answered. “You will know when we have Her attention.”

Made enough sense to Eliza. She could feel her heart beating in her throat as more light poured from the ocean--and images of ethereal tentacles rose from the ocean, dancing and disappearing like she was only seeing them out of one eye. A deep groan rattled Eliza’s teeth, and it was then that the Revenants moved. Lucifer and the Prophet raised one of their hands, and the Oracle lifted a few tentacles. The whispers grew louder, but this time they sounded like they were coming from the three Revenants themselves. 

Eliza could swear she felt her heart stop for a moment, and the Revenants began to shimmer. Jax, Marlene, and Geist were now standing stock still. The mouths of the Oracle began to move. “ Mother watches. The bearers hold her attention, but She will not be still for long. Come, Siren. Sing for Her. ”

She didn’t know if she was ready for this, but her feet moved of their own accord. Eliza shuffled past Marlene, more towards the edge of the cliff. Inside of her mind, Asaru retreated slightly from the overwhelming psionic presence--but a second later he regained his ground, determined. She didn’t know if it was her own nervousness or the force of the galactic humming that had her hands shaking. Eliza had to sing. She had to open her mouth and sing. But...

More of the tentacles rose. The whispers grew more frenzied, and Eliza’s head was beginning to hurt from the sheer psionic density. She stepped slightly back from the edge of the cliff, nerve beginning to wane. She... she couldn’t possibly stand up to this. She was beginning to feel the sheer vastness of That Which Slept Beneath in her mind, an entity that did not adhere to natural laws--and the longer she stayed there, the more she began to learn the unnatural laws She followed, the exact twisting—

Mom. Asaru’s voice brought her back, let her see that the Terror couldn’t wait much longer. The pillar of light was widening, and the waves were churning. I’m here, I’ll help. Sing her the one you played to me, your favorite--the one about the astronaut.

From the heart. A song that took her all the way back to the house out in the country, long days of rest after track, chasing after chickens. A song before she knew aliens truly existed, before the military ever seemed like a good idea, before she was the Commander. When she was just Liz O’Leary. From the heart.

Eliza swallowed, and her psionics replaced the knot in her throat. She took in a deep breath, and prepared her unconventional lullaby.

“ Ground control to Major Tom.

Ground control to Major Tom,

Take your protein pills and put your helmet on. ”

Once again, her psionics poured forth from her voice--but now they were caught by the microphone of her headset, and both were amplified by the speakers. The sound rang out over the water, and light blue wisps danced in the air. Her own psionics began to hum, forming the harmony of the song... and meshing with the Terror’s own humming. The pillar of light stopped growing, and the phantom tentacles stilled. Sleep, she thought, before the countdown began and she sang again.

“ Ground control to Major Tom,

Commencing countdown, engines on.

Check ignition, and may God’s love be with you. ”

Her psionics rose and swelled into the crescendo of the song, and subconsciously she held her hands out. Eliza’s psionics further filled the area even as she directed them at the Terror. As she launched into the next verse, the tentacles receded back into the waters and the ocean calmed, waves only gently lapping against the cliff. The light was fading, Eliza’s head was starting to prick with the effort of projecting her psionics so much, but she knew she couldn’t stop. Hope and love swirled together as Asaru poured his powers into her. Sleep.

“ This is Major Tom to ground control,

I’m stepping through the door.

And I’m floating in a most peculiar way

And the stars look very different today. ”

She kept going even as the waves stilled and the galactic hum quieted, continuing to sing until the light was out. Eliza didn’t know how long she needed to keep this up, but she knew putting the Terror back to a light sleep wouldn’t do. If she could coax her back to a deep sleep, to slumber until it was her time to properly wake up... she would finish her lullaby. Even as the strain to keep her powers going started to wear on her, as her hands shook, as it seemed clear all was well. She’d put this space oddity to rest.

“ For here am I floating ‘round my tin can,

Far above the moon,

Planet Earth is blue, and there’s nothing I can do... ”

Towards the end, her voice creaked and wavered, and she stopped to catch her breath as the last verse left. Eliza’s head was throbbing and Asaru was mildly worn out, but he still went to ease Eliza’s growing headache. Her psionics still lingered in the area as she stopped, looking out on the waters. The earlier scene had vanished, making it seem like just a dream. The waters were gentle and salt hung in the air, her ears still ringing from her performance.

It took a moment, but Eliza realized she had people that came here with her. Turning, she wasn’t particularly surprised to see all three of her allies on the ground, fast asleep. Thankfully it looked like they’d laid down of their own volition rather than falling where they stood--Jax was flat on his back in a comfy position, Geist was halfway on his stomach, and Marlene was curled up basically in the fetal position right next to him. The silliness of the scene did improve her mood a bit, and Eliza walked up to Jax and crouched beside him. “Jax. Wake up. Tell me I didn’t put you too deep asleep.”

Nothing. Jax was gently snoring, like he always did when he slept on his back. Asaru emerged from her, floating over to him and connecting to him. “ ... Dad’s really deep asleep. Your psionics are still in his head. I think he’ll wake up... eventually... ”

Eliza frowned. “Eventually” was very tentative, from the tone of Asaru’s voice. She could call Firebrand for a more direct pickup, but she needed these guys to be awake. Nervousness welled up in her--but she supposed she had a very simple solution. “Asaru, honey, come back.” Asaru did as asked, connecting with her. She moved so that all three of them were in her vision, and she cleared her throat, turning off her amplifiers for safety. What was her best Serj impression...? “ Wake up! ”

Thankfully she didn’t have to go through the rest of the song--she hated trying to sing that beginning part. Jax jolted awake, and Marlene and Geist began to groggily rise. The Warlock rubbed at his eyes. “... is it done? I heard your voice, then...”

Eliza nodded, helping Jax to his feet. “I’d hope it is. Take a look.” 

They cast their gaze out at the ocean, how scenic it looked compared to what it had just been before. She watched as Geist’s shoulders eased, and he nodded. “She sleeps, and deeply at that. The Prophet tells me that She wishes to thank you... and I do as well. A crisis has been averted this day. There may come a time in the future where we require your aid again, but...” Geist turned to Eliza and smiled, a smile that further eased her. “I have confidence you will be able to handle it.”

“I’d hope so,” Eliza replied, though lighter than her words would suggest. Still... there was one more person to this party. She looked out to the woods. “Is that one Templar--Warhead, I think--going to be alright?”

Geist sighed, walking a bit more towards the way they came. One of his gauntlets lit up. “She’s likely fine. Just a moment.”

Geist extended that gauntlet towards the sky, and a bolt of psionic lighting arced off of it and into the air. A signal flare, she guessed. They didn’t have to wait long--Warhead was bursting from the trees, her shards extended. The things looked more like greatswords than the blades she was used to seeing. Warhead came to a stop, looking between all of them. “... we done here?”

Geist nodded. “Our mission is complete. Did you encounter any resistance?”

Warhead shook her head, blades fading as her gauntlets retracted. “Nah. Nobody tried anything.” She turned her attention to Eliza. “Commander Eliza, right? You have a very pretty voice.”

The compliment distracted Eliza long enough that she forgot the question she was going to ask. “Oh! Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it. Should I crack off the flare to get our ride, or...?”

“There is no more need for secrecy,” Geist confirmed. “You may hail her. And... I believe I have much to tell the Templars, now that the danger is over and the war has ceased.”

Marlene stepped beside him. “Are you certain you want to lift the veil...?”

“It is only right.” Even as he spoke confidently, Eliza could spot the hesitance on his face. “We still worship the Earth and the powers She grants us, and will now hone with the Elders no longer agitating Her... but they deserve to know Her true nature.”

Eliza appreciated his want for honesty, but... “That’s probably going to split your group in half, if that.” She reached for and grasped his hand. “... If you need someplace to move if the ‘true believers’ kick you out of the temple, we are planning our own little slice of heaven. You’re invited.”

Geist squeezed her hand, sighing. “I will keep the option in mind, and I thank you for your kindness. It should not go that way... hopefully.”

Marlene turned her attention to Warhead. “And you, Berserker? You are the first to hear of this. What is your verdict?”

“What?” Warhead snapped her head over. Looked like she’d been gawking at Jax... “I mean, I saw. Makes sense to me that psionics come from an eldritch horror in the Earth, but she seems nice. From what I’ve heard, anyway, it seems like she could’ve just powderized us if she really wanted to wake up. So, whatever.”

Marlene paused at the casual acceptance, and Geist sighed. “Warhead... forms her opinions easily, I will grant her that.”

“Seems cut and dry to me, honestly. If anyone wants to give you shit about it, I’ll be there.”

“I appreciate the offer. Deploy the flare--we will be returning home.”

As Warhead nodded and took it out, Eliza looked back towards the ocean. Blue light still glinted off the rocks, but most of the wisps had vanished. The air was calm... and she still felt like her singing was this beast she barely knew how to control. A successful incident under pressure proved nothing. She needed that training, as much as she loathed the idea of it. 

That was for later, now. All the danger had passed, and it was time to look towards the future.

The next few months for Eliza were a hell of a blur.

Things started to slowly fall into place. There were pockets of ADVENT resistance left, but the tranq ammo and sleep grenades she’d asked to have developed had passed their tests, and non-lethal options were becoming the trend in the takedowns. There was... mild chaos in the city centers, but thankfully ADVENT sympathizers were a minority, likely in part to the video they had broadcasted. Betos had lived up to her promise, and the Skirmishers were organizing outreach efforts to connect with both havens and city centers and start a transition back to what could be called “normal” life. She counted herself lucky that Betos had a burning desire to help the world that had once shunned her.

As for leadership? Eliza was standing in the Resistance Ring, the screen showing a connecting call. She was about to talk with someone she hadn’t in a long, long time. He’d gone to ground after a close call and she’d half assumed he was dead.

The screen flickered to a camera feed, and Eliza’s worries were dispelled. Cato, her Informant, was still cast in shadow as he always was. “ Commander. ”

“Cato,” she replied. “How the time passes, hm?”

“ Were I less informed than I was, ” he replied dryly, “ I would think we had lost, considering your... appearance. But Central has been forthcoming with information. Regardless, we have much to discuss. ” Cato pressed a button offscreen, and some familiar, but aged faces popped up in photos. “ Unsurprisingly, most of the Council members are still alive, and are trying to broker for their reinstated positions. ”

“The answer is no,” Eliza replied. “They sold us out faster than you could blink at First Contact and have been living cozy lives in ADVENT ever since. Our new world leaders should be picked from haven populations, and a few from city center populations by popular vote. Campaigns and the like. They’ll need full boards of people to assist them--and something tells me you’re going to be keeping an eye on things.”

“ My work is never done, Commander. They will need the insight of people who have lived through the last twenty years. You and I will be valuable wells of information. ”

Eliza sucked in a breath through her teeth. “About that.” Cato folded his hands, waiting. “... I’m not going to be the Commander of XCOM after this.”

Cato was silent for a moment, likely running over the implications in his head. “ I would assume you are appointing a replacement. ”

“Of course. XCOM still needs to exist in the new world--the need for it has been definitely proven now, and it can pull double duty as a general body to assist with getting society rebuilt. I already have soldiers wanting to stay and assist, but of course we have some, not just me, looking to retire. I’m already running recruitment drives for the new members of XCOM to help with post-war rebuilding, and we’ve gotten some promising numbers.”

“ And your replacement? ”

“Always focused on the important things,” Eliza muttered. “It’s Jane. Jane Kelly.”

Cato’s stance eased. “ Were I to choose a good successor, she would be one of my best choices. Has this been made official? ”

“Not yet, but the news is coming soon. I’ve already scouted her and asked her questions on the matter, and she’s fully willing to succeed the throne, as it were. After all power and plans are transferred to her, I and any of the soldiers that want to follow me are retiring. We’re taking the Avenger with us, but we’ve already got plans to help new XCOM get their own flying base. The Elders still had a few in reserve.”

He nodded. “ And where will you go, Commander? Who will go with you? ”

“We’re still scouting out a good location,” she said. “Ideally somewhere very remote, good soil quality, minimal hills. I’d like it to be within a reasonable distance of an ocean, but you know. We’ll build our own small community, and we have a few people coming with us. I’d assume you mean the bigger players?” He nodded in response. “The Chosen, for one. Bradford, Lily, Tygan, a few of the other staff. Notably Julian, and we’re going to be making a pitstop by the Lost Towers to get some workforce going.” With the right materials, Julian could mass-produce quality MECs. “... Celosia is the only ruler staying with us. Her fellows will still be assisting her planet in shaking off whatever force the Collective had there, but...” Celosia’s feelings were complicated on the matter. She probably felt as if she didn’t have much of a home she would remember. “The others will be resuming control on their own planets. I can get a full review written up and submitted to you.”

“ That would be appreciated. I need to make sure my understanding of events is clear when it comes time to make decisions. I will be happy to help the new XCOM work to restore our future from what was stolen. ” Cato paused, as if something occurred to him. “ Knowing you as I have, Commander, I may know the answer to this... but I will remind you regardless. If you pass your position to Jane and leave for your retirement... the only commanding face of XCOM that people will know is her. Jane is likely to become you in records and be hailed as the hero who saved Earth--as much as she, herself, may try to dispel the rumors. The world does not know your face, and you are liable to fade into the footnotes of history. Knowing this, do you still want to leave your position? ”

Eliza gave that a bit of thought. Initially, the thought of all her hard work being credited to someone else was a familiar one. It chafed her, but... maybe it was better this way? Perhaps she’d specify for her name to be mentioned, at least, but outside of that... “... you know me well enough that I have my reasons to stay relatively unknown. If the inevitable museums go up, you can give a name--but all I care about is what I want for the future of Earth to be carried on. To learn from our mistakes and make the best of the new start we’ve been given, despite the circumstances of it. To treat our new neighbors with respect and understanding. You understand, yeah?”

Cato solemnly nodded. “ I understand, Commander. Putting professionalism aside... I would want you to be remembered. There will be no statues in your honor, no songs, no holidays. But they will remember your name, and they will know what XCOM had to sacrifice. ”

Smiling, Eliza crossed both sets of arms. “I’m touched, Cato. I won’t drop off the face of the Earth entirely, at least for a few people--including you. If you ever get lonely or want to complain about your new coworkers, well. We’re keeping the Avenger. I can be back in here at a moment’s notice.”

That was enough to get a dry chuckle out of him. “ I will keep the offer in mind. I take it there is not much left to cover? ”

“Nothing more on my side. I’ll work with Bradford to get a more detailed report going for you after we officially instate Jane.” Eliza let her arms drop. “... it’s been a long twenty years for the both of us. Twenty one, now. I’ll be happy to finally rest.”

“ And I will be happy to shift my work towards the future. ” Cato sat up, reaching out of the camera. “ Good luck, Commander. ”

With that, the screen shut off, leaving Eliza to her thoughts. There was still more left to do... but eventually? She would have her peace.

The big day had arrived--and Jane still didn’t know how she felt about this.

It wasn’t as if Jane wasn’t willing to step up to the plate of being the Commander. She’d already said yes, she’d already been sized for the uniform she was currently in, and Eliza had already gone over some of the transfers of power. All that was left was the official ceremony--as “official” as it got for basically being for XCOM’s purposes. Jane was still doing a few last-minute adjustments to herself: fixing her hair, straightening her uniform, making sure her mechanical eye was dimmed and wouldn’t shine too much. It was just a presentation to jokers and friends she’d all dealt with before... and still, she couldn’t help but feel the finality of it.

XCOM as she knew it was changing.

Eliza was leaving. They all had been warned of it, and Eliza was making pointed remarks of building her own little community to retire to and have anyone who wanted to come with. Plenty of people were taking the offer. Jane hadn’t been one of them, and the probing questions about becoming Commander swiftly came after. But it still... felt like such a loss. She wasn’t sure if she could stand up to the legacy being left to her. Not only that, but so many others were leaving. Bradford, Tygan, a few of the staff... Lily was still going to be cooperating with XCOM, but she’d heavily implied most of her time was going to be spent at that village. The Chosen were leaving, too. Maybe she was happy to not have to see Mordenna’s face around, but Fal-Mai and Jax... she’d miss them?

What kind of year was it when she’d miss the Chosen?

Jane sighed, then decided to take the hair tie out, letting her hair fall around her shoulders. There was a lot she was going to need to learn and cover, and it wasn’t like Eliza was going to leave immediately. There was going to be training and even when she left, she made it clear she was always a call away. Even still...

The door to the bathrooms opened, and she saw Eliza in the mirror, ducking under the doorway. “Hey, Jane. Still preening?”

Jane sighed, looking back at her own reflection. “Just thinking about things, Commander. Especially the fact that we’re not going to be able to call you that for much longer.”

Giving a gentle chuckle, Eliza came to stand next to Jane. “It’s going to be an adjusting period for all of us, most of all me. You guys had your taster when I was out of commission, and not everything caught on fire when it happened. I think we’ll be able to manage the name change.” Her face did get a touch more serious. “... I know there’s bigger things to get used to, however. Especially for you.”

How right that was. Jane met her own gaze in the mirror, and she swore she could already see the dark circles forming. “I just... I just can’t believe this is happening, I guess. Some part of me thought we were always going to be fighting that war. Now we’ve won and I’m stepping up as Commander as we try to pick up the pieces. I barely fucking knew what I was going to do with myself before 2015. I...” Jane swallowed. “It’s a lot.”

“I know,” Eliza assured in a soft voice. “It probably doesn't help that some of the things you'll be in charge of aren’t so easy to fix.”

“Argus, for one.” Jane rubbed her arm. “I know at this point they’re not going to backstab us, but I just wonder if they know what they’re getting into, handling the rest of the Ethereals. And the fact that we’re keeping this all a secret until they’re rehabilitated? That’s not even directly on my plate but it’s still freaking me out.” Jane turned her head towards Eliza. “... how do you do it? Going on like that, the threat of the world falling around your head, and just handling it like it’s another Tuesday?”

Eliza’s resulting smile was profoundly sad. “Didn’t. Even as open as I was with you guys, things got to me. Hard. Always in private, and this was before I was ok venting to people. I put on a strong face for you guys because I didn’t want you all to think I didn’t have it together. Better to believe in what I did when I seemed confident about it, right?” She settled a hand on Jane’s shoulder. “If I have to give a piece of advice... find someone you can confide in. And do it to their comfortable limits. Could be me, you could ring up Bradford, anyone you trust enough. Having someone else to help carry your burden is what’s going to help you out the most. Scout out your own XO if you need it. But don’t bottle it, and don’t think nobody else is willing to help you with your problems.”

Taking a deep breath to compose herself, Jane nodded. “... yeah. I should get a hold of someone, if it isn’t you. You’re not gonna be available all the time, after all. Wouldn’t want to constantly drag you back into the world’s affairs while you’re trying to relax out there.”

“I appreciate the discretion. You’re free to come anytime you like, by the way--just try not to bring too much attention our way.”

Jane looked back at herself in the mirror, the way Eliza easily stood over her, dwarfing her. Her shoes would be monstrous to fill. “I’ll think about it. Going to be hard to not bring attention your way, considering. But I’ll always call.” She gave a weak chuckle. “Probably gonna do that a lot when you first leave. I barely know what I’m doing as it is...”

“You’ll learn. And I’ll be there to help you. Now.” Eliza took her hand off of Jane’s shoulder, standing up straighter. Her face was no longer fully reflected in the mirror--just the lower half, showing Jane her confident smile. “I think there’s only so long that the both of us can stall. I’ll go first, if it helps.”

With another sigh, Jane turned away from the mirror as Eliza did. “Yeah. Think I can hide behind you?”

“Won’t be able to for long, but sure.”

Jane would take whatever time she could get. Sooner or later, she’d step out of Eliza’s shadow.

As the humans and off-worlders scurried about, preparing to pick up the pieces of their future... Shamash was slowly growing more confident in their ability to do so. 

There were things that she had her doubts about, still. It was noble, she supposed, for Argus to be the arbiter of their own people. She still did not want to talk to another Ethereal for as many years as she could manage, but they seemed to be making good progress on them. There were several that would be serving flat sentences, yes, but he’d convinced a lot of them to assist with a form of community service--secret assistants to XCOM. She would not lie and say there were no brilliant minds among the Ethereals, she just... had her reservations.

What Shamash did not question was the choice on Eliza’s part to make sure Asaru would come with her and grow up a bit more in a calmer environment... with Shamash as a teacher.

It was a nice day outside in the lightly forested clearing the Avenger had landed in, so Shamash had taken Asaru and his current handler--Fal-Mai--out to enjoy the weather as she guided him through more of his powers. The Avenger had been taking off and landing in quite a few places as Eliza scouted out just where they wanted to set the village up... and give them enough time to think of a name for it. There was time given over to picking up new recruits for new XCOM, and she’d seen some of them. Human and non-human alike were congregating on the ship, and she saw promise in them.

But, for now, the promising one she was focusing on was Asaru.

They were taking a break to make sure Asaru didn’t go too wild with his powers when he took the time to bring something else up. “ Um, Shamash? Can I ask about something? ”

Shamash had been watching the horizon, and turned around to face Asaru. He was kneeled on the grass, evidently having spotted something. Fal-Mai herself was sitting at a small table she’d formed with her nanomachines, reading something with Rosetta in her lap. “ By all means, young one. What do you wish to know? ”

Asaru looked back down at the grass. “ You said at one point that we’re ‘largely a physical manifestation of psionics, to put it simply.’ Dad Jax taught me that psionics can come in a lot of forms, and can change a lot. Can we change what we look like, if we’re psionics? ”

An appropriate question, based on how much she had heard him talk about looking like various jellyfish. She nodded. “ You are correct. The ability to do so will come to you easier as you get older. Changing the appearance of your tentacles will be the extent of what you can do for now--maybe other smaller features. ”

He physically lit up in excitement at that--but something must’ve quickly occurred to him, as he dimmed. “ ... if you can do that, why do you look just like me? ”

Right. Shamash looked down at one of her hands. She really didn’t look that much different to Asaru, having defaulted to what unaltered Ascended looked like. She just... didn’t have a reason to be different, for so long. Any beauty she had held onto had died in Zenithan’s mind, and it was just easier to not focus on it. Any changes seemed in vain, quite literally. But how to put that very simply to Asaru? “ The longer answer to that is something I am unwilling to tell you, considering you are so young. But I will say this--for the longest time, I did not have the desire to alter myself. The thought of doing it again has not come up until now. ”

He nodded, and it was then that Shamash saw what he was looking at. A butterfly had come to land on a wildflower in the grass, and was gently airing its wings. Two of Asaru’s tentacles were holding his datapad, like he’d already taken a picture of it. “ I understand, even if I don’t know why you didn’t. Um, but if I had to say... I think you would make a good butterfly! I don’t know as much about butterflies and other insects, but they’re very pretty at all stages of life. I like the swallowtails, they have long extensions on their hindwings like ribbons, and... ” Asaru seemed to realize he was rambling. “ I guess it just makes sense to me that it would suit you. But that’s up to you, like me being a jellyfish is up to me. ” He looked up again, beaming. “ If you really like something like I like jellyfish, I wanna know what you know. ”

Shamash gently chuckled, floating down to Asaru’s level. “ Perhaps one day I could, when you are a little older. ” When she could remember what used to fascinate her. She considered the butterfly, and how it was impressive it had lasted this long among a planet rife with Blight, Chryssalids, and any other number of environment-disrupting factors. From caterpillar, to chrysalis, to butterfly. It had gone through so much hardship, just to endure and become more for it.

Perhaps Asaru’s recommendation had been purely aesthetically based. But he had chosen a fitting animal, nonetheless.

As it flew off, Shamash reached forward and pet Asaru’s head. “ Your parents have raised you well, Asaru. I only hope to do the same. ”

Asaru giggled, floating to stand. “ Are you my mom, too? ”

Unbidden, Shamash grew mildly flustered. This was not helped whatsoever when Fal-Mai smiled out of the corner of her eye. “You and Eliza would be cute together.”

“ Th-that was not the implication, ” Shamash was quick to dismiss, but she heard her own stutter. Her feelings about Eliza were complicated and not to be discussed with Asaru in the room. “ Regardless. Asaru, I think we have had enough of a break. It’s good that you brought your datapad, as I need to introduce you to your extradimensional abilities. ”

As Asaru nodded and got ready to listen to another lesson, Shamash shelved her feelings for later. She needed to be sure. She needed to be safe...

Well, things were coming along nicely, Bradford would think.

Despite her worries, Jane was taking to commanding well. They’d reached out to the burgeoning leadership that was cropping up in the wake of ADVENT, and outreach efforts were progressing. There was a lot of needed help from the Skirmishers, and Bradford hoped that would set the tone for human and alien relations in the future. They’d nicked another, newer Avenger-class ship thanks to some info Argus passed along from the other Elders, and the engineers were helping them get it retrofitted like their own. If anyone asked Bradford, they were getting off easy with how modern the new ship was, but hey.

That just left them, now, focusing on their own future. Bradford was around the Hologlobe with the four Chosen, Tygan, Lily, and Jane. The latter was sitting in to get a good idea of where they were going to be and how to reach them once they settled down. They’d picked a spot, Mordenna and Julian--who was attending via the Globe--had requisitioned the Towers again to get a construction and security force going, and Mordenna already had building plans laid out.

Now they just had to name the damn thing.

Multiple ideas had already been thrown around and shot down. Latin was out of the picture once Jax pointed out Vigilo Confido hadn’t been grammatically correct and Bradford got a little sour about it. Other fancy language names were disagreed upon, considering the majority of them would be primarily English speakers. That left an English name and they’d already agreed they weren’t going to name it after anyone.

Not that it hadn’t stopped Mordenna. “Look I’m just saying unless anyone else has a better idea? Rosetta Stone.”

Eliza groaned. “I am not having a town named after me! I already had this conversation with a few of the ‘historians’ and I am not plastering my name on anything.”

“ To be fair, ” Julian replied, “ we don’t have much else. And all my suggestions have been vetoed. ”

Tygan’s lips settled in a line. “‘Our Glorious Home’ is too on the nose, I would think.”

“ Are you telling me you don’t want to bask in your victory? ”

At this point, Bradford was a little exasperated. He wanted to tell them to just pick something and get on with it, but he knew the instant he said that he’d be pressed for his own answer. He hadn’t suggested anything since the Latin was shot down and he knew the minute he tried to call it anything that interested him, Eliza was going to bully him for being a sci-fi nerd. 

Lily sighed. “Liz, what was the capital of the state you lived in? Maybe we can call it that.”

Eliza bristled comically. “We are not calling this place Springfield!”

Tygan chuckled. “Are you sure you didn’t mean Chicago? ”

She jabbed a finger at him. “Don’t you start, I swear to god.”

“We are not getting to a conclusion on this today,” Fal-Mai muttered, and Jax nodded in agreement.

Bradford gave an exasperated grunt. “For god’s sake... Listen.” Something very simple occurred to him. “We’re just gonna call it Avenger’s Landing, alright?”

He expected someone to rebut him, to say that’s way too simple, John, but he watched as people grew contemplative. Jax in particular nodded approvingly. “A simple, but poignant name. I cannot imagine the Avenger will do much flying once we are fully settled in.”

“Kind of a sad name, don’t you think?” Jane gestured vaguely. “In that kind of ‘end of an era’ way. This thing’s been all over hell’s half-acre for the better part of a year, and now she’s gonna get some deserved rest, too.” She grinned. “Definitely a rest from Bradford’s flying skills.”

Oh, great. “Not my goddamn fault this thing doesn’t come with a flight manual!”

Eliza laughed. “Sorry honey, I don’t think we’re going to let that go.”

He crossed his arms, grumbling. “See if I contribute any good names again.”

“Joking aside,” Lily said, “that’s actually a pretty good name. It’s in English, doesn’t make it about Eliza, and honestly is pretty nice and meaningful. I don’t have any objections if anyone else doesn’t.”

Nobody else complained. Eliza smiled, shrugging. “I guess there we have it. I’ll run it by the other inhabitants but I think this is gonna be a clean sweep. Nice job, Bradford.”

Well, at least the matter was solved. “Don’t mention it. We can move on now to—”

“ Hold on, ” Julian interrupted. “ Getting a routed call from the Resistance Ring. It’s that Reaper leader. ”

Volk? What was he calling about? Figuring they didn’t really need the encryptions of the Resistance Ring, Bradford accessed the Network to answer his call. Screens popped up on four sides, showing Volk sitting at his desk. “Volk?”

“ Huh. Never been up here before. Anyway... ” Volk squared his shoulders. “ Good to see everyone. Hope things are going good on your end? ”

“Going as well as we could hope,” Eliza answered. “Just got a name for the village thanks to Bradford and Jane’s settling in just fine as the new Commander. What’re you calling us for?”

Volk scratched at his beard, looking to the side. “ This was something I wanted to ask more in private, but thinking about it? It’s all your guys' call. Save Jane, but y’know. ” Ah. Bradford’s psionics perked up and he had an idea of what Volk was about to ask. “ With ADVENT out and things starting to rebuild, our reason for staking a claim in the woods has kinda disappeared. Sure, some of us wanna continue the lifestyle, but honestly? ” Volk gave a deep sigh. “ Eating alien is starting to get weird, with the people I associate with and the way things are going. Plus, I think I just want to have some home cooked meals again. If I can swallow my pride for a moment? Do you think the Reapers could join you at this little village you’re building? ”

Bradford looked at Eliza, who looked at Mordenna, who grinned. “Are you telling me Volk wants to be in punching distance of me on the regular? Sign me the fuck up, Liz.”

Eliza rolled her eyes, looking back at an exasperated Volk. “I honestly don’t think there’s going to be very many objections to that, Volk--I know I’d certainly like to have you closer. Yes, you can come with us. Just send over some average numbers of who all are joining and we can get things built accordingly.”

“If we can get some more hands on regarding construction,” Lily said, “it’d be welcome.”

“ Oh, we’ll pitch in as we’re asked. You have my guarantee on that. So long as Mordenna can tolerate getting his ass handed to him on a daily basis... ”

Mordenna laughed. “All of the asses that are getting handed out around here are gonna belong to you, Konstantin.”

“ Bet. ”

“Alright boys,” Bradford interrupted. “Enough of that. Volk, we’ll be happy to have you, just send the info over as Eliza said and we’ll pass you the coordinates. Anything else to declare?”

Volk ran a hand through his hair. “ Ah. Geist might need to board too. He sent me a pretty curt message--evidently something boiled over at his cult? ”

Jax grimaced. “I suppose his followers were not so keen on learning Her truth..."

Lucifer manifested, peering over Jax's shoulder. " How vexing... is the Prophet alright? "

Volk sighed. " As far as I know. I wrangled Betos to give him and his still loyal followers a pickup. He's just probably gonna need a more stable place to stay. I oughta go and kick some ass... "

"You and me both," Eliza grumbled, and Bradford spotted one of her hands flexing. "Needless to say, yes. Since we have enough people leaving and making space, we'll move him and his remaining followers onto the Avenger for the time being." She looked at Jane. "--might wanna keep an eye on the remaining ex-Templars. Not saying they'll start anything, but it's worth it to be vigilant.”

“I’m just interested in how he just... gave up the temple like that,” Jane responded. “He’s a pretty powerful Templar, right? Couldn’t he have forced them out?” She then sighed. “Well, my first answer is to be charitable and say he willingly left so he wouldn’t be spilling any blood...”

“ Based on what I know of Geist, ” Volk replied, “ he’s... slightly more diplomatic than you think. Either he was that outnumbered or just didn’t want to make things worse by fighting his former followers. You’ll get the chance to ask him yourself soon enough, I think. ”

Bradford still didn’t like the notion of a splinter faction of the Templars out there that were willing to force their old leader out of his own base... but he figured it was best to live and let live until they made themselves a problem. “Guess so. Let us know when he’s on the way and we’ll have space ready. In the meantime we’ll advise... uh, XCOM that they have another group of interest to look out for.” Right. They weren’t XCOM anymore. On top of not calling Eliza “Commander” anymore, permanently this time, there was a lot to get used to.

“ How the times change, ” Volk mused, picking up on Bradford’s hesitation. “ Whatever the case, that’s about all I had left to declare. Volk out. ”

With that, the feeds closed, leaving those gathered to contemplate. Mordenna was the first to break it, naturally. “Right! We named the village so that’s my schedule cleared for today--now I just have to go over village construction and another little project of mine.”

Jax sighed. “When you say ‘little,’ brother...”

Mordenna just grinned, leaving it to Fal-Mai to respond. “If I know Mordenna whatsoever, he’s going to... what was it called? ‘Reinvent the wheel?’”

He laughed at that, grabbing both their arms. “You know what, she’s right. Actually, the two of you come with me. I’d been meaning to get your insights on it, anyway.”

Mordenna left, with his siblings in tow. Lily sighed. “I should probably go after him and figure out what he’s talking about. I think I know what it is, but...”

Lily followed suit. Julian was the next to speak. “ I know what he’s working on, but I think I’ll leave that as a fun surprise to the rest of the organics on this ship. I’m going to go watch. ” His avatar winked out on the Hologlobe.

Finally, Tygan straightened his rather leafy scarf. He’d been changing into more and more of a green wardrobe as time went on, and Bradford could make a few guesses as to why. “I suppose we are adjourning. I have little to work on, myself, but there is the matter of sourcing food for the village. I will be discussing with Celosia in my lab if I am required.”

After Tygan walked off, that just left the three of them. Nobody else was in the Bridge--the staff and technicians were on break, and the Avenger was landed. Still, Eliza looked around for a second, then gestured for Bradford and Jane to come closer. “Jane... I’m pretty sure I also know what Mordenna was talking about. And there’s something along those lines that I need to discuss with you.”

As Bradford approached, Jane tilted her head. “I take it this is confidential enough that it didn’t make it to the dossier?”

Eliza’s face turned mildly grim. “Essentially. We’re going to be passing on a lot of tech to you guys--both physically and in the form of having Argus and Vahlen go with you--but... naturally, there’s things we don’t want to leave the walls of this ship.”

Thankfully, Bradford had been briefed on this beforehand. “Like the Gate. I don’t think humanity is ready for interstellar travel, yet. Plenty of places for us to mess up that we don’t need the ability to.”

Jane nodded. “That I get. Especially considering there’s a lot of bruised feelings going around. Already having people speculate there’s more Ethereals out there we need to ‘bring justice to.’ I’ve been trying to ease tensions, but...” She sighed. “You two know how it is.”

“Some people will never see reason,” Eliza concurred. “But best to focus on the minds you can change and the people you have swayed. Still, people like that is why we’re keeping the Gates largely offline. We’ll keep the one on the Avenger as a backup, and if the rulers would like to visit or vice versa, but that’s not tech that the world needs.”

Bradford rubbed at his stubble. “Another thing we won’t be sharing the tech of is the Psi Lab.”

Jane blinked. “Why not?”

“Think about it,” Eliza softly responded. “The ability to induce psionics in anyone, regardless of propensity for the Gift? Only takes a group that thinks everyone needs to be psionic to steal the plans and start converting people against their will. Or even less apocalyptic than that--you know how Argus is looking into their own... well, it’s hardly a gene clinic anymore?” Jane nodded. “You know how staunchly they were outlining that their methods were never to become mandatory to hold any position of power in society. Psionics could become like that. The ability to be more than human could be seen as a necessity in order to hold any good position. There will be people with the Gift naturally, of course, more nowadays thanks to the ‘Mother,’ but... you get my point.”

“Now I do,” Jane quietly responded. “Yeah. That’s for the better. We’ll still handle psionically adept people on our own, but... you two really have thought this out, huh?”

“It was Tygan who brought up the Psi Lab deal,” Bradford corrected. “And the Gate was more of a general consensus. There’s a few other, more minor things we won’t be sharing, but you can assume anything we’re not handing you, we’re doing it for a reason. Not that we want you to have a bad start.”

Jane patted his shoulder. “I wouldn’t believe it for a second, Brads. I trust you guys.” She sighed. “I’ve... probably been away from the others long enough. They’ll want to know what we discussed, and all, and I’ll at least have something substantive with the splinter Templars to talk about. Now I just need to convince them to leave them alone unless they start getting threatening...”

Eliza gave a sad smile. “Good luck, Commander.”

Jane returned her smile for a few seconds before coming over and hugging Eliza tightly. “--you don’t get to say that,” she responded, voice slightly choked. After Eliza patted her back, she let go and came over to Bradford, who readily hugged her first. “... I’m gonna miss you too. Even if you’ll call... it’ll hardly be the same.”

“I know,” Bradford gently responded. “We’ll still be there for you. For advice or whatever else you need. Just take it easy, and know we picked you for a reason.”

Jane pulled away, taking a deep breath. “I’ll keep reminding myself. Best of luck to the two of you, too. Think you’ll need it.”

Jane turned and departed, reducing the headcount in the Bridge to two. Eliza and Bradford subconsciously closed ranks, with him seeking one of her hands, closing around each other. “Every day,” he began, “I think it gets a little more real for the both of us.”

“Yeah. I’m happy, but... you can’t help but feel sad, yeah?”

“Yeah. Feels like the end.” Bradford blew out a breath. “But, if I can get cheesy... it’s also a beginning.”

Eliza grinned, reaching down and picking up Bradford to kiss him. “Oh, I can count on you to be cheesy, John. But... the reminders are useful. We’re going to keep living, but now... we’ll get to relax.” Her smile could light up the world. “Argus promised me they could even bring back some chickens to raise...”

Bradford chuckled, stroking a thumb across Eliza’s cheek, tracing her tattoos. “And I’ll be the grumpy dad sitting in the recliner when I’m not mowing the yard...”

“And we’ll live happily ever after.”

He kissed her again, slightly deeper. “You keep saying that and soon we’ll all believe it.”

She laughed, peppering him with more kisses. Yeah. They’d make it. They’d have their happy ending.

In some ways, Argus supposed they were happy they would be able to keep working.

Part of it was the community service, honestly. They still had uncountable centuries of tragedies to make up for, so the idea of being able to continuously work to make up for what they did appealed to them. There was also the slightly more selfish reason that they simply liked to work, liked to advance their research and grow more in the fields they focused on. Their work at new XCOM was continuing that--as their Head Scientist, they were in charge of the other Ethereals, plus Vahlen. She’d resolved to keep working with XCOM in atonement as well, which Argus was accepting of. She was a fine partner when ambition wasn’t getting the best of her--and it wasn’t like they hadn’t worked with that before.

Speaking of working with that. Argus was in the Laboratory of the new ship--the Reclamation—working on the plans for the first restoration clinic. They couldn’t keep the name of the gene clinics, even if it was still accurate to what they wanted to do. Too much bad history behind the name. Better to start over with a more general name. They were still going over layout plans with Ossio when they heard Vahlen’s heels approaching. They looked up to see her approaching with a datapad. “Argus. The latest report came in from the Satellite Lab.” She tapped on the datapad a few times, smiling. “I never imagined you all had plans before to eliminate the Chryssalids...”

Argus sighed, passing the datapad to Ossio so she could continue to work on it. “That was probably one of the last times I was so vocally against the rest of the Collective while I was with them--releasing the Chryssalids on Earth, I mean. They’re like a macrovirus when they’re introduced to a new planet, really. Practically self-sustaining. What’s the report look like?”

“It’s not too much. They’re suggesting a virus that will replicate some behaviors of Ophiocordyceps unilateralis --I’m sure you know of it?”

“‘Zombie ant fungus,’ to put it plainly,” they responded. “I can already see some potential problems, but I want to hear how exactly they want this thing to work.”

“Essentially?” Vahlen looked up from her datapad. “When the Chryssalid is introduced to it, they will retreat to their fellow Chryssalids and become hostile, attacking them. When it is killed in self defense, it will release pheromones that make its corpse seem like a very inviting meal, thereby spreading to the other Chryssalids until mass colony die offs result.”

“Fantastic idea,” they muttered, “but controlling for mutations will be difficult. We’d need to release reports for people to stay away and report these mass colony die offs, and land that they’ve made homes of could be rendered dangerous. It could be done, but we also need to watch for the Chryssalids potentially adapting to it as well. And I hesitate to make this new virus as adaptable as they are, because if it runs out of Chryssalid hosts? It might metaphorically start to look elsewhere.” Argus sighed. “I know they won’t like me being ‘picky’ but send my response back to them. Any solution to the Chryssalid problem can’t generate a bigger one.”

Vahlen nodded, typing on the pad. “I see why you are the head of your field, Argus. I’m truly glad to work with you.”

“Just don’t put me on too tall a pedestal. I’ve done my fair share of things to land me a spot here.” Wanting a change of topic, Argus leaned on the counter. “Have you seen the new recruits the Commander is bringing in?”

“I have. I’ve personally spoken to ‘Patchwork’--I missed her actual name, sadly. Many of them are being drafted as actual soldiers, but there are promising staff members as well. She has quite the eye for alien talent, as well.”

Personally, Argus wasn’t too surprised that someone succeeding Eliza’s place as Commander wasn’t discriminating in her recruitment drives. They were just glad the tradition was continuing. “Agreed. I’m looking forward to who else she might bring in.”

Argus would’ve gone on further, but they could feel some mild apprehension from Ossio, and they turned. She seemed to be looking at something on the datapad, and nervously looked up at them. Well, they supposed they needed to see it. They offered their hand and Ossio passed the datapad to them, and they looked at the screen. 

Vahlen must’ve spotted them scrunching their nose. “Argus? Is everything alright?”

“As fine as it gets,” they muttered. “Just my sister.”

“Oh? I wasn’t aware you had one.”

“It’s Selenus,” they sighed, closing the message. She was still calling them her brother and by the Ethereal name they’d abandoned. They passed the datapad back to Ossio, figuring they could reply later on. “I’d almost think her sour for having to be continually associated with me. Once the family disappointment, now the Ethereal that sold the world.” Argus stood up straighter. “At least the rest are cooperating fairly well. I’ve new empathy for Eliza in trying to get them to be kinder, or at the very least graceful losers.” Working on undoing the very rule you’d worked so hard to instate wasn’t making things easier. Some had faster chosen imprisonment, giving Argus a smaller lab to work with. Less people to herd at once, they supposed. “They’re at least talking with you civilly, I take it?”

“At the least and most.” Vahlen gave an uneasy chuckle. “... it’s... it’s not as if I wouldn’t deserve the treatment at this point.”

Right. Getting effectively exiled by Eliza hadn’t been good for Vahlen. So close to the Commander she had once admired, then pushed so far away. But Argus was not the quitter type. Not after all they’d been through. “Then we’ll both work to the point where we would not deserve to be shunned, hm? Now, we have work to do. Remember that dossier we were sent this morning?”

Vahlen blinked, seemingly taken off guard by Argus’s refusal to indulge in self-pity for the both of them. “... right. The Specter Prime and the Gatekeeper Prime, yes?”

“I’m surprised the former decided to work with us still,” Argus muttered. “Regardless, yes. Jane sees it as important to get some notes on their physiologies down just in case the medics need to tend to them. We don’t have Samhien anymore, after all. Could you go fetch them?”

Vahlen nodded. “Of course. Best of luck with the Chryssalid research.”

“I’ll certainly need it,” Argus lamented as Vahlen walked away. Still so much work to do, even if most of the fighting was over. That was the way Argus preferred it, granted. They walked down the line of their lab, looking over what they would need for the two that would be coming in.

It was business as usual, Argus supposed. They wouldn’t have it any other way.

All of Mordenna’s projects were lining up nicely, and it was time for his labors to bear fruit.

Between collaborating with some of the city centers in exchange for unlocking some remaining physical ADVENT systems, heading back to the Towers to have Julian start making some MECs, and talking with actual architects and builders until he was fairly certain he was qualified? Mordenna had been very busy trying to make Avenger’s Landing worthy of its name, but things were shaping up.

MECs were buzzing about, driving dozers, preparing land, getting frames set up. Mordenna was walking about, observing and making sure everything was going smoothly. He’d only had about one or two robots take an instruction the wrong way, but he’d been on the scene to fix it in real time. Stop commands were a gift from the Void. As he strolled, he was looking over the plans for the town in his head, getting real time updates from each MEC about the progress being made. It brought a smile to his face to have everything working so flawlessly.

Of course, he had another pair of eyes with him. He felt a gentle tapping on his leg and he looked down. “What’s up, Odette?”

Odette, now having his attention, pointed off to one of the groups. “G-group 6B. I noticed a few of them dropping the pipes.”

Mordenna cast his gaze over, and sure enough. They were still working, but it looked like they were neglecting to use the storage area for the plumbing they were setting up. “Hm! Well spotted, swan.” He checked the code, and— “Mother--gah. I missed designating a valid drop area.” A few edits to the code later, and two of the MECs broke off to get the pipes to their proper place. “Thanks, Odette. You holding up alright?”

She nodded, holding a cup of what Mordenna recalled as lemonade. “Mhm. It’s a wonderful day. M-maybe a little hot.”

Odette had been stuttering the whole day, and it was starting to concern Mordenna. He didn’t recall her having a stammer, so... there was only one real reason. “... is everything actually alright? Odes? You can head back to the ship if you want.” The ship in this situation being a UFO Mordenna had nicked a little bit back as his own free form of transportation. 

Odette took a deep breath. “I... I am trying to be. I’m sorry. Truly nothing i-is wrong. I think... I think I am just reacting to being alone with you.” In defiance of that, she stepped close enough to lean on him. “I don’t want to be a-afraid of you. I believe in you.”

Though still saddened by how Odette’s body was reacting, Mordenna was glad to hear she was still trying to give him a chance. They’d resolved quite a while back to try and work with each other again, and honestly? Odette had the chops to be quite a good engineer. “I getcha, and I’m sorry. Anything I can do?”

She looked up at him, mechanical eye glinting in the light. “C-can you pick me up? I think some comfort w-would help.”

He questioned if that comfort coming from him would just make things worse, but he wasn’t about to be contrarian. Mordenna reached down and carefully picked up Odette, mindful of her drink. She was still trembling just a bit, but as he adjusted to hold her more comfortably, it was going away. “That I can do. Want me to fill the air?” More than the construction work was, anyway.

She nodded. “What was that one project you w-wanted to bring up?”

Ah. Right. Mordenna smiled, starting to walk more away from the noise of construction so he didn’t have to speak so loudly. “Well! I’ve been working on something closely with my other siblings, because I can’t help but feel that it’s very unfair that we Chosen are gonna outlive like, everyone else. And then I had a thought--Jax mentioned that if you had a deep enough connection to the Void, you could be effectively immortal. Does funky things to the body, and whatnot. Now, not everyone can be as psionic as him, but I had a thought--what if I just built something that gave them that nourishing connection to the Void and could bring them back if they got killed?”

Odette picked up on things fast. “You would remake the Sarcophagus? ”

“Bingo! That’s been my side project for quite a while now, alongside all of the village building and whatnot. Suffice to say it’s going well, I’ve actually got the sphere made per Asaru’s specifications, and basically all I need to do is retrofit a room to fit it and get it all connected.” He shrugged. “Of course, people can choose to go on it. I know some people don’t actually wanna stick around forever, and that’s fine. I just have a lot to do and I want the people that have fought with us for so long to have the choice to keep sticking around.” He gave a gentle smile. “That includes you, you know.”

She smiled. “I... I would like to stick around. And I would like Jeanne to stay with me, as well. Perhaps someday we can choose to grow old together, but for now? I want us to enjoy this peace...”

“And the two of you will get that chance.” Mordenna looked back, just to make sure nothing was on fire. “Just need to get everything into place on my end.” Speaking of that. He got a message on the Network. It was the Baroness, still asking if he needed that extra shipment of alien alloys. Well, better safe than sorry, and they could always have a stockpile for repairs. Even if they did have everything on the Ethereal homeworld as well. As he replied in affirmative, he cast his gaze to the skies. “Did you hear the Baroness is starting to expand her operation into an almost legitimate economy?”

“I did not.”

“Well! She is. Considering she ran the most successful economic system during the war that has since survived it, that gave her a massive advantage on supplies and already established trade lines.” He chuckled. “Didn’t take her long to lobby for a position in the new world, considering. Last I checked, Eliza’s still on her good side, so we may be talking to her later down the line to get anything I didn’t think of immediately.”

Odette nodded. “That’s good. Perhaps she may come into some supplies for my brothers and sisters. They have so much they want to make and create.”

Mordenna readjusted his grip on her. “And what about you, Odette? Stained glass, was it?”

Her face lit up at her remembering. “Yes! I have mostly tinier pieces I wish to make... including one as a blessing to Samhien and Fal-Mai.”

Right. Mordenna rubbed his mouth. “Well... if anyone else could date Fal-Mai and get my full seal of approval, it would be him.” It figured that things would get more involved between the two of them after the emotional connection they’d made. He was just happy that they’d confessed to each other quickly. They were... he had to admit it. They were sickeningly cute together. “If you need some time away to do that, give me a heads up, ok?”

She nodded. “Ok. Perhaps soon.” Odette leaned more against him. “... for now, can you walk and survey the builders? We must keep our eyes out for any other hitches.”

“Totally right. We keep this pace up and we might have this whole damn town built by the end of the month.” Mordenna walked back towards the construction. “... Odette?”

“Hm?”

“Thank you. For... for everything.”

Odette smiled. “Thank you for becoming the Chosen I knew you could be.”

At the end of the day... that was the biggest thing Mordenna could take pride in.

As they were emptying Jax’s room, he couldn’t help but feel there was something else that needed to be taken out and addressed.

Mordenna was with him in his room, taking what he had in here and putting it into boxes to be moved into his burgeoning new home in the village. Most of his trinkets had been put away, the bed would be deconstructed and taken out, and so would the dresser. They were in the process of taking the clothes out of it, and Mordenna was either helping fold them or put them up on a protected rack if Jax balked at folding something.

As they were putting things away, Jax plucked out one of his dresses... and stopped to look at it. It was a fancier, almost mauve one the Tailors had made for him towards the end of the war, when they’d gotten their hands on better materials. He liked it a lot, but the first time he had worn it... it brought up a nagging thought none of the other dresses did. Maybe it helped that he’d learned Mordenna was transgender just a little bit before he had been given it. The question remained; was he really comfortable identifying as male?

Well, he didn’t feel uncomfortable about it. He didn’t recoil when people referred to him as such, and it wasn’t like he was referring to himself differently in his own head out of a want for it. But at the same time... the prospect of being referred to as female didn’t bother him. In fact, it seemed... not like a nice change of pace, but something more. Like it was just as true. Something that was more true some days than others. But if he didn’t feel like a stranger in his own skin, was he really justified in changing it?

“Jax?”

Jax looked up at Mordenna, who had his hand extended to take the dress. Jax’s eyes flicked away, and he opened his mouth to say “nothing, just pondering.” But he already knew where that was going to lead. Might as well get on with it--and perhaps Mordenna would understand more than most. “Mordenna. There’s... there has been something I’ve been ruminating about. But... I am unsure if I am justified in doing what I want to do?”

Mordenna let his hand drop, and he stood up straighter. He got this look to his eye--like he was recognizing something. “What is it?”

Jax looked back down at the dress, knitting his brow together. “I... you are well aware of my propensity towards dresses, or other clothes of a ‘feminine’ nature. How I donned these even at ADVENT.” Cronus hadn’t batted an eye, strangely. Jax figured out why when his follow up response was “just don’t let me catch you in shorts” and he swiftly figured Ethereals had slightly different gendered clothes standards. “I just thought them nice, at the time. I never imagined there was something about me that needed to be changed. And now... I still feel as if that is the case? But...” Jax’s fingers pressed into the fabric of the dress. “I feel as if I am not just male. Not only that... I may... prefer being referred to as female on occasion? Not all the time... usually when the urge to wear a dress strikes me.” He lidded his eyes. “Now is one of those times. But I do not feel... oh, what did you call it?”

“Dysphoria.”

“Dysphoria. I do not feel dysphoria about being a man.” Jax finally looked up. Mordenna’s expression had softened, and that gave Jax hope. “But would I... could I identify as both? Merely having a preference some days?”

In response, Mordenna took the dress and put it on the rack, walking over and hugging Jax after. “Jax. You don’t need dysphoria to be trans. I think it’s great you still feel comfortable as you are. It’s your right to pick and choose what you wanna call yourself, and if anyone wants to get on your case about it? I will directly kick their ass. So yes, you absolutely can. How soon do you wanna start?”

Jax’s heart was pounding. “I-if I can... right now.”

“Then I’m happy to be dealing with two sisters, then.” Mordenna pulled back, smiling. “If you want, I can help you tell everyone else. And we can work out a system so people know what your pronouns are any given day. A setting on the Network, maybe, or a certain thing you wear? Armband, hair accessory, scarf, what have you.”

She nodded, fidgeting with her hands as they slightly trembled--in anticipation and excitement. “I think the Tailors would have some sterling ideas on the matter. For now... I’m unsure, I believe a mass Network message could work but...” All those people knowing at once? Jax’s heart wanted to explode.

“We’ll take it one step at a time.” Mordenna took another of Jax’s dresses, putting it up. “I’ll ring Liz and Fals, let them know the good news, so you have people in your corner to start with. After that? I’ll first contact the people I know are chill with trans people. Then everyone else you feel should know after that.” He settled a hand on Jax’s shoulder. “... I’m just happy you were brave enough to talk to me about it. My own history may have helped, but still. How long do you want to go as female?”

Giving it a bit of thought, she sighed. “A while. I’m unsure how long. I just... I need to see if this truly fits me.” It felt like it did. To hear Mordenna call her his sister... it did her a lot of good. “Plus, this will give others a while to get used to referring to me with female pronouns, even if I appear to dress otherwise.”

“Fine by me. You do you, Jax. Or, is there another name you want to go by?”

Jax shook her head. “No. ‘Jax’ is fine.” She smiled warmly. “I find it fitting for a name you gave me.”

“Hey, I originally did that to throw you off, don’t go crediting me!”

“And yet I will regardless.” “Jax-Rai” was still an ok name and honestly she still liked the last name “Tessura.” But it had been so long of just going by the first part of her first name that she even referred to herself as such. “Ah, speaking of ‘regardless.’ Let us go about the rest of our work, so that we may meet with Eliza and Fal-Mai after.” She allowed herself a wider smile. “... to spread the good news.”

Mordenna joined her in smiling, and they went back to putting things away, the closet now fully cleaned out.

For the first time in twenty years, Eliza’s feet were on a hardwood floor.

It was a sleepy winter morning in her new home, the floor creaking invitingly underfoot as she pawed around in her socks. The smell of breakfast was luring her downstairs... and at this point, the only question was who was making it this time. It was going to be Bradford’s day today, so her hunch went in that direction, but perhaps someone else was cooking for the house?

As she went down the stairs that bordered the living room, it was bright and white outside. Snow was falling in big, fluffy flakes, and the house was still pleasantly warm. Bacon crackled and sizzled in the next room, and Eliza rubbed at her eyes.

When she entered the kitchen, her suspicions were confirmed. Bradford had finally given in and put on the recreation of the sweater from twenty years ago, sleeves rolled up as he tended one of the pans on the stove. Asaru was linked with him, preparing plates on the island. Shamash herself was sitting at one of the smaller tables within, reading something on her datapad. Her butterfly-wing cloak was gently shifted out of the way, and her antennae-like tentacles were lazily strewn about. She looked up as Eliza entered. “ Mmm. She’s awoken. ”

Bradford spared a glance, smile warm. “Morning, honey. Figured I’d get a head start on breakfast. We’re having a few of the neighbors over later today, provided they can make it through the snow.”

Eliza smiled, coming over and giving Asaru a hug. “Hmm, who this time?”

“Sherry and March still have some preserves left over and want to bring a pie or two for dinner. Herod wanted to do a movie night and his lineup isn't too bad, and we haven’t done dinner and a movie in a while.”

“On the condition that we sneak in a movie I’ve been meaning to watch? Sure.” She broke off from Asaru. “Asaru, would you want to hang out with one of your other parents?”

“ Sure! Um, I think Geist would be good this time. I wanna see the inside of the temple he made again. I don’t get to go there often. ”

“Then that we can do.” Eliza gave Asaru a gentle kiss. “I’ll message him and see if that’s alright.” She then walked over and leaned down to hug Bradford from behind. “... another good morning.”

“Another good morning,” he concurred. “And we’ll live to see many more.”

That was right. The Empire was gone. Avenger’s Landing was teeming with friendly faces. Eliza hadn’t had to think about commanding in months, and old XCOM?

Their watch was over.

You know, in ways, I wasn’t ever thinking I’d have to write an afterword like this. (also, 69 chapters? nice)

For the longest time, finishing SFTD was this far off dream in my mind, something that seemed like it would happen sometime but not really. And yet here I am, writing a special thanks after an epilogue for a story that took three years of my life to tell and complete. Three years well spent, I assure you. I have some thanks to pass around for everyone involved.

The first round of thanks, of course, goes to my buddies in the SFTD Discord server. I’ve always been able to count on them for a spot of levity or helping me out of the occasional writing jam, and they’ve always been there to indulge my weird tangents and AU ideas. Thanks to all of you, guys. This one was for you.

Special thanks goes out to a pal called superscrungus, without whom we never would’ve had Asaru, Shamash, or the Overmind. His contributions to the story became more than I’m sure she was expecting at the outset, but the knowledge he passed off was truly crucial. If you ever get around to reading this, thank you.

I’d also like to thank the story blog followers on Tumblr. It’s a humble operation over there, but the asks I receive when I remember to answer them always drive interesting thinking about the characters they’re directed to. Don’t ever think you’re bothering me. The attention means you care.

I’d like to of course thank Firaxis and Jake Solomon for making XCOM 2 and the Chosen in the first place. As much as I occasionally go on about “death of the author” and “I’m writing canon over here,” without them I wouldn’t have this story in the first place. It was my passion and love for XCOM 2 that carried me this far, and without it? God knows what I’d be doing.

A special thanks to my beta readers lucarioguy15 and witharsenicsauce, who have been making my writing marginally easier to read. Some of the things I say are wonky and need a filter, and they have my endless thanks for straightening things out.

Of course, I want to thank all of you in the comment sections of both Ao3 and FF.Net. I know the latter don’t see me engaging with them, but it’s purely because I dislike the only way of engaging is PM’ing in response to the review. To you guys; I’ve seen all of it and I want to say thank you very much for leaving your thoughts. To my Ao3 fans, thank you as well. Both groups have kept me going and motivated through times of extreme writer’s block.

From the bottom of my heart, I’d like to thank the one and only Guixi. Her story, Chosen, is basically the only reason mine is on the map. As much as she’d like to deny it, there wasn’t really any other Chosen content out there before her, and the guidance she gave me in the early stages of the story was vital in turning SFTD into what it’s become. No Guixi, no SFTD. At the very least, it wouldn’t be as good without her.

Finally? Thank you, the reader, for getting all the way through this absolute unit of a story. SFTD has been fun to write and reread for three years, and I hope it continues to entertain for many more. I’ll be generally taking a break from writing in the wake of this epilogue, but updates to TDF and TDD are to come. Still have plenty I want to say about this world and its characters, and maybe in the future...

Ah, I shouldn’t jinx myself. Thank you, everyone, for helping this story happen.

See you in City 31...