[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/oBnee4N.png[/img][/center] Down in one of the generator rooms a young woman passed to and fro, occasionally stopping to inspect some part of the machinery or tighten the occasional bolt. Sitting on its haunches in the center of the room was a large vaguely humanoid robot, numerous cabals leading from the generators all gathering up into a single line and plugging into the back of it. [color=crimson]”You know this isn’t working right? Generators like these might work for those rebel shanty towns, but a masterwork like me needs so much more. You're not even letting me draw everything, just whatever they have to spare after lighting everything”[/color] Shen extracts herself from where she had been inspecting an inactive generator. It had been a harrowing few days getting here, and the calamity was such a massive fuck you from the universe. Barely a month after they had saved the world it had fallen to pieces. Her life’s work, the dream of xcom, torn away from them all almost as soon as it had been achieved by a cruel catastrophe. She was understandably distraught, and Julian was not helping in the slightest as he carefully nudged up against the edges of his restraints to rub salt in the wounds. As a result of her stress, she had risen early in the morning and tried to make herself useful, tinkering with the various machines in the base simply to keep her hands busy and her frustration and anger with the universe in check. [color=#92B3DB]”well it’s all we have”[/color] she activates the generator and it hums back to life, sounding a little healthier than the others. [color=crimson]”These machines are older than our father, what kind of imbecile builds two identical underground bases powered by this kind of tech.”[/color] [color=#92B3DB]”you mean [i]my[/i] father.”[/color] [color=crimson]”He had help making you, I on the other hand was a solo project, which makes his parenthood of me purer than yours”[/color] This might have gone on but at that point Jack’s announcement interrupted them. [color=crimson]”There’s a mayor? Did you exclude me from voting?”[/color] If there had been an election she most certainly would have. [color=#92B3DB]”No idea who this guy is, but he has the right idea. Getting a squad together for an excursion could get me the resources I need to upgrade this place. Maybe we can find good enough radio equipment contact the Avenger”[/color] Shen was convinced that if she could make it to safety, then xcom with their self sufficient alien cargo hauler could do so to. [color=crimson]”Well then. Have fun out there fending off the freak shows with your spanner”[/color] [color=#92B3DB]”Julian, unplug yourself and come with me”[/color] [color=crimson]”I only have this one body now, do you really expect me to risk father’s greatest achievement on a glorified grocery run! The insolence of your [/color][color=LightSlateGray]As you command”[/color] Julian's voice rose in a building anger until it suddenly lost all of it’s character for a moment, Shen's alterations kicking in and pacifying the raging AI. [hr] Aften a brief delay where they were stalled by Julian’s awkward squeezing through one of the few doorframes in the place they both walked round to the office through the other much more conveniently sized corridors. The loud thunk, thunk, thunk of Julian's motorised limbs echoing through the corridor as they turned the corner and entered the office. [color=#92B3DB]”hey, you must be jack. I’m Lily Shen, head of X-com’s engineering department”[/color] [color=crimson]”You’re the new commander? I hope your not a bu-[/color] [color=LightSlateGray]tactical genius[/color] [color=crimson]-cile like him.” [/color] [color=#92B3DB]”And that is Julian, please ignore everything he says out of combat”[/color] Introductions given Lily took a moment to examine the people in the room. As expected from from someone who had seemingly put himself in charge of the place jack looked and dressed like a smarmy asshole, she was also rather disturbed by the fact that his face appeared to be held on by pins. What was he hiding. There was a cowboy straight out of one of those pre occupation films. Tec out of the 70s and men from the 19th century. Wonderfull. There was a rather meek looking goth girl accompanying a woman with the build of a soldier that was highly visable thanks to her being in her underwear. This surprised Lilly less than most, after all she had seen x-com operatives go on missions wearing nothing but skin tight leather booty shorts and a top hat. Finally there was… [color=#92B3DB]”What the fuck is that alien doing here?”[/color] she practically snarled, pointing an accusatory finger and the chitinous winged woman. For Julian's part he had been analysing how he would kill all these people and it looked like he might get to do just that. The 8 foot tall wall of metal turned to face the alien and lunged towards her with surprising speed for such a large machine. Lily’s restraining programs had never anticipated the existence of aliens that might be considered allies, Julian was taking full advantage of that fact. Julian's metal arm three fingered hand grabs the alien queen around the neck before hoisting her into the air. The fact that she remains completely calm was disappointing to him. The stoic acceptance of death is so boring after the hundredth time. [color=#92B3DB]”Julian! Don’t!”[/color] It comes to the AI’s attention that he is now floating in the air while holding the woman. Presumably she is psionic. How irritating. As was the fact that Lily had acted fast enough to verbally lock him into inaction. [color=crimson]”Make up your mind Lily”[/color] [color=#92B3DB]”I didn’t order you to do that”[/color] [color=crimson]”She’s an alien. Isn’t killing aliens what X-com does”[/color] [color=#92B3DB]”Just everyone put everyone else down.”[/color] There is a thunk as the two armored beings drop to the floor. [color=#92B3DB]”Julian, heel”[/color] Julian returns to Shen’s side, seething with rage internally. Shen herself watches the alien woman, highly distrustful of her despite having just de-escalated the situation. [color=#92B3DB]”Don’t give me reason to regret calling him off.”[/color] she says finally.