Skyranger took off to take us to the Tample Ship as we sat in the hull, none of us said a word, too deep in our own thoughts to do so and there wasn't mood for it really. I just kept replaying what Commander and Central said and all possible scenarios of how this could go wrong. I sighed and leaned against my seat crossing my arms, we have come so far as a race and individuals, lot of things thought as science-fiction like cyborgs, supernatural humans and ability to use one's mind as a weapon have come true, and aaaall of this because some alien whoresons with superiority complex invaded us.

Look at how the cards have turned, we used their technology to upgrade ours (which technically means we use their tech), used their gene mods for our soldiers and some of us gained psionic capabilities. I smiled and rubbed my hands, metal scraping against metal. "When you're looking foward to this clap your hands." I sang and clapped my hands, they looked at me with blank faces, asking 'if I'm completely fucked in the head' for sure.

"Remind me again why we abated from calling him mental?" asked Mercy as I chuckled, yes she's named after the character, no it wasn't my idea. And frankly it fits her since she's the best field medic and apparently, no soldier died that were on the same mission as her. Her Archangel Armor wouldn't allow it.

"Don't look at me I voted for it!" said Scope making me cackle hard. His pissed russian accent always gets me, though you wouldn't find better sniper in the world, seriously since this guy got his hand on a sniper he made multiple 'headshot only' streaks. And when it comes to his successfull hits its one big streak. And after adoning Ghost Armor his lethality increased.

"With the way he engages the aliens I'm more suprised he's not called 'corpse,' commented Quicky, I bit back a nasty remark about Boston Tea Party. Regardless this guy's reflexes were already solid, but after got gene mods you would be lucky to atleast scrape him. Another thing he can boast about is the least time spent in the infirmary. The grapling hook and invisibily of his Ghost Armor allows him to distract and confuse enemies, granting the others to open fire.

"You can't argue about his ability to tank enemy onslaught and come out of it with only scrapes, burns and bents though," said Engie. She's MEC trooper just like... or well almost, whereas I rely more on the firepower of my Particle Cannon and my Tactical Subsystems, she stays more in the back and provides more tactical support, mainly by granades, mines, flamethrower ect. And her gentle french accent is cute.

I noticed that Cap was the only one to not share his insight on my brilliant comment. Cap. Now he's something, met him at the beginning when we were just rookies, at first we met at some misssions though that number increased when HQ noticed our dynamic and how well we work together. Him and I can boast with the best cooperation, no matter how hard missions were we always came back in full number, sure we had injuries here and there but never a death. After first few, we got to know each other and became friends, after a year I developed deeper feelings for him (no I'm not a gay but a bisexual), though I never acted on them since he's straight. He made this hell more bearable for me and I made an unspoken promise that I would do everything in my power to make sure that he's going to survive this.

"Cap, you ok champ?" I asked. He said nothing and kept staring at a falling platform of the Skyranger. "Cap," I repeated louder, "MICHAEL!" I yelled finally getting him from his stupor.

He looked at me and asked in annoyed voice, "what."

"I asked if you're ok," he sighed and thought for a second.

"We are heading to the mother ship of the aliens, which no doubt filled to the brim sectoids, mutons, sectopods, cyberdics and others, traps and another crap. No I'm not ok."

"We can do it," I said confidently. With him leading us there was no chance for a failure.

"How can you know?" he asked.

"Because we have the best the gear we have, my MEC and your Titan Amror were modified beyond the others, you were given nothing but the of the best gene mods and with the amount you're basically a super mutant-" Quicky chuckled "- and last but far from least you have people that trust you and you can trust in return," I finished.

there was silence for a bit, " who are you and what did you do with Blaze," asked Mercy making everyone chuckle.

"I ate him," I replied making every burst out laughing. With the mood improved we began talking some more before Big Sky told us through the coms that we'll be touching down soon. They all put on their helmets while mine closed around my head.

The platform was lower let us out, I took the front to block any heavy hits from aliens though I didn't see any. I looked around and saw that the area must've been a landing area. I went foward while I scanned for any danger though nothing came up.

"grah!" I heard somebody yell in fright, we all looked back and saw Cap on one knee clutching his head. We ran up to him asking him if he was alright.

"I think something is in my head, it speaks to me." He explained as we looked at each other. I asked Mercy to check him up but he protested, stating that he was fine, just caught off guard. We insisted and once she was done she said that she didn't find any damage. I let out relieved breath. He stood up and asked for an update on our current situation. I told that my scans didn't find any signatures, organic or mechanic though we didn't let our guard down.

We took formation with cap and me in the front, Quicky and Mercy in the middle and Scope and Engie in the back. We came up to door at the end of ramp we were on, Cap and Mercy took cover at it sides as I used One For All ability of my MEC for Scope to take cover while I prepared Vital-Point Targeting. And Engie prepared her big flamethrower. With Cap's nod Mercy oppened the door and we met first group.

The first group composed of five sectoids and one sectoid comander was quickly dead. Second group was considerably more difficult. Not so much those drones as those cyberdisks with one of them managing to get a good hit on me. It didn't do much except making me stumble slightly. It was down when Scope shot it from his elevated spot. Mercy and Cap were in high cover as I took down the other one.

We went towards the other side of the room, as we were walking I asked Cap if he was okay because he began clutching at his head again when we entered it. When we asked what was wrong he said that he was hearing a voice in his head, speaking to him, when we asked what it was saying he replied that it was describing how the aliens we were fighting became the way they were. Sectiods: they are great at psionic abilities but their bodies are worth shit, making them into cruel cowards.

"And we still have to meet the others," he said. "Lets get back to work," and so we did. We got into position again and proceeded as before.

The rest of the mission went as one would like to; we continued through the Ship while masacaring the Aliens along the way. Each time we met another wave, Cap grunted and fell on his knee while clutching his head as if he was having the worst migrane ever. And each time he told us what was told to him about the Aliens, how each of them were failures. I have already mentioned Sectoids, so the rest goes as it went.

Drones and Cyberdiscs; While a powerfull machines, they're just that, a machines.

Floaters and Heavy Floaters; Their organic bodies fell apart so they were given cybernatic enhacments which turned them into a merciless killing machines. Ehh, it sounds nasty just saying like that, no?

Chryssalids; They're simply a disguting insects appropriate for reproduction and war.

Thin Men; They're the oppsite of Sectoids, great physical fitness, very loyal and also inteligent but no control over psionic powers what so ever.

Mutons, Muton Elites and Bersekers; Stronk bois but not smort bois.

Sectopods; Their case is similar to the Drones and Cyberdiscs.

Then there was this talk about some kind of Gift, holy crusade, brighter future, redemption so on and so on.

It went like this until we reached the back of the Ship. "So"- Quicky began -"this is it, we are about to kill the bosses and end these shenanigans once and for all."

"Maybe not ´once for all´ but it definitely ends here," continued Mercy. It was almost surreal, behind this narrow corridor is our ticket back home, to live normal lifes... well at least for some of us.

"We don't know what's there, so we have to be carefull," Said Cap, " Blaze, you and Engie will be in the front as you are both heavy hitters and tanks, Quicky and I will use you as cover and suppurt you from behind, Mercy will slowly follow suit when she won't be in immediate threat of an alien fire. Scope, you will stay behind for tactical sniper support, everything clear?"

"Sir, yes sir!" we said in unision.

"Good, let's do this." Engie and I stood up to the gate with guns at the ready while Cap and Quicky were right behind us. Scope and Mercy took cover at either side of the gate. Taking a deep breath I went into the corridor. I went slowly and carefully as I scanned for any activity but my radar picked up nothing. When I came up at the other end I looked around for any hidden ambush but came up with nothing. ´Oookay, this is starting to be creepy as fuck,´ I thought.

I went to the right side with Quicky hiding behind me before Engie did the same with left side. I looked over the railing that was close to me and saw the vast ocean and I could see the same in front of me with an Ethereal looking away from us before it began speaking.

"Behold the greatest failure... of the Ethereal Ones... We who failed to ascend as they thought we would," it began in a creepy scrachy voice. "We who were casted out. We who were doomed to feed on the Gift of lesser beings... as we sought to uplift them... to prepare them... for lies ahead." It finished, now fully turned toward us. The only difference was that its headdress was more decorated.

Two more ethereal appeared on 2 platforms on either side of it while 2 Muton Elites appeared right beneath it. The elites immediately ran for cover as did Cap and Quicky, unfortunately the railing wasn't high enough for me and Engie to use as cover so we had to make do being exposed to any attacks.

I took aim on the Eilte that was on the same side as me and pulled the trigger. The shot destroyed its cover and did serious damage to it and forcing it to retreat. An Ethereal tried Mind Control at me but I managed to resit it. I took aim on it but a plasma shot caught it right in the head before I could do anything. Looking behind me I saw Scope ducking back for his cover.

I looked back just in time to see a purple rift appearing where Cap and Quicky were. I realise that it wouldn't just them but Engie and I as well. I ran for the other side but got jumped on by an Elite. I threw it on the floor and noticed that it was the one I shot. It stood up quickly and charged me but I used my kinetic fist on it and sent in flying back.

What could be best described as psionic lance struck my MEC. Following the trajectory I saw the boss Ethereal looking at me. I growled at it and holstered my Particle Cannon before charging. I came up to the wall of the platform it was standing and used my Jetboot module to fly above. I cocked my Kinetic fist back and was prepared to strike it before it outsterched one of its hands and used telekinesis on me and kept floating above its head.

"So much anger, hatred..." it spoke, "such a potential for the Gift... you could have been as talented with it as the Ethereal Ones have you not wasted it on... this."

"I'M LIKE THIS BECAUSE OF YOU, YOU MOTHERFUCKERS," I roared into its face.

"Such a shame," it pulled out the rest of its hands in preparation to no doubt kill me. But it never got the chance to do so as it was shot right in the face causing it to loose focus and dropping me on the floor. Not wasting this opportunity I stood up immediately and picked it up before dropping it on the floor hard. I kneeled on it and began pummeling it in with all my strength.

I kept it on while roaring like and insame animal. I slammed my hands as hard as I could, the blow echowing throughout the entire room and further. I was panting hard when I came to my senses again.

"Blaze?" I looked behind and saw my teammates looking at me. "Are you alright?" asked Mercy with concerned voice.

"Y-yeah I-I just... lost it for a moment," I replied.

"So... that's it then... we've won?" asked scope.

"Yes, we've won. We can go home now," Confiremed Cap.

"This os not your path! Not your pupose! You need our guidance to hone this power...without us, what are you?" said the Ethereal before it finally died. Just then, the entire ship began shaking.

"What's happening!" exclaimed Quicky.

"The ship is falling apart. We have to get out of here, NOW!" Cap ordered. We began running towards the corrider when I noticed that Cap wasn't with us. Both I and Mercy turned around and saw Cap Looking at us.

"GO," he yelled before he sent a psionic pulse so strong that even I was sent fly back. Then a sliding doors that apperantely were oppened before closed, sealing Cap from the rest of us.

"NO," I yelled as I stood up and began pounding into the doors with the hits were echowing thunderously. I went as far as to use my kinetic fist but the doors just wouldn't budge.

"STOP IT, BLAZE. THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO," Mercy yelled.

"NO, I'M NOT GOING TO LET HIM DIE IN HERE," I yelled back, still pouding the doors.

"THE DOORS HAVEN'T BROKE SO FAR, WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THAT THEY WILL?"

"THEY WILL YIELD, GIVEN TIME," I continued stubbornly

"TIME THAT WE DON'T HAVE," I looked at her and thought about it. She's right. If we want to see another day we had to get the hell out of there. And I could still live for him. "Goodbye, Cap," I wispered before I turned and picked up Mercy and put her under my left armpit and began running.

Along the I did the same with Scope and Engie did that with Quicky. I ignored any and all protests they had in favor of getting out of there. When we finally got to where we have landed we saw that the Skytanger was gone. Not destroyed. Gone. I dropped both of my teammates before I slowly came up to the landing zone and dropped to my knees. I never felt so hopeless. So betrayed. How could Big Sky do this? After everything that had happened... and this is what he does.

I suddenly felt the ship moving up at great speed and it didn't took long before it stopped moving. I turned to my comrades, my friends before I spoked.

"It was an honor serving with you all," I saluted.

"Likewise, Blaze," Said Mercy before she saluted as well. Soon the others joined as well before everything went black.

My head felt as if it would split open. It felt that horrible. I slowly oppened my eyes and saw that I was in a forest making me blink in confusion. I slugishly put my hands one after the other under and slowly pulled myself up before I turned and sat down on my ass. I looked around and saw my teammates laying on the ground except for...

"C-Cap?" I stutered, not believing what I was seeing.

"I see you woke up," he said in tired voice, he was sitting against a tree while his helmet was laying next ti him. "What are you doing in here? Whatever ´here´ is. Didn't Big Sky picked you up?" he asked.

"He ditched us," I said coldly.

"What?" he said with disbelieve clearly written on his face. "Why would he do that?"

"To save his own ass that's why," groaned Scope as he slugishly elevated himself.

"I don't like to say but I concur," Quicky added.

"Okay now we only have to wait for the girls to wake up," I said.

"Don't bother," said Mercy as her and Engie also woke up. Huh that's wierd, how conveniently we all woke up one after the other, like in some cartoon or something. I stood up and looked around before turning towards Cap.

"Do you have a way to contact the HQ?" I asked.

"Unfortunately no. My radio was fried by whatever happened back on the ship," he replied. "The only thing we can do is to find the closest settlement and ask around. From there we'll figure something out," he said. I stood up as did others except for him.

"Well come on, Cap," I said.

"I can't. I legs are too injured for them to carry me anywhere," he explained.

"Here this will help," said mercy as she sprayed him with a medkit. "Give it some time and you should be okay, until then someone will have to carry you."

"I'll do it," I said before Engie could as only the 2 of us are big and strong enough to do it.

"Bad idea," said Cap. "You're our heaviest hitter and the most resilient tank, so it's a bad idea to hinder that advantage. That means that Engie is the better choice."

´But she won't protect you as I would,´ I thought. I saw the logic in I just didn't want it to be true. "Roger that," I said, keeping a stoic composure.

"Fine then, let's go," he ordered. Engie came up to him and picked him and put him on her sholder. We talked about which way to go before we headed north. I don't where we are or how we are here, I only know that Micheal is alive and that's what matters.

Author's Note

Few things for this story:
- Blaze's more advanced MEC Trooper than the others (the reasonwill be explained later in -- the story. Same for Cap's gene-mods).
- The word Cap is acronym for Capitain.
- More tags might be added as the story progess.
- I'm sorry for not publishig anything in a while. I was bit busy with school and trainings and my inspiration isn't limitless. That's also a reason I asked you to send me your ideas if you have any.
- can someone please send me a link for dictionary for royal speech pattern? (like thee, shalt, etc).