XCOM: United Front (IC / DEAD)

[Beiarusia]

-> OOC <-


• The Pub P2tM RP Group •

Mason Reid
1358 March 2, 2014 / Groom Lake, Nevada, United States

---

Mason Reid had been skeptical of this assignment. After nearly two decades in the military he was quite certain that he had seen it all, but the revelation that humanity was not alone had been more than his rational mind was willing to accept on face value alone. Aliens were nothing more than Hollywood make believe after all. Even when shown the classified reports – and the Roswell cadavers – Reid had remained unwaveringly skeptical. That, like so much else, changed after Munich. No amount of government censorship or blacklisting could hide this clusterfuck of a situation. It was public knowledge now, the existence of life not of this world, and it was made abundantly clear that these things, whatever they were, did not come in peace. Reid had served his country practically all his life. It all seemed so small now in comparison. He was and always would be a true American patriot, but now he understood just what it was he was fighting for. Not some flag or ideals but for his very right to exist, and he’d be damned if he’d simply march into oblivion without so much as putting up a fight. Humanity would win this war or they would kick and scream until the very end.

Groom Lake was a massive facility. Officially it was a testing site for USAF experimental aircraft, such as the famous Blackbird or Nighthawk, and this was technically a true statement, but shortly after the Second World War the location had been a hotbed for classified research and development. In the sixties the base had become the primary headquarters of the Bureau of Strategic Emergency Command. Now it belonged to XCOM.

Not that one could tell by look alone. The upper portions of Groom Lake looked no different from any other air force base in the region. The most notable thing about the place really was its isolation. Miles upon miles of inhospitable desert in any given direction. This was the public face of Groom Lake.

Reid was standing outside the main building with two armed escorts on either side. The air was dry and unreasonably hot, typical of the Nevadan spring. Nothing like the Middle East but enough to be uncomfortable. The base was only marginally busy at this time. The USAF portion had little to do and personnel were making an effort to avoid the worse of the heat if at all possible, though a few were conducting maintenance checks on aircraft or seeing to other monotonous tasks. In the distance a Chinook was fast approaching with a Black Hawk escort.

XCOM had officially activated after Munich and was scrambling to pull together the best troops the world’s nations had to offer. The goings had been slow but a suitable crop of the best of the best had been gathered, and these rookies were to add to the already sizeable number. Best case scenario they would fit right in; worst case scenario they would wash out, which was to say that another name would be added to the memorial.

The helicopters landed soon enough. Reid stood with his arms folded across his chest as the men and women disembarked and awkwardly made to stand before their new commanding officer, no doubt jetlagged after being flown from whatever corner of the Earth they called home to Las Vegas to finally here. The escorts, both wearing the thick armor that was standard for XCOM soldiers, kept their weapons lowered and remained blank faced. Reid, in turn, looked almost casual in his form fitting shirt and fatigue pants, having adopted a scrutinizing eye as he looked over what he had to work with. He wasn’t disappointed but neither was he ecstatic.

“I am Mason Reid, colonel and your new commanding officer. I’m not sure how much you were told, if anything, but allow me to welcome you to a place that does not officially exist, and from this day on out neither do you. Hold any questions until after we go downside. This way.”

He gave them little choice but to follow after with whatever belonging that had with them. The main building they entered was rather normal by USAF standards. A few uniformed personnel glanced over but few allowed their eyes to linger, and even less acknowledged the presence of the newcomers. Reid and his escorts followed the main hall straight to the back where it ended with a security checkpoint and a set of heavy doors. The soldiers on guard nodded to the colonel before opening the passage without a passing word. An industrial-sized lift lay behind and carried the group down several stories beneath the earth. Once the doors opened they all were greeted to XCOM HQ.

There was little that could describe the main headquarters but futuristic came to mind. Everything utilized by XCOM was state-of-the-art, and that included the architecture. XCOM personnel were busy everywhere one looked, rushing to and fro like ants on a mission, most stopping to greet the colonel as he passed. The main hall branched into various sections of the base. One side housed the primary barracks which included bunks, the armory, recreation, medical, and various other points of interest that one would think normal to any military installation. On the other end was the scientific research and engineering wings. The cavernous main hangar which had topside access occupied another corner. In the center of it all was Mission Command, a location that made the Pentagon’s war room look inadequate. It was here that Reid led them.

The new recruits lined up near the main door while Reid, with the backdrop of a holographic Earth behind him, turned to face the crew granted him. “This is XCOM. You’re new life. Now, before we start, any questions?”

[Relikai]

CPL Konayama Miyuki "Milky", Bravo Two, Sniper.
Groom Lake, XCOM HQ

The Chinook ride was relatively uneventful, Miyuki with her field pack filled with personal effects and some basic equipment. She was sure that her new assignment has more than enough equipment and necessities for everyone, but two bottles of apple and orange mix was one thing which Miyuki would never compromise. Even as a member of the Special Forces Group, Japan's equivalent of the United States Delta Force, Miyuki has her human side to satiate, and that includes working out every day so she could carry her sniper rifle on long distances even with her small frame.

The deployment to XCOM came as a surprise, Miyuki has just completed a mission in Thailand with local troops in an operation to hit a rebel stronghold. She did not do much, only keep an overwatch for the assault teams. Her kills were less than a hundred, but each time Miyuki pulled the trigger, it was to eliminate a critical threat. The one time she missed, a section took an RPG which nearly ripped them apart. Miyuki was nearly busted back to the regular army, until they realised that a mechanical malfunction caused the miss. It also meant that Miyuki continued the mission with faulty equipment, relying on her senses and mental estimate to hit her targets instead of all the high-tech weaponry in her disposal. Such performances had her commanders noticing the pretty operative, getting her to XCOM when they knocked. A representative of Japan would need to possess skills, conduct as well as looks.

The landing was smooth, Miyuki lugging her pack into the compound, the layout of the buildings made it resemble an air force base. Following directions, Miyuki followed the commander down into the building and stood by the corner of the lift, ruffling her hair a little. The place buzzed with activity, Miyuki observing the many people who served with XCOM. Soon, they neared the main door as the commander turned to address them, Miyuki stopping near the front so she could have a proper view instead of being dwarfed by the others.

She has no questions. At least not yet. Often she could deduce most situations on her own, but assumptions were a big no-no to her. However, Miyuki would allow the others to ask first before herself, perhaps she could have her own answers answered through them.

[Altito Asmoro]

Cpl. Elsa "Valkyrie" Harewood, Alpha Three, Assault
XCOM HQ, Groom Lake

The ride to the base of this international task force was more or less fine, almost nothing to be talked about. They were not blindfolded, of course. It is perhaps to risky to pull off, or just not part of the normal plan within the task force's regular programs. Even though she is, or was, part of Canadian's JTF 2, special forces of Canadian military. Women in the special forces is a new thing, even in Canada. Thankfully, she was able to acted generally fine and able to gained military experience, extensive knowledge, and active services.

Her reassignment to XCOM wasn't a surprise, but perhaps it was. She acted as the front-line soldier in the forces, weirdly, though it keep her mental and moral in check. Not jumping to the front when it was needed was not her forte, never in her life. Jump on the call, but reckless to the border wasn't a good thing. But then again she had a good record, last mission inside the border of Canada, fought ISIS-aligned criminals. Not the best trained nor equipped, but living among the citizens in urban cities kind of made things hard.

But it was ended fine.

In any case, they arrived, the commander introduced himself as Colonel Mason Reid, and he asked for any answer, in which she raised hand. "Sir, Corporal Elsa Harewood, sir! I have a question," as she saluted him before the introduction of herself. Quite a step for a reckless and troublemaker soldier, though she had been reformed...mostly.

"When we are on the field, on the mission, are we...going to have slightly different objectives? Say, like retrieving important objects? Or XCOM has its own specialized retriever team?"

[Rogue Orbital Omnium]

Sgt. Michel "Enfilade" Leroy - Bravo Team Leader
XCOM HQ, Groom Lake

Michel said nothing and felt nothing but suspicion towards his new 'comrades.' These were the best of the best? Impossible! He was the only Frenchman on board the helicopter! Surely XCOM was underfunded, or misguided... or something. Michel had to chalk it up to one of those.

Besides his stiff upper lip, nothing notable occurred on the flight over. He almost vocalized his complaints as the Chinook hit a particularly bad area of turbulence. He chose to stifle those complaints because he was in the face of his commanding officer. And for that reason alone. Michel's first year of training focused less upon strength-building or cooperation than it was breaking Michel's bad habit of speaking up when he should just shut the fuck up.

They landed at Groom Lake without a hitch. Michel stood. He stretched to remove all the kinks that had accumulated over the too-many hour long flight. The metallic clinking of the helicopter's walkway was the only other sound besides the windy vastness that encompassed Groom Lake. It was the only facility in many miles, and from an outside observer it might just resemble a typical US Military Airport. But Michel could deduce this was just a cover for a more advanced operation.

Michel knew from the recruitment message that he'd have command of Bravo Team, his own XCOM squad. With Michel's short service record it would be difficult to see why. Within those short five years Michel had jumped ranks from Private to Captain. A leap rarely seen in the French military, but his commanding officers had their reasons. One such reason occurred outside of the Afghani city Samangan. A Taliban stronghold there recruited able bodied men to fight for them. They also had a stockpile of weapons and some armor that had been harassing Coalition forces. Michel, in a team of twenty four, wasn't the leader of either squad sent to disrupt the Taliban operation. This team of twenty four faced off against an estimated hostile count of one hundred and fifty. Michel's team had better armaments, certainly, but were out-manned and had far worse cover.

When the twenty four man team moved up to firing positions and took the first, what happened in the next ten minutes could only be described as a bloodbath. Michel counted thirteen dead hostiles and four dead friendlies. Among them were the two Sergeants, each in command of a twelve man team. Michel was a Corporal at the team, and with seniority over the other two corporals present he was technically in charge of this now twenty man team. He was able to regroup the two teams by giving his LMGs superior cover to suppress from. Michel's ability to come up with a tactically sound plan was by far his best feature.

Firstly, Michel made a list of all the explosives. The team had two RPGs (one per team) and several satchel charges in addition to two grenades per man. Michel's plan was brutally simple. Casualties weren't a question so he simply had his men run up to the building (under covering fire) and place satchel charges at structurally weak walls. The charges were detonated and the complex fell down, killing men underneath and men on top. The surviving Taliban were completely exposed. One man whom Michel told to wait on top a hill for his mark then fired his RPG into a surviving group. Under all the chaos the remaining Taliban surrendered to Michel and were escorted back to a French/US Base as POWs.

Michel undertook more plans of similar effectiveness as he rose through the ranks, each with increasing effectiveness and he had access to more and more men. Michel was characteristically cocky as these memories resurfaced. He was similarly suspicious of Alpha Team's leader. In Michel's mind, there was no topping the rapid success that he had achieved. The leader would have to have some other impressive ability that Michel hadn't accounted for... that was the only explanation why he wasn't leading Alpha Team instead.

And thus, Colonel Reid introduced himself and clarified the base's true purpose, which Michel had already deduced. They were moved into the base, still standard in appearance. It was only until they entered a massive industrial lift that Michel's interest piqued.

This is where the entrance of the base begins? Very clever XCOM, an underground facility excels in seclusion and impenetrability! Michel thought, smirking outwardly as he did so.

For the first time in a while Michel was visibly stunned. He thoroughly enjoyed unfamiliar settings and experiences but this topped many of them. Everything here was post-modern, almost futuristic! The feeling lasted for several minutes before Michel acclimated and his feelings of wonder mostly subsided. When the Colonel asked if there were any questions, Michel remained silent. Everything was obvious and could be deduced from the layout. Of course, Michel thought, these simpletons will definitely have a question or two about this place.

[Parcia]

Cpl. Isabel Cruise
1358 March 2, 2014 / Groom Lake, Nevada, United States

The CH-47 had shaken a great deal on the ride in, and the ever apparent heat had done little to comfort her. She was used to heat, 6 years of her life had been spent in Havana and it rarely ever dropped below 60 degrees in most of Cuba at all. It wasn't even the heat, it was the fact it was dry heat. She was used to humidity, to high temperatures, but Nevada seemed to lack humidity in the air at all. Pulling the color of her marine uniform under shirt down, she took a breath and preyed to the virgin Mary that it rained some time during her stay her, or lest she only step foot out side for missions. The CIA spooks had filled her in on a bit. X-COM was to be a international task-force of some make to counter act the little green men she had heard about. She had been on duty in Chicago in the global after math of the Munich incident, giving sniper cover to riot control teams and SWAT units as they tried to calm the already turbulent city down.

The riots had lasted a week straight and from what she could tell, it was because most people believed that the US government had known, and still let the clusterfuck in Munich happen. She never got were people came up with this theory. Sure, the US government had done some shady things, the most recent of which she had been a part of, but it was all to keep the people back home safe.

The shudder as the CH-47 landed snapped her out of the day dream, and she stood up almost automatically. Her training and much of her field work had involved riding around in the big twin rotor craft and it had become second nature to do as she did as she left the craft, walking down the ramp. Taking note of the armed guard around her, she hefted the rifle bag, which contained her beloved AWM, as well as her new team mates. Most looked to be like her, war vets, probable mercs who were contracted. She did spy a JSDF Sec opps patch on the shoulder of another women who also hefted a large rifle bag. Another sniper, well, good to have two at least. Looking around them as she walked she spied few other US soldiers, and funny enough, a Frenchmen bearing the foreign legion patch on his shoulder. She only guessed how he would react to the Sig rune patch on her own shoulder. Hell, she even saw one guy, around her age, walking with a German Shepard. She wondered for a moment before it hit her. The dog was either a scout, or a EOD sniffer. At this point, she garnered a lot more respect for the kid, those EOD guys had balls of steel.

The elevator ride down was quiet, but to here trained eye, she guessed they were a good 4-5 stories underground. Neat, use Area 51 as a convenient cover up, while keeping the really cool shit under ground. When it stopped, she fallowed the rest of them as they lined up against the back wall. She heard the other sniper speak up and ask a question.

[Ubaria]

Squaddie Samir Malik 'Prophet'
Groom Lake, Nevada, United States of America

The jostling of the helicopter and the loud beating of the Chinooks twin rotors did little to stir the Lebanese man from his slumber, the skill of snatching sleep wherever you could was an acquired one and honed throughout his life, if you could sleep through bomb and mortar fire, you could practically sleep through anything. Samir had been dormant throughout his flight from Turkey and had only awoken at the Las Vegas transfer, then had subsequently headed right back into the land of nod moments after, remaining completely bolt upright in his harness the entire time, an entertaining sight if not strange. Finally he was ripped from his dreamland when the crew chief shoved him on the shoulder and shouted something in his ear, Samir didn't hear exactly what but the troopers gesturing to the open ramp spoke for itself and after a wobbly departure from the helicopter, still fuzzy from his rude awakening, he arrived alongside the rest of the soldiers assembled infront of what he presumed, was the unit commander.


“I am Mason Reid, colonel and your new commanding officer. I’m not sure how much you were told, if anything, but allow me to welcome you to a place that does not officially exist, and from this day on out neither do you. Hold any questions until after we go downside. This way.”

What was Samir told? Nothing as usual. He had been summoned by the Commander in Chief of the armed forces directly and told that he was being transferred to a special international force based in the U.S.A, XCOM, a force tasked with the interception and destruction of alien threats across the world, the term Alien was used rather deliberately. Other than that he had little clue of what he was stepping into.

The group was led through winding air base corridors and down a large hallway where a heavy set of blast doors stood, opening to reveal something unlike Samir had ever witnessed in his life, like something from a Science Ficiton movie, metal walls and floors were adorned and dressed with all manner of piping, wires and conduits and were lit by banks of glowing halogen lights, various passages curved out of sight leading to other hidden sections of the base, though directly ahead of them was an open roomsapce which happened to be the center of it all, a hovering hologram of Earth lay at the heart of it all which cast a steady blue hue across the room.

“This is XCOM. You’re new life. Now, before we start, any questions?”

XCOM? It was something not too unlike something from Star Wars, Samir couldn't help let out a small grin when scanning the room with his tired eyes.

[Deramen]

Arron Sexton "Unit Bravo"
1358 March 2, 2014 / Groom Lake, Nevada, United States

Arron stepped off the helicopter. Damn XCOM forced him out of his cushy life to go against hell's own work. He had a great job, family and even had that cute nurse's number. All of it was stripped away because he was a good doctor. He scanned the large crowd of people near him, each one seeming more special then the last. Then an older man stepped up in front of the crowd. He listened to the spiel that the man spoke. He heard all before and mocked it in his head. You dont exist anymore. Your dead. You are probably in a lake with a knife in your back and ten bucks in your pocket. As the man, otherwise known as "Mason Reid" finished the welcoming line the crowd started moving.

He followed the crowd but studied its inhabitants, okay mainly the women. They didn't look bad but they weren't his type so he glared elsewhere. He looked at the futuristic layout of the place and noticed the people rushing past Arron. Yeah because the world will end if you dont move three feet huh. he smirked at his own thoughts as he looked around. The crowd suddenly stopped and he nearly hit someone. It was that Reid dude again. He zoned out as people asked questions.

[The Heavenly Commonwealth]

K. Seif: Groom Lake, Nevada, United Ststes

The van jostled on the bumpy desert road, and drone of armored cars's engines filled his ears. Just a few hours earlier he had heard of the XCOM division, a international operation designated to protect earth from otherworldly threats. He had been recruited due to his previously demonstrated abilities as a sniper, and while he skipped the rookie rank altogether, he knew he would be seen as a untrustworthy outsider to most of the experienced military personnel. The van began to pull into the military base Area 51, and he chuckled. "That's a bit cliche" he thought to himself.

The van came to a complete stop, and he was told to exit. As he did, he saw that the whole sky was filled with helicopters. This was an international program, so he simply assumed they were people being flown in. He was escorted by armed guards to a seemingly unsuspecting warehouse, and inside was a elevator. A man came into the room, he was a commander, Kaiden could tell by the way he carried himself.

“I am Mason Reid, colonel and your new commanding officer." The Commander spoke in a very official voice. "I’m not sure how much you were told, if anything, but allow me to welcome you to a place that does not officially exist, and from this day on out neither do you. Hold any questions until after we go downside. This way.”

What followed was a scene straight from a Sci-fi movie, as the elevator opened at its destination, he was awestruck by the absolute technological advancement of it all. Holograms flickered, and he passed by windows with researchers and engineers hard at work. He eventually entered a room with a large holographic map of the Earth in the center, where he was told to line up against a wall.

“This is XCOM. You’re new life. Now, before we start, any questions?” Reid spoke in an even more confident voice than before, but something was worrying him. That was the confidentiality, why did the organization set to defend earth, needed to remain confidential now that the war has started. If anything it would make citizen feel safer. He raised his hand for the question.

"Why do we need to be secretive, commander?"

[Kentucky Fried Land]

Groom Lake. It sounded like a place a machete wielding psychopath would rampage at, rather than a secretive military base. Here he was, standing before the building that held his new life. Groom Lake. He took a brief second to consider the others around him; hardasses, the best of the best. Unlike him. He didn't feel like a badass. He didn't get any medals. He didn't deserve any. These folk, they were the best of the best, and he really couldn't consider himself to be one of those.

Roscoe looked upon the scenery, briefly mumbling “Love the smell of ozone in the morning…” before following the others to where an extremely important looking man stood. Commander, Roscoe guessed, and it seemed to be that he was right.

“I am Mason Reid, colonel and your new commanding officer. I’m not sure how much you were told, if anything, but allow me to welcome you to a place that does not officially exist, and from this day on out neither do you. Hold any questions until after we go downside. This way.”

Roscoe followed after, a duffel bag full of gadgets, gizmos, doohickeys and entertainment items resided in. All he was was some mechanic. Why did they care he managed to drive back some dipshit terrorists away with his crazy flurry of rifle fire? And what had these people done to be on that same level? Hell, probably way over that level. He coughed, all the trucks and helicopters producing more methane then he had ever experienced before. His lungs, filled with gas, for a millisecond stopped breathing, and he almost went into a panic attack. He had learned to control them, mostly.

He was led into an elevator with the commanding officer and the other soldiers, some of whom he had been checking out. Mostly women, of course, but he also made sure to look over the guy with the dog. He loved dogs. He was starting to hope this guy was on his squad, but if it wasn't to be, so be it. Roscoe briefly and habitually flashed a smile at some of the engineers they passed on the way to the elevator. The engineers and worker bees showed no sign of knowing he had smiled at them, and he rolled his eyes and continued on.

The elevator ride was awkward and quiet. Roscoe scratched his leg with the other’s foot, but found it hard to do under the armor. “Dammit, got an itch…” He whispered, just enough so nobody could hear him. The elevator smoothly landed at it’s destination after the failed scratching attempt, and the squadron left. Roscoe was in absolute awe. Sure, Vegas had been pretty, but this?

Blue metal and holograms flashed about while Roscoe scoured the area, a grin on his face. How. Fucking. Cool. Was. This. He was in XCOM… like something out of a movie. Bookworms and engineers and geeks busied themselves, typing at computer terminals and flicking though important documents. The commander positioned himself in front of the holographic globe of Earth, likely to seem cooler in his next speech. Roscoe had to admit, he DID look pretty cool.

“This is XCOM. You’re new life. Now, before we start, any questions?”

Roscoe considered asking “Why don't we just take the little green men to our leader?” or “Have we tried playing Slim Whitman?” but he stopped himself, instead showing off a sly smile. The second it appeared it disappeared however, and he stopped himself from asking any questions. Until that good-looking Gwyneth Paltrow type started talking. Well, he had to make an impression somehow. He raised a hand, then slowly brought it down while asking “What do our, uh, loved ones, believe happened to us, sir?”

[Rogue Orbital Omnium]

Sgt. Michel "Enfilade" Leroy - Bravo Team Leader
XCOM HQ, Groom Lake

Michel was right. These 'simpletons' did have a question or two about the place. None of these questions were of particular ingenuity so Michel didn't bother speaking up. The generic questions like "why do we need to be secretive, commander?" were expected. However, one particular question struck a chord with Michel. It dealt with something a bit more personal, family. Michel had no answer to this one. Would his mom, dad and siblings believed he was killed in action? Or that he had simply gone missing? Maybe XCOM said nothing and they'd be waiting until it dawned upon them that he was never coming back home. There were too many variables that made Michel's head spin. He felt a little sick in his stomach. Mother and father were never there for me... but to never see their faces again? And what about Elle and Chev? No. It is obvious that XCOM is a benevolent organization. T-there will be some way to communicate...

Michel should have spoken about his thoughts to the commander. But instead he shot down the black man's question.

"Is it not obvious? They will not be informed of our... tenure here. Perhaps they were told we were killed? Or maybe... missing? Well. To get your hopes up, the Commander might have a better prophecy, hmm?" An almost repugnant aura of superiority surrounded Michel as he spoke. He was intentionally off-putting, but not so much that his subordinates would not respect his command. The one thing Michel feared as closely as he did death was intimacy.

[Theodosiya]

Corporal Marselinus "Shark" Setadewa - Bravo Two
X-COM HQ-Groom Lake,Nevada,USA
Well, here i am Seta thought as he walked down from the Chinook. From all people they could choose, they chose me. As if there are no one else better than me in the world. Then again, i don't have much to lose from He sighed. He hasn't gotten over the death of his girlfriend two years ago. Everyone tell him if its not his fault. He knows it, and part of him believe it. However, something inside him always blame himself.

Maybe I should've tried to meet her before,before... He can't bring himself to continue. Focus, Seta. You're no longer in Indonesia,nor an official member of its armed force. You're in X-COM now. You might as well consider yourself dead, no longer exist. He force himself to be realistic, although he knows that,aside from high command in Jakarta, his commander, and also his father,a Marine Colonel knows the truth,though they swore an oath of secrecy.

"Groom Lake" he read the name of the US AFB. The searing heat don't really bother him. He suffered worse before, when his battalion sent some Marines,including him, in Garuda Contingent, with soldiers from Army,to Lebanon. He grins when he noticed that one of the soldier are Lebanese.


“I am Mason Reid, colonel and your new commanding officer. I’m not sure how much you were told, if anything, but allow me to welcome you to a place that does not officially exist, and from this day on out neither do you. Hold any questions until after we go downside. This way.”

Yeah sure, boss Seta lifted his bag and his guitar. Aside from it, he also brought his laptop, a military grade one, although he use it for non-military purpose too, namely, browsing and gaming.

Seta couldn't stop looking around as he entered the X-COM HQ. Back home, he would never imagine himself stationed in such a large and advanced base. Not even Eastern Fleet Naval Base or Iswahyudi AFB in Solo could match this place Seta thought, and felt increasingly insecure. I'm just a fly amongst these guys. Why would X-COM chose a Marine from a medium power country as an operative?

“This is XCOM. You’re new life. Now, before we start, any questions?”
This is it "Yes,Sir. Corporal Marselinus Setadewa,sir!" Seta saluted. "Why do X-COM recruits from all around the world, and not only from countries with established or excellent military track record?

[Beiarusia]

Mason Reid
XCOM HQ, Groom Lake, Nevada, United States

---

There were several questions – which was to be expected – but most held their tongues as if unsure of themselves or else not wanting to be the first to cross the breach lest they look the fool. One man, a frenchman, was quick to interject against another seemingly harmless inquiry. Sergeant Michel Leroy, formerly of the French Foreign Legion and quite possibly too smug for his own good. Unit cohesion was a must for XCOM and the sergeant’s condescending nature could well present a problem. Reid made note to keep an eye on the matter.

“You’re loved ones have been informed that you have been selected for a covert anti-terror operation and that you will be unavailable for quite some time,” Reid told the rookies, glancing to each man and woman in turn. “If you’d rather they be informed that you died in the line of duty then that can be arranged. The secrecy of XCOM was deemed a must by the Council for several reasons. Chicago was just a warmup should people lose trust in their government, but more to the point it allows us to act without having to answer any inconvenient questions that would no doubt come to light should we go public. In the end the Council thinks it’s important so that’s all that matters. As for why some backwater soldiers are here, well, it’s a matter of politics. XCOM is an international organization and every backing government wants in on the fun.

“The point is that we answer to no one but the Council, and understanding why they do anything they do is something not even our best scientist can reason. Follow orders, shoot to kill, and we’ll get along just fine.”

A corporal came up from where he had been monitoring a screen and whispered some concerning news into Reid’s ear. The colonel quickly dismissed the soldier back to his post.

“I have an urgent matter to attend to, so until further notice you should figure your way around base.” Reid motioned for a soldier to come over from where he had been watching. A big man that looked all the part of veteran. “This is Sergeant Barbs. He’ll point you in the right direction. Dismissed.”

[Relikai]

CPL Konayama Miyuki "Milky", Bravo Two, Sniper.
Groom Lake, XCOM HQ

Miyuki practically rolled her eyes when the designated leader of Bravo Squad, a Sergeant, shot off a little sarcastic tirade at a man who seemed to be a tryhard in adding on to the words of another trooper. The little operator was not exactly the most disciplined, but she was exceptionally careful on being seen as a loudmouth in front of superiors, mainly because she does not feel the need to be 'marked' by her commanders. Being a sniper, one has to stay low in the field, and it often carried over to Miyuki's personality - Stay low enough that no one could rat out on you.

There was the other sniper, a couple of professionals and finally a seemingly over-enthusiastic man who would eventually command Charlie Squad. Miyuki bit on her lower lip as she nearly winced at the 'loudness' of his declaration and question, unsure if this man's previous unit was a normal disciplined grunt force, or a covert unit where the troops behaved more like normal humans in base and during missions.

The questions were promptly answered by the Colonel, Miyuki simply adjusting her pack once again as the man dismissed himself after a short speech. So far so good, lots of hi-tech gadgets here to serve in Earth's defence, Miyuki was sure that she would enjoy her stay here except for the war against the aliens.

"Sergeant." Miyuki said as she turned to face Michel Leroy, leader of Bravo Team. No salutes, no nothing as the rank was one of a non-com. "Perhaps it's better if we do not try to create such a negative impression so early into our induction. I'm sure we would appreciate some... niceness... instead of acting like a know-it-all."

Her words might seem harsh, but Miyuki has taken more and given much more. Sure, she might be burdened and marked by her own commander, but she could care less if it means that this hothead would actually understand proper social etiquette.

[Rogue Orbital Omnium]

Sgt. Michel "Enfilade" Leroy - Bravo Team Leader
XCOM HQ, Groom Lake

So my family knows I'm alive? Thank the heavens. What would they have done without me? A reassuring and hopeful thought such as that would be hard to come by, now that they were at war with extraterrestrials. If such a threat was able to cross vast interstellar distances they'd undoubtedly be capable of challenging the whole of Earth's military prowess. Now the knowledge of an overseeing council was interesting to Michel. They'd have to be very powerful men and women with global connections. If they worked solely for the protection of mankind XCOM might actually stand a chance against an invading force. Michel also considered the possibility that the Council could be corrupt. If the aliens made a substantial offer of say, protection, freedom or wealth they could be sold out for nothing. A disheartening possibility, but a possibility nonetheless.

Michel decided he'd work off of the possibility that the Council was full of humanity's paragons. If they did their part, bringing in funding and veteran soldiers, Michel would have to do his. He was not briefed on who was in his squad. He looked at the scattered faces and didn't see any that looked like outstanding soldiers. Sacre bleu, this is as rag-tag as it gets...

They all looked around idly. The colonel was called away leaving them to figure out things for themselves. The pleasant hum of the base was interrupted as a harsh female voice arose behind him. Michel was buried in her thoughts so listened halfheartedly. He brows immediately furrowed and his face adopted a scorned look as he realized what she was saying.

"And who would you be? Unless you are equal or greater in rank to me I will have none of it. My subordinates will follow my orders and nothing more. On the topic, which of you have the honor of serving under me? If you are not familiar I am Sergeant Michel Leroy, formerly French Foreign Legion. I'm sure you all know how to raise your hands, you are not children, no? If you are in my squad feel please go ahead and do so..."

Michel's rich French accent only seemed to accentuate his smugness. His arms were crossed with disappointment. He eyed each one of them with a suspicious glare. He spat at the idea of working with foreigners. Every mission he undertook with Coalition forces, he made his goal to involve them as little as possible. Even though the French Foreign Legion was accepting of foreigners (hence the name), Michel only worked with French volunteers. His superiors were disgruntled by this, but they accommodated. His tactical mind was an asset. This Asian lady was a prime example, to him, at why foreign collaboration is a misguided effort at best.

Now he scarcely remembered the faces of the men and women he served with in the Legion. Unless they made an impression. A woman with an odd sense of humour was one such impression. She was such a unique character that Michel immediately knew it was her. He served with her but never learned her name. Not that he cared. When he saw her hiding at the back, he couldn't help but call her out.

"Mon dieu... a familiar face! What a pleasant surprise, come here!" Michel beckoned the lady, whom was named Kim (not that he knew), towards him. "She had the honor of serving under me in the Legion! I'm sure she has nothing but positive messages about that time! But first, as is customary when you meet new friends, introduce yourself!" Michel knew she was shy. It was his own spiteful way at poking fun. He also dreaded seeing familiar faces again. They always... reminisce. Michel couldn't handle when that happened so he made sure she'd hate him after this moment.

[Forest State]

Kim Joon-Sook / "June"
X-COM HQ


The woman who was known as June Kim had left everything and nothing at the same time. On one hand, she knew nobody here, felt out of her depth with these older veterans who had seen more combat than she had in her two years on the front lines, and didn't know if she would be bullied because of her gender, like she had been in the Legion. The closest thing she had to a real home was Marseille, even though she hated the place, and that was far, far away from here. Sure, she was back in the American West, where she had been raised, but could that really be called a home to her, with all her bad childhood memories? Home was where the heart was, and her heart wasn't in San Jose, or Nevada for that matter. But she was also leaving nothing. She had no responsibilities, or a family to leave behind.

This was a fresh start for her, and she couldn't help but break her stoic demeanor and smile as the helicopter got closer and closer to landing. Maybe this was the one place where she would succeed. Not knowing anybody was an advantage, because she'd burned bridges with so many people from her past and at this point it was better to start fresh. On the outside, she looked calm and emotionless even, but on the inside, she was so filled with hope that she would fit in better than she had in the Legion. Maybe she would excel at this assignment, and maybe she would even make friendships that lasted beyond her military career. There was a Latina girl next to her on the helicopter, and she thought about saying something to her and introducing herself.

If only she had the courage to speak up. She was perfectly fine with living on the front lines of a war and getting shot at, but she hated introducing herself to others. She felt like she always managed to start off on the wrong foot with people. It was the result of spending three years of high school and one year of college with almost no friends, she assumed. In high school, her parents hadn't allowed her to hang out with who she wanted to, and in college everyone steered clear of her because they knew her as the depressed alcoholic who was one bad grade away from failing. She opened her mouth to say something, and then closed it and stared straight ahead, hoping that the girl hadn't noticed. She cursed in French, staring at her fists and clenching and unclenching them. It wasn't that she wanted to act like an ice queen, but every time she thought about introducing herself to someone, her mind raced with ways that it could go wrong.

Eventually, she stared at the ground and waited for the landing. When they did land, she followed everyone else and stayed at the back of the group, almost hiding from Reid. She said nothing, other than mumbling to herself in French, until he dismissed them. "Oi, Mr. Reid. You said that you can tell our families that we died? Um... In that case, tell my parents that I blew my brains out with a shotgun, Cobain style," she said, chuckling weakly to herself. "Was that too soon?" she muttered to herself, looking to see the reaction of the soldiers around her. She drifted back towards the back of the group, hiding again and hoping that Michel didn't know her from the Legion. So much for a fresh start...

[Anowa]

Cpl. Wolfram Herrman
XCOM HQ
Wolfram hadn't had much to complain about so far, the Chinook ride was hot -though mostly because he was wearing a balaclava and full head gear like a fucking dumbass- but helicopter rides usually weren't comfortable to begin with. The Colonel didn't seem too bad, and the base was well equipped. The two things he found problems were, firstly, the fact his rifle had full auto and burst, but no semi. It was the second most retarded thing he'd seen thus far. That award went to the Frog addressing the rest of the newcomers. The Frenchman was so far up his own ass it was a miracle he didn't have an echo, though being French that behavior's expected. However the man was a non-com, and while they weren't friendly by any means they shouldn't be expected to have a tattoo of Phillipe Petain on his back, nor were they supposed to be expected to start belting out Fascist propaganda.

Wolfram guessed he'd be dead, either by ET or via claymore pillow, within the next three months. Likely by Wolfram himself, seeing as Mr. Frog was turning out to be an absolute piece of shit.

Though his current mood might just be adding to his hatred towards the man, no sleep in four days, nothing to eat for seven. A part of him wanted to walk away and find the barracks so he could eat something and sleep, even for only an hour, it'd be better than any more of the shitty coffee in the MREs he had. But a part of him knew that the moment he stepped away, the Frog would try his damnedest to get him in shit creek. And while it wouldn't likely be effective, it sure as hell make sleep more difficult. So he remained, just so barely staving his exhaustion off.

[Relikai]

CPL Konayama Miyuki "Milky", Bravo Two, Sniper.
Groom Lake, XCOM HQ

The little Japanese simply shook her head, adjusting her pack once more before falling in line but keeping her hands to herself. No way in hell was she going to subject her pride as a member of the SFG to some prick of a man who does not even hail from Special Operations Group or even GIGN. The French Foreign Legion was a professional outfit, however this man seemed anything but. Still, Miyuki was a professional, that she would make sure in the face of the pompous prick, as she set her pack down, the bump of the bottles giving it a little bounce as Miyuki settled against the wall. Her long hair was tied into a ponytail and tucked into the collar of her shirt, her eyes shifting at the movement of people around her.

Team Bravo... according to the namelist she saw on the helicopter ride here, Miyuki was to be the only female in the squad. Although she doesn't mind being in a male dominated environment, which was exactly what she signed up for in the form of the Military, Miyuki decided that she'd be better off with uncomfortable clothes during their free time instead of letting them see her in what she'd wear to workouts, until a degree of trust was established.

Being the smallest has its perks, allowing her to observe others while not exactly standing out in physical presence. If people notice her because of her features, Miyuki would have a scarf wrapped around her neck to hide her mouth, or wear a cap and sunglasses. She was part of an infiltration group, but upon hearing some tasks which females allowed to happen during their mission turned her off. Miyuki may have pledged her mind and body to the country, and to Earth in XCOM, but there were some places where she would never tread.

Ahh... time for a treat. A vanilla milk candy appeared on her hand, one of the few she managed to take from home. Sucking on the chewy sweet which others made into her callsign, 'Milky' rolled it around her mouth, savouring the flavour as she continued to observe proceedings.

[Altito Asmoro]

Cpl. Elsa "Valkyrie" Harewood, Alpha Three, Assault
XCOM HQ, Groom Lake

Sgt. Barbs? She did kind of looked on the list of the squad and it is apparent that Sgt. Barbs will be the commander of Alpha Squad, though it is more likely and better for her to introduced to Barbs after this massive welcoming ceremony ends. Not that it's unlikely for now, but it wouldn't be for the best.

Most of the soldiers in this ceremony appeared to be either from Europe or from Asia. XCOM is perhaps supported by nations with major military and economy and political influences, something that some nations, including hers, have. Of course, the appearance of the ones outside the major ones proved that XCOM does its jobs of reviewing military. Germany, for example, is on the news for having underfunded military but still has political and economy, being part of EU. Maybe selecting nations outside the major ones are one of the ways, beside...from retirement or from prisons. Then again, we are facing aliens here. One with superior tech, so XCOM choosing the finest from the large pool of soldiers on Earth is not a good or a bad choice, but a pragmatic one. Something that will gives the result if needed and succeeded.

She waited for the others, as she stood by and opened a chocolate liquid inside a long plastic, small plastic. It's not a drink, more like melted chocolate.

[Kentucky Fried Land]

Roscoe frowned when the Frenchman told him off, but felt reassured after seeing the rest of the soldiers and even the Commander himself shoot disapproving looks to Frenchie. He didn't smile, not respond. No point in getting in such a fight yet. Roscoe was annoyed though, and let out a light “Huh.” He turned back to the Commander, who answered their questions with efficiency. At least his family knew he was off saving the world. Roscoe listened and watched as the Commander dismissed them to Barbs, and left them to their own devices.

The Frenchman happened to be his Sergeant. Funny how that kind of stuff worked. Roscoe approached Michel, and raised a hand shortly. “Squaddie Roscoe ‘Crowfoot’ Franklin. Bravo Four, at your service, sir.” Before the Frenchie could respond to this, he left to attend to someone he had known before. Roscoe shook his head, then stepped up to the Asian girl who had herself stepped up to Michel.

“Roscoe Franklin. My friends call me Crowfoot though.” He smiled, showing white teeth and extending a hand to shake. He had no interest in this girl. If he was honest, he wasn't really sure if he was interested in any of these girls. Sure, he liked women and all that, but he needed to stay professional. This wasn't high school. This was… a secret UN organization. Probably dedicated to killing aliens. If they were trying to keep it a secret, they were doing a terrible job at it.

He kept his hand held in the air, waiting for a returned shake.

[Relikai]

CPL Konayama Miyuki "Milky", Bravo Two, Sniper.
Groom Lake, XCOM HQ

The tall dark skinned man who now stood in front of Miyuki, nearly a full foot taller than her as she stepped off her leaning posture, tilting her neck to face him straight. Her eyes barely met his chest, but in no way does she seem intimidated as she brushed off her back and shifted the candy to the side of her mouth. The man greeted the arrogant baguette moments earlier, Miyuki already keeping an eye on him as he approached her. Well, it was normal procedure, be as friendly to as many people as possible. Miyuki would have done that, but not in such cramped conditions. Instead, a smiling Miyuki prancing around the canteen and randomly plopping herself into empty seats where troops sat alone was a common sight back in Yokohama, but that was among a group of professionals who went through the same training. Miyuki would face different circumstances here.

"Miyuki, Konayama. Corporal." Miyuki said as she took the hand with a light shake. "I'll be the squad's sniper, looking forward to working with you."

Her voice was soft but tone slightly stern. Nothing against anyone, except it was how Miyuki would greet most new people. Something for her to work on, perhaps, but for now she's looking forward to getting on with this mini-orientation before getting used to any new equipment they were to be assigned.

[Anowa]

Cpl. Wolfram Herrman
XCOM HQ
It was at that point that Wolfram noticed the presence of food, the Japanese woman who didn't quite tickle the Asshole Baguette's fancy was eating some form of candy, and Elsa Harewood -the only familiar face present- was eating what looked like melted chocolate. Wolfram wasn't a fan of the melted category of chocolate, it was messy, and his face was already a big enough mess, brown stains wouldn't add to his already abysmal sex appeal.

Though it did strengthen the recourse his stomach had for his seven day fast as it gave a low growl, it was at this point his stomach started to feel as if it was dying, 'So this is what starvation feels like... Good to know.' his musings were ended just as soon as they began as Wolfram nudged Elsa, and spoke in a low whisper, "I don't suppose you brought anything more solid? Like bread, or ice... Really I'd settle for coffee beans at this point."

[Altito Asmoro]

Cpl. Elsa "Valkyrie" Harewood, Alpha Three, Assault
XCOM HQ, Groom Lake

A familiar voice was heard around her, and someone nudged her, prompted her to turned her head to the source. It is Wolfram! Good fellow on JTF 2, a memorable face, and so other details. Scars from Canadian-involved operation in Afghanistan. Not the same battalion when she used to be in the Army before JTF 2, but she heard about it eventually when they were in JTF 2 years after that.

"Wolfram!" said Elsa, surprised but not loud enough to be heard by everyone but Wolfram, as she, without thinking, hugged him. Perhaps it is because it's good to see someone familiar, or perhaps because he kind of mentored her in the past, about service and so many things, despite roughly the same in years of service in JTF 2, but he's been with the Army since 9/11. Her chocolate already inside her stomach.

"Oh, sure, sure," as she rummaged through her backpack. She pulled out two sandwiches. Beef bacons and eggs. "Here you go, sandwich. Beef bacon and egg, I'm not sure you will like it, of course."

[SaintB]

Sergeant Barb, John, K. "Barbs"
Situation Room XCom HQ
Groom Lake Nevada
1400, 3/4/2014

Barbs was dressed in the standard kaki colored all purpose BDU uniform issued to all XCom operators, the largest sized blouse just a little too tight in the big man's shoulder area as he stood at parade rest in the background while the colonel answered questions and gave a semi-rundown of XCom's mission, he wore his Ranger Beret was perched on his head to finish the ensemble. It wasn't long before Reid introduced the Sergeant and left the room and it was less than a seconds later that everyone went at ease and started to mill about, snacking on things, trying to get to know one another and in one case being very very French. He tried to shake hands with the snarktastic girl but she more or less blended back into the crowd and instead. The big man in the corner cleared his throat once but was ignored by most of the new recruits, a second louder clearing got a few more heads to turn, and the third time John pursed his lips and let out a whistle that only a US Army Sergeant knew how to do, a loud shrill and short sound that demanded attention.

"You newbies get crumbs or sticky shit on the equipment in here and Sunday will have you transferred to the science division as a test subject!" he stated loudly as he flashed a thumb toward the the red and white sign that so NO FOOD OR BEVERAGES.

He looked them over, "I get that you're tired and hungry and want hot food and a cot so the faster you guys listen to me the faster you can eat, sleep, shit, shave, shower, and whatever else you want to do. Get in line and follow me kiddos and put that food away when you're in the situation room or other operational areas, you can only eat in the barrack and mess hall."

[Forest State]

Kim Joon-Sook / "June"

June flushed when she was asked to introduce herself, and while she thought about making up something, she decided that the truth would be better for now, especially because others could hear here. Lies were more effective when they were only heard by one person, and when they were specifically tailored for the one being lied to. She opened her mouth to speak, and then stopped as nothing came out. Her face burned with an embarrassed blush, as she considered what she wanted to say.

"My name is June Kim," she eventually stated. Even though that wasn't her true name, it was the one that she'd enlisted in the Legion with. "You probably remember me as the Harvard dropout who joined because she had no friends and her own military wouldn't take her," she added, lowering her voice so Michel was the only one who could hear her. "You either remember me for that, or for being the one to snark at you over the radio and get punished for it multiple times."

Getting her confidence up, she looked to everyone else and pointed to Michel. "Yeah, it's true that I worked under him. Yes, it was just as bad as you think it was," she said to everyone without a hint of emotion in her voice. "He's practically the reason why people think the French are surrender monkeys. This dude right here seriously thinks that he can still command his men like it's the Napoleonic Wars, and our unit's motto in Afghanistan should've been 'stop, drop, and run'. Not to mention that he looks and sounds like he came straight out of a World War Two movie, and we all know how that turned out for the French."

She shrugged and turned to Michel, giving him a soft smile. She was being ironic, of course, and this was how she was getting back at him for making her introduce herself even though she was shy. When Barbs asked everyone to follow him, she was one of the first ones to take off after him, deciding that it was a good idea to run before Michel got angry at her. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to get on the bad side of someone ranked higher than her. But she had acted on an impulse, and it was too late to do anything about it now. She kept a poker face on, and tried to stay as far away from Michel as possible. "I'm going to catch a beating tonight..." she muttered under her breath, and she was either thinking this because of her strict upbringing or because of her time in the military. It was impossible to know for sure.

[Rogue Orbital Omnium]

Sgt. Michel "Enfilade" Leroy - Bravo Team Leader
XCOM HQ, Groom Lake

While Kim was talking Michel was more concerned with who would have the pleasure of serving under him. He counted a few half-assed hand raises including the uptight Japanese lady and the upbeat black man. I will not waste this opportunity to turn these two into proper soldiers. By the end of the first deployment they will execute my orders with unrivaled precision! Michel's dream had good intentions, albeit misguided. He truly wanted everyone to survive, and because he knew (or at least thought) his orders had the highest chance of that happening he'd have to get them to obey every one. If his experiences in the FFL taught him anything, it's that having coordination between the leader and followers lead to a successful mission.

By the time Michel was done thinking the French Foreign Legion girl was wrapping up her speech. Mon dieu what was her name again? Well that is irrelevant. Now what is she even saying? Only good things I presume. Michel blinked twice and glanced over to her. She shrugged and shot him a soft smile. Michel nodded and maintained a neutral expression, effectively dismissing her.

"Now that you know what a good leader I am from this girl here, I encourage you raised hands to fall in line in combat so you do not get killed. I don't want to plug my nose the entire return trip if your corpse has to brought back." Michel said. Again, a poor way of putting that he doesn't want to see anyone die on mission.

"Anyways, Bravo Team members, I am sure you were taught to shoot the broad side of the barn... at the very least, in whatever outfit you originate from. But to get an idea of your skill I... cordially invite you to the range later today at 1600 hours so I can assess your individual skill levels."

Michel was a stickler for knowing his troops. Besides what he considered unnecessary, like name, age, background, likes and dislikes. 'Who could aim the best' was the question Michel was hoping to answer. That way when someone had to take a mission critical shot he knew who to tell to shoot first. This was also an opportunity to freshen up on his own skills. As a 'heavy' Michel needed to try out his new weapon, a custom variant of the Belgian M240B. He was used to light machine guns. Suppressing fire with light machine guns required little focus, freeing him up to making decisions on the battlefield. However he did recognize the possibility that aliens were indoctrinated enough to ignore suppressing fire and press on. In that case he'd make damn well sure he could plug one of the sons of bitches at range if need be.

He felt satisfied with his initial briefing. So he decided to explore the base a little. The room they were in currently was large by soft blue and orange glows. The blue glow emanated from a hologram of Earth, one which Michel was impressed with. XCOM has no lack of technology it seems. Fitting for mankind's last bastion. The globe would serve as a convenient way of viewing alien attack locations at a glance. The commander would use it in order to decide which missions to send XCOM to intercept and stop. Michel didn't know the entire story behind it himself, but he understood the gist of its purpose.

Didn't the commander mention a tour guide of some sort? Ah there he is!

Michel smiled thinly at the man. He tried to get the people's attention by coughing. It wasn't too effective, Michel noted. People were buzzing about like bees. It was an unfamiliar location with unfamiliar faces after all. For the most part. He never expected to see that girl here today, and for once he was somewhat curious what she did to stand out so much. The man suddenly whistled, and heads immediately snapped toward his location. The buzzing had stopped so he began to speak.

"You newbies get crumbs or sticky shit on the equipment in here and Sunday will have you transferred to the science division as a test subject!" The voice was gruff and authoritative. It spoke of a man with plenty of experience grilling newbies and laying out discipline. A hardened veteran for certain. Though he didn't want to admit it, he already had some level of respect for the man. He knew they'd be coordinating a lot in the future. Maybe having one strong ally would prove beneficial? Michel thought. If only for the mission's sake. The man continued to rant on about shitting or something like that before, with a huff, he ordered the group to follow him. Michel dreaded the idea of parading along like schoolchildren during a class trip, but he gritted his teeth and obliged.