The Skyranger returns to XCOM HQ and Bradford is checked over by medical personnel. The Spokesman was taken away by doctors to a private room. Bradford pushes them away, insisting he was fine and made his way to the labs where Lily was pacing. She looks up to Bradford nod runs up to him. "I told him not to but he insisted," she said, looking to the door leading into the adjacent room. Bradford pushes pass her and Moira and Tygan look back to him.
Behind them was the Commander's stasis suit and the Avatar up and walking. Bradford raises his gun and it raises it's hands. "What the hell did you do," Bradford demanded.
"Relax John," the Avatar said as it changes from purple to blue, "it's me."
"Commander," Bradford said in disbelief and they explain the situation to him.
The reason why they couldn't pass through the Psionic Gate was because they didn't have the right key so to speak. The Avatar corpse allowed the scientist to discover this. With the template recovered from the Forge Facility and the genetic material from the Blacksite, they were able to make their own only it required a consciousness much like how an Elder controlled one. At this point, the Ethereal who lived within the Commander made himself present. Since the two were linked so closely together, and the fact that the Commander was linked with the Advent Network for 20 years, it made him the perfect candidate.
"We were out of time," Moira tried to explain, "we either do this now or risk everything. It was the Commander's choice."
"She speaks the truth," Asaru said through the Avatar, "the Commander acts as a conduit. He is too weak to take full control. He trusted me to get him out of a Advent Facility. I am the Commander, and the Commander is me."
"I still don't like it," Bradford expressed his opinion to the others, "there had to be another way?"
"There is none," Asaru shook his head as he said that, "I suggest to assemble a team to enter the portal." The ground suddenly shakes and they all look to a monitor. Alien ships were on fast approach to the base. "Just like 20 years ago."
"We'll buy you time," Bradford calls out then lifts his radio, "code red people. Everyone to your battle stations."
After gearing up and looking over the troops that will accompany him, Asaru steps up to the portal and draws a deep breath. He looks to his hand then slowly enters, followed by the others. They appear on the other side in a large underwater chamber with multiple portals around them.
A holographic screen appears with news reports from the Advent cities. "It is not too late," a voice echoes through the air, "rejoin us and Humanity will be spared." Asaru turns back to see the portal close with the last trooper emerging then signals for them to push forward.
Banging comes from the bulk doors of the base as personnel push crates and whatever not bolted down as cover. The doors burst open and mutons rush in, taking fire from the frontlines. Chryssalids swarm in and rip up the closest ones while being picked off by Nexus and his fellow sharpshooters. "We're taking heavy casualties on the North side," Nexus radios as they begin to fall back, "head back to the main sector."
Asaru continues to walk through the alien complex, noticing that any aliens they came across either ignored them or cowered away. "We do not wish to harm," the voice echoes once again, "we only wish for our brother to return." Asaru head and oaf then turns back to see his team behind a barrier. The once dormant aliens now slowly started to surround them. "Asaru," he turns back to see Avatars appear and surround him, "will you rejoin us?"
"You kept us as a prisoner," a mix of Chailux's and Asaru's voices came from their Avatar, "Humanity is worth saving. They are more than just genetic material."
"Disappointing brother," Damian appear from behind them except he was different, changed in some way, "the others hoped you would return peacefully. Yet it seems the extended period with Humanity has made you soft."