Viper in XCOM
By misterebony
 
Samuel stood at attention before the commander. He had just finished his report, and he was determined to see it through. With the knowledge he now had, he was determined to fight for this request to be passed.
 
"You're certain about this." The Commander said. Samuel nodded.
 
"Yes sir. She wants to fight. And I think she has as much reason to as any member of XCOM. She was wronged by the Eldar as well sir. And.... I want to help with making it right."
 
The Commander gave a small smile. Samuel always had moxie. It was he who had saved HIS life not long ago, when he was being used by ADVENT to serve as a living battle computer for the alien soldiers. So....
 
"Request granted, soldier."
 
Samuel saluted and took the form. He didn't even try to hide his pleasure. He was giving a friend a chance to strike back at the enemy.
 
A friend.... who happened to be long and slithery...
 
**********
 
*The Viper is a regular unit in ADVENT. All female, these snakes are fast and lethal and used for flanking and sneak attacks. Their coils can crush steal and their appetites are legendary. They are truly frightening foes.*
 
**********
 
"How does it feel?" Samuel said to his new squad mate. The others looked at her with a mix of wonder and fear. Given the codename Amazon, the Viper chose to use that as her new human name.
 
And, honestly, she was pretty by even human standards. Despite her reptilian appearence, she was shapely and her eyes golden, and her smile, which shocked the members of XCOM that she even could, was actually very cute. Her hood was now decorated with the XCOM insignia by her request, tattooed into it as her mark of allegiance and loyalty. But as for the armor....
 
"Itsssssss too tight." She said, her breasts making the armor bulge out. It was removed and another, custom set put on, made of lighter Kevlar. She gasped a little at it.
 
"Oh my.... thisssss issues made from our richesssssst material.... itsssss.... wonderful."
 
"And tough." A squad squaddie named Mitchel said. "It's meant to deflect shots but still allow movement. We tried to reverse engineer your battlesuit."
 
The Viper gave the human a smile. "Itssssssss perfect." She looked to Samuel. "Ssssargent Ssssamuel.... thank you for helping me join.... I have to free my sssssisssstersssss.... now that I know the truth."
 
Even as she said it, her mind filled with rage. Her sisters were being mind controlled. Enslaved. That combined with the false information about breeding, that a male Viper was made exclusively for that when in truth it was to keep them in line... it drove her over the edge. She was disgraced, and ashamed, for all the humans she had killed and ate.
 
Especially now that she knew human sperm may be the answer to saving her species from extinction. And that humans were, in truth, a fine race, with impressive combat skills and a sense of honor. And Samuel.... well he had been the first to stand up for her, so long ago.
 
Now he was again, with Operation Snake Pit, a mission exclusively for this squad to locate and destroy the King Viper and free the Vipers from mind control. She had to. She had to save her kin.
 
"SOLDIERS! TEN HUT!!!"
 
The Commander walked in, and the Viper saw him for the first time in the flesh. He wasn't built like a soldier.... he looked... weary. Worn down. But still with an edge to him. In spite of the odds he had rebuilt XCOM and they were fighting back. They were uniting humanity again. And she had to admit she was in awe of him as he approached her.
 
"Well, I see you're outfitted for the mission."
 
"Yes sir!" She said, placing her fist on her chest in a salute she recalled from ADVENT, but immediately lost it. "I mean..."
 
"Don't regret saluting soldier. Those who made that salute were slaves. Slaves we now fight to free. Now that we know the full truth of ADVENT.... our goal is no longer just taking Earth back. It's liberation of the races controlled by ADVENT."
 
The Viper nodded, everyone nodding as they saw the commander bring up a map of the world.
 
"Your squad will begin this mission, Operation Snake Pit. Your goal is to free the races of this world. The truth has reached humanity's ear, and they now want to fight to end this lie ADVENT has made, and restore the minds of the enslaved. And it begins with the Vipers."
 
"Ooo rah!" Everyone cheered, the Viper wide eyed. They all were fighting for this, these humans. She felt pride in her heart. What she was before was gone, but her race would be free. She'd die to make that happen.
 
"We have located a data node where we can access the location of the King Viper and the computers he guards that power the brain chips in the Vipers."
 
The Viper hissed as she saw the chip that had been in her own skull, just so slightly controlling her decisions, shorted out when she learned the truth.
 
"If we hit this terminal, it will remove the link to those chips, and free the minds of the Vipers. Sargent O'Toole."
 
"Sir!" Samuel said, saluting.
 
"You will upload the files we have on the Viper race as soon as the link is gone. With luck... they will know we are on their side. That we seek not annihilation.... but union and rebuilding." The Viper watched as the commander put a hand on her shoulder. Those eyes.... she saw the fierceness in them.
 
"I'm not going to let them be slaves like I was, just pawns on a chessboard. They will decide their lives. I swear it."
 
The Viper nodded, a single tear falling. "And my sssssisssstersssss and I will ssssssave humanity, by my blood and fangssssssss.... I ssssswear it."
 
The soldiers nodded and cheered. The Viper held up her new weapons, a plasma pistol and a human laser rifle. She looked to the humans..... no, to her squadmates... and she knew this was their fight as well.
 
And their war was hers.
 
"***OOO RAHHHHH!***"
 
"MOVE OUT TROOPS! OPERATION IS A GO!"
 
**********
 
*"Interrogation of several high ranked members of ADVENT has revealed a complication Commander. Many of the alien races who serve the Elder are being used and manipulated, though brainwashing, DNA alteration, intimidation, and other nefarious means. This means some groups may potentially join our ranks. Due to the wishes of one of our prisoners, we have put together Operation Snake Pit. Sargent Samuel will present the details..."*
 
**********
 
The runabout flew silently over the landscape of what was once rural United States. Now several farms and a few hidden refugee camps were detected. But their target was in one of the cities controlled by ADVENT, dubbed City 51. The runabout quickly let off the team, including the Viper who slid down the rope with incredible grace, slithering upright and readying her weapon.
 
"Amazon." Samuel said. "You and Firefly circle around, locate the package."
 
"Affirmative." They both said. They moved in cover among the buildings, but as they did, the Viper saw something that made her gasp.
 
Among the ranks of a patrol watching over the citizens was another Viper, in ADVENT armor. And the Viper saw for the first time the glazed over look in their eyes. She was wide eyed as she saw her sister, and growled with rage.
 
"Contact." She whispered, the venom in her voice real. "Sssssssarge.... one of the contactsssss.... isssss a Viper."
 
"Confirmed Sarge." The Vipers backup said. "Recommendation, use gas rounds to bring her down to extract the chip."
 
"Confirmed. But we move on other targets. Remember, our prize is the data node. As much as I hate to say it... rescue this time is a secondary goal. Amazon, monitor from your position, Skywatch team is moving into position."
 
"Underssssstood." The Viper said, cursing a little. She knew she couldn't let her emotions get in the way, it would jeopardize the mission, and her other sisters. But she had to at least hope she could save her sister.
 
She watched as her fellow soldiers moved into position. Samuel (Sarge) moved to a spot nearby, to triangulate the grabbing of the data. On a nearby roof, professional sniper Skywatch was ready to go, her rifle a gauss cannon reverse engineered from ADVENT tech. Bruiser, heavy weapons specialist, was a floor below with a grenade launcher. And Jedi, the picnic warrior, moved to a spot by Skywatch to try and get in touch with the Viper.
 
The Viper watched the patrol move down the street. She knew ADVENT battle strategy. Two to five squads, each squad with three to five soldiers. Mostly grunts, soldiers that were determined to be made from cloning tons of human DNA, but a few officers and special forces... like Sectoids or... Vipers...
 
The Viper cursed.... she could only pray she could.... wait a sec.... they were fighting by human strategy.... but she was a Viper.
 
That meant...
 
"Ssssarge, thissssss isssssss Amazon. Requesssst permisssssion to ussssse technique grab n gulp."
 
Everyone on the squad knew what that meant, a couple giggling.
 
"You sure Amazon?"
 
"No.... but it will flank them. And we have the high ground."
 
She could almost hear Samuel's evil smile.
 
"Permission granted Amazon. Bon Appétit, and good hunting."
 
The Viper looked to her team mate who gave a thumbs up.
 
"I got ya covered lass. Give em hell."
 
"Thankssssss Firefly. Drinksssssss on me back at the bassssse."
 
"Viglio Confido." Firefly responded. The creed of XCOM. I trust and protect. To the Viper that meant a lot. She slithered into the undergrowth, using cover to move quickly and silently.
 
Then, she suddenly struck, her jaws open as she grabbed an officer.
 
"CONTACT! GO GO GO!!!"
 
As the Viper, Amazon, swallowed the soldier in quick gulps, her team mates gave covering fire. The opposing Viper saw her and went to hiss... before her eyes went blue, the psionic soldier of XCOM reaching her mind and holding her in place. ADVENT was flanked!
 
"Go Amazon! Get as many as you can! We will secure your sister and the package!"
 
"Roger!" The Viper burped, making the squad laugh on their Mike's as they went to work. The Viper grabbed ADVENT grunts left and right as she went, biting into their armor, crushing them in her coils, and swallowing whoever resisted. And those who tried to sneak up on her got blasted by XCOM, the fight not even close.
 
"ARAK! MALFALSA!!!" A grunt survivor screamed, dropping his weapon and bolting for the hills.... but the Viper wasn't in a friendly mood. She raised her plasma pistol and fired, the grunts head blasted to pulp and gore.
 
"Base 1 to SnakePit Squad. Hostile units are bugging out. Collect the data and get out of there."
 
The squad cheered, and Samuel ran to the Viper, whooping in delight. "That's showing them!!!"
 
"Sssso.... it'ssssss okay I ate ssssso much?"
 
The Viper felt embarrassed. In her rage she went at the ADVENT grunts like an all-you-can-eat buffet. In ADVENT, such actions were hated, her natural ways, and even her combat skill. But her squad was proud of her. They smacked her soldiers and hood like she was a hero.
 
"You kidding? Your manuver worked! We mopped up the grunts, got your sister in tow, and the data is as good as-"
 
A sudden alarm ended their talk. They turned to the data node, and saw the node was set to self destruct. Firefly ran to the node.
 
"FIREFLY! GET AWAY, ITS GONNA BLOW!"
 
"Negative sir!" The tech based squad member said, hacking in. "I'll get you the data, no trouble. Just.... if this goes wrong, get that fucking Viper King for me."
 
Samuel went to order him to get out when the node exploded, sending him flying. The squad went to him, and he had lost an arm and his legs.
 
But.... he was alive.... and he had the data.
 
"Damn wreckless soldier!!!" Samuel shouted. "Your life is worth more than data!"
 
Firefly coughed but smiled. "Noted sir.... but q good soldier never leaves a job unfinished."
 
The Viper was in shock. The way the squad looked after one another, protected one another.... even sacrificed for one another.... sacrificed for her.... it humbled the Viper.
 
She looked at the frozen Viper, and put her hand about where the chip was. Then she looked into her sisters eyes.
 
"Sssssssoon, sssisssssster. We will be free of the deception. I ssssswear it."
 
****************
 
*"Removal of the chip from several alien races confirms limited mind control, managed at various data nodes. While a large number of those with the chip have been extensively brainwashed, we have seen thst some that the chip is removed from have learned the truth. The first part of Operation Snake Pit has confirmed our fears... and our hopes. The enemy has an army of obedient drones using these chips..... but those cut lose from them can be saved... .and can join us. Data recovered also confirms data nodes power these horrible chips, and if those nodes are destroyed..."*
 
*************
 
The Viper looked to her sister in the holding cell. The operation was a success, and the sister was free. But on hearing the truth.... she was in shock.
 
"They.... lied to us....." She said in the tounge of the Vipers.
 
"Yes sister. All of us. They culled our race and use genetically created males so we will breed soldiers for them. But we have alternatives. Humans are closer to our old bodies Tha. We thought. We can breed with them. Rebuild our race. And.... we were lied to about them as well."
 
"I see that now... .they are not just food.... they are.... warriors. Male and female.... did that one really almost die trying to get the data on what controls us?"
 
"Yes sister..... they all risk rheir lives. For us. The Elder see us only as tools."
 
The imprisoned Viper looked like she was broken. "I killed so many.... men.... women..... hatchlings.... I thought they were...."
 
"Sister.... help us. We have to stop the Elder."
 
The captured Viper nodded. "Yes..... I know that now. The Viper King is indeed the key.... the node that controls our chips is..."
 
********
 
"IT'S WHERE?!"
 
The Commander was in shock at what the Viper just told him.
 
"It'sssssssss in the King'ssssssss sssssstomach. That'ssssss why he never eatssssssss.... he isssssss a.... what do you humanssssss ssssay.... a ssssssex doll."
 
There was a pause. Then....
 
"So that's it.... that's how they controlled the breeding... artificial sperm. But why?"
 
"Perhaps I can answer that commander." Another voice said. Everyone in the room turned and saw Samuel, looking very sullen. "They are trying to use all our DNA to create the perfect new body for themselves. An Avatar. A being that will be like a GOD."
 
Everyone looked as he punched a data card into a nearby computer, and it showed the terrible truth: millions of humans, Vipers, sectiods, mutons.... all killed to harvest the best DNA traits. And the nodes were used to keep those unworthy in line as a loyal and unquestioning army.
 
"My God..... and that's it."
 
The Commander sat up. "Amazon, did your kin tell you where the King is?"
 
"Yesssssssss. The Viper King issssssss in London, at a gene thhhhhhherapy plant."
 
Samuel stood tall. "I volunteer to take it out sir."
 
"Sargent, your bravery is noted, but..."
 
"Not bravery sir. I made my squad mate a promise. I intend to keep it."
 
The Viper.... no.... Amazon... was wide eyed. "Sssssamuel.... our whole sssquad isssss able to take it down.... but only if we are lucky, and-"
 
"Amazon." Samuel said, looking at her. "This has to stop. We have to send ADVENT a message. No one is messing with my friends."
 
The Viper was in awe. This man was going to face something far stronger than him. For her. She was.... she was....
 
"Soldier... we are in the midst of finalizing a few weapons to aid you. In 5 days, you have the mission. You my draft any volunteers."
 
"Sir!"
 
The Viper watched him salute.... and it was HER salute. She realized why to.
 
This was for her and her race, not just for humanity. That sealed it.
 
"I alssssssso volunteer." The Viper said.
 
No one was suprised.
 
****************
 
*"The truth of Project Avatar is becoming clear. But to put a stop to it, we need more soldiers than the few squads we have. And to do that.... we must break the nodes. Thanks to SnakePit Squad, our efforts for this end have begun. Experimental weapons for the raid to come to free the Vipers is being finalized. My God he with us all."*
 
****************
 
Samuel was in his quarters, having finalized his last will and testament. He knew he might not make it. But he was going to free the Vipers for sure. Then.... with the knowledge he would get from the fight for home base... everyone could be freed of the alien creeps. And who knows? Maybe afterward...
 
"Ssssamuel...." The Viper said. It was one day before the mission after all, and as she was there in the doorway.... with no armor.... he knew why she was there.
 
"Yes Amazon?" He said. He didn't need to say much. When you're a trooper, you live for the moment.
 
"Sssssamuel..... why did you believe in me?" Amazon asked. She was in her bare minimum, and Samuel knew why.
 
"You're not an enemy. Never were. Not really. The Elder hurt all of us, and I am not standing idly by anymore as our brothers and sisters from across this world are forced to fight. Those chips keep so many as pawns for their twisted games. But not anymore."
 
"You didn't ansssswer. Why me?"
 
Samuel saw her slink up close. She chuckled.
 
"I ssssssmelled your pheromonesssss that day you know. And knowing your kind can ssssaave our racccce from death...... and that you found me...... attractive.... I want to know why."
 
Samuel chuckled. He moved closer to the alien and touched her skin, tough.... yet smooth. It felt... nice...
 
"Because you don't deserve to hurt anymore.... and I knew when I saw you.... you are like me. You lost so much. You were an obstacle for ADVENT, everything taken from you.... I had a little sister when they invaded.... they killed her. I hated them. But.... now I know they were pawns for those damn Elders. Whe. I saw our commander enslaved, I knew the whole truth. And I swore I would NEVER give up, until every race was free."
 
He touched her jaw and cheekbone, and she closed her eyes, leaning into the touch.
 
"Because this.... this right here... is worth fighting for."
 
The Viper hissed softly, gently wrapping her tail around the human. She looked at him, speaking softly.
 
"Mate with me.... ssssuch bravery.... ssssssuch sssselflesssnesss.... sssssuch ssssstrength..... let me bear the children of it. Pleassssse."
 
Samuel smiled. "Soldiers live for the moment. I will mate with you. But when this is over.... I hope we can do more."
 
The Viper nodded slowly, and the two moved to his bed. She wrapped around him, and the two coupled.
 
One thing she knew.... he was damn good in the bedroom....
 
*******************
 
*"Meanace-One-Nine sent a terrible report: the Viper ling has relocated to a massive Gene Research facility. We must destroy him, and it, but save as many Vipers as we can. You'll move in on your own while Meanace assaults a key research area in another location. It should buy you time. Soldiers... know you have no backup for this. You're on your own. Good luck."*
 
*******************
 
On hearing the orders, the whole of the squad was in shock. This was going to be much harder than any of them thought.... and likely, the aliens knew they were coming.
 
That said, they boarded the Runabout, a new one just for them, and headed out to fulfill the most important mission. If the node core was destroyed.... ot meant the Vipers would theoretically be free. And such a thought made Amazon more determined than ever.
 
The Viper now had her sister with her, armed with a plasma gatling, now going by the callsign Fury. She looked to Samuel with a knowing look, as did everyone in the squad. Not that they blamed him or Amazon.... this may be their final fight.
 
Best to go out alongside your mates. Literally.
 
"You got staring problems?" Samuel said as the troops managed to withhold their giggles.... all but one.
 
"I believe, Sssssarge..." Fury said, "they know what and who you did lasssssst night."
 
Amazon hissed angrily, but managed to calm down. It was in fun, all to relieve tension. Besides..... they weren't wrong.
 
"Hey Amazon.... you get a kid, name it after one of us, okay?" Jedi said, giving a thumbs up. The Viper chuckled.
 
"Assssssss you wissssh. But I think sssssssnack might ssssssseem offenssssive."
 
Everyone laughed.... until the explosions began all around them.
 
"Looks like they are waiting for us! Ok squad, we go in hot! Let's give them HELL!!!!!"
 
Fury gave a mighty hiss, she and Bruiser opening up as the back of the runabout opened. Plasma and laser bursts cut down many ADVENT mutates and sectoids, and damaged many others. The squad landed, and the fight was on.
 
"Skywing! Get to high ground and scout out for the target! Amazon! Take Fury and Bruiser and plow open a path! I'll take Jedi and take down that facility. Go go go!!!"
 
The team moved out, even as Amazon saw her lover head for certain danger. But he was a skilled commando. She knew he and Jedi were made for stealth. She had to do her part to help him.
 
"Let'sssssss go ssssisssssster! It'ssssss ssssuppertime!!!"
 
Fury nodded and moved with Amazon into the ranks, a pair of sectoids screaming as they were dove upon with open mouths.
 
****************
 
*"The Viper King, based on downloaded information, is actually little more than a robotic control unit fused with Viper DNA to act as a control conduit and breeding tool for ADVENT. They have no shame it seems, even using the promised male in order to subjugate and control. Killing him is your primary mission."*
 
****************
 
Samuel peeked into the facility as the battle raged behind him. Given the large tubes of deceased humans used to harvest genes, it confirmed this was a facility for their dark projects. Worse still, however, was something else he was seeing.
 
There, in the center of the facility, three Vipers were being executed. They made no resistance, no attempt to save themselves, as a larger crowned Viper shot each one. Several ADVENT grunts took them and placed the serpents into tubes, filled with glowing energy to extract genetic data. There was no doubt.
 
They had found the King Viper.
 
"Sir... we have to bomb this place now. Otherwise..."
 
"I know. But we got to subdue any Vipers that are here. And we can't be sure simply bombing the place will kill the King. That said.... start planting the charges. I'll try to draw fire."
 
"Sarge, you'll be killed."
 
Samuel chuckled. "Not if I can help it. You have your orders Jedi. Go."
 
Jedi nodded, and went to secure the bombs at key areas. Meanwhile, Sarge moved stealthily, using a stunning baton to paralyze a couple surviving Vipers to be hauled out of the blast radius. Sadly, he saw another Viper corpse in the tubes, along with one's for every race. The squad leader cursed under his breath, silently mourning for those cut down by their "benevolent" leaders.
 
"Marvelous isn't it."
 
Samuel froze, hearing the deep voice behind him. He turned and saw the Viper King, taller than the Vipers in his squad, and looking much meaner.
 
"I must admit, your former ally, the doctor, was quote brilliant in the application of DNA. Through her research, our masters will crack the code for mortality."
 
Samuel grit his teeth, the rifle poised at him, two ADVENT guards flanking the King. Samuel was outnumbered.
 
"And you? What are you really. I know you're not a true Viper."
 
The King laughed, his laugh sounding like a demon. "Clever boy. Yes, I am a product of gene therapy, taken from the DNA of Vipers we no longer needed. The perfect tool to breed these useless snakes, gifted with power from the elder."
 
He chuckled and spread his hood, revealing that it was lined with circuitry. It confirmed that the Viper King was indeed the control node for the Vipers.
 
"And once we have what we need, I'll use my mind code to kill every last one of them, sending a kill signal that will wipe out every last one. The Elder have no need for failed species on the road to become gods."
 
"You finished talking?" Samuel said through gritted teeth. "I was just gonna let you get blown sky high. But I think I'll just kill you myself!"
 
Before any of the three could act, Samuel brought his shotgun to bear and fired two shots. The enhanced electromagnetic protons fired by the shotgun detonated on the three attackers, killing the grunts instantly. But the King Viper merely took a blast to his chest. He was stunned, too stunned to do anything as Samuel dove into the maze of tubes.
 
The King Viper hissed, and gave pursuit.
 
****************
 
Outside, Amazon and Fury had big bellies from devouring a squad each, playfully picking their fangs. But at that time, they got a distressing signal.
 
"All units! Sarge has engaged the King Viper! X4 charges are set, we need to go, NOW!"
 
The Viper went wide eyed. Her mate! Her Samuel! She focused her coils, digesting the consumed soldiers quickly, as Fury looked to her.
 
"I got your back, sssssissssssster. Sssssssave your mate."
 
The Viper nodded and slunk quickly through the grass, praying she wouldn't be too late!
 
****************
 
Samuel dove as the Viper blasted at him, the commander of Snakepit Squad too fast for the synthetic breeder. He moved toward the windows, and dove through one quickly.
 
"JEDI! DENOTATE THE CHARGES NOW! IM CLEAR!"
 
Samuel saw the approaching Viper he loved and ran to her. He was knocked forward as the building exploded behind him, falling face first to the grass. He was stunned, but alive.
 
The Viper wanted to celebrate, but then out of the inferno lept the Viper King. He fired two rounds, one missing completely, but tje other slamming into Samuel's leg. He screamed out as he felt the blast sear his flesh.
 
"Fool!" The King said as he reared up to full hight, hood spread as he held his weapon. "I will take great pleasure ripping you and your traitor snaketoy apart!"
 
The Viper opened fire, blasts slamming into the king. But he showed no signs of pain as he approached Samuel. He reached down to grab him by the neck and squeeze... only for Samuel to draw a massive blade and slice the snakes arm clean off!
 
Howling in pain, he fired one round at the Viper. She tried to dodge but it hit true, and she fell back, unconscious from the pain. Samuel, standing shakily on his legs, lept at the snake, cutting his weapon in two. A second swipe slashed at the central coils of the serpent, the being slinking back some, the cut revealing the green ooze and metal within.
 
"You're gonna wish you didn't do that, human. The Elder will eradicate your race to the last infant, to achieve perfection."
 
"You talk wayyy too much, creep! Time to shut your fucking mouth up for good!"
 
The Viper King drew his own blade, but not before getting cut again. Samuel screamed as he unleashed Hell on the alien synthetic, the two clashing blades against one another. But Samuel was far better. Another slice removed much of the aliens tail, making the king fall on his back. Fear filled his eyes.
 
"Mercy! Stop!!!!" He begged. But Samuel was beyond that. He approached, jamming his blade into the metallic skull of the king. The thing made several noises.... then his eyes dimmed. He fell back, dead.
 
Samuel saw around him a few other Vipers suddenly hiss and grab their heads before falling unconscious. He sighed one. It was over. The King was dead, and the Vipers were free. He turned to his companion, who was slowly opening her eyes.... but went wide eyed.
 
"LOOK OUT!!!" She screamed, but too late. A lone ADVENT grunt the last of them, fired his weapon. It hit true, slamming into Samuel's back. He didn't even scream as he fell forward. The Viper fired her weapon at the sniper... but the damage had been done.
 
"Sssssamuel! Ssssssamuel!!!"
 
She rushed to him, but blood was in his mouth. He didn't have much time.
 
"Amazon.... did.... did I get him...?"
 
The Viper choked back tears. "Yessss.... the king isssss dead."
 
"........ and.... and your sisters?"
 
The Viper looked, seeing the ones who survived looking about in confusion. A few slunk over their way, but had dropped their weapons.
 
"They're free..... it worked my mate..... it worked."
 
"Then.... the only regret I have.... is not watching our child grow up."
 
The Viper was wide eyed. But Samuel continued.
 
"I want you to know..... I love you..... and.... I am proud of you..... watch over your squad.... .Sargent Amazon."
 
"No.... no you're gonna sssssurvive. I'm getting you home..." The Viper choked, but his eyes began to darken. With what strength he had left he took her hand.
 
"Free... them.... all.... free..... Earth...."
 
"Ssssamuel?"
 
"..........."
 
"SSSSSSSAMUEL?!"
 
But there was no answer. His breath stopped. But he was smiling. She let out a cry of sorrow.
 
His mission was over.
 
****************
 
*"Soldiers of XCOM, we have lost a brave man today. Through his actions, the Viper King is dead. All over the world, Vipers are learning the truth, and joining the ranks of the resistance. We have the proof we need to free everyone from ADVENT's grasp. But the man who made it possible, Sargent Samuel "Sarge" Taylor, gave his life to see it done."*
 
****************
Amazon held the picture of Samuel in her hand, weeping a little. But she did not give in to grief. She had a mission to accomplish.
 
"I'll finish what you sssssstarted, I ssssswear."
 
****************
"*But in his death, we find hope. Already, Vipers are joining up to free the slaves our enemy has. SnakePit Squad is already moving to rescue those who have removed their chips from detention facilities. And as our ranks grow, we are prepared to bring the fight to the Elder themselves."*
 
*******************
 
The ramp of the runabout lowered. The Viper readied her pistol, her belly growling with hunger to find food for the precious child within. She woukd get it, not just to have a child.... but to have HIS child, in a world thst was free.
 
"XCOM!!!! ATTACK!!!!"
 
From various hidden locations near the landing, humans, Vipers, Sectoids, even mutated former ADVENT soldiers, all charged under the banner of XCOM. They had a war to win.
 
And, united not by brain control or lies, but by their common bond.... they would.
 
She swore it with all she had as the next battle began.