Red_Tornado
Well-known member
Like your prose there.
Beyond the Horizon
- Thread starter MarkWarrior
- Start date
Beyond the Horizon Flashback (Hull and Natasha’s first Christmas)
MarkWarrior
Well-known member
Flashback #1 Davion Palace (The week before the Christmas Eve party in chapter 58 of BOTH)
“I was willing to help with this baking, and all of this cooking that you were doing,” Natasha said as we walked through the Davion Palace as a couple. “But I draw the line at singing from door to door with you.”
“It’s called caroling,” I replied with a smile. “I’ve done it every year that I’ve been able to with friends and family since I was a kid. You don’t have to come with us and actually sing, but I would appreciate it if you just went with us for a little while.”
“I thought your family didn’t do the door-to-door thing,” Mathis said as he walked behind me and to the left. “You mentioned something about that before.”
“No, we usually found the families of people that we personally knew were in need and brought them baskets with lots of baked goods and sang carols to them. Even if it wasn’t a lot, it brought many smiles and helped them a bit with Christmas if they couldn’t afford to do a lot that year.”
“Which is why we’re going with you on a tour of some of the orphanages,” Hanse walked in with a broad grin on his face, Dana walking right behind him with a matching smile. “It took some calls. And a little bit of help in stealing some of your recipes so that we could make a lot more of them. But in the end, we’re going to be able to go carol and bring Christmas goodies to every orphanage on New Avalon this week.”
“I didn’t ask for that,” I pointed out as I brought the younger Davion brother in for a hug. “But thank you for helping me keep the tradition alive.”
“Christmas should always be spent with those that you consider family,” Hanse said with a slightly sad smile. “I know that your family has long since passed, but hopefully we can help bring some of that light back into your life.”
“Are you going to come with?” I turned and asked Natasha. “Because you can stay here if you want, I don’t mind.”
“I will come with you,” Natasha rolled her eyes at me. “I will at least see if this sort of thing is worthwhile to maintain as a tradition.”
“It’s worth it,” a grin sprung to my face. “It’s always worth it to see the faces light up.”
`
“Sleep in heavenly peace,” the two Davion brothers, Dana, Mathis, and I finished the second to last carol that we were singing before launching into a joyous rendition of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”
The children’s faces were bright as they joined in on the last song, some of them already snacking on the goodies that we had brought and handed out in small wrapped baskets.
“Thank you for this,” the head of the orphanage said as he walked us out of the front door. “I know that you all have extremely busy schedules, but these kids will remember this night for the rest of their lives whether they get adopted or not. And they’ll remember that you took the time to care for them even when you didn’t have to,” He started tearing up a bit at the end of his little speech. “We weren’t able to afford to make a lot of Christmas treats this year, and now we’ll be able to get some extra stuff for their stockings.”
“What do you need?” I asked seriously. “Give me a list of the things that you need to make Christmas work for these kids and I’ll make sure that it gets done.”
“We really need socks, underwear, and the necessities,” the director said as he grabbed a small notebook and a pencil. “We’ve got the toys and other assorted gifts sorted out, but somehow we always have to stretch the necessities out for another year.”
“I’ll take care of this,” I said as I took the list. “Don’t worry about any of it getting done.”
“You sure you want to do that?” Ian asked as we hopped in the small black sedan we were using to move around the city. “We have discretionary funds that we can divert from the Davion accounts for this sort of thing.”
“I’m sure,” I said as we went to a wholesale store to buy the items on the list. “This is something that’s a bit personal to me,” I got out of the car and walked inside.
“I do not understand,” Natasha confided to Dana as they remained in a separate car. “He could have sent someone to go do this later and it would have been more efficient.”
“Sometimes it isn’t about efficiency or about being able to send someone else to do something,” Dana smiled at the redhead. “Sometimes it’s about doing the right thing yourself simply because you know that it is the right thing to do.”
“I am not sure that I understand it yet,” Natasha said as she leaned back and watched Hull come out with a shopping cart loaded down with things like underwear, socks, shoes, and a bunch of bathroom supplies. “But I am certain that Mark will make time to help me understand it.”
Author’s Note: This is canon to both Blood on the Horizon and Beyond the Horizon. This is one of the memories they stumbled into while trying to get their intel out of Hull’s brain. The problem is, Hull doesn’t prioritize memories of technology gains and stuff like that as the most important things to remember. It’s the little moments like this that he makes an effort to remember. Happy moments with friends and family. Cherished memories that were more about being able to help someone in need who legitimately needed it. The little conversations where he had to sit down with Natasha and explain the Inner Sphere, and the concepts of family and what it means.
Something I’ve said repeatedly is that stories, at their core, are about people. Well, Hull also sees life that way. Memories and events are about people and making sure that the time spent is worthwhile.
Merry Christmas Everyone! I’ll see you after the new year!
(PS. Sorry for the long Author’s note)
“I was willing to help with this baking, and all of this cooking that you were doing,” Natasha said as we walked through the Davion Palace as a couple. “But I draw the line at singing from door to door with you.”
“It’s called caroling,” I replied with a smile. “I’ve done it every year that I’ve been able to with friends and family since I was a kid. You don’t have to come with us and actually sing, but I would appreciate it if you just went with us for a little while.”
“I thought your family didn’t do the door-to-door thing,” Mathis said as he walked behind me and to the left. “You mentioned something about that before.”
“No, we usually found the families of people that we personally knew were in need and brought them baskets with lots of baked goods and sang carols to them. Even if it wasn’t a lot, it brought many smiles and helped them a bit with Christmas if they couldn’t afford to do a lot that year.”
“Which is why we’re going with you on a tour of some of the orphanages,” Hanse walked in with a broad grin on his face, Dana walking right behind him with a matching smile. “It took some calls. And a little bit of help in stealing some of your recipes so that we could make a lot more of them. But in the end, we’re going to be able to go carol and bring Christmas goodies to every orphanage on New Avalon this week.”
“I didn’t ask for that,” I pointed out as I brought the younger Davion brother in for a hug. “But thank you for helping me keep the tradition alive.”
“Christmas should always be spent with those that you consider family,” Hanse said with a slightly sad smile. “I know that your family has long since passed, but hopefully we can help bring some of that light back into your life.”
“Are you going to come with?” I turned and asked Natasha. “Because you can stay here if you want, I don’t mind.”
“I will come with you,” Natasha rolled her eyes at me. “I will at least see if this sort of thing is worthwhile to maintain as a tradition.”
“It’s worth it,” a grin sprung to my face. “It’s always worth it to see the faces light up.”
`
“Sleep in heavenly peace,” the two Davion brothers, Dana, Mathis, and I finished the second to last carol that we were singing before launching into a joyous rendition of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”
The children’s faces were bright as they joined in on the last song, some of them already snacking on the goodies that we had brought and handed out in small wrapped baskets.
“Thank you for this,” the head of the orphanage said as he walked us out of the front door. “I know that you all have extremely busy schedules, but these kids will remember this night for the rest of their lives whether they get adopted or not. And they’ll remember that you took the time to care for them even when you didn’t have to,” He started tearing up a bit at the end of his little speech. “We weren’t able to afford to make a lot of Christmas treats this year, and now we’ll be able to get some extra stuff for their stockings.”
“What do you need?” I asked seriously. “Give me a list of the things that you need to make Christmas work for these kids and I’ll make sure that it gets done.”
“We really need socks, underwear, and the necessities,” the director said as he grabbed a small notebook and a pencil. “We’ve got the toys and other assorted gifts sorted out, but somehow we always have to stretch the necessities out for another year.”
“I’ll take care of this,” I said as I took the list. “Don’t worry about any of it getting done.”
“You sure you want to do that?” Ian asked as we hopped in the small black sedan we were using to move around the city. “We have discretionary funds that we can divert from the Davion accounts for this sort of thing.”
“I’m sure,” I said as we went to a wholesale store to buy the items on the list. “This is something that’s a bit personal to me,” I got out of the car and walked inside.
“I do not understand,” Natasha confided to Dana as they remained in a separate car. “He could have sent someone to go do this later and it would have been more efficient.”
“Sometimes it isn’t about efficiency or about being able to send someone else to do something,” Dana smiled at the redhead. “Sometimes it’s about doing the right thing yourself simply because you know that it is the right thing to do.”
“I am not sure that I understand it yet,” Natasha said as she leaned back and watched Hull come out with a shopping cart loaded down with things like underwear, socks, shoes, and a bunch of bathroom supplies. “But I am certain that Mark will make time to help me understand it.”
Author’s Note: This is canon to both Blood on the Horizon and Beyond the Horizon. This is one of the memories they stumbled into while trying to get their intel out of Hull’s brain. The problem is, Hull doesn’t prioritize memories of technology gains and stuff like that as the most important things to remember. It’s the little moments like this that he makes an effort to remember. Happy moments with friends and family. Cherished memories that were more about being able to help someone in need who legitimately needed it. The little conversations where he had to sit down with Natasha and explain the Inner Sphere, and the concepts of family and what it means.
Something I’ve said repeatedly is that stories, at their core, are about people. Well, Hull also sees life that way. Memories and events are about people and making sure that the time spent is worthwhile.
Merry Christmas Everyone! I’ll see you after the new year!
(PS. Sorry for the long Author’s note)
Chapter 58
MarkWarrior
Well-known member
Chapter 58
Location: Unknown
Date: Unknown
“So, care to tell me a little bit about yourself, Angel?” I asked as I sat in the corner of our cell. “I mean, it’s not like we’ve got anything better to do.”
“There is not much to tell you,” Angel sighed. “I am a mother of three, and I have been held here for so long that I do not even know what year it is anymore.”
“Well, you have daughters, so tell me about them,” I scratched at the scruff that was coming in where my full beard once was. “And I’ll tell you some stories about my kids in return.”
“I suppose that will be acceptable,” the Asari replied. “It will at least make the time memorable before you vanish as the others with whom I have shared a cell.”
“We’re both going to be getting out of here,” I stated firmly. “Even if I have to break us out of here myself.”
“Do you not believe I have not tried to escape?” the Matriarch asked incredulously. “I am far older than you and have attempted to escape many times. None of my attempts have succeeded and I spent ten years trying to escape this facility.”
“I’m not so arrogant as to think that I’m better at escaping than you,” I replied, my smile still on my face. “But I’m not the same person as you, and I may be able to think of ways around problems that you haven’t considered. Also, you’ve been trapped in here for far too long. It’s time to get you some hope back. But in the meantime, tell me about your daughters.”
“Fine,” Angel crossed her arms across her bare chest. “My youngest daughter, Mirala is the smartest, and she is talented,” the Matriarch smiled at the thought of her kids again. “She must be nearing her Matron years now, but she dreamed of being a Justicar just as I was once she was finished with her training to control her abilities properly. And her older sisters were some of the best trainers for our order, with the ability to convey information in a way that made it easy to understand no matter what kind of student you were. Falere and Rila are the kinds of teachers that every student dreams of having as an instructor. They’ve helped many an Ardat Yakshi control their powers and also took it upon themselves to get a grounding in many of the sciences. I wish I knew what they were up to in this time and age, but I am afraid that I have been unable to get any information on my daughters in over a century.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” I said as I attempted to console the Asari. “I’ll just add it to the list of reasons why we’re getting you out of here.”
Korlus, Imir System Late March 2167
“I’ve got information for you!” Aethyta nearly yelled in excitement as she burst into the office that Melissa and Natasha were currently in. “That psychotic bitch Sedaris came through for us. There’s a compound on Ilium that is just outside of her contracted defense area that has been there for the last thousand years. The owner hasn’t even changed hands in all that time. After pulling some strings with a friend of mine, I connected that Matriarch to an organization that I’ve only ever heard rumors of.”
“How many mercenaries in our employ are currently on Ilium,” Natasha interrupted. “And what will the response of the Republics be if Ilium were to change ownership?”
Aehtya paused, her thoughts having stalled out momentarily as she processed exactly what Natasha had just said.
“Well, Ilium isn’t officially an Asari world, so they can’t do anything legally to stop you,” Aethyta said after a moment. “But it is controlled by Asari Corporate interests, and they could make life living hell if things go badly.”
“We’ll leave the Corporations alone to do as they please as long as they remain within the legal framework of the Commonwealth,” Melissa said as she pulled up the data on the planet named. “But to respond to your first question, we have quite a large segment of the Brotherhood of Steel, and the Eclipse under our employ to protect our interests on Ilium currently. Not enough to subdue the planet as of yet, but give me a couple of weeks to coordinate with Carter and I’ll get things set up.”
“I don’t recommend you invade Ilium,” Aethyta stated. “The Republics are already wary of you, and you’ll be attacking many of the Matriarch's interests directly if you pursue this.”
“Good,” Natasha smiled cruelly. “Let them suffer from the consequences of their actions. They have not only taken my husband, but also our head of state. If our response was anything less than overwhelming then we would be considered weak,” Natasha looked Aethyta in the eyes as she stood up from behind the desk to her full height. “Now, are you with us, or will you stand aside and let others bypass you in order to do what is right?”
“Count me in,” Aethyta replied with a savage grin. “It’s about time those bitches on Thessia learn a thing or two about warfare.”
Location: Unkown
Date: Unkown
“Ahh, so we’re back to this old song and dance,” I snarked at the Asari who was still my main interrogator. “You’d think that Athame would have realized by now that I don’t exactly possess any technical data or information that can really help you.”
“Goddes,” Al’Sha rubbed at the headache that was already beginning to form. “Do you ever close your mouth?”
“Not really,” I chuckled as I felt one of the straps on my table loosen a bit around my right bicep. “I’m kinda known for being bad at negotiating back where I’m from. See, I’m not really a social person with people that I don’t like. So I tend to delegate that part of the job to others.”
“Embrace Eternity,” Al’Sha muttered as she forcibly entered my mind.
–
–
“Now, I’ve isolated the area that we’ve been looking for down to this section of the subject’s mind,” Al’Sha muttered as she glanced around the representation of the Human subject’s mental space. “Maybe this time I won’t run into any obstacles,” She opened the first door on her right as she entered the hallway only to be met by another strange figure.
“I’m sorry,” the shadowy figure bowed. “You’re in the wrong area, the room you’re looking for is two doors down on the left,” The figure made a strange gesture. “You kinda interrupted my movie here, so I’ll help you get on your way.”
Al’Sha found herself in front of a door with a strange blank spot in her mind.
“What just happened?” The Asari asked as she looked around and saw that she was in the same hallway she had been in before. “I must have had a time-lapse or something,” she muttered with a half-shrug. “I guess I open this door and see what is on the other side.”
–
–
“I’ve got it,” Al’Sha gasped as she jolted upright out of the meld. “I must get Athame immediately.”
“I think not,” the Human said as he flexed his right arm and the strap holding him in place shifted so that his arm was free before grabbing the Asari’s wrist and twisting it in a specific way that caused Al’sha to fall to her knees grabbing at the hand that seemed to be broken in an odd way.
The Human then tore the straps off of his left arm and legs before pushing himself off of the table and grabbing the Asari who was still looking at her broken wrist and gasping in pain, pulling her upwards and into a chokehold.
“Now, nighty night,” The human muttered as he pulled upwards and to the right on the Asari, relaxing his grip after she stopped struggling. “Time for a breakout.”
Author’s Note: Whelp, y'all get an early update. I wasn't going to update until January, but I got bit by the writing bug.
Location: Unknown
Date: Unknown
“So, care to tell me a little bit about yourself, Angel?” I asked as I sat in the corner of our cell. “I mean, it’s not like we’ve got anything better to do.”
“There is not much to tell you,” Angel sighed. “I am a mother of three, and I have been held here for so long that I do not even know what year it is anymore.”
“Well, you have daughters, so tell me about them,” I scratched at the scruff that was coming in where my full beard once was. “And I’ll tell you some stories about my kids in return.”
“I suppose that will be acceptable,” the Asari replied. “It will at least make the time memorable before you vanish as the others with whom I have shared a cell.”
“We’re both going to be getting out of here,” I stated firmly. “Even if I have to break us out of here myself.”
“Do you not believe I have not tried to escape?” the Matriarch asked incredulously. “I am far older than you and have attempted to escape many times. None of my attempts have succeeded and I spent ten years trying to escape this facility.”
“I’m not so arrogant as to think that I’m better at escaping than you,” I replied, my smile still on my face. “But I’m not the same person as you, and I may be able to think of ways around problems that you haven’t considered. Also, you’ve been trapped in here for far too long. It’s time to get you some hope back. But in the meantime, tell me about your daughters.”
“Fine,” Angel crossed her arms across her bare chest. “My youngest daughter, Mirala is the smartest, and she is talented,” the Matriarch smiled at the thought of her kids again. “She must be nearing her Matron years now, but she dreamed of being a Justicar just as I was once she was finished with her training to control her abilities properly. And her older sisters were some of the best trainers for our order, with the ability to convey information in a way that made it easy to understand no matter what kind of student you were. Falere and Rila are the kinds of teachers that every student dreams of having as an instructor. They’ve helped many an Ardat Yakshi control their powers and also took it upon themselves to get a grounding in many of the sciences. I wish I knew what they were up to in this time and age, but I am afraid that I have been unable to get any information on my daughters in over a century.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” I said as I attempted to console the Asari. “I’ll just add it to the list of reasons why we’re getting you out of here.”
Korlus, Imir System Late March 2167
“I’ve got information for you!” Aethyta nearly yelled in excitement as she burst into the office that Melissa and Natasha were currently in. “That psychotic bitch Sedaris came through for us. There’s a compound on Ilium that is just outside of her contracted defense area that has been there for the last thousand years. The owner hasn’t even changed hands in all that time. After pulling some strings with a friend of mine, I connected that Matriarch to an organization that I’ve only ever heard rumors of.”
“How many mercenaries in our employ are currently on Ilium,” Natasha interrupted. “And what will the response of the Republics be if Ilium were to change ownership?”
Aehtya paused, her thoughts having stalled out momentarily as she processed exactly what Natasha had just said.
“Well, Ilium isn’t officially an Asari world, so they can’t do anything legally to stop you,” Aethyta said after a moment. “But it is controlled by Asari Corporate interests, and they could make life living hell if things go badly.”
“We’ll leave the Corporations alone to do as they please as long as they remain within the legal framework of the Commonwealth,” Melissa said as she pulled up the data on the planet named. “But to respond to your first question, we have quite a large segment of the Brotherhood of Steel, and the Eclipse under our employ to protect our interests on Ilium currently. Not enough to subdue the planet as of yet, but give me a couple of weeks to coordinate with Carter and I’ll get things set up.”
“I don’t recommend you invade Ilium,” Aethyta stated. “The Republics are already wary of you, and you’ll be attacking many of the Matriarch's interests directly if you pursue this.”
“Good,” Natasha smiled cruelly. “Let them suffer from the consequences of their actions. They have not only taken my husband, but also our head of state. If our response was anything less than overwhelming then we would be considered weak,” Natasha looked Aethyta in the eyes as she stood up from behind the desk to her full height. “Now, are you with us, or will you stand aside and let others bypass you in order to do what is right?”
“Count me in,” Aethyta replied with a savage grin. “It’s about time those bitches on Thessia learn a thing or two about warfare.”
Location: Unkown
Date: Unkown
“Ahh, so we’re back to this old song and dance,” I snarked at the Asari who was still my main interrogator. “You’d think that Athame would have realized by now that I don’t exactly possess any technical data or information that can really help you.”
“Goddes,” Al’Sha rubbed at the headache that was already beginning to form. “Do you ever close your mouth?”
“Not really,” I chuckled as I felt one of the straps on my table loosen a bit around my right bicep. “I’m kinda known for being bad at negotiating back where I’m from. See, I’m not really a social person with people that I don’t like. So I tend to delegate that part of the job to others.”
“Embrace Eternity,” Al’Sha muttered as she forcibly entered my mind.
–
–
“Now, I’ve isolated the area that we’ve been looking for down to this section of the subject’s mind,” Al’Sha muttered as she glanced around the representation of the Human subject’s mental space. “Maybe this time I won’t run into any obstacles,” She opened the first door on her right as she entered the hallway only to be met by another strange figure.
“I’m sorry,” the shadowy figure bowed. “You’re in the wrong area, the room you’re looking for is two doors down on the left,” The figure made a strange gesture. “You kinda interrupted my movie here, so I’ll help you get on your way.”
Al’Sha found herself in front of a door with a strange blank spot in her mind.
“What just happened?” The Asari asked as she looked around and saw that she was in the same hallway she had been in before. “I must have had a time-lapse or something,” she muttered with a half-shrug. “I guess I open this door and see what is on the other side.”
–
–
“I’ve got it,” Al’Sha gasped as she jolted upright out of the meld. “I must get Athame immediately.”
“I think not,” the Human said as he flexed his right arm and the strap holding him in place shifted so that his arm was free before grabbing the Asari’s wrist and twisting it in a specific way that caused Al’sha to fall to her knees grabbing at the hand that seemed to be broken in an odd way.
The Human then tore the straps off of his left arm and legs before pushing himself off of the table and grabbing the Asari who was still looking at her broken wrist and gasping in pain, pulling her upwards and into a chokehold.
“Now, nighty night,” The human muttered as he pulled upwards and to the right on the Asari, relaxing his grip after she stopped struggling. “Time for a breakout.”
Author’s Note: Whelp, y'all get an early update. I wasn't going to update until January, but I got bit by the writing bug.
Yacovo
Occasionally spouting nonsense
Ah Ilium! Well at least nukes won’t make the climate hotter than it already is on that planet. Nuclear winter might even make it more habitable.
Be a hell of a statement to blow up the mountain peak where they are keeping Hull. It is the right amount of over the top and petty Battletech can do. Bonus points for intimidation if it is a temple mountain.
Natasha: “Ilium forces, we advise you to vacate the Mountain of the Goddess.”
Ilium commander: “And why is that, savage?”
Natasha: “Because we are about to turn it into the Crater of the Goddess.”
Be a hell of a statement to blow up the mountain peak where they are keeping Hull. It is the right amount of over the top and petty Battletech can do. Bonus points for intimidation if it is a temple mountain.
Natasha: “Ilium forces, we advise you to vacate the Mountain of the Goddess.”
Ilium commander: “And why is that, savage?”
Natasha: “Because we are about to turn it into the Crater of the Goddess.”
Last edited:
Thanks Emparor for writing bugs!
So,when Natasha come,she would find her husband as Warrior King of Illium with harem of young maidens and one eldery ,but still good looking,mother of 3 daughters ?
Well,Natasha could forgive her husband few things,right?
Jokes aside - He would be not King,but could be partisant leader when they finally come.
Yes and no.Yes,they are powerfull - but they also were powerfull for last 6000 years and nobody could match them.
Why somebody coud succed now?
It is logical approach,which you could find in any falling human empire.
Why care about some barbarians invading,when our Legions are unmatched?
Turians and younger Asari would be happy to see old hags gone - exactly becouse they act this way.
\
P.S if he ripped scheets and made bandages,he could cosplay as mummy!
They would not hurt him,if he say that he is their mummy,right?
MarkWarrior
Well-known member
Latest chapter will be rewritten sometime today. I may have been a bit tipsy when I wrote it.
Chapter 59 (rewrite)
MarkWarrior
Well-known member
Chapter 59
Once I ensured the Asari was down, I went through the pockets of her bodysuit, looking for something useful and finding nothing except for her Omnitool. An Omnitool that was only in the Asari written language. A language that I couldn’t read as of yet.
“Dammit,” I swore as I attempted to navigate through the unfamiliar systems anyway. “There’s got to be something useful here.”
As I continued to fiddle with the Omnitool, I moved closer to the doors, hoping that there would be something in the Omnitool’s data that would cause the doors to open automatically or something. When I reached the door panel, I pushed a couple of buttons and then waited as nothing seemed to happen.
“Well, this sucks,” I sighed as I wrapped the Omnitool around my wrist and continue to fiddle with the panel, hoping that there was some sort of emergency opening switch I could trigger when the doors slid open slowly. Hearing voices, I slipped behind the doorway and watched as two Asari walked into the room.
“Hey Al’Sha,” one of them called out as she looked around the room. “Where are you at? It’s time for your session to be up, don’t want to burn out the Human’s nervous system after all.”
I looked at the two Asari and noted that they both had sidearms, one of them having her holster on the left and the other one on her right. Gathering myself, I rushed forward, throwing myself into a full-body tackle while grabbing at the sidearm that was seated on the outside of the closest Asari’s armor.
Snatching it from her holster, I brought the weapon up to my chest and fired while pushing out, my shots hitting the upright Asari and causing her to go down. Once the first Asari was down, I shifted focus and shot the second until she stopped moving.
Dragging both of the bodies over behind the bed with the other body, I went over the armor, hoping that there would be something useful that I could use to assist in my escape.
After some struggle, I managed to remove the kinetic barrier belts and small power source from both of the light suits of armor, wrapping them around my naked torso and smiling to myself as the small hum of the barriers made itself known.
“Alright, now it’s time to get out of here,” I muttered as I went for the door only to find it closing in front of me and alarms beginning to sound.
“Well, fuck,” I sighed as I ducked back behind the solid table to use it as cover. “Looks like we’re shooting our way out.”
Illium, Tasale system, Early April 2167
“When are we supposed to move in?” Captain Manitus Adration asked via the comms that he had been provided to his employers in the Imir system.
“Our Employers are sending the FAFO into the system soon, give it another week or so and we’ll be positioned properly to take over,” Sederis responded.
“I thought you’d be disappointed that Illium isn’t going to be owned by the Asari anymore,” Captain Manitus observed.
“You think I care for those old hags?” Sederis scoffed. “I’d rather bite my own tongue off than have to pay them any more money,” She shrugged “Besides, futures looking mighty good with the MRB, even if they do take a cut.”
“Agreed,” Manitus flared his mandibles. “The pay is good, and the employers seem to understand exactly what it is that a mercenary group needs in order to thrive.”
“Well, I’m off to go make sure my girls don’t do anything crazy before we kick things off,” Sederis laughed.
“I’ll hold station in orbit, I’m subcontracted for some civilian shipping patrols for cover,” Manitus replied.
“Sir, should we be reporting this to the Primarchs?” Lieutenant Brutrius Pholus asked as he cut the communication.
“I will,” Manitus replied as he looked around the bridge. “We are here to gather intelligence, yes, but we are also here to assist the Hierarchy’s agenda here in the Terminus, and given how things have changed on the border recently I would argue that we are doing exactly what we were ordered to when we were sent into the Brotherhood of Steel.”
“But what about the Asari?” An ensign asked. “Won’t they have issues if Illium is taken from their leadership and influence?”
“What about the Asari?” Manitus’s eyes hardened. “When was the last time we were helped in our duties by the Asari? When did they last decide to help us shoulder the burden of paying for the military?” Manitus looked around at his crew. “They haven’t, instead the slack has been picked up by the Volus. Spirits, we’ve even had Elcor and Hanar assist us more with funding and antipiracy actions than the Asari. So, I think that it is in the best interests of the Hierarchy for the Republics to be shaken up a bit. Besides,” He met the eyes of the Ensign. “Would you rather the slavery in all but name to continue down on Illium? I would not allow it to continue, and neither will the Commonwealth. We will continue on our chartered course and will contact the Council of Primarchs before the invasion starts.”
Angel meditated in her shared cell, her thoughts turning toward the strange companion that had shared her cell for the last few weeks.
“Hope,” She mused out loud as she began to feel a slight change in the atmosphere of the complex. Her abilities having long adapted to the aura of this place. “Such a dangerous thing to have once again. And yet, I find myself eager to see what the future holds.”
The Matriarch closed her eyes and began to concentrate, her body beginning to glow with a deep purple aurora as she began to float in place. All of her Biotic power gathering itself within for something.
Then, alarms began to sound and lights began to flash throughout the facility as Samara’s eyes snapped open, the purple tint to them taking on a sinister aura.
Once I ensured the Asari was down, I went through the pockets of her bodysuit, looking for something useful and finding nothing except for her Omnitool. An Omnitool that was only in the Asari written language. A language that I couldn’t read as of yet.
“Dammit,” I swore as I attempted to navigate through the unfamiliar systems anyway. “There’s got to be something useful here.”
As I continued to fiddle with the Omnitool, I moved closer to the doors, hoping that there would be something in the Omnitool’s data that would cause the doors to open automatically or something. When I reached the door panel, I pushed a couple of buttons and then waited as nothing seemed to happen.
“Well, this sucks,” I sighed as I wrapped the Omnitool around my wrist and continue to fiddle with the panel, hoping that there was some sort of emergency opening switch I could trigger when the doors slid open slowly. Hearing voices, I slipped behind the doorway and watched as two Asari walked into the room.
“Hey Al’Sha,” one of them called out as she looked around the room. “Where are you at? It’s time for your session to be up, don’t want to burn out the Human’s nervous system after all.”
I looked at the two Asari and noted that they both had sidearms, one of them having her holster on the left and the other one on her right. Gathering myself, I rushed forward, throwing myself into a full-body tackle while grabbing at the sidearm that was seated on the outside of the closest Asari’s armor.
Snatching it from her holster, I brought the weapon up to my chest and fired while pushing out, my shots hitting the upright Asari and causing her to go down. Once the first Asari was down, I shifted focus and shot the second until she stopped moving.
Dragging both of the bodies over behind the bed with the other body, I went over the armor, hoping that there would be something useful that I could use to assist in my escape.
After some struggle, I managed to remove the kinetic barrier belts and small power source from both of the light suits of armor, wrapping them around my naked torso and smiling to myself as the small hum of the barriers made itself known.
“Alright, now it’s time to get out of here,” I muttered as I went for the door only to find it closing in front of me and alarms beginning to sound.
“Well, fuck,” I sighed as I ducked back behind the solid table to use it as cover. “Looks like we’re shooting our way out.”
Illium, Tasale system, Early April 2167
“When are we supposed to move in?” Captain Manitus Adration asked via the comms that he had been provided to his employers in the Imir system.
“Our Employers are sending the FAFO into the system soon, give it another week or so and we’ll be positioned properly to take over,” Sederis responded.
“I thought you’d be disappointed that Illium isn’t going to be owned by the Asari anymore,” Captain Manitus observed.
“You think I care for those old hags?” Sederis scoffed. “I’d rather bite my own tongue off than have to pay them any more money,” She shrugged “Besides, futures looking mighty good with the MRB, even if they do take a cut.”
“Agreed,” Manitus flared his mandibles. “The pay is good, and the employers seem to understand exactly what it is that a mercenary group needs in order to thrive.”
“Well, I’m off to go make sure my girls don’t do anything crazy before we kick things off,” Sederis laughed.
“I’ll hold station in orbit, I’m subcontracted for some civilian shipping patrols for cover,” Manitus replied.
“Sir, should we be reporting this to the Primarchs?” Lieutenant Brutrius Pholus asked as he cut the communication.
“I will,” Manitus replied as he looked around the bridge. “We are here to gather intelligence, yes, but we are also here to assist the Hierarchy’s agenda here in the Terminus, and given how things have changed on the border recently I would argue that we are doing exactly what we were ordered to when we were sent into the Brotherhood of Steel.”
“But what about the Asari?” An ensign asked. “Won’t they have issues if Illium is taken from their leadership and influence?”
“What about the Asari?” Manitus’s eyes hardened. “When was the last time we were helped in our duties by the Asari? When did they last decide to help us shoulder the burden of paying for the military?” Manitus looked around at his crew. “They haven’t, instead the slack has been picked up by the Volus. Spirits, we’ve even had Elcor and Hanar assist us more with funding and antipiracy actions than the Asari. So, I think that it is in the best interests of the Hierarchy for the Republics to be shaken up a bit. Besides,” He met the eyes of the Ensign. “Would you rather the slavery in all but name to continue down on Illium? I would not allow it to continue, and neither will the Commonwealth. We will continue on our chartered course and will contact the Council of Primarchs before the invasion starts.”
Angel meditated in her shared cell, her thoughts turning toward the strange companion that had shared her cell for the last few weeks.
“Hope,” She mused out loud as she began to feel a slight change in the atmosphere of the complex. Her abilities having long adapted to the aura of this place. “Such a dangerous thing to have once again. And yet, I find myself eager to see what the future holds.”
The Matriarch closed her eyes and began to concentrate, her body beginning to glow with a deep purple aurora as she began to float in place. All of her Biotic power gathering itself within for something.
Then, alarms began to sound and lights began to flash throughout the facility as Samara’s eyes snapped open, the purple tint to them taking on a sinister aura.
Yes,they have many reasons to be overconfident.Their tricks really worked for few thousends of years.
Chapter 60
MarkWarrior
Well-known member
Chapter 60
Peaking over the solid metal bed that I was using as cover, I exchanged fire with some of the Asari who was peeking around the doorway, the handful of bodies littering the floor between me and where they were seeking cover showing what had happened to the last few Asari who had tried to cross the distance and take me captive again.
“Just give up!” A voice yelled out from the doorway. “Eventually the ammo blocks in your guns will give out and you’ll be trapped in there with a bunch of pissed-off Asari Maidens.”
“No thanks,” I replied as I snapped off a shot next to one of their heads. “I like my chances from here.”
“Your funeral,” I could hear the shrug in the enemy’s voice. “Not my fault if we happen to fail to take you alive.”
“Yeah?” I asked. “You wanna come in and confirm that with your dead sisters over here? I’ve got quite a few that are waiting for you in the afterlife after all.”
“We can hold here all day if we have to,” the voice replied. “You’ll eventually get tired and then we’ll take turns interrogating you until nothing is left of your mind but madness.”
“Not exactly giving me a good reason to surrender here,” I shouted back.
“I don’t want you to surrender,” the voice snarled back. “I want to watch as hope dies out in your eyes when you realize that you’re never getting out of here.”
Samara walked calmly through the hallways of the base, flexing her biotics against any of the Sect of Athame that she came across and ending them as they crossed her path until she came across a door that was labeled ‘Armory’.
Flexing her fist, a wave of biotic power flowed from Samara as she crushed the door inwards and entered the room, the trio of Asari inside flattened by the door as it flew at them and came to rest against the opposite wall.
Looking around the armory, Samara pulled a set of armor off of a pedestal and began to fit it to herself, making sure that there were weapons in easy reach and that she could see the doorway the entire time.
“I believe that I should locate my cellmate,” Samara said as she walked out of the door with a rifle in hand, a shotgun, and a sniper rifle placed on her back with a pistol by her side.
Walking back out into the armory, Samara was greeted by a face that had mocked her for over a century.
“Athame!” Samara roared as she Biotically charged at the ancient Asari and the two Matriarchs went through a series of walls, the metal seemingly giving way beneath the combined biotic prowess of the two Matriarchs, the two of them coming to a stop in a room that was littered with bodies and a lone naked human crouched behind a single piece of cover.
“So it was you that was trying to escape,” Athame finally spoke as she flared her biotics and shook off the hold that Samara had on her. “It seems that in my old age, I have allowed our standards to grow lax. This will not happen again,” Athame turned to Samara. “And as for you Angel, I believe you have long since reached your usefulness to us.”
“My name is Samara,” the escaped prisoner stated coldly. “I have endured my identity being stripped away for long enough.”
Samara then turned and grabbed the human, wrapping him in a biotic barrier and using a Biotic Charge to get them out of the room and past the doorway where the Asari were starting to move forward.
“We’ve got to get out of here,” Hull said as she finally let him go after they were past most of the opposition. “I’ve got an omnitool that should have a map of the facility, but I can’t read it,” Hull tossed Samara the Omnitool before looking around at the hallway they were in. “Now would be a very good time to leave.”
“Oh Al’Sha,” Athame knelt down and looked at the first Asari body that was lying on the floor of the interrogation room. “I had such high hopes for you.” She reached over and closed the eyes of the interrogator, the crushed windpipe evidence of her demise.
“Oh, you still cling to life?” Athame asked as she felt the slight stir of the Asari beneath her. “Get me a physician,” she commanded one of the commandos that had remained as her escort when the rest left to follow the escaped prisoners. “We may yet have time to save at least one of our sisters.”
“One is already on the way,” the commando replied as she took up a guard position.
“Good,” Athame said as she considered the bodies of her followers that littered the room. “We shall have to ensure the proper rites are done for our sisters, I shall see to it that their families are justly rewarded.”
“There is an exit here,” Samara pointed at one final doorway as we ran through this seemingly massive complex. “It should open up to the roof.”
“The roof?!” I asked as I slowed down in front of the doorway as Samara used her biotics to violently force it open. “Are you insane? I won’t survive that kind of fall without my armor.”
“I have my biotics, I will catch you,” Samara stated simply as she jogged to the edge. “Do you trust me enough to do this?”
“Do I have any other choice?” I asked as I looked back at the door.
“I believe our choices are currently restricted to this or resuming our captivity,” Samara replied. “Now come, we have limited time.”
“Alright,” I shrugged. “But if I die because of this, I swear I’m haunting you for the rest of eternity.”
The two of us leaped off the roof of the skyscraper and began falling, the wind rushing past my naked body and causing me to involuntarily shiver as we fell for what felt like an eternity before my fellow prisoner flared her biotics and began to slow our fall until we reached the ground where she set us down gently.
“Come,” Samara gestured me towards an alley. “It has been many years since I have dwelt on Illium, but I doubt it has changed as much as most might think.”
Peaking over the solid metal bed that I was using as cover, I exchanged fire with some of the Asari who was peeking around the doorway, the handful of bodies littering the floor between me and where they were seeking cover showing what had happened to the last few Asari who had tried to cross the distance and take me captive again.
“Just give up!” A voice yelled out from the doorway. “Eventually the ammo blocks in your guns will give out and you’ll be trapped in there with a bunch of pissed-off Asari Maidens.”
“No thanks,” I replied as I snapped off a shot next to one of their heads. “I like my chances from here.”
“Your funeral,” I could hear the shrug in the enemy’s voice. “Not my fault if we happen to fail to take you alive.”
“Yeah?” I asked. “You wanna come in and confirm that with your dead sisters over here? I’ve got quite a few that are waiting for you in the afterlife after all.”
“We can hold here all day if we have to,” the voice replied. “You’ll eventually get tired and then we’ll take turns interrogating you until nothing is left of your mind but madness.”
“Not exactly giving me a good reason to surrender here,” I shouted back.
“I don’t want you to surrender,” the voice snarled back. “I want to watch as hope dies out in your eyes when you realize that you’re never getting out of here.”
Samara walked calmly through the hallways of the base, flexing her biotics against any of the Sect of Athame that she came across and ending them as they crossed her path until she came across a door that was labeled ‘Armory’.
Flexing her fist, a wave of biotic power flowed from Samara as she crushed the door inwards and entered the room, the trio of Asari inside flattened by the door as it flew at them and came to rest against the opposite wall.
Looking around the armory, Samara pulled a set of armor off of a pedestal and began to fit it to herself, making sure that there were weapons in easy reach and that she could see the doorway the entire time.
“I believe that I should locate my cellmate,” Samara said as she walked out of the door with a rifle in hand, a shotgun, and a sniper rifle placed on her back with a pistol by her side.
Walking back out into the armory, Samara was greeted by a face that had mocked her for over a century.
“Athame!” Samara roared as she Biotically charged at the ancient Asari and the two Matriarchs went through a series of walls, the metal seemingly giving way beneath the combined biotic prowess of the two Matriarchs, the two of them coming to a stop in a room that was littered with bodies and a lone naked human crouched behind a single piece of cover.
“So it was you that was trying to escape,” Athame finally spoke as she flared her biotics and shook off the hold that Samara had on her. “It seems that in my old age, I have allowed our standards to grow lax. This will not happen again,” Athame turned to Samara. “And as for you Angel, I believe you have long since reached your usefulness to us.”
“My name is Samara,” the escaped prisoner stated coldly. “I have endured my identity being stripped away for long enough.”
Samara then turned and grabbed the human, wrapping him in a biotic barrier and using a Biotic Charge to get them out of the room and past the doorway where the Asari were starting to move forward.
“We’ve got to get out of here,” Hull said as she finally let him go after they were past most of the opposition. “I’ve got an omnitool that should have a map of the facility, but I can’t read it,” Hull tossed Samara the Omnitool before looking around at the hallway they were in. “Now would be a very good time to leave.”
“Oh Al’Sha,” Athame knelt down and looked at the first Asari body that was lying on the floor of the interrogation room. “I had such high hopes for you.” She reached over and closed the eyes of the interrogator, the crushed windpipe evidence of her demise.
“Oh, you still cling to life?” Athame asked as she felt the slight stir of the Asari beneath her. “Get me a physician,” she commanded one of the commandos that had remained as her escort when the rest left to follow the escaped prisoners. “We may yet have time to save at least one of our sisters.”
“One is already on the way,” the commando replied as she took up a guard position.
“Good,” Athame said as she considered the bodies of her followers that littered the room. “We shall have to ensure the proper rites are done for our sisters, I shall see to it that their families are justly rewarded.”
“There is an exit here,” Samara pointed at one final doorway as we ran through this seemingly massive complex. “It should open up to the roof.”
“The roof?!” I asked as I slowed down in front of the doorway as Samara used her biotics to violently force it open. “Are you insane? I won’t survive that kind of fall without my armor.”
“I have my biotics, I will catch you,” Samara stated simply as she jogged to the edge. “Do you trust me enough to do this?”
“Do I have any other choice?” I asked as I looked back at the door.
“I believe our choices are currently restricted to this or resuming our captivity,” Samara replied. “Now come, we have limited time.”
“Alright,” I shrugged. “But if I die because of this, I swear I’m haunting you for the rest of eternity.”
The two of us leaped off the roof of the skyscraper and began falling, the wind rushing past my naked body and causing me to involuntarily shiver as we fell for what felt like an eternity before my fellow prisoner flared her biotics and began to slow our fall until we reached the ground where she set us down gently.
“Come,” Samara gestured me towards an alley. “It has been many years since I have dwelt on Illium, but I doubt it has changed as much as most might think.”
Codex Entry #3
MarkWarrior
Well-known member
Codex Entry #3 Biotics
Biotics is the ability of some lifeforms to create mass effect fields using element zero nodules embedded in body tissues. These powers are both accessed and augmented by using bio-amps. Biotic individuals can knock enemies over from a distance, lift them into the air, generate gravitational vortices to tear obstacles or enemies apart or create protective barriers. (Excerpt from the common dictionary definition of biotics)
While this definition is commonly used to describe most biotics, what is not known is that biotics are not actually limited to the common move sets that are known to most of the public. While those are indeed the ways that most biotics use their powers (Due to the ease of training in that way,) a Biotic is capable of using their biotics to do almost anything that they can think of provided that they have the proper power and control to pull off what they desire.
This is most commonly seen in Matriarchs or biotics who are new to their powers. Matriarchs because they are comfortable with their own control and abilities and have grown to know exactly how far they can push the envelope of reality with their prowess.
New biotics are another case entirely. They often use their Biotics in new and creative ways because they are not yet trained. In fact, this is part of the reason why biotics are often recorded before their training. So that the things they attempted are known so that new techniques might be researched.
The downside to the creativity and exploration of biotic powers is that in many cases an accident is fatal, so there is good reason to not attempt something new with biotics lest the user perishes by doing something that they cannot control.
In summation, the future of biotics is ever-changing, and one day we might see an entirely new movement set used by not only the military but also the various biotics sports that are out there.
Biotics is the ability of some lifeforms to create mass effect fields using element zero nodules embedded in body tissues. These powers are both accessed and augmented by using bio-amps. Biotic individuals can knock enemies over from a distance, lift them into the air, generate gravitational vortices to tear obstacles or enemies apart or create protective barriers. (Excerpt from the common dictionary definition of biotics)
While this definition is commonly used to describe most biotics, what is not known is that biotics are not actually limited to the common move sets that are known to most of the public. While those are indeed the ways that most biotics use their powers (Due to the ease of training in that way,) a Biotic is capable of using their biotics to do almost anything that they can think of provided that they have the proper power and control to pull off what they desire.
This is most commonly seen in Matriarchs or biotics who are new to their powers. Matriarchs because they are comfortable with their own control and abilities and have grown to know exactly how far they can push the envelope of reality with their prowess.
New biotics are another case entirely. They often use their Biotics in new and creative ways because they are not yet trained. In fact, this is part of the reason why biotics are often recorded before their training. So that the things they attempted are known so that new techniques might be researched.
The downside to the creativity and exploration of biotic powers is that in many cases an accident is fatal, so there is good reason to not attempt something new with biotics lest the user perishes by doing something that they cannot control.
In summation, the future of biotics is ever-changing, and one day we might see an entirely new movement set used by not only the military but also the various biotics sports that are out there.
Chapter 61
MarkWarrior
Well-known member
Chapter 61 (Council of Primarchs interlude)
“Sparatus, it is good to see that you were able to make it,” Primarch Turuns Helion greeted the holographic image of their Council Representative.
“I was able to break away from some of the projects that have taken up much of my time as late,” Sparatus replied with a slight flare of irritation in his mandibles. “Councilor Tevosseems to be unconcerned with the fact that a head of state was attacked while on the Citadel.”
“I personally have had many a high-ranking Volus making calls to my office,” one Primarch remarked. “It’s taken a lot of work to keep them appeased.”
“Agreed,” Helion replied. “I’ve had to make some concessions so that they weren’t worried about potential profit losses from their negotiations not being able to occur as planned.”
“That’s not why we called you here though,” one of the senior Primarchs, a nearly two-hundred-year-old Turian cut through the conversation. “We have reports from the Brotherhood of Steel, and we need to prepare for some way in which to deal with the fallout.”
“What fallout?” Sparatus asked. “I’ve not heard of anything requiring that level of damage control.”
“Allow me to start from the beginning,” Helion cut in. “The Brotherhood of Steel was tasked with handling escort and antipiracy missions at first. Their primary mission changing from mission to mission, but typically remaining within the scope of work that we expected them to perform while under contract with the Terminus Commonwealth,” Helion paused to take a breath and sipped at the drink in front of him.
“The Brotherhood of Steel were the primary escorts and supporting craft for the operation to retake Omega. They were able to establish themselves as trustworthy to their employers and have spent the last few months working to protect trade routes and assisting in building up and training militia and soldiers in the planets that have joined the Terminus Commonwealth.”
“I do not see where the problem lies,” Sparatus said with a slight shrug. “What has changed of late that would require such a meeting?”
“They’ve taken to interpreting their orders in an… unusual way,” the old Primarch stated. “The Terminus Commonwealth seems to have found their missing head of state and are invading Illium as we speak.”
“Oh,” Sparatus stood there shocked for a moment before gathering his scattered and frozen thoughts and putting them to words. “And they are supporting this?”
“Supporting?” Helion scoffed. “They’re not just supporting the invasion, they’re one of the tips of the spear on this one. They believe that this will be in the best interests of the Hierarchy by ensuring that the Asari stranglehold on the economy is broken,” Helion paused. “There may have been something in the reports as well about trying to eradicate the indentured servitude contracts that are all but slavery while they are there.”
“Well, I assume that it’s too late to stop this invasion,” Sparatus said with his head cocked in thought.
“They sent us their intelligence briefing an hour before the invasion was launched,” Helion shook his head. “It is clear to me that while the Brotherhood of Steel still considered the Hierarchy to be their primary responsibility, we must disavow any knowledge of this happening under our orders.”
“There is some disagreement among this council in that regard. The old Turian spoke up. “There are those of us who believe that our wayward mercenaries and spies may be onto something. And that a shake-up is exactly what this galaxy calls for. In fact, I was told by one of the Volus that I spoke with this week that with the inclusion of the Humans and the Commonwealth into the regular economies of the galaxy that there would be the potential for a boom like we haven’t seen in centuries, and that this could be our opportunity to prove that we are more than just a police force for the Asari and the Salarians.”
“That is not the point of this meeting,” another voice interrupted the two Turians who were speaking. “You are now informed of all of the current and relevant data that we have,” the voice told Sparatus. “A data packet should be arriving at your terminal now, I suggest you take this time to become familiar with all of the details of our mercenaries’ operations.”
“I thank this council for the information,” Sparatus said with a slight bow of his head. “I will make use of the information as best as I am able.”
–
–
“You wanted to meet with me,” Sparatus said to Vedol as they met in a private chamber.
“Yes,” the Salarian nodded quickly. “Wanted to give critical information that I have gathered over the course of my life before I died.”
“What do you mean?” Sparatus asked.
“I am old for a Salarian,” Vedol responded. “So very old. I have outlived the Dalatrass that sponsored my appointment as well as those who argued against my appointment as councilor. Was once STG, and have done much over my lifetime, including gathering data which would have gotten me killed if I were any less important to the Union.”
“Data is here, on disk,” Vedol handed Sparatus a data disk in a bulletproof storage container. “Only view in a location that is safe from prying eyes. No one can be trusted to know this aside from a very few.”
“How long do you have left?” Sparatus opened up and asked the Salarian Councilor.
“Two weeks,” Vedol replied. “My replacement will likely side with the Asari in all things, and you are likely to be alone. Information on disk pertains to information that the Asari and the Dalatrasses wanted to be erased from history. I was responsible for carrying out the task,” Vedol lowered his head. “I saved the data and reported it destroyed, being too curious for a young Salarian.”
“What is on this disk?” Sparatus asked.
“Nothing you will need yet,” Vedol said reassuringly. “But one day you and your allies will need aid, and this will be the key.”
Vedol stood up and walked away, leaving Sparatus sitting in stunned silence.
“Sparatus, it is good to see that you were able to make it,” Primarch Turuns Helion greeted the holographic image of their Council Representative.
“I was able to break away from some of the projects that have taken up much of my time as late,” Sparatus replied with a slight flare of irritation in his mandibles. “Councilor Tevosseems to be unconcerned with the fact that a head of state was attacked while on the Citadel.”
“I personally have had many a high-ranking Volus making calls to my office,” one Primarch remarked. “It’s taken a lot of work to keep them appeased.”
“Agreed,” Helion replied. “I’ve had to make some concessions so that they weren’t worried about potential profit losses from their negotiations not being able to occur as planned.”
“That’s not why we called you here though,” one of the senior Primarchs, a nearly two-hundred-year-old Turian cut through the conversation. “We have reports from the Brotherhood of Steel, and we need to prepare for some way in which to deal with the fallout.”
“What fallout?” Sparatus asked. “I’ve not heard of anything requiring that level of damage control.”
“Allow me to start from the beginning,” Helion cut in. “The Brotherhood of Steel was tasked with handling escort and antipiracy missions at first. Their primary mission changing from mission to mission, but typically remaining within the scope of work that we expected them to perform while under contract with the Terminus Commonwealth,” Helion paused to take a breath and sipped at the drink in front of him.
“The Brotherhood of Steel were the primary escorts and supporting craft for the operation to retake Omega. They were able to establish themselves as trustworthy to their employers and have spent the last few months working to protect trade routes and assisting in building up and training militia and soldiers in the planets that have joined the Terminus Commonwealth.”
“I do not see where the problem lies,” Sparatus said with a slight shrug. “What has changed of late that would require such a meeting?”
“They’ve taken to interpreting their orders in an… unusual way,” the old Primarch stated. “The Terminus Commonwealth seems to have found their missing head of state and are invading Illium as we speak.”
“Oh,” Sparatus stood there shocked for a moment before gathering his scattered and frozen thoughts and putting them to words. “And they are supporting this?”
“Supporting?” Helion scoffed. “They’re not just supporting the invasion, they’re one of the tips of the spear on this one. They believe that this will be in the best interests of the Hierarchy by ensuring that the Asari stranglehold on the economy is broken,” Helion paused. “There may have been something in the reports as well about trying to eradicate the indentured servitude contracts that are all but slavery while they are there.”
“Well, I assume that it’s too late to stop this invasion,” Sparatus said with his head cocked in thought.
“They sent us their intelligence briefing an hour before the invasion was launched,” Helion shook his head. “It is clear to me that while the Brotherhood of Steel still considered the Hierarchy to be their primary responsibility, we must disavow any knowledge of this happening under our orders.”
“There is some disagreement among this council in that regard. The old Turian spoke up. “There are those of us who believe that our wayward mercenaries and spies may be onto something. And that a shake-up is exactly what this galaxy calls for. In fact, I was told by one of the Volus that I spoke with this week that with the inclusion of the Humans and the Commonwealth into the regular economies of the galaxy that there would be the potential for a boom like we haven’t seen in centuries, and that this could be our opportunity to prove that we are more than just a police force for the Asari and the Salarians.”
“That is not the point of this meeting,” another voice interrupted the two Turians who were speaking. “You are now informed of all of the current and relevant data that we have,” the voice told Sparatus. “A data packet should be arriving at your terminal now, I suggest you take this time to become familiar with all of the details of our mercenaries’ operations.”
“I thank this council for the information,” Sparatus said with a slight bow of his head. “I will make use of the information as best as I am able.”
–
–
“You wanted to meet with me,” Sparatus said to Vedol as they met in a private chamber.
“Yes,” the Salarian nodded quickly. “Wanted to give critical information that I have gathered over the course of my life before I died.”
“What do you mean?” Sparatus asked.
“I am old for a Salarian,” Vedol responded. “So very old. I have outlived the Dalatrass that sponsored my appointment as well as those who argued against my appointment as councilor. Was once STG, and have done much over my lifetime, including gathering data which would have gotten me killed if I were any less important to the Union.”
“Data is here, on disk,” Vedol handed Sparatus a data disk in a bulletproof storage container. “Only view in a location that is safe from prying eyes. No one can be trusted to know this aside from a very few.”
“How long do you have left?” Sparatus opened up and asked the Salarian Councilor.
“Two weeks,” Vedol replied. “My replacement will likely side with the Asari in all things, and you are likely to be alone. Information on disk pertains to information that the Asari and the Dalatrasses wanted to be erased from history. I was responsible for carrying out the task,” Vedol lowered his head. “I saved the data and reported it destroyed, being too curious for a young Salarian.”
“What is on this disk?” Sparatus asked.
“Nothing you will need yet,” Vedol said reassuringly. “But one day you and your allies will need aid, and this will be the key.”
Vedol stood up and walked away, leaving Sparatus sitting in stunned silence.
Chapter 62
MarkWarrior
Well-known member
Chapter 62
In orbit over Illium
“Why am I wearing this instead of armor?” Aethyta asked Natasha as she put the strange armored vest on over the athletic gear she was currently wearing.
“Because we are still unsure and do not know if you’re compatible with neurohelmets yet, so we cannot armor you up in one of our suits, and we do not know if your armor would be able to handle the heat generated by the mech,” Natasha replied as she took a seat in the chair of Hull’s Warhammer. “Here, you are going to want these attached to your cooling vest,” Natasha helped the Asari Matriarch get strapped in and hooked up to the cooling hoses.
“We are going to be taking the Ducal Guard and dropping directly on the complex that the Eclipse reported on while the mercenaries and the rest of our forces take over the governmental facilities as well as the corporate headquarters.”
“Don’t you think this is a touch under-armored, though?” Aethyta asked as she tugged on the cooling vest.
“It is what we had used for centuries before we managed to shrink our powered armor down enough for it to fit in the cockpits of our mechs and fighters,” Natasha answered. “Besides, you are going to be surrounded by eighty tons of armor and guns.”
“I guess we’ll see how this works out then,” Aethyta shrugged, still unsure as to how effective the cooling vest would be.
“At least you look good,” Natasha observed as she looked the matriarch up and down with an appreciative eye. “I may have to bring out that outfit again after we’ve rescued my husband.”
“What is she doing here?” Jesisnea Pesaran, the current head of the corporate council that was in charge of Illium asked, gesturing towards Jona Sederis, the head of Eclipse.
“She is standing right here, and has enough guns and armor surrounding and inside of the building to bury you and your guards five times over,” Sederis glared at the Matriarch. “Illium is under new management, and you and your fellow corporate heads are to remain here until the new authorities have decided what is to be done with you.”
“You can’t do this!” One of the Matriarchs stood up, her biotics flaring in her anger. “We are the rulers of Illium, and have been since before you were born!”
Sederis just made a small gesture with her hand and watched as the Matriarch's head vanished due to a very precise sniper rifle shot.
“I can do whatever I like,” Sederis grinned. “In fact, I decided to spend some of our hard-owned bonuses on a very well-qualified sniper to ensure that we can make our employers happy,” Sederis walked towards the head of the council who was still seated in place. “You see, you and the Matriarchs took us for granted, stopped paying us what we were owed, and assumed that because I was an Asari, I’d just go along with it like one of your pet Matrons or Maidens.”
“You will pay for this,” Pesaran looked at Sederis with hatred in her eyes. “You will never receive another contract in the Republics again.”
“You say that,” Jona sat on the table that was in the middle of the room. “But I’ve been getting many more offers for defense contracts with our outer colonies since I joined up with the MRB. And trust me, the outer colonies pay us way more than you do. So, I think you need the Eclipse, and we’ve just outgrown you,” Jona stood up and gestured towards her 2IC. “Keep them under heavy guard, if any of them try to escape gun them down. The last thing we want is the corporations having a solid base from which to mount some sort of counteroffensive.”
“You are clear for drop, happy hunting,” a voice said over the comms as Natasha and the Ducal Guard members around her felt gravity disappear as the drop pods were ‘gently’ pushed out of the dropship.
“Remember to try and locate Hull, he is the priority here,” Natasha said as the drop pod on her husband’s Warhammer began to break through the atmosphere of Illium. “We don’t have good schematics on the building so mechs are on defensive patrol while our infantry breaches and clears out the enemy stronghold.”
“I’ll be overseeing our sweep of the complex,” Major MacIntosh spoke up. “It’s been a while since I’ve done a VIP rescue, but I’m fairly sure I remember the basics.”
–
–
Flaring her jump jets, Natasha landed the Warhammer down in a crouch, the myomer and jump jets absorbing the impact as she switched her targeting computer to active.
“I want to do that again,” Aethtya said from the jump seat. “That was terrific!”
“Maybe we can do some training exercises with you,” Natasha said as she scanned for enemy hostiles. “We’ve got enemy turrets guarding the building, but I am not seeing anything beyond foot mobiles for now.”
“Copy that,” MacIntosh replied as his drop pod came down on top of the skyscraper, the six-man team leaping out and prepping the landing area for a couple of Stings to drop off the remainder of the force that would be clearing out the building.
“Enemy tanks are moving out of some sort of underground bunker!” one of the Toros on the force reported as it narrowly evaded a hail of autocannon fire. “Pulling back now!” the large pulse laser flashed, the beam striking the tank and melting off some of its armor.
“I’ll take care of this,” Natasha said as she jumped into the sky with a flare of the jump jets, the Warhammer touching the ground in front of the first tank, the medium lasers melting off entire sections of armor as she alternated fire from her lasers and SRMs.
“I’ve got your six ma’am,” the Toro pilot said as he turned to engage several of the turrets that were beginning to chip away at their armor.
“First tank is down!” Natasha reported as she moved the eighty-ton mech forward, stomping some of the Asari Infantry that were attempting to engage her flat as she ran forward. “Moving to engage the rest.”
Natasha felt something shiver down her spine and twitched, her mech barely dancing out of the way of what would have been a cockpit shot from some sort of heavy cannon that was being pushed out of the window of the skyscraper.
“You die now,” Natasha muttered as she squeezed the trigger on one of her PPCs, smirking in satisfaction as the cannon and crew that were manning it were vaporized.
“Status update,” Natasha barked as she and the rest of the Ducal Guard mechs began to set up a perimeter around the building.
“Lots of floors to make our way through,” MacIntosh said as gunfire echoed through the comms. “I’ll let you know when the building is clear.”
Author's Note: Sorry for the late update. I was going to write this yesterday but had a migraine that laid me out flat for most of the day.
In orbit over Illium
“Why am I wearing this instead of armor?” Aethyta asked Natasha as she put the strange armored vest on over the athletic gear she was currently wearing.
“Because we are still unsure and do not know if you’re compatible with neurohelmets yet, so we cannot armor you up in one of our suits, and we do not know if your armor would be able to handle the heat generated by the mech,” Natasha replied as she took a seat in the chair of Hull’s Warhammer. “Here, you are going to want these attached to your cooling vest,” Natasha helped the Asari Matriarch get strapped in and hooked up to the cooling hoses.
“We are going to be taking the Ducal Guard and dropping directly on the complex that the Eclipse reported on while the mercenaries and the rest of our forces take over the governmental facilities as well as the corporate headquarters.”
“Don’t you think this is a touch under-armored, though?” Aethyta asked as she tugged on the cooling vest.
“It is what we had used for centuries before we managed to shrink our powered armor down enough for it to fit in the cockpits of our mechs and fighters,” Natasha answered. “Besides, you are going to be surrounded by eighty tons of armor and guns.”
“I guess we’ll see how this works out then,” Aethyta shrugged, still unsure as to how effective the cooling vest would be.
“At least you look good,” Natasha observed as she looked the matriarch up and down with an appreciative eye. “I may have to bring out that outfit again after we’ve rescued my husband.”
“What is she doing here?” Jesisnea Pesaran, the current head of the corporate council that was in charge of Illium asked, gesturing towards Jona Sederis, the head of Eclipse.
“She is standing right here, and has enough guns and armor surrounding and inside of the building to bury you and your guards five times over,” Sederis glared at the Matriarch. “Illium is under new management, and you and your fellow corporate heads are to remain here until the new authorities have decided what is to be done with you.”
“You can’t do this!” One of the Matriarchs stood up, her biotics flaring in her anger. “We are the rulers of Illium, and have been since before you were born!”
Sederis just made a small gesture with her hand and watched as the Matriarch's head vanished due to a very precise sniper rifle shot.
“I can do whatever I like,” Sederis grinned. “In fact, I decided to spend some of our hard-owned bonuses on a very well-qualified sniper to ensure that we can make our employers happy,” Sederis walked towards the head of the council who was still seated in place. “You see, you and the Matriarchs took us for granted, stopped paying us what we were owed, and assumed that because I was an Asari, I’d just go along with it like one of your pet Matrons or Maidens.”
“You will pay for this,” Pesaran looked at Sederis with hatred in her eyes. “You will never receive another contract in the Republics again.”
“You say that,” Jona sat on the table that was in the middle of the room. “But I’ve been getting many more offers for defense contracts with our outer colonies since I joined up with the MRB. And trust me, the outer colonies pay us way more than you do. So, I think you need the Eclipse, and we’ve just outgrown you,” Jona stood up and gestured towards her 2IC. “Keep them under heavy guard, if any of them try to escape gun them down. The last thing we want is the corporations having a solid base from which to mount some sort of counteroffensive.”
“You are clear for drop, happy hunting,” a voice said over the comms as Natasha and the Ducal Guard members around her felt gravity disappear as the drop pods were ‘gently’ pushed out of the dropship.
“Remember to try and locate Hull, he is the priority here,” Natasha said as the drop pod on her husband’s Warhammer began to break through the atmosphere of Illium. “We don’t have good schematics on the building so mechs are on defensive patrol while our infantry breaches and clears out the enemy stronghold.”
“I’ll be overseeing our sweep of the complex,” Major MacIntosh spoke up. “It’s been a while since I’ve done a VIP rescue, but I’m fairly sure I remember the basics.”
–
–
Flaring her jump jets, Natasha landed the Warhammer down in a crouch, the myomer and jump jets absorbing the impact as she switched her targeting computer to active.
“I want to do that again,” Aethtya said from the jump seat. “That was terrific!”
“Maybe we can do some training exercises with you,” Natasha said as she scanned for enemy hostiles. “We’ve got enemy turrets guarding the building, but I am not seeing anything beyond foot mobiles for now.”
“Copy that,” MacIntosh replied as his drop pod came down on top of the skyscraper, the six-man team leaping out and prepping the landing area for a couple of Stings to drop off the remainder of the force that would be clearing out the building.
“Enemy tanks are moving out of some sort of underground bunker!” one of the Toros on the force reported as it narrowly evaded a hail of autocannon fire. “Pulling back now!” the large pulse laser flashed, the beam striking the tank and melting off some of its armor.
“I’ll take care of this,” Natasha said as she jumped into the sky with a flare of the jump jets, the Warhammer touching the ground in front of the first tank, the medium lasers melting off entire sections of armor as she alternated fire from her lasers and SRMs.
“I’ve got your six ma’am,” the Toro pilot said as he turned to engage several of the turrets that were beginning to chip away at their armor.
“First tank is down!” Natasha reported as she moved the eighty-ton mech forward, stomping some of the Asari Infantry that were attempting to engage her flat as she ran forward. “Moving to engage the rest.”
Natasha felt something shiver down her spine and twitched, her mech barely dancing out of the way of what would have been a cockpit shot from some sort of heavy cannon that was being pushed out of the window of the skyscraper.
“You die now,” Natasha muttered as she squeezed the trigger on one of her PPCs, smirking in satisfaction as the cannon and crew that were manning it were vaporized.
“Status update,” Natasha barked as she and the rest of the Ducal Guard mechs began to set up a perimeter around the building.
“Lots of floors to make our way through,” MacIntosh said as gunfire echoed through the comms. “I’ll let you know when the building is clear.”
Author's Note: Sorry for the late update. I was going to write this yesterday but had a migraine that laid me out flat for most of the day.