There is something unreal about XCOM Knowle now. I traverse the corridors, expecting to find Twitch leaving the armoury, Sentinel setting up games in the bar...
I've been visiting Nix in the infirmary. He's in a bad way. He almost died in Manchester, going lone wolf on the far side of the cemetery in an attempt to flank the X-rays. Hunted by a pack of Sectoids, he ended up in a life or death duel with the last of them, trading pistol fire from opposing sides of a vending machine. He'll be in the Cauldron for a long time.
I've promoted him to Major, little though that means to him right now. He has a brother and a comrade to mourn.
I've also promoted Pip Ash to Lieutenant. There's no denying Voodoo panicked in the cemetery, but he put a lid on it too. He was the one the who pulled the team out of there, dragged Nix back to the Skyranger full of holes.
Morale has taken a steep dive. Twitch and Sentinel were two pillars around which the garrison was built. Something had to be done, so yesterday I gathered everyone together in the armoury.
This was a deep and painful loss, I said, one which inspires disbelief. Twitch and Sentinel were some of the best - friends and soldiers. We will not forget them; nor will we let their loss weaken us. We must train harder, fight harder - for each other, for survival. And for revenge.
They seem to have taken this to heart. Cpl. Zoe McGee, in particular, has started training with a grim zeal. Her example can't be ignored; the others are following suit.
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