"Hello, Commander"
"In light of the recent extraterrestrial incursion, this council of nations has convened to approve the activation of the XCOM Project. You have been chosen to lead this initiative and oversee our first and last line of defense. Your efforts will have considerable influence on this planets future. We urge you to keep that in mind as you proceed...Good luck, Commander"
That's..not exactly a pep talk
The command center was eerily silent as we watched the Skyranger take off, the roar of the engines fading into the distance. I could only imagine what was going through the minds of the team, thrown headfirst into the unknown. But they were professionals, the best of the best. They can handle it.
I turned away from the hologlobe, my gaze falling on the emblem emblazoned on the wall. XCOM. Extraterrestrial Combat Unit. It was a straightforward name for a group tasked with the toughest and riskiest assignment humanity has ever undertaken.
The formation of XCOM had been a whirlwind, a flurry of paperwork and hurried decisions made by shadowy figures in high places. It was born out of necessity, a response to a threat we couldn't ignore. Alien life was no longer a question of 'if', but 'when'. And 'when' had come knocking on our door in the form of a crashed UFO and a clear intent to harm.
I was handpicked to lead this operation, plucked from my position in the military due to my reputation for unconventional thinking and decisive action. It was an honor, they said. A great responsibility, they said. I simply saw it as doing my duty.
The screens continued to flash with data as I retreated from the hologlobe, my thoughts swirling as I moved back to my office. The Council had entrusted me with this responsibility, but it wasn't just about the Council. It was about humanity. We were a species with a newfound predator, and survival is the only option.
I moved towards my office, the door sliding open with a soft hiss. It was sparsely decorated, a bare concrete box save for the desk and the bank of monitors on the far wall. I settled into the chair, the cold metal frame grounding me as I turned my attention to the screen.
"Damned UFOs"
When the UFOs began appearing, it was clear the nations of the world couldn't face this threat individually. We needed a united front. A rapid response team, equipped with the best technology we could muster, trained to face the unimaginable
After staring at the digital map of the world. Red dots marked the reported sightings of UFOs. Each one a threat. Each one a question. What did they want? Why were they here?
I turned my attention back to the report, my mind racing with the implications. This was bigger than us, bigger than anything we had ever faced. But we were not going down without a fight.
A notification pinged, pulling my attention to another screen. It was a live feed from the transport, the shaky camera footage showing the darkened landscape speeding by below. My heart pounded in my chest, a steady drumbeat of anticipation.
I focused on the screen, my breath hitching as the crash site came into view. The downed UFO was a smoldering wreck, half-buried in a field behind a plaza. The sight of it sent a shiver down my spine. It was real. All too real.