Words: 2k+
Link: https://m.fanfiction.net/s/13526836/1/
(When the UN disbanded Overwatch, it wasn't just Helix Securities International who stood up to fill the void...)
After thirty years of operation, Overwatch was dead. And sitting in her apartment in Cairo, Fareeha Amari would have been lying if she said she wasn't aggrieved about that.
The flatscreen (not a holo, the Army didn't pay enough for that) showed suits at the UN Building in New York, announcing the news to the world. Arabic subtitles appeared on the bottom of the screen, but her English was good enough that she didn't need them. On the podium was Director Petras, as he outlined the generalities of the Petras Act to the media.
"As of four hours ago, the Petras Act came into effect. In light of the UN's investigation into Overwatch, all Overwatch field agents and support staff are ordered to stand down, effective immediately. All Overwatch assets are to be turned over to the International Justice Commission. Failure to abide by these directives will result in criminal prosecution."
Fareeha leant forward in her chair, her eyes wide, and her ears wider. Thirty years, she told herself. Thirty years, and it's come to this.
"At this point in time, no Overwatch member is regarded as culpable," Petras continued. "The IJC will continue its investigation into the Blackwatch sub-group, and Commanders Jack Morrison and Gabriel Reyes will remain on Interpol's watchlist. I…yes, yes, they are likely dead after they destroyed the Overwatch building, but...ma'am? If you'd let me speak?"
The world was changing, Fareeha reflected. The press wasn't.
"As I was saying, no Overwatch member in of themselves is regarded as being culpable to the organization's criminal actions. However, any subversive activity by these agents will be dealt with under the auspices of the Petras Act." He paused. "Next question."
Fareeha wasn't there. If she had been, her question would be how it had come to this? How had the organization which her mother had given her life for...literally...fallen so far? Why was Petras of all people the one to oversee Overwatch's disbandment when he'd been up to his neck in the organization right up to the Venice Incident? And in addition to "why," there was also "what." As in, what was the UN going to do? What was she going to do? The very reason she'd enlisted in the Egyptian Army was to get a resume that might get her through the doors in Switzerland, but now, that option was no longer on the table. So caught up in her thoughts, she missed the next question directed towards Petras, but at least got the answer.
"Yes, you're right. A sizable portion of Overwatch assets will be turned over to Helix Securities International. In fact, I think I'll let General Maryong."
Petras stepped aside and a woman stepped up to the podium. She was wearing a military dress uniform, but it wasn't the uniform of any country that Fareeha was familiar with. That said, she did recognize the uniform itself, or at least the HSI logo on it in place of a flag patch. HSI was an army without a country. A private military contractor. And in the last few years, one that had experienced exponential growth, as countries turned less to Overwatch, and more to its competitors.
"Mister Petras is correct," Maryong said into the microphone. "A sizable portion of Overwatch assets will be turned over to Helix Securities."
"How much?" the reporter asked.
Yeah, how much? Fareeha wondered, sipping a can of Sunkola.
"Sir, I'm afraid I'm not at liberty to discuss these details."
The jackals erupted in their faux outrage, while the quiet few continued typing on their data pads. Having stood on the sidelines of press conferences, part of Fareeha sympathized with Maryong. It was hard enough being a soldier without the press second guessing your every move. But on the other hand, it was a valid question. Whatever one thought about Overwatch, they'd only ever answered to the UN, which was why things like Venice and Blackwatch were so damning. HSI however, answered to whoever hired it.
"So HSI is taking over from Overwatch," another reporter asked. "Does that mean that the UN is outsourcing world peace?"
Maryong laughed, but there was no mirth in it. "Sir, the insinuation appears to be that the UN hasn't already done that over the last three decades, nor worked with the Security Council to accomplish those goals."
"The difference is that-"
"But yes, HSI will be working with the UN," Maryong continued. "We won't be repeating Overwatch's mistakes. And, yes, our doors are open to anyone who wants to join, regardless of gender, race, creed, or even species."
There was a bit of a hubbub as to that last part, as to the notion of HSI recruiting omnics. Fareeha for her part, just sat there, wide-eyed. Had Maryong just made a recruitment pitch? In a press conference? In the UN Building? She'd seen stranger things, sure, but...
But the doors are open, she reflected. She glanced at her data pad, still displaying the Word 2065 (none of that 2070 crap) document that showed her resume. One that up to a week ago, she'd hoped to pitch to Overwatch. Before the whole headquarters destruction thing.
Maryong turned the stage back to Petras. He took the next question, but Fareeha missed it, not even getting the subtitles. Because her phone had started to ring, and she wasn't so shaken by events that she couldn't pick it up.
"Fareeha Amari speaking."
"Hey, Fareeha. You watching the news?"
She smiled, muting the flatscreen. "Well I was, until you called."
"Ah, so you did miss me."
It was an assertion that was partly true, but she wasn't going to tell Al-Khosogi that. He was an Army buddy, and one who'd never had a problem with her using it as a stepping stone to bigger and better things. While most of her fellow troopers might have laughed at her, given that her dreams of Overwatch were now non-existent, he at least had-
"So. Overwatch shut down then. Sucks to be you."
...had called just to rub it in. Bastard.
"Not all bad," Fareeha said. She leant back on the couch, using one hand to adjust the phone's headset on her ear, while using the other to sip more Sunkola. "I mean, didn't you hear? HSI is recruiting."
"Yeah, but, HSI?" There was concern in Al-Khosogi's voice that he couldn't hide. "You know their reputation."
"What, that their Raptora troopers are among the best of the best?"
"Their other reputation."
Fareeha didn't say anything. "Disregard for civilian casualties" didn't have a nice ring to it. And given the way Petras was trying to calm down the reporters (yes, we have every confidence in HSI, thank you), he was trying to avoid it as well.
"I mean, you could just stay in the Army," Al-Khosogi said. "Yeah, you were using it as a stepping stone, but if you could take a step back? Maybe?"
"Aw, I didn't know you cared."
"I-"
"But no," Fareeha said. "The Army's a glorified police force, and it's going to stay one until Egypt puts itself back together."
"And joining a PMC is the better life choice?"
Fareeha opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. According to the subtitled, the interview with Petras had turned to remaining omnic forces - the East China Sea, the Siberian omnium...
"Fareeha?" Al-Khosogi asked.
"No, we aren't in a Second Omnic Crisis," Petras said. "Yes, the Siberian omnium has reactivated, but the Russian government has informed the international community that...yes, of course you can ask the Russian delegation if you want, but we're not here to discuss Russia."
Fareeha sighed. "HSI can do good work," she said. "And it has to be better than this."
"Better than what? Petras showing his silver tongue?"
"No." She gestured around her apartment, forgetting that Al-Khosogi couldn't see it. "This."
Her friend didn't say anything. Not at first at least. Petras had failed to steer the conversation away from omnics, and was busy assuring the jackals that Null Sector was a non-entity; a ghost of a ghost which had lost all legitimacy among omnics after the King's Row Uprising. An uprising that the jackal pointed out that Overwatch had stopped after the British Army had failed, but then, who was counting?
"You know," al-Khosogi said eventually. "There are alternatives to HSI."
"Yeah? Do tell."
"Yeah. Take Valorant."
"Valorant?" Fareeha asked. "Haven't heard of them."
"Well, they're new on the block. But from what I've read...look, you got a pad or something nearby?"
Fareeha picked up her data pad and typed VALORANT in the search bar. She waited for it to load.
"Fareeha?"
She didn't say anything.
"Fareeha, you listening?"
"Yeah, just, waiting for the search to finish."
Al-Khosogi snorted. "Where you been, the twenty-twenties?"
Fareeha didn't say anything. She didn't want to justify her possession of a D-Pad 24 when everyone else had moved onto the D-Pad 30. Also, the search had finished, and clicking on the first link, she found that the 24 was now functioning like a 25 - adequately.
"Valorant," she murmured. "PMC, bomb disposal, counter-terrorism..." She traced her finger down on the company's website. "First Light agents?"
"I know, right?" Al-Khosogi was sounding like the boys she'd known in school - the ones who were obsessed with Jinns and Juggernauts. "I mean, it's not like you've been subjected to space magic, but I'm sure they'd make an exception."
Fareeha frowned. "Magic doesn't exist."
"Yeah, sure. And in a world where talking apes and monk omnics exist, I'm supposed to draw the line at magic?"
"Yes," Fareeha said forcefully.
She didn't listen to Al-Khosogi's protests, as her mind wandered to First Light. An event that had affected the entire world, in what scientists theorized was some kind of dimensional breach between worlds. What the other world was like, they couldn't (or wouldn't) say, and for most people, that was enough, as the entire world got a taste of aurora, even in the Earth's equatorial regions. But there were rumours. Rumours of some people developing supernatural abilities. Rumours surrounding Valorant itself, that it had taken the name from something called "Valoran." They were rumous that the company's website didn't bother addressing, but still...
Soldiers, strangers, oddities. That was what Overwatch recruited for. And looking at the images of the agents Valorant employed, operating in six man (or women) squads, Fareeha could tell it had used the same job pitch. Maybe a bit shy of talking apes, but still...there was a word to describe the people they sure. "Colourful."
"As I was saying," al-Khosogi said. "Valorant seems more your thing. I mean, you wanted to get into Overwatch, and whatever their magic stuff, there's nowhere near as much controversy surrounding them as HSI.""
"Yeah, because they're new," Fareeha murmured. "And no-one believes in magic."
"But...you could believe in magic?"
"I could believe there's a teapot orbiting the sun that we can't see, it doesn't make it true."
"Says the person who follows the faith of the Egyptian gods."
Fareeha put the pad aside. "We've all got our sky daddies, Al. You keep yours, I'll keep mine."
"Duly noted. Just...let me know what you're doing, okay?"
"Yeah. Sure." Fareeha sighed. "See you."
She cut the line and leant back on the couch - Petras was still yapping away, but she was past caring. Overwatch was gone. She'd known that before the conference had started, and whatever else had been discussed, it didn't matter to her right now. Granted, HSI, Valorant...both lingered in her mind, but for good or ill, she didn't go deeper. PMCs had always been a thing. They'd especially been a thing after the Omnic Crisis, as many world governments turned to the private sector while they rebuilt their shattered armies, but even if PMCs were more prevalent today than three decades ago, what of it? Yeah, you got the occasional Talon, but HSI, Valorant...they did good work.
Or, so she told herself.
A/N
So I've seen a fair bit of comparisons between Overwatch and Valorant. And while some of them are founded, mainly because of the art style, I don't see the two games competing much. Overwatch has its roots in Team Fortress 2, Valorant has its roots in Counter-Strike. Still, drabbled this up.