Beyond the Horizon

Chapter 74
    • MarkWarrior

    MarkWarrior

    Well-known member
    Chapter 74


    "This is the Citadel News Network, I'm Emily Wong, and I'm reporting live on the events that have happened in the past couple of days. Just this past week the Galaxy has had a great many changes, from the Terminus Commonwealth to the Systems Alliance, and even the Asari Republics.

    "As you can see behind me, I have the newly retired Prime Minister of the Systems Alliance, Jack Harper here behind me ready for his first interview after having visited the Citadel for the first time since he took office. Tell me, Mr. Harper, how are you enjoying your retirement so far?"

    "Well, I'm enjoying a bit of time off and touring some of the places that the galaxy has to offer," the man smiled as he spoke. "The Citadel is a gorgeous place, and I hope that one day Arcturus can match its splendor."

    "So what are your plans once you leave here?" Emily asked. "If it's not too disruptive to your vacation that is."

    "Well, considering the last time I left Systems Alliance space I was a prisoner of war, I think I'm going to enjoy seeing the sights on the Citadel before making my way towards Turian space, plenty of Veterans of the First Contact War from both our side and the Turians need a bit of closure, myself included. So I'm extending an offer for drinks to any veterans of said conflict that's valid on the Citadel while I'm here," the man grinned wide. "And Councilor Sparatus is a deft hand in the Armax Arsenal Arena, I'd love to test his mettle in a couple of rounds if he can spare the time."

    "So, why retire now?" Emily asked once her introductory questions had been completed. "I mean, the Systems Alliance doesn't have term limits aside from those in Parliament as of yet, and the statistics pointed towards you being able to not only run but win the next election."

    "Sometimes it's good to let the younger generations take over where you left off," Jack said after a minute of thinking. "My time is passed aside from a potential advisory role. I led the Systems Alliance into a time that I hope will continue to be peaceful and productive," he shrugged. "And I'm a bit tired of wrangling politicians around to what should be common sense. Budgets should be balanced and yet they act as if they've never been a college student before," Jack exaggerated with a roll of his eyes. "Besides, I'm overdue for a vacation anyway."

    "Unfortunately, that concludes our time for today, we'll now transition back over to the anchors for the rest of today's current events," Emily said with a bright smile.

    "Thank you, Emily, for a fantastic job as per usual," A Turian said as a screen lit up behind him. "In other news, we've now had the first Turian Planet decide to join the Urban Combat Championship League, they're mostly funded by their sponsor Armax Arsenal and were formed out of some of the Veterans of the Relay 314 Incident. Their head coach has said, and I quote. "We didn't hate them, and this is a sport that feels too Turian for us not to participate in, so we hired a Volus team to look through the rules and submitted our application a year ago. Armax approached us immediately following our petition to join and offered to sponsor us. We're all grateful for the opportunity to show the galaxy that there is a friendly sport that all races can enjoy."

    "Thank you for that fascinating news, Antona Surlin," The Asari anchor said as the viewscreen shifted to the planet of Korlus.

    "And finally, the breaking news of the day. Duke Hull of the Terminus Commonwealth announced that he was stepping down into an advisory role as his protege Melissa Steiner takes over running the newly formed nation. We were not able to get a statement at this time, but we expect that one will be provided soon. Shortly after the said announcement, Councilor Tevos was recalled from her position so that voting could take place on a new representative for the Asari Republics.


    While there is some speculation as to what the short and long-term effects of this might be, that segment is best left to the professionals. Thank you Citadel, and have a good night."






    "You sure you want to do this, Wrex?" A gruff Krogan asked.

    "I'm sure if the Turians can get a positive reputation out of this, so can we," the Battlemaster replied. "Besides, it's combat, it'll be fun even if there are rules to it."

    "Well, if you're convinced then so am I," Crux Urdnot said with a grin. "You do know that we're going to have to cough up the funds for this ourselves at first."

    "I've got enough put away to get us started," Wrex grinned. "You get the Krantt together, and I'll put together the funding and get the lawyers lined up. "I've got a few favors that I'm still owed after all."

    –
    –

    "So, you want me to sponsor you and your Krantt to join this Urban Combat Championship League?" Aria asked the Krogan in front of her. "What is in it for me?"

    "Besides it making you look even more legitimate ruler in the eyes of the galaxy?" Wrex asked with his arms crossed menacingly. "You owe me one, and I"m collecting it."

    "That's an expensive favor," Aria said as she lounged back on her couch. "What even makes you think I can get you hooked up with the right armor and weapons?"

    "You've got the right connections," Wrex replied. "And besides, you know that there are some sections of Omega that would be perfect for hosting some of the games. Think of the revenue and popularity boost that comes with hosting this sort of thing."

    "You've sold me on it," Aria sighed after a minute. "I know you have lawyers working on this, contact me when everything is arranged and I'll come forward with what you need to get started."
     
    • Chapter 75
    • MarkWarrior

    MarkWarrior

    Well-known member
    Chapter 75

    “This may be the most exciting moment of any UCCL game yet!” James MacArthur, one of the announcers said over the microphone. “For the first time since the UCCL’s inception, we have a match between the Taetrus Talons and the Rhode Island Knights. This is a day that is marked in history.”

    “Agreed Jim, how do you think everyone will fare out there today?” Johnny Lake the co-announcer asked.

    “Well, John, the Talons might be a new team, but they’re absolutely dominating in both training and equipment so far, given this is their first match and it’s against one of the top-rated teams in the Systems Alliance. And while this is merely a testing match to see where they rank, I fully expect the match of the year!”

    “It looks like they’re about to get started here in a few moments,” Johnny said as the handful of city blocks began to have drone cameras show up in strategic places. “Today’s match is also going to be featuring an entirely new sort of match that the UCCL has come up with.”

    “That’s right Johnny, they’re going to be playing an old game that we’ve brought back to life for the league,” Jim said as he glanced down at his notes. “From what I understand It started out life as capture the flag but has evolved to be something quite a bit different. John, you were involved in the process of getting this new mode approved for safety so can you tell me something about it? And so that our audience understands what the goal for this match is.”

    “Well, for one thing, each team has a designated medic zone where “wounded” teammates can be brought back and then reintroduced into the field of play. Once a team scores, the round is reset and all teams go back to their starting positions,” John explained. “Now, I’m not going to give the entire game away because there are a few surprises this year and I’d like to see how people react to them.”

    “It looks like we’re going to have to be on our toes, people,” Jim said with a grin. “Now, on to the action.”






    “Tertiius, I need you and team one to stay and hold our objective,” Captain Decbus Albinian ordered the leader of team one. “Teams two and three will push up to try and take the objective.”


    “Copy that,” Tertiius replied. “Campalius, I need turrets set up in defensive locations here, here, and here,” he indicated a couple of locations on the maps that were synced between all of their Omnitools. “We’ve got to hold this down while our other squads go secure the enemy flag.”
    “Moving,” Campalius responded as he grabbed his partner and began moving to set up some remote defenses.

    “Albucus, I want you on overwatch, make sure that your vantage point is hidden though, we don’t want to end up without covering fire.”

    “Roger, setting up shop,” the sniper replied as he began climbing up a building to get to a higher vantage point, occasionally using his biotics to boost himself to areas he couldn’t naturally jump to.

    –
    –

    “This is Albucus, I’ve eliminated their sniper, shifting positions now,” the sniper reported.

    “Good, we’ve got this locked down,” Tertiius confirmed. “Just lay low until you’re in a good position to provide support.”

    “Copy, doing dark.”

    “They’re pushing up!” Campalius reported as he exchanged fire with one of the Rhode Island Knights, dropping him down into the “wounded” status before two other Knights pulled off a hellish crossfire, managing to kill both Campalius and the turrets that he was responsible for.

    “Sorry boys,” a voice said over the comms. “But we’ve got a reputation to protect,” two grenades bounced into the room and rendered everyone but Tertiius down as per the rules before two Knights rushed up and grabbed the flag before rushing out of the room, one going down to a sniper round from Albucus while the other continued sprinting into cover.

    “Round one is over, and boy was it a close round,” Jim said as behind him played some of the first round’s best moments. “The Turians were able to take out the defenses on the Knight’s flag and secure it but ran into problems when the Knights were returning with the Turian flag.”

    “That’s right Jim, and it’s games like this one where the true champions are forged, with both sides having an opportunity to win this, it’s anyone’s game out there!”

    –
    –

    “That was great!” Oliver Price, the captain of the Rhode Island Knights patted Captain Albinian on the back while they were in the locker rooms. “For people new to the game, y’all play really well.”

    “Thanks,” the Turian replied. “Even though we tied, it was still fun.”

    “Look, normally I take the Knights out for drinks, but we wanted to invite y’all out tonight too,” Price said as he pulled on a pair of jeans and a jacket with the Rhode Island Knight’s emblem on it. “We’re not looking to party, just pick brains for a better way to do our jobs. This isn’t an actual warzone after all, it’s a game, and all of us have traded pointers with other teams one way or another.”

    “Let me ask the rest of the team if they want to join in,” Albinian replied.

    –
    –

    “Dude, I never even saw where you were,” the Rhode Island sniper said to Albucus. “How’d you manage to conceal so well?”

    “Well, it wasn’t that I was better concealed then you were, you did a good job at that yourself, but you didn’t pull back far enough into the room for your barrel to still be inside, that’s what gave you away.”

    “I’ll have to remember that trick for the next time we face off,” the Knight said with a grin before taking a swig of his beer. “Too bad it’ll be next season before that happens.”

    “Yep, being in opposite sectors means that we play against different teams,” Albucus said with a sigh. “Just means that we both have to win our league championships before moving on to the big prize.”

    “See you at the UCCL championship?” The Knight asked as he raised his beer.

    “See you there.”
     
    • Chapter 76
    • MarkWarrior

    MarkWarrior

    Well-known member
    Chapter 76


    “Are you sure you don’t want to step out of retirement again?” Melissa asked.

    “I’m sure,” I said as I tossed another log onto the fire that we were all sitting around, this being the beginning of what Natasha and I were going to be doing instead of piloting mechs and running around trying to put fires out. “I’m not normally one for camping, but it’s always interesting to me how the stars change on every planet. You look up, expecting the same stars that you get familiar with from your homeworld, but when you look, everything seems unfamiliar. It’s a reminder of how vast the universe is, and how incredible it is that we’re here at all. If any one specific thing had gone even the slightest bit wrong we wouldn’t be here.”

    “So you’re telling me that you’re not planning on taking up your position again,” Melissa said with a grin. “Got it.”

    “Sorry,” I said with a smile as Natasha leaned on me. “I’m trying to do something that I should have done a long time ago.”

    “And what’s that?” Melissa asked.

    “Pass on the torch to the next generation. I’ll still be around for advice and such, but y’all don’t need me to make this work,” I replied as I closed my eyes and just enjoyed the warmth of the fire. “I know I look like I’m still in my twenties, but Melissa, I’m old. I’ll be around eighty this year, and we were supposed to have retired years ago.”

    “Alright old man,” Melissa said as she reached behind her log and pulled out a container with some marshmallows. “But I expect you to still hang around and give life advice and other things until I’m ready to retire.”

    “No promises,” I chuckled. “But we’ll see what we can do.”

    “Arthur will receive training from both of us should he desire it,” Natasha spoke up. “And do not be afraid to call on us if it is needed. Despite my husband’s words, he shall want something to keep himself busy.”






    “So you want to stop terraforming sections of Korlus and use them for Solaris-style games?” Melissa asked the small group of engineers in front of her.

    “Yes ma’am, we’ve asked the Governor of Korlus and she approved our plan, so we’re approaching you to make sure that everything stays legal and so that some of our tech doesn’t get stolen,” Dr. Jones, the leader of this group said.

    “I’ll approve this tentatively,” Melissa said as she looked at the small group. “I’ll have Doctor Rogers put together a list of approved technology that you’ll be allowed to modify and use in these games.”

    “Thank you,” Dr. Jones said with a small smile. “We’ll make sure that the regulations are followed to the letter.”

    “Sure you will,” Melissa muttered under her breath as the scientists left her office. “They’ll end up broken the minute you think you can get away with it.”
    –
    –

    “Thank you for taking the time to meet with me, Kaem'Veem,” Melissa greeted the current chief of the Terminus Quarians and the worlds they had brought into the Commonwealth with them. “I was hoping you’d have an update on the state of your local militia units. We’re trying to get things more uniform across the board so that we can ensure supplies go to the right places in the event of war.”

    “The tank factories are progressing as planned,” Kaem said as his eyes glowed a bit, giving him a savage look when combined with the trophies that he had taken from his enemies that were hanging around his neck. “They should be up and running within a year and we should be producing beyond what we need in the years after that. That’s what the engineers and techs tell me at least.”

    “But it’s likely over budget and late, isn’t it?” Melissa asked with a smile.

    “Knowing how these things go, yes,” the Quarian sighed. “While I am grateful that you are merely instructing and giving us the basic plans for the factories while allowing us to be self-sufficient, there are times in which I wish that you had merely sent in more than the few advisors and had built the factories yourselves.”

    “That would work contrary to what we’re trying to accomplish here,” Melissa said with a smile. “Our navy isn’t yet big enough to have defenses over every world in the Commonwealth aside from ASF that are stationed on various stations. We want every one of you to be able to both defend yourself and produce your own spare parts for whatever it is that you have to defend yourself with. It’s part of the reason we’re starting off with basic tech and factories while we research the other things that we want to produce. Having healthy industries on every planet won’t only make us more difficult to crack as a nation, but will mean that our economy will remain strong even if something does threaten us.”

    “I certainly hope so,” Kaem said as he sighed again. “Because fighting with the local politicians over how everything gets approved and such has become a pain. One that I would not wish on my worst enemy.”

    “That sounds like politics,” Melissa agreed. “We’re going to be sending over some raw materials from Korlus to be used wherever it’s needed most over the next few years as we step up recycling measures.”

    “It would certainly help us rebuild some of the destroyed facilities that we were unable to when the last pirate raid came through,” the Quarian mused. “We shall have to see where it is needed most.”

    “I’ll leave that to the specialists,” Melissa said with a laugh. “I’m far too busy to figure out exactly where everything needs to go in every area of the Commonwealth. Delegation is the single most useful superpower, and I’m making use of it as best I can.”


    Author’s Note: Probably going to be a couple of time skips soon as I try to bring things somewhat closer to the regular timeline. What’s left of it, anyway.
     
    • Chapter 77
    • MarkWarrior

    MarkWarrior

    Well-known member
    Chapter 77

    “So that’s the final verdict then?” I asked the doctor as I felt a sort of calm just flow through me.

    “I’m afraid so,” the doctor replied. “For the foreseeable future you’ll be unable to utilize a neurohelmet for anything beyond using a suit of Mithril, and using one of those for too long could cause even more damage to the neural tissue. Now, in time you may be able to pilot a mech again, but you’ll likely have to relearn everything from scratch.”

    “Alright then,” I said as I began processing things almost exactly the same way I had back when I was fifteen and had nearly lost my eye in an accident. “Can I get all of the details in writing? I’d like some time to look over things and to see what potential treatments there are.”

    “Absolutely,” he responded. “It’ll take me a bit of time to put together the proper material, but I should have it ready by the time you’re checked out.”

    “Thank you,” I said as I saw Natasha clench in anger to my left. “I think we’d like some privacy please.”

    Grabbing Natasha, I pulled her into my lap and squeezed her tight in my arms.

    “I’m here and alive,” I whispered to the redhead as I felt the rage and fear begin to seep out of her. “That’s more important than being able to pilot a mech or get into a suit of powered armor again.”

    “How are you so calm about this?!” Natasha asked as she forced herself into a standing position where I could see her eyes blazing in fury. “Those Asari broke a part of your mind, and you are just going to sit there calmly?!”

    “I’ll probably have a breakdown later,” I admitted with a wry grin and a shrug. “But this isn’t the first time my life or plans have been wrecked by something outside of my control. Being angry about it won’t get me very far, and I know that there’s a chance I can regain what was lost,” I looked my wife in the eyes as I stood up. “If I sit and feel sorry for myself, or wallow in self-pity then I become immobile and will inevitably self-destruct. I have too much to live for and to look forward to for that to happen. Sure, it would be easy to just blame everything on the Asari who did this and just wallow in misery, but the easy path isn’t always the way forward. I’m going to take the hard, long, slow path that may not even end with me regaining the ability to pilot a mech.”

    “Sometimes I wish you would be angry,” Natasha said as she stormed out of the room, the door slamming shut behind her.

    “Well,” I sighed. “That went well.”






    “Is there a reason you asked me to meet you on the Citadel when you haven’t wanted anything to do with me for nearly a century?” Aethyta asked Benezia with crossed arms.

    “I want you to serve as my advisor,” Benezia said with a sigh as she met her once lover’s eyes. “I’m to replace Tevos as Councilor, and I could use your expertise.”

    “No,” Aethyta stated firmly as she shook her head. “No, that ship has sailed as my newfound friends would say.”

    “Why chose someone who does not know you over me though? Over Liara?” Benezia asked.

    “Because for once I’ve found people that understand exactly what I stand for,” Aethyta replied as anger caused her biotics to flare behind her eyes for a moment. “And don’t bring Liara into this. From what I understand, she doesn’t even know that I exist. Which is just the way that you wanted it.”

    “But things can be different now,” Benezia pleaded. “Surely you can see that?”

    “I can see that you are just the same as ever,” Aethyta finished her drink before motioning a waiter over to their private booth. “I’ll take the check, I think we’re done here.”

    “Just wait a moment,” Benezia asked, almost physically dragging Aethyta down into the booth. “What would it take for you to accept?”

    “Anything you could have offered would have had to take place years ago,” Aethyta said coldly. “I respected you once, but now I see that you’re just the same as all of the other Matriarchs that cast me out, and I don’t want anything more to do with it.”

    Aethyta stood up and handed a credit chit to the Salarian waiter, a sizable tip on it for him. “Enjoy your dinner Benezia, I’m afraid I’ve got other places to be.”

    And with those parting words, the Matriarch walked out of the restaurant and into the foot traffic of the Citadel, disappearing into the crowds as she made her way to the spacedocks.






    “You know, this isn’t where I expected to find you,” MacIntosh said as he sat down on the row of chairs behind me.

    “I haven’t exactly been the most faithful churchgoer in a while,” I admitted as I closed the Bible that I had been reading. “I’ve kept up my reading and my prayers, but I admit that I’ve sorely forsaken the gathering,” I laughed with a touch of bitterness. “It’s actually kinda funny when you think about it. I was a youth pastor for a while, thought that it was going to be what I would do for the rest of my life.”

    “What happened?” the Blackwatch major asked as he leaned back.

    “A lot of things that aren’t important now,” I said as I set the Bible down on the chair next to me. “Natasha still isn’t talking to me. I think this is the angriest she’s ever been with me.”

    “You do seem rather calm about this whole situation,” MacIntosh pointed out. “It feels a bit odd to most people.”

    “Being angry requires energy,” I smiled sadly. “Energy that I don’t have right now. Ian, my nervous system is really messed up, and I’m lucky that I’m not wheelchair-bound for the rest of my life.”

    “What options are there to help?” Ian asked.

    “Finding an Asari Mind healer that we can trust and spending the next decade rebuilding my responses to various stimuli,” I replied. “Despite all of the miracles of modern technology, there’s still so much that we don’t understand.”

    “Damn,” Ian winced. “Does Melissa know yet?”

    “I’m not telling her until she’s firmly settled into her position,” I said as I started to gather up the things I had brought with me. “No need to burden her with more than she can handle right now.”

    “Well, I hope you enjoy retirement,” Ian tried to change the subject.

    “I’m not just going to be retired,” I said with a laugh as I slung my bag onto my back. “I’m retired and extremely dangerous.”
     
    • Chapter 78
    • MarkWarrior

    MarkWarrior

    Well-known member
    Chapter 78

    “Here to end it?” Jack Harper asked as he stared outside the window of the hotel he had been staying in on Palaven. “I’d have thought you’d have come a bit sooner.”

    “That is what my brother sent me here to do,” a Turian voice said from behind the once Prime Minister. “But you seem to be done with life anyway. Killing you would a mercy compared to what lies ahead.”

    “You’ve seen the visions too,” Harper muttered. “You know what we have to prepare for.”

    “No, that would be my brother,” The Turian replied. “I’m merely here to get a different viewpoint.”

    “I’ve done what I can to prepare the Systems Alliance for the coming storm,” Harper said as he continued to look out at the dark planet below him. “I’m not willing to succumb to the coming darkness yet.”

    “Interesting,” the voice said with some amusement. “My brother is willing to sacrifice much to avoid what he sees as the end. But here you are, holding onto hope that you will somehow escape the coming judgement.”

    “There’s a quote from our fiction that always feels appropriate,” Harper said as he lit up a cigar and puffed on it. “It is an undeniable, and may I say fundamental quality of man, that when faced with extinction, every alternative is preferable,” Harper exhaled a small cloud of smoke. “It is when we are backed into a corner that we find out who we really are,” Jack turned around and looked at Saren Arterius. “I already know what kind of person your brother is, one who is willing to sacrifice others for his own agenda when backed into what he believes to be a corner,” the man smiled to himself as he stuck the cigar between his lips again. “The question is; What is Saren Arterius made of?”





    “Yes, I understand,” the figure spoke into its Omnitool. “I’ll see to it that it is done immediately.”

    “I still have many contacts left, I have no need of the funding that you wish to provide. And I’ll be sending some of my people out to scout the target soon. I think that I can persuade them to be of service to us.

    Yes, I am aware that they are savages, but they are something that we can make use of.

    My contacts among the Dalatrasses asure me that what we desire can be done with the right kinds of restrictions and will be getting the STG working on what we need.






    “I take it you’re still mad at Mark?” Melissa asked Natasha as the blond continued to sort the paperwork by what she actually needed to do and what needed to go back to the younger secretaries.

    “Yes,” Natasha admitted. “Tell me that you have something that needs to be done.”

    “There’s some potential pirate issues that might crop up on Kaem’s worlds,” Melissa offered hesitantly. “Nothing concrete, but we’ve been getting a QRF ready all the same.”

    “I shall take it,” Natasha said as she stood up. “I will return once I have worked out what exactly it is that I feel.”

    “Just try not to stay apart from him too long,” Melissa offered with a sincere smile. “This is going to be one of the hardest times of his life, and he’ll need you there for it.”

    Natasha simply turned and walked off, her face a mask of icy cold fury as she left the office.

    “I tried,” Melissa sighed as she pushed away her paperwork before standing up from her desk and pacing a bit. “Maybe I should have sent her on Samara’s request after all,” She glanced down at the mission brief that had been filled out. “No, she’s not ready for a clandestine op right now,” Melissa sat back down and began setting up a call to the now retired Hull.

    “Hey Mel!” The old man in a young body greeted the Steiner. “Is there something I can help you with before I head out on this hunting trip?”

    “Just letting you know that Natasha is heading out for one of Kaem’s worlds. She’s still pretty angry at you,” Melissa said.

    “I know,” Mark said with a lighthearted smile. “I’m gonna give her some space, let her figure out exactly how she feels and how she wants to navigate this whole thing. I’ll still be here when she’s done.”

    “Aren’t you worried?” Melissa asked, not really understanding.

    “A little bit,” the man laughed. “But Natasha has to make her own decisions. I can’t make them for her. Free will is important, and I wouldn’t stand against it for anything you could offer me. Besides, I have faith that she’ll be back before I start the journey back towards health.”






    “You’re certain that this is where we are to meet Mirala?” Samara asked her oldest daughter Rila.

    “I am certain that these are the location that was provided to us,” Rila replied. “I would give her some time though. It is clear that she has been up to something clandestine or secretive in nature.”

    The trio of Asari waited in the corner of the bar that had been sent as a meeting place by the youngest daughter of the Matriarch.

    Then, after thirty minutes of waiting, a figure brushed past and a small datapad fell onto the table.

    “Well?” Samara asked Falere.

    “Follow me,” Felere replied as she stood up and left a credit chit to pay for the drinks. “We’ve got to move.”

    –
    –

    “This is where we were supposed to move to,” Falere said as she examined the datapad. “She should be here.”

    “It is an ominous place for a meeting,” Samara said as she looked at the perfect imitations of once great Asari.

    “But it also works out great because most Asari will never come here,” a voice said from behind the trio.

    “Unless you were two academics?” Rila asked as she embraced the youngest sister. “You’ve grown a bit Mirala.”

    “I had to,” the slightly smaller Asari said with a smile. “I’ve been working my way up through the Shadow Broker’s ranks trying to find out where Mother was. Only to find out that she’s already free.”

    “Mirala,” Samara said as she tried to maintain composure before giving in and embracing all of her daughters as tears flowed freely from her eyes. “I feared I would never see the three of you again.”

    “We’re here,” Falere said as she squeezed her mother back. “And we’re not going anywhere.”
     
    • Chapter 79
    • MarkWarrior

    MarkWarrior

    Well-known member
    Chapter 79
    Veil, Terminus Commonwealth June 7, 2170

    “I’m both trained and certified in mind healing,” Mírala said as she glanced around at the heavily armed and armored soldiers guarding me. “But I didn’t expect to be brought into the fold so soon.”

    “Samara has my full trust,” I said firmly as I looked at the younger Asari. “You do not yet, hence the bodyguards. But I need to work on recovering, and we aren’t exactly sitting on a wellspring of mind healers that we can trust.”

    “Now that makes a bit more sense,” the Asari replied as she leaned back on the couch. “Just to clarify, the only way to start doing this is to meld with you, and even if it is not my intention I will be glimpsing into the core of not only what you know, but I’m going to be understanding exactly what makes you. Well, you on a level that no one else will.”

    “I see,” I said as I considered that statement. “I think I’ll still push forward. The path to recovery has to start somewhere.”

    “You may never regain everything,” Mírala said with a severe expression on her face. “And if I do something wrong you may end up worse off than you were before.”

    “That’s a risk I will have to take,” I said with a small smile. “But I’m well aware of the risks I’ve taken throughout my life. This is no more dangerous than anything else I’ve had to do in my life. Should the worst happen then I’ll have to accept that fact. But first, let us see where this road takes us.






    August 10, 2170

    “How was your first day at school?” Melissa asked her son as he entered her office while she moved from behind her desk to the couch to help him take off his backpack.

    “It was good,” Arthur smiled with a grin that was missing several teeth as his new ones grew in. “I’m already ahead but it was fun anyway,” his eyes lit up. “The playground was awesome!” he said as his mind went back to what he had done on it. “Can we get one for the house?”

    “Maybe,” Melissa said with a smile. “We’ll see how you do in school first. You have to earn these sorts of things, you know.”

    “No fair,” Arthur retorted. “We have the money, we could easily do it.”

    “Sure Arthur,” Melissa said as she pulled her son up into her lap. “We have the money, but that money would be better spent elsewhere. Come on, I’ve got something to show you.”

    –
    –

    “Where are we going?” Arthur asked as the unmarked sedan pulled off to a stop in the middle of Korlus.

    “You’ll see,” Melissa said as she stepped out of the vehicle, helped by a member of the 4th Royal Guards.

    Before the current head of the Terminus Commonwealth and her son was a series of buildings being constructed underneath a dome, the workers were hard at work measuring and ensuring everything was up to code as they worked at constructing the prefabricated structures that would be home to many people currently living out in domes that were being rebuilt.

    “Come on, walk with me,” Melissa said as she pulled at her son’s hand, leading him to an area that seemed dark.

    “Mary!” A giant of a Krogan ran up and scooped the woman up into a hug. “I see you brought a little one with you today.”

    “Here to teach him what we’re putting all of our personal wealth into,” Melissa smiled in reply.

    “Oh, well we’ve finally managed to get the eighth level’s lighting fixed, so you should be able to go down that far. But the ninth and below haven’t been cleared out yet,” Rordan Khirm replied as he scratched his chin.

    “Thank you Rordan,” Melissa said. “I’ll make my way over now.”

    With that, the Krogan departed for whatever his destination was beforehand.

    Arthur just remained silent as the dome got more decrepit as they moved along, the buildings now just used up spaceship hulls with homes carved into them with dirt paths in between, and open-air stores with homemade signs explaining what goods they were selling.

    “What is this place?” Arthur asked.

    “This is what Korlus used to look like all over,” Melissa explained as they entered what appeared to be the remnants of a dreadnaught. “And this is merely one group of many who refused government aid with clearing everything out before it gets recycled and rebuilt. I come down here at least twice a week and help them out by providing tools and whatever assistance they need to progress. Whether it be swinging a sledgehammer or using a varmint rifle to clear out pests.”

    “But why not force them to clear it out?” Arthur asked. “Wouldn’t that be faster?”

    “Sure it would,” a Turian voice flanged out in answer. “But it would break the spirit of these folks, and destroy what they’ve made with their own two hands. They know that they’re not as fast as the crews that are working on the rest of it. But they don’t care, this is the work that they want to do, them and their families.”

    “Cayde,” Melissa greeted the Turian. “How are the inspections going?”

    “The new work they’re doing is up to code,” the old barefaced Turian replied. “Pace they’re at, this area will be cleaned out in the next decade or so.”

    “That old Asari dreadnaught still the lone issue?” Melissa asked with a sigh.

    “That’s right,” the Turian leaned against the wall. “They might have to bring in outside help as they move further in, there’s still enough hazmat down there that regs won’t permit them to remove some of it.”

    “I’ll see who I can free up to help out,” Melissa said as she pinched the bridge of her nose. “Most of my people are back helping out some of the other arcologies.”

    “We’ll take what we can get,” Cayde said with a shrug. “It’s not like they’re in any rush right now to clear out the other levels yet.”

    “Thanks, Cayde,” Melissa said as she accepted the slate with the data on it for the inspections. “I’ll get back to you with an update soon.”

    “You know they’re going to figure out who you are eventually,” Cayde said as he stood up properly. “And when it happens that they won’t let you help anymore.”

    “I know,” Melissa said with a bitter smile. “But it’s still something that needs to be done. And they won’t accept any government assistance. So I’m doing what I can personally.”

    “Just warning you,” Cayde said as he turned his back. “People like this won’t accept the help anymore afterward.”
     
    • Chapter 80
    • MarkWarrior

    MarkWarrior

    Well-known member
    Chapter 80

    Korlus, Terminus Commonwealth January 15, 2175

    “Thank you for being able to watch Arthur,” Melissa said to me as the eleven-year-old ran in to play with the toys that I had set aside.

    “It’s not a problem,” I said as I smiled at the two children playing. “Yvonne and Ian dropped off Elizabeth so they could go on a date anyway.”

    “Natasha’s not home yet?” Melissa asked as she stepped inside for a minute. “I thought she’d have already left to come here.”

    “She stopped to pick up some groceries,” I replied. “I hadn’t realized that I was out of some crucial ingredients needed to bake cookies.”

    “Hopefully we adults can get some of those cookies as well?” Melissa asked with a hopeful expression.

    “Depends on if there are any left,” I replied with a wink and a smile. “I do have a couple of people here with snack-sized stomachs for this sort of thing.”

    “Well, I’ll see what’s left when I’m back then,” Melissa said before turning over to address Arthur. “I love you! I’ll see you when I get back.”

    “I love you too,” Arthur said as he gave Melissa a hug. “I’ll see you later.”

    –
    –


    “Shhh,” Natasha said to the trio as they walked into the room. “They are both sleeping.”

    “Okay,” Melissa said as she closed the door quietly behind her and the other two parents. “How was Arthur?”

    “He was good,” I replied as I pulled out a seat for the current head of the Terminus Commonwealth. “Elizabeth was good too,” I told Yvonne and Ian. “Cookie?” I picked up the plate of cookies and showed them off.

    “Sure,” Ian said as he picked up a cookie off the plate. “The kids help make these?”

    “They did,” Natasha said with a smile. “Then we managed to work all their energy out with some games before bedtime.”

    “Thank you,” Yvonne breathed with a look of relief on her face. “We needed the time away.”

    “Trust me, we understand,” I said with a laugh. “We did raise a few children of our own.”

    “You sure you don’t want your position back?” Melissa asked with a sigh.

    “I’m sure,” I replied. “I’m still working through my nervous system stuff with Mirala anyway.”

    “Is it going well?” Ian asked.

    “It is not going bad,” Natasha replied with a glance at me. “There are some things we’ve learned in this process, and it has made our relationship a bit stronger as well.”

    “Turns out that you have to do deep dives back into memories of the past,” I said with a humorless smile. “Your body remembers the things that happened even if your mind’s forgotten some of them. It’s why I’m wearing the eyepatch today. Went back over some teenage memories, and my body is having to remember that my eye works fine.”

    “Aside from remembering traumatizing events, we have been able to recover his system to a little more than half of what it is supposed to be,” Natasha explained. “Should we continue he will be able to pilot a mech again, but he won’t be nearly as compatible with neurohelmets as he was before.”

    “Thankfully, our neurohelmets are good and able to cover the gaps where I might have issues. If we were still using the Succession Wars era Neurohelmets then I would never be able to pilot again.”

    “How long until the healing process is complete?” Melissa asked as she munched on a cookie.

    “Another two to five years,” I replied. “Why? You need me for something? I’m able to use Mithril at the right levels again, so I can at least be of some use.”

    “I need someone to help advise me on some negotiations we’re taking with the Citadel species,” Melissa said with a sigh as she sent the relevant data over to my slate. “We’re currently stonewalled, with the Asari Councilor Benezia trying to push for sanctions on us while the Turians are trying to increase trade with us.”

    “And the Salarian Councilor is sitting on the fence?” I asked.

    “No,” Melissa shook her head. “That’s the odd thing, Osern Horajio has been keeping out of it entirely while focusing on building relations with the other Citadel species.”

    “Well, I’ll do what I can,” I said. “But Natasha is going to come with, and I’m not going anywhere without a rifle and a bodyguard.”

    “I’m not crazy,” Melissa rolled her eyes. “Of course, we’re not setting food anywhere on the Citadel. We’re meeting in a neutral and as of yet, undisclosed location.”

    “Unpublicized meeting?” I asked. “Alright, count us in, but we might bring along Samara and Aethyta. I might be running your Intel department until someone else comes along, but Aethyta is the one with the most contacts.”

    “And Samara?” Yvonne asked.

    “She’s the bodyguard,” I shrugged. “She normally doesn’t let me out of her sight unless her daughters are visiting.”

    “Well,” Ian yawned as he stretched. “I think it’s time we take Elizabeth and head off to bed.”

    “Have a good night,” Natasha said as she stood up and helped them pick up the ten-year-old.

    “Anyway,” Melissa stood up to start collecting her son. “I’ll get with you on the details later, I just didn’t want to spring this on you at the last moment.”

    “I’m here for whatever help you need, Mel,” I replied. “I’m retired, not decrepit.”

    Author’s Note: Sorry for the late (and short) update, This week hasn’t been the best and I got sidetracked. Should be back on my regular updates soon.
     
    • Chapter 81
    • MarkWarrior

    MarkWarrior

    Well-known member
    Chapter 81
    Korlus, Terminus Commonwealth, 2180

    “You’re sure this is the career path you want to choose?” Melissa asked the teenager as they sat and glanced over the paperwork that was in front of them. “You can go anywhere and do anything.”

    “I’m sure,” Arthur said as he leaned over the table and signed his name to the documents. “I’m not content with merely piloting a tank like you or a mech like Uncle Mark and Aunty Nat. I’m going special forces.”

    “It’s not going to be an easy road,” Melissa sighed. “And if you really want to start preparing for it then we’ll start working you in with some of Major MacIntosh’s sessions. He’s currently the head of our Special forces now that Yvonne has taken over the Ducal Guard and 4th Royal Guards.”

    “I’m aware of that,” Arthur said as he considered the rest of the paperwork that would set his career track for the rest of his life. “I’m set on this, mom; I won’t be persuaded otherwise.”

    “If that’s your decision,” Melissa said with a small smile. “Then I’ll honor it, just remember to pick some of the brains of people who have been serving for a long time. And remember that we’ve got more than just humans who have served for a long time. There are plenty of Krogan and Asari who have valuable experience too.”

    “I’ll keep that in mind,” Arthur said as he finished the last of the paperwork that would put him on the same career track as his best friend Elizabeth MacIntosh. “We both want to do this, and we know what the risks associated are. We’re ready for this, mom”

    “No, you’re really not,” Melissa said as she chuckled for a minute. “You’re really not.”

    –
    –

    “Get down and push the deck!” A Drill instructor screamed at the blond and redhead as they did pushups. “You think you’re capable of joining the Terminus Commonwealth Armed Forces with how weak you are?”

    Out of breath and unable to respond at the moment, both Elizabeth and Arthur continued doing the pushups as instructed by the Krogan Drill Instructor.

    “Get up!” Jordak Bragus barked. “We’re moving back to the classroom!”

    The group of early-entry military trainees jumped up to their feet and began jogging back toward the compound where they were to go through the day’s learning sessions.

    “You good?” Arthur mouthed at Elizabeth.

    The tall redhead simply nodded at her best friend as they joined the rest of the group.

    “Good morning cadets!” Nadia Winson greeted the group of young adults. “Today we will be covering the subject that everyone loves; advanced physics and applied mathematics.”

    “Anything is better than report writing,” a Turian muttered as he sat in his seat.

    “Agreed,” a Salarian whispered as Nadia passed the torch off to the lecturer for the day.





    Korlus, Terminus Commonwealth, 2182

    “Remember, we need to be sneaky and quiet,” Arthur said to his fireteam. “We both know how Lisa’s team likes to roll.”

    “Loud and fast,” Aetol Celon, the Salarian XO agreed. “We’ve got the advantage in range, but we’re outnumbered.”

    “This op isn’t about us winning the fight,” Antina Doninion, the Turian Sharpshooter observed as she checked to make sure her optics were synced up with her geat. “It’s about getting the intel out for the main formation to roll them up.”

    “Exactly,” Arthur agreed. “We have three routes we can take. But we’ll have to make sure that at least one of us makes it out to get the intel back to main base.”

    “Any idea what kind of firepower she has available?” Michael Lewis, the tech of the team asked. “She’s your best friend, after all.”

    “You know we don’t share information when in an exercise,” Arthur replied with a grin. “We’re here to see who’s better at this sort of thing.”

    “Fair enough,” the other cadet shrugged. “Just figured it was worth asking.”

    “Looks like splitting our fireteams up will make this work the best,” Aetol said as he looked at the map. “Assuming our mapping program is correct we should be able to converge once all of us are in, and if one team doesn’t make it then the others likely will.”

    “There’s twelve of us,” Arthur agreed. “Thirteen if I’m included, we’ll split up into two teams of four, and one of five. Aetol, Antina, you’re in charge of Green and Red teams, I’ll take Blue team and hit the entrance most likely to be watched. Best case scenario, we all make it in, worst case, one team slips through and is able to get the data back.”

    “Copy that,” Aetol said as he shouldered his rifle.

    “Wilco,” Antina said as she adjusted her visor one last time.

    “Then let’s get to it,” Arthur grinned.

    –
    –

    “Looks like there are motion sensors surrounding this entrance,” Maetrus, the Turian tech reported. “I might be able to fool them if you give me a minute or two.”

    “Guards secured,” Abigail reported as she dragged two cadets’ bodies into the room. The two of them were playing ‘dead’ because they had been killed and were generally making a nuisance of themselves. “But I don’t think my auto-reporting program will work for longer than five minutes or so.”

    “Lisa doesn’t just assume things are going well though,” Arthur muttered as he considered the problem in front of him. “She checks on things. Hack the sensors, and let’s move quickly. I have a feeling that our other two teams are going to need a distraction.”

    “Want me to go loud then?” Maetrus asked.

    “Negative, continue with stealth,” Arthur ordered. “We’ll go loud where it’ll cause the most damage.”

    “Done, sensors hacked.”

    “Moving up,” Arthur said as he took point, his rifle swinging up at the ready as they entered the main compound from the roof of the building next door. “Abigail, Roger, I want a zipline across now!”

    “Roger that, deploying entry,” Roger said as he reached for a special attachment for his launcher and triggered an alternate firing method. “Entry secure, but I weigh too much to use it.”

    “I know,” Arthur patted the nearly two-meter-tall man as he secured the other side of the line. “You stay here and cover our exit.”

    “Consider it done,” the man’s gravelly voice replied. “I’ll hold against whatever comes, Cadet-Major.”

    Author’s Note: A little bit of worldbuilding and showing off Arthur and what he wants.
     
    • Chapter 82
    • MarkWarrior

    MarkWarrior

    Well-known member
    Chapter 82

    “Ready?” Arthur asked the group of cadets with him as they looked through the transparent aluminum beneath them.

    “Setting up breaching charges now,” Abigail reported as she set up the charges that would bring the ceiling down.

    “Go ahead and breach when ready,” Arthur ordered. “We’ll pull distraction for the other two teams.”

    “Go! Go! Go!” Abigail ordered as she triggered the charges and then jumped down following the debris.

    “This is Saber Prime, we’ve gone loud, do not respond, continue to carry out your mission!” Arthur barked into the supposedly secured channel as he used his jump jets to slow his fall as he fired at a handful of enemy soldiers, his HUD marking them as ‘dead’ before he’d even hit the ground.

    Alarms began blaring as more cadet soldiers filed into the room, Abigail going down before she could even attempt to reach cover.

    “Fuck,” Arthur breathed as Maetrus put up a biotic barrier. “We’re not going to last long in here.”

    “There’s a room behind us,” Maetrus said as his barrier collapsed right as they reached cover. “If we take it we might be able to hold out for a bit.”

    “Grab Abi’s charges with your biotics, we might need them to get back out of here,” Arthur said as he and Greto covered the Turian with weapons fire so he could secure the charges.

    “Got em!” Maetrus said as he caught the charges. “We should probably go ahead and barricade ourselves in, there’s no way we’re getting intel out of this.”

    “Greto, get the door,” Arthur leaned out and exchanged fire with some soldiers, a couple of rounds catching him in the torso and rendering him unable to walk.

    “Grab him!” Maetrus said as he put up a Biotic barrier. “HUD says he’s unable to walk, but he should still be able to shoot.”






    “So, who do you think will win this year?” Natasha asked me as we looked at the live feeds from the live fire exercise being conducted.

    “Well, Cadet-Colonel Drothan Kaffetor has really taken to our methods, he’s risen quite rapidly through the training scenarios and has a good head on his shoulders,” I replied as I looked at the firefight going on. “But at the same time, Cadet-Major MacIntosh has shown herself to be an excellent defensive strategist over the last few exercises. So I think we’ll have to wait and see.”

    “She did accurately predict what Arthur would do,” Natasha agreed. “And despite his shock and awe approach she’s taken minimal losses and has already gotten her reserves ready to deploy for the big push taht Drothan is planning.”

    “I honestly think it will come down to who is the most creative,” Nadia Winson said as she considered the scenario. “MacIntosh is backed into a corner, she’s not able to evac unless she’s given authorization, and reinforcements and resupply are going to be few and far in between.”

    “We set aside several weeks for this exercise,” Melissa reminded all of us. “I expect we’ll see quite a bit of interesting things from the cadets this year. “






    “This will end in disaster,” Sparatus said as he glared at Benezia. “The Terminus Commonwealth has many economic ties to the Hierarchy at this time, putting sanctions on them will only hurt this Council, not make it better.”

    “The decisions does not lie with me,” Benezia sighed. “The Republics have voted, and I am to enforce their decisions.”

    “This will kill the relationship we were building,” Sparatus sighed. “It took us years to convince their diplomats and negotiatiors to start some joint projects with us.”

    “I’ll see what I can to do mitigate this,” Benezia replied. “But the Republics are firm in this. The Thessian bloc has gained a lot of momentum over the last decade.”

    “Some of our joint projects will probably still go through,” Osern pointed out. “But many relied on shared understanding and economic ties to function.”

    –
    –

    “This is Emily Wong with the Citadel News Network, bringing you the latest information from across the galaxy. Today, I’m here wit ha piece of news that is particularly interesting. The pope, Urban XV has decided to pay a visit to some of the Catholic churches that are located in the Terminus Commonwealth. The reason given to us by his press team was to, and I quote. ‘Ensure that the doctrine and core belief structure of the church as it has been found in this nation is solid and without error.”

    “This will be the first time a Pope has left Systems Alliance space, marking this as something to be watched,” Emily glanced down at her Omnitool. “And in other news, there has finally been some communication from the Batarian Hegemony, a new regime appears to have taken over after winning the Civil War and has apparently been restructuring an rebuilding the Hegemony afterwards. Stay tuned for further information as we try and keep you up to date. Until next time, this is the Citadel News Network, your source for information.”






    “Cadet-Major, take a seat,” Nadia Winson said from where she was seated a her desk. “Do you know why you have been called here today?”

    “I assume it’s my debrief of the training exercises conducted,” Arthur replied.

    “You would be correct in that,” Winson said as she glanced down at the report. “While most of your tasks and orders were completed in a fashion that was considered well done by the observing parties, there were some issues taken with your actions regarding the loss of personnel.”

    “In what regard ma’am?” Arthur asked with a furrowed brow.

    “While you did lose some members of your squad, that is to be expected in some fashion when regarding the numbers you faced, the real issue here is your inability to send more people out into scenarios where their death might have happened.”

    “I don’t want to sacrifice people ma’am,” Arthur replied as his face turned to stone. “Every person lost is another gun we lose that could have been used on the enemy.”

    “Arthur, you have an impressive intellect, and are a genius in asymmetrical warfare, but there is something that you have not learned yet,” Winson sighed. “The best of Commanding Officers are loved by their men because the CO also cares for them. But something fundamental that you must understand is that there will be times when you must spend the lives of the men and women under your command. We want our officers and soldiers to understand this before they graduate this academy. Not because we are cruel, but because it will make you and the people under your command the greater for it.”

    “You are dismissed, Cadet-Major,” Winson said after a moment of silence. “Send Cadet-Major MacIntosh in on your way out.”

    “Cadet-Major MacIntosh,” Winson said once the tall young woman had taken a seat. “Why did you attack when you were ordered expressely to hold and defend a given area?”

    “I gave the order to attack when communications with HQ were cut short,” Elizabeth replied. “In the absence of orders to the contrary, being on the offensive is a much better option than being pinned down in an area where you’re more likely to lose the men and materials under your command. Given that we were also surrounded on all sides at the time with no hope for
    reinforcements, it was my hope that I could push through in one area and cause mass confusion and panic among the enemy forces.”

    “Given that we have been training you to attack in the absence of orders to the contrary, you are beeing commended for the position of Commanding Officer for next year’s cadets,” Winson said as she looked at the cadet. “Your XO will be Arthur Steiner, you have one week to put together a list of your senior staff officers along with the proper paperwork for the personnel transfer.”

    “Yes ma’am,” Elizabeth responded as she sat at attention. “Is there anything else, ma’am?”

    “Neg, get the hell out of my office.”
     
    • Chapter 83
    • MarkWarrior

    MarkWarrior

    Well-known member
    Chapter 83
    January 2180
    "Shepard," Commander James Ackerson called out to the junior officer. "You done woolgathering yet?"

    "Yes sir," Shepard snapped off a salute. "Won't happen again."

    "Come on, we've got to make sure the R&D people actually get the gear they've been waiting on from Mars.

    "Why do we put up with the eggheads again, sir?" Jane asked.

    "Because, Staff Lieutenant, that's where all you N7s get your fancy gear from," Ackerson replied as the frigate continued to escort the cargo ship. "Besides, this is the last run we'll have to do before we go on shore leave for the rest of the week."

    "Aye sir," Jane sighed as she walked to the bridge following her CO. "I wish we weren't stretched so thin."

    "Manpower is something we're working on," Ackerson replied as he sat in the captain's chair. "It takes more time and money to train people the right way than it does to just throw bodies at a problem," Ackerson turned to look out the viewscreen. "You're a little young to remember most of the details, but for a while, most of our recruits came from Africa or the Middle East. People looking to escape the life that they had there. Well, most of them served their term and went back, using their training and the funds they had gathered to start changing things for the better down on Earth. Unfortunately, it means that we aren't seeing the recruitment numbers that we used to. But it does mean that overall we're getting better and healthier recruits when we do get them. We're not likely to outnumber anyone at this point, so we're going to have to focus on the quality of the soldiers and sailors that we produce."

    "Quantity has a quality all of its own, Commander," Jane replied as she stood behind and to the left of the John Adams CO.

    "We're on the final approach sir, ma'am," their pilot, an Ensign Frank Hill reported. "Cargo ship is reporting that the Research Station's VI has taken over their autopilot."

    "Copy that," Commander Ackerson said as he looked more alert than before. "Start scanning for any threats, Elysium is a newer colony, and it's possible they've missed something in their normal scans."

    "Aye, sir," the sensors officer, Emma Floyd responded. "Doing system wide sweeps now."

    "Expecting trouble, sir?" Jane asked.

    "Always," the man replied as he stroked the small beard on his face. "Considering the amount of small nation states that have formed out of the Batarian Hegemony now that their Civil War is open."

    "We've only had a few scouting parties from some of those nations," Jane replied. "And mostly peaceful dealings with the mainline Hegemony."

    "It's the ones that broke off from the reformed Hegemony that concern me," Ackerson said as he glanced over at his XO. "While they may resemble the old Balkan States from our history at the moment, remember that these people are also still slavers and both can and will raid us if they see an opportunity."

    "I'll try to keep that in mind," Jane said as she looked down at Elysium below.

    –
    –

    "At least they've got a good bar," Shepard muttered as she took another shot. "Lord knows it's the only exciting thing to happen on this op."

    "Care if I buy you a drink?" An Asari stepped forward, obviously interested in the redhead.

    "Sure, I don't mind the drink, but I'm not really into chicks," Jane responded.

    "What if I only want to keep you company?" The Asari asked.

    "Take a seat," Jane gestured towards a chair on the other side of the table. "It's a free planet, after all."

    "Seora Ledri," the alien introduced herself. "I own a clothing shop in town."

    "Jane Shepard," the woman replied as she slowed down on the drinks. "Here enjoying some peace."

    Seora and Shepard kept up a pretty lively conversation after that, comparing planets to other ones they had visited and ranking them on whether they were enjoyable or not.

    "Thanks for the drinks," Shepard said as she stood up. "But I think I should get to my hotel. Got a tour of some sort of mountain tomorrow, and I'd hate to miss it."

    "Wouldn't you rather stay at my place?" Ledri asked.

    "Nice try," Shepard laughed. "But I think I'll enjoy some rest away from this noise."

    "Have it your way," Seora replied as she made her way back to the bar, ready to try her luck again.

    "I always have it my way," Jane muttered as she left the bar, sobering up in the cold air as she went towards the hotel that had been booked for the Alliance personnel on leave.

    —
    —

    "Turn it off," Jane threw the pillow at what she thought was an alarm clock, the cushion hitting the wall and not causing the noise level to decrease.

    Then, after another few seconds of processing, a jolt of adrenaline shot through her body, causing her to sit up and grab for her Omnitool.

    "That's the fucking raid alarm," Jane muttered as she grabbed a hoodie and some sweatpants, swearing at herself for not having packed her armor. "Should have been fucking prepared, Jane," she muttered as she grabbed her Kinetic Bartier Belt and threw it on over the hoodie along with her concealed pistol.

    "Let's hope they're shitty shots," Jane said as she opened the door, revealing a scene that looked fresh out of a disaster or horror movie.

    "Everyone on this floor was Alliance but on shore leave," Jane muttered. "Which means I slept through this."

    She crouched down out of sight beneath a window as a Batarian Shuttle and gunship flew overhead, heading for what were probably the evac shelters.

    Running to the stairwell, Shepard threw herself down the steps two or three at a time, eventually hitting the ground floor where she saw the first of the bodies.

    "I'll make sure you get back to Analise," Jane muttered as she closed the eyes of the now dead Emma Floyd before kneeling and prying the rifle out of the dead woman's hand.

    Standing up, Jane shook with rage as she walked out of the hotel room, her body regaining calm as she left the hotel and encountered the first group of mixed Batarians and pirates that were chasing down a group of civilians.

    Pulling the Mattock up to her shoulder, Jane squeezed the trigger, sending the first of many rounds down range toward the pirates.

    "Get to cover! She yelled at the civilians as she began killing the pirates with precise shots, the heavy rounds breaking their barriers first and then penetrating armor.

    Ducking down behind a downed pillar for cover, Jane waited for the return shots to ease off before popping up and firing precisely to take out the remainder of this group of pirates.

    "Thank you ma'am," a young woman said as she cradled her daughter.

    "Get inside a school or hospital and lock it down," Shepard ordered as she knelt down and began stripping gear from the pirates and Batarians. "Don't come out until the Alliance shows up."

    "What are you going to do?" The little girl asked.

    "Me?" Shepard asked with a shark-like grin. "I'm gonna make sure none of them leave here to do something like this again."
     
    • Chapter 84
    • MarkWarrior

    MarkWarrior

    Well-known member
    Chapter 84

    Once Shepard had made sure the civilians were on their way, she began moving towards where the Batarians and pirates seemed to be gathering in order to breach the city’s civilian shelters.

    As Shepard walked through the city, she happened upon another group of bodies, mixed law enforcement personnel and pirate bodies intermixed on the ground. Spotting a sniper rifle, she kicked it up before sighing as she saw the make and model.

    “Fucking HK,” She mumbled as she shouldered the weapon. “I’m glad the Alliance upgraded a while ago.”

    Removing the smart scope from the older Alliance surplus rifle, Shephard knelt down as she attached the optic to her Mattock, the software in both the weapon and the newly mounted optic syncing up and allowing her to use it as a DMR.

    “Alright,” Shepherd muttered as she peered through the scope to ensure that it was working properly. “Let’s see what else I can use,” Grabbing a pair of sunglasses off of one of the LEOs, she noted they were synced up with his armor, and still displaying status updates.

    Using her Omnitool, Shepard broke through the programming and brute forced the sunglasses into connecting with her rifle and Kinetic barrier belt before moving forward at a jog to the shelters.

    Spotting a ladder, Shepard began climbing up onto the roof of the building, using the closer-together buildings to boost her speed as she got closer to the sound of gunfire and screams.

    Glancing down into the door of the shelter, Shepard was overcome with rage as she saw some pirates driving slave chips into civilians below, the ice pick-looking device being driven in right between some of their eyes.

    A faint purple glow took over Shepard as she lifted herself into the air, throwing a Biotic Warp down into the largest group of pirates, her charge detonated her own Warp, sending pirates flying and entirely disintegrating several of them as Shepard rolled to her feet, almost casually shooting the pirate holding a civilian as a hostage before turning and killing the remainder of this squad.

    “Fucking slavers!” Shepard spat as she noticed that only a few of the civilians were still alive. “Did they breach the shelter?” She asked the lone Asari quivering in fear as she held a human child behind her.

    “Yes,” the Asari said as she shook, still trying to understand what was going on.

    “Get into one of the building’s bathrooms, lock the door, and wait for Alliance personnel,” Shepard ordered as she moved down into the shelter at a sprint, her biotics glowing as she used some of her powers to enhance her speed, reaching a Krogan and turning him into paste as she fired a handful of shots at the rest of the pirates in this particular shelter, the high caliber rounds killing them in a few bursts.

    “Thanks for the save,” A half-dressed police officer says as he gets up from where he had just been shoved to the ground. “We tried to shut the shelter in time, but they beat us to it.”

    “How many people you got in here?” Shepard asked as she sagged a bit in exhaustion before she seemed to just push the tiredness away.

    “Just over five hundred in this shelter,” the cop replied. “Not many of us cops or militia managed to get in here to set up proper defenses. I’m not up to date on the other shelters yet.”

    “You got a spare comms device?” Shepard asked. “I need to find out if the John Adams is still up there and got a message out.”

    “We’ve got a few,” the cop replied. “I’ll see what I can scrounge up for you.”

    “Thanks,” Shepard said as she walked with the officer. “Got a sidearm I can borrow as well?”

    “We’ll open up the armory,” the officer replied. “You got a name, red?”

    “Shepard,” the Staff Lieutenant replied. “Thanks for the help.”

    –
    –

    “Here they come,” Shepard muttered as she spied the drive flares of a bunch of pirate shuttles beginning to settle down on the outskirts of the city. “Let’s see about making this place hell for them.”

    Going prone down on top of the building, Shepard began firing shots at the pirates, taking out one or two at a time before allowing her shots to stop so they didn’t locate her position. Then, sending out a burst transmission from her Omnitool, a series of charges detonated and killed the rest of the first wave while also piling up rubble that would prevent them from moving more vehicles into the city via a ground insertion.






    “Keep us moving!” Commander Ackerson ordered as he quickly typed in some calculations. “We’re going to have to swing around and use the gas Giant for a slingshot maneuver.”

    “Sir, our hull isn’t designed to operate that close to that kind of pressure,” the pilot reported.

    “Well, we’re about to find out, aren’t we?” Ackerson asked as they narrowly dodged another round from one of the trio of pirate frigates that was chasing the John Adams.

    “That was way too close, sir! We just had a round skip off of our barriers, we’re down to twenty percent strength!”

    “Get us more from the reactor, and redirect extra power to the rear of the ship,” Ackerson said calmly. “We might burn this ship out, but we’re making sure these pirates don’t get the satisfaction of killing us and taking more slaves.”

    “Redirecting, aye sir,” the officer replied.

    “Nearing the gas giant now,” the pilot reported. “I hope you know what you’re doing sir.”

    “So do I, Ensign,” Ackerson muttered under his breath as he double-checked his calculations before sending them to the pilot. “Math checks out, we should survive this, if my calculations are wrong then we’re going to be dead and not even know it.”
     
    • Chapter 85
    • MarkWarrior

    MarkWarrior

    Well-known member
    Chapter 85

    Ducking back behind cover, Jane watched as the rounds from the pirates dug into the concrete wall behind her, flinching slightly at the shards that nearly hit her face.

    “Get her!” a pirate captain yelled as he stood behind the group that Jane was engaged with. “We’ve been hunting this witch for days now, and she can’t escape us.”

    “Boss, she’s already killed most of us, you think we should just leave with the loot we already have?” A Turian asked.

    “No, she has to pay for what she’s done to us,” the captain growled as he flexed his biotics. “We’re the last crew left, and we’re going to make sure we leave with a trophy.”

    Popping up from cover, Shepard began firing her Mattock as fast as she could squeeze the trigger, her first three rounds breaking the pirate captain’s barriers and taking off his head before she ducked down again to avoid return fire.

    “You could leave now!” Shepard offered. “Just give up the slaves you’ve already taken and I’ll let you leave.”

    “Nice try!” a Batarian replied. “But we aren’t idiots, you’ve killed all of us you’ve encountered, even the ones that tried to surrender.”

    “Well, I gave them the opportunity,” Shepard muttered to herself as she took a deep breath, her biotics flaring as she used the last of her energy to toss a Warp into the middle of the group of pirates, drawing them in as she picked the pirates off that she could before her biotics collapsed, leaving her gasping for breath again as she ducked back down behind cover again while sucking in as much oxygen as she could.

    “Running low on energy?” A gruff Krogan voice asked as he and the other remaining pirate moved up. “You did good, but I think you’re done now.”

    Grabbing a grenade from the scraps of her hoodie pocket, Shepard tossed the disc out and triggered the detonation as it stuck to the Krogan, diving backward as she broke his barriers just before the explosion took him out.

    “Wait, I give up,” the last remaining pirate pleaded as he dropped his shotgun and knelt down. “I don’t wanna die.”

    “Should have chosen a different career then,” Shepard muttered as she executed the Salarian, collapsing back onto the ground, looking up as shuttles began descending from the heavens.

    “Hehe,” Shepard began laughing. “Now you show up after the fighting’s done,” She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep, confident that she had done what needed to be done.






    “She’ll never fly again, sir,” the pilot reported as the John Adams drifted in space, emergency power the only thing keeping the remaining crew alive.

    “I know, Ensign,” Ackerson said as he looked out the viewscreen at the three dead pirate ships out in the void. “But we did our job. Now it’s up to the Alliance to get here in time.”

    “Our beacon’s already out,” the sensors officer reported. “And they should have gotten our transmission at the beginning of this, they should be here anytime now.”

    “How much air do we have?” Ackerson asked.

    “About two hours left, sir.”

    “Get everyone into hardsuits,” Ackerson ordered. “They have their own backup air supply and scrubbers, we should be able to hold out for a few hours after the ship’s air supply is out.”

    “Do you think the Alliance will get here in time?” the young pilot asked.

    “They should,” Ackerson reassured him. “But I want us in our hardsuits just in case.”

    Standing up from the captain’s chair, Ackerson moved to the hardsuit lockers and began passing out hardsuits to the bridge crew, assisting them in putting them on as needed until they were all outfitted in the void-rated armor.

    “Where’s your hardsuit, Commander?” the sensors officer asked.

    “It seems that in their infinite wisdom, Alliance NAVCOM only issued enough suits for the bridge crew,” Ackerson joked with a wry grin. “They just didn’t include the captain of the ship in their numbers,” holding up a hand he staved off the rest of the conversation. “I have a backup hardsuit in my quarters, I can go get it at any point that I deem it necessary.”

    “But sir, that area is exposed to the void, there’s no atmosphere there!”

    “I know that Lieutenant,” Ackerson replied. “But the Alliance needs more men and women like you, and fewer old men like me. I’ve served my time, and I’m set to retire anyway. This was just my last run before recommending Staff Lieutenant Shepard for Lieutenant Commander.”

    “Commander, you’re not going out there? Are you?”
    “I would rather not die to the void today,” Ackerson replied. “But we can’t open the bulkhead doors to get me a suit without sacrificing me anyway, so if it’s necessary for rescue you will open the doors and get out anyway, you understand?”

    “Aye, sir,” a noncom said as she stood at attention for a moment, a salute at her brow. “I’ll make sure it gets done if it comes to that.”





    “Staff Lieutenant Shepard,” a voice said as the N7 operative drifted back from the dark of consciousness. “You care to explain what happened here?”

    Shepard jolted upright, yanking the IV out of her vein and looking around the room with a wild look in her eye, ready to kill someone or something before her brain processed where she was.

    “You might want to keep that IV in,” the Alliance Intelligence operative said with a smile. “You’re not in any trouble, we’re just here to debrief you.”

    “She’s not fit for conversation at the moment, sir,” a navy nurse glared at the man in the black suit and sunglasses. “She basically ran through all of her fat reserves while using her biotics and her body had started eating her muscle tissue as well. That she’s able to move right now is nothing short of a miracle.”

    “And, as an Alliance Physician, I have ultimate authority over my patients,” a balding man stepped into the room. “You can have a written report when I’m satisfied that this woman is capable of handling it. Until then, you can see yourself out. I’m sure there are plenty of people who might need your help around here after all.”
     
    • Chapter 86
    • MarkWarrior

    MarkWarrior

    Well-known member
    Chapter 86
    February 2180, Arcturus

    "Lieutenant Commander Shepard, are you able to give a statement about your actions on Elysium?" a reporter asked as her drone hovered over the two of them recording everything.

    "Go to NAVCOM if you want a statement," Shepard replied. "I'm not at liberty to discuss anything at the moment."

    The N7 continued walking until she entered the building where she was to meet with the Alliance Naval Command.

    "Lieutenant Commander Shepard," the current Admiral of the Navy, Admiral Keplar, greeted her as she entered the meeting room after going through a series of comprehensive scans and other assorted identification measures. "This meeting is about your future, and how we move forward from here."

    "Take a seat, Shepard," Vice Admiral Hackett ordered. "We have a lot to go over."






    "Having done a complete overhaul of our safety protocols in the wake of the attack on Elysium,"

    "Reports are just now coming out with how high the damage toll is, and how many people will not be returning to their loved ones."

    "The new assorted Batarian and Pirate states are being referred to as the new Barbary states by the Systems Alliance, with them stating that they would never negotiate with a nation of pirates."

    "The Batarian Hegemony has withdrawn from the Citadel once again as they move to a war footing with the varied pirate states."

    "Tensions between the Citadel and the Terminus Commonwealth are at an all-time high as the Salarian and Asari Councilors override the Turian Councilor in a vote to restrict Medigel from being sold to the Commonwealth."

    "It has been my greatest privilege to serve as the representative for the Hierarchy for the years in which I have," Sparatus announced. "And with my move to a new position I hope to continue my service in a new capacity. I will be training my replacement and will remain available as an advisor to those who need it."

    "And in a surprising turn of events, Systems Alliance Ambassador Anita Goyle has been admitted to the hospital. When asked for a statement, the Alliance refused to comment."

    "Once again, the Hero of Elysium has made the news cycle with a stunning victory in space over one of the Batarian Pirate states, the now Captain was able to defeat a much larger group of pirate vessels with creative tactics and strategy."

    "Ambassador Anita Goyle has been released from the hospital but is now being recalled to Arcturus as she has spoken of her wish to retire from her office. The Alliance Parliament is voting now on who will be replacing her."

    "The Turian Hierarchy has begun supporting increases in naval development, with the Volus assisting in both funding Research and development as well as assisting the Elcor and Hanar in the development of larger navies."

    "Matriarch Tevos reportedly stormed out of a meeting between other Matriarchs on Thessia, she has departed from Asari space with many of her followers, and we have been reliably informed that the Council has dispatched a Spectre to ensure that she has no ill intentions."

    "And in recent news, the Terminus Commonwealth announced a series of military exercises."

    "Omega recently separated from other Terminus states and has become a member of the Asari Republics. When contacted for a comment, Matriarch Aria T'Loak simply said to 'fuck off and go bother someone else.'"

    The Quarian Enclave in the Systems Alliance has finished some of the largest shipyards in the galaxy, and has begun taking customers on a contract basis."





    January 2185

    "So, can anyone tell me what all of this means?" General MacIntosh, the current CO of the Terminus Commonwealth's SPECWAR division asked.

    "That tensions are at a boiling point and the galaxy is on the edge of war," Captain Arthur Steiner stated.

    "That's what the Media would tell you," Ian said as he changed to a different set of slides on the PowerPoint. "Relations are currently at an all-time high with both the Systems Alliance and the Turian Hierarchy. Despite the Council's sanctions and attempts to prevent us from acquiring technology like Medigel, we have been able to purchase the license in secret and begin enough production for at least limited purposes."

    "Why are we here, sir?" First Lieutenant Elizabeth MacIntosh asked her father.

    "Because you two are going to be commanding a special forces squad that's going to join in on a joint antipiracy expedition," the general stated. "We're trying to improve relations with the Salarians and the Asari, and you two are the tip of the spear on this."

    "You sure this is a good idea?" Arthur asked. "We're not exactly the diplomatic type."

    "You're what's needed at the moment," MacIntosh stated. "SPECWAR Command will be picking the members of the squad that will be joining you while also taking any suggestions that you might have."

    "Who's going to be in charge of this expedition?" Arthur asked.

    "A rear Admiral Anderson," Ian replied. "Most of the ships are going to be Alliance and Turian, so be on your best behavior."

    "Rules of engagement?" Elizabeth asked.

    "We'll have a list of approved technology that you can use," MacIntosh said. "And you'll be using Powered armor instead of Battle Armor, with the Kinetic Barriers it should be sufficient for what will be needed."

    "Understood," Arthur said as the meeting came to an end.

    "Any further questions?" MacIntosh asked.

    "I'm sure I'll think of something," Arthur responded. "But I can't think of anything I need to be answered at the moment."

    "Then you're dismissed," General MacIntosh said. "I'll be sending over more details as we move forward."

    –
    –

    "So, you think that this is going to kickstart a war?" Elizabeth asked as they sat at a crowded bar.

    "No clue," Arthur shrugged. "But I think we should stay on our toes anyway. Never know what kind of shit'll get thrown our way."

    "Agreed," the woman said as she raised her drink. "Think this will end up like that mission on Horizon?"

    "God I hope not," Arthur replied as he took a swig of the dark ale. "That was a clusterfuck of a mission."

    "One that we will never speak of again," another voice said as a big Krogan walked up. "Excepting present company, of course."

    "Kordak!" Elizabeth stood up and gave the Krogan a hug. "I didn't know you were back from your op."

    "Got recalled," the other operator shrugged as he sat down. "They said they needed someone who already had experience working with you two, and here I am."

    "It's good to see you again," Arthur grinned. "Can I get you a drink?"

    "Nah, been trying to cut down on the excess alcohol," the Krogan said with a sigh. "I get redundant organs, but that's not an excuse to waste them."

    "So, what are you able to tell us about the op you were on?" Elizabeth asked as she sat back down.

    "Well, I'm not allowed to give a lot of details," Kordak replied. "It's very much need to know on that one."

    "Fair enough," Arthur said. "Either way, it'll be good to have a competent Noncom around."
     
    • Chapter 87
    • MarkWarrior

    MarkWarrior

    Well-known member
    Chapter 87

    Serpent Nebula, Widow System, March 1st, 2185

    “This is where we’re supposed to assemble,” Arthur said to both Kordak and Elizabeth. “The rest of our team should be here shortly.”

    “We’ve got the right berth number?” Kordak asked.

    “Yeah, it’s B17,” the 2nd Lieutenant replied as she checked her slate.

    “Here comes the rest of the group now,” Arthur nodded his head toward the group of nine that was walking toward them.

    “Wiso,” Arthur brought the Quarian for a bear hug before setting her down. “How’s the husband and kids?”

    “They are good,” the woman replied as she touched some of the trophies dangling from her armor. “They wish to see you again sometime soon.”

    “I’ll drop by for a visit after this op,” Arthur smiled. “I’ve been busy, after all.”

    “I’ve heard about some of those ops you’ve been on,” Dhom Pockastar, the resident spook and disguise expert chimed in. “Wish I had been in on some of that action.”

    “Trust me, you don’t want any part of the action that this guy is a part of,” Malcolm Hatfield spoke up, the technician smirking as he patted his old friend on the back. “Something always goes crazy wrong.”

    “That’s not normally my fault though,” Arthur pointed out with a grin. “Murphy just loves me sometimes.”

    –
    –

    “I’m Captain Shepard, welcome aboard the Normandy,” the redhead greeted the Terminus Commonwealth’s contribution to the joint antipiracy force. “This is the ship that will be your home for the next few months, so get comfortable. A list of areas that are off limits has been sent to each and every one of you,” Shepard met the eyes of the Commonwealth Special Operations soldiers. “Should you be found in one of those areas you will be thrown into the brig for the rest of the expedition.”

    “Understood, Captain,” Arthur said as his people began setting up their kit in the cargo bay. “Anything else we need to know?”

    “Not at the moment,” Shepard said. “When you and your team are done unpacking I’ll bring the ground troops commander over for an introduction. You’ll be working closely with him, after all.”

    “I don’t have all that much,” Arthur gestured towards the pack in his hand and the cases of weapons and armor that the Terminus Commonwealth had stacked into a corner of the cargo bay.

    “Alright then,” Shepard said as she turned and gestured for Arthur to walk with her. “He should still be on the bridge.”

    The two humans began walking toward the central elevator when the doors opened revealing a Turian.

    “Garrus Vakarian,” Arthur said as his eyes lit up in recognition. “You son of a bitch, I thought you were done with this sort of life after you left the Brotherhood of Steel.”

    “Hierarchy paid well enough for me to become a trainer and officer for this expedition,” Garrus replied with a grin. “I didn’t figure that you’d be the one in charge of the Commonwealth’s forces though.”

    “Luck of the draw,” Arthur shrugged as he gripped Garrus’ forearm and pat his friend on the back. “Anything touchy around here I should know about?”
    “We’ve got some advisors that you’ll want to know about,” Shepard said from behind Arthur, a chuckle escaping her lips as she realized the introduction was unnecessary. “And there have been rumors of some unusual activity popping up in a handful of Systems Alliance colonies.”

    “Most people here are straightforward enough that there shouldn’t be any problems,” Garrus agreed. “We’re really just waiting for Admiral Anderson to finish the plan before we move the battlegroup out.”

    “Am I allowed to know anything about the ship, ma’am?” Arthur asked. “This one doesn’t match the specs on the usual Alliance frigate.”

    “This’ll be her shakedown cruise,” Shepard stated as she looked at the man. “The Normandy is the first of her class, and we’ll be putting her through her paces. I’ll reveal more as it becomes necessary,” Shepard shrugged. “That said, you’re now a part of my crew, and I take care of my crew. So let me know if you need anything and I’ll do my best to make sure you get it.”

    “Wilco,” Arthur said as he glanced at the Commonwealth soldiers that were unpacking their kit. “I’ll let you know if we need anything.”





    “So Eden Prime first?” Anderson asked Sparatus as the advisor looked at the galaxy map in front of them.

    “Yes, better to get the Beacon to allied hands before some pirate decides that they’d rather sell it to a private collector,” Sparatus replied. “I would hate for one of the Pirate states to get more advanced technology. That could lead to the kind of war we don’t want to fight right now.”

    “Then we start with Eden Prime, and make our way to the borders next,” Anderson said as he charted the route they would be taking.

    “We’ll need to try and find areas of resupply outside of the Citadel,” Sparatus said as he looked at the route. “We may want to establish our own supply chains while we’re out there. Our respective governments will send what they can, but that new Salarian Councilor Valern and Councilor Benezia are in lockstep with regards to trying to push the Terminus Commonwealth out of our political sphere entirely.”

    “It’s that bad?” Anderson asked softly.

    “Barring some sort of galaxy-wide emergency, I would expect war to break out in the next decade,” Sparatus summed up his thoughts on the subject. “We are on the brink of destruction, Admiral, let us weigh the scales in the other direction.”

    Anderson looked up at the Turian as he sighed. The exhaustion was evident on the avian face.

    “I have done all that I could to stave off the war,” Sparatus muttered. “The Hierarchy recognized that I needed a change of perspective, something to give me that was tangible. I may be your political advisor on this expedition, Admiral, but at some point, I expect to be put into the field. I have bandied words for far too long. The time for action has come.”
     
    Last edited:
    • Chapter 88
    • MarkWarrior

    MarkWarrior

    Well-known member
    Chapter 88

    “Sir!” the Sensors officer called out as the fleet entered the Utopia system.

    “What is it, Ensign?” Anderson asked.

    “There are no transmissions coming from Eden Prime,” The Ensign reported. “And there’s some sort of superdreadnought sitting in orbit over the main colony. Wait one,” the Ensign navigated a few controls. “We’ve got a lone signal coming through, it’s a distress call on the standard Alliance frequencies. It’s heavily distorted. I’m rerouting it to Comms so they can do their best to clean it up.”

    “Let me know when you have something,” Anderson sighed before activating his Omnitool and patching into FLEETCOM. “All hands, prepare for combat. Normandy and the other ground troops, prepare for drop onto the battlefield.”

    “I’ve got the transmission cleared up,” the Comms officer reported. “Patching it through to external speakers now.”

    “This is Lieutenant Commander Kaiden Alenko of the 212,” the video played as the Officer ordered around a platoon of Alliance Marines. “Operations Chief Ashley, I want you to get the Machine guns up and running, we have to hold this position at all costs.”

    “Copy that sir,” the NCO responded. “Jenkins! Move your ass!”

    “The Lieutenant Commander turned back to the comms device. “We are under heavy assault from unknown enemies, we’ve got a few platoons left, but that won’t last long. This message is set to repeat until the comms center is down.”

    The video panned upward and showed the underside of the superdreadnought, showing that there were escorts in the form of a handful of frigates and cruisers.

    “Sorry sir,” the Comms officer replied. “That’s where the message ends.”

    “Get us angled properly,” Anderson ordered. “We’re taking the fleet in at top speed, but I don’t want anything to hit Eden Prime. And get me a link to Captain Shepard.”

    “Aye sir!” the comms officer responded as her hands flew across the controls. “You’re in contact now.”

    “Admiral,” the calm voice of the N7 Captain responded. “I take it I’m supposed to take the Normandy into stealth mode and deploy my ground forces?”

    “You’d be correct in that assumption,” Anderson replied. “The 212 is on the ropes and they need someone to tag in and help them out.”

    “Then we’re on the move,” Shepard replied as she turned and faced her bridge crew. “Joker, I want us on Eden Prime Yesterday.”

    “Warping time to get us there early, Aye ma’am,” Joker snarked as the Normandy disappeared off of the sensors and began moving as fast as its engines could towards the planet “up” from them.

    “Godspeed, Captain,” Anderson said as he cut off the channel and began running some calculations on the built-in datapad on his captain’s chair. “Get everyone into their hardsuits, we’re venting atmosphere now and moving at flank speed to engage the enemy.”






    “Alright, people, it’s time to show what we’re made of,” Garrus said to the platoon of Turian Black Watch members that he was in command of. “Hey Steiner, I hope you’re able to keep up.”

    “I think you’ll find,” Arthur tucked his helmet down on his head and sealed it, polarizing the visor as he did so. “That it is you who will need to keep up.”

    “Settle down,” Captain Shepard said as she entered the cargo bay where the mixed group of soldiers were prepping to go into combat. “We’re dropping you off about a klick from the city and Prothean Beacon that we were supposed to be picking up. We traced the 212’s transmission from around that location and we want to relieve them if at all possible. Due to none of you having Alliance Authority, I will be coming with you to issue orders to any Alliance Personnel that we encounter, with my XO Commander Pressly having command of the Normandy until the op is done.”

    “Just us?” Hazen asked as she slammed a magazine into her weapon and checked the chamber. “That’s piss poor odds for the other guys.”

    “Agreed,” Wiso said with a sigh as she sheathed her various knives onto her person before ensuring her shotgun and rifle were slung onto her back. “There is no trophy that is worth it if the enemy is weak.”

    “Striking your enemies when they are weak is the mark of a successful operation,” Kordak said as he hefted the LMG that was his main weapon, a heat sink stored into a massive backpack that was hooked into the hump of his armor. “If you only desire to fight when they are strong then someone has failed in their duty.”

    “Bring it in!” Shepard called out, the armor with the N7 logo seeming to fit her much better than the duty uniform she had been wearing previously. “Garrus, I want you and the Black Watch to ensure that we’re covered from all angles while the Commonwealth spooks run force recon. I trust you two know how to work together.”

    “Wouldn't be the first time we’ve run recon for Vakarian,” Hazen said with a smirk. “We’ll handle it.”

    “Drop is in 120 Mikes, Captain,” Joker reported. “You might want to hustle, I’m seeing lots of action down there.”

    “Steiner, you drop first, we’re right behind,” Shepard ordered.

    “Alpha-Nine, move!” Arthur ordered as the ramp lowered and the Terminus Commonwealth forces jumped out of the ship as it lowered itself through the atmosphere, flaring their jump jets to slow their descent as they began to piece together what the state of the ground environment was.

    “Hazen, Wiso, I want you two on overwatch,” Arthur ordered as he indicated a hill. “Set up shop while Pockastar goes in and gets a closer look at the beacon and the 212. Hatfield, Kordak, you’re with me.”

    –
    –

    “Sitrep, Alpha-Nine,” Shepard asked as she and the Turian platoon moved through what looked like farmland.

    “You’ve got some drones ahead of you,” Hazen reported before two sharp cracks echoed in the air. “Way forward is clear. There’s a cluster of buildings ahead, I’m not seeing any tangos though.”

    “Copy that, we’re moving forward,” Shepard replied as they heard short bursts of gunfire over the hill.

    “Belay that last statement,” Hazen reported. “I’ve got Alliance Marines fighting someone I can’t make out clearly.”

    “You heard the lady,” Garrus said as he started moving forward rapidly. “We’ve got some Alliance Marines that need rescuing!”

    The group rounded the corner and witnessed a biotic detonation that killed off the attackers that the Marines were dealing with.

    “This is Operations Chief Williams, Identify!” A voice came from behind them, a barrel pointing out of a perfectly concealed position.

    “Captain Jane Shepard N7,” Shepard replied. “We’re here to help.”

    “You’re from the government,” Ashley snarked. “That just means I should be more scared.”

    “Leave the Captain alone, Chief Williams,” A male voice said from the position ahead. “Captain, I’m Lieutenant Commander Alenko, we’re glad that the Alliance got our distress call, but we’ve been here fighting for almost a week now. We’re nearly out of ammo blocks and our food rations are low as well.”

    “We’ve got a whole battlegroup here to assist,” Shepard said as she looked around at the two platoons of exhausted Alliance Marines. “Anything you can tell me about what happened here?”

    “Well, it all started earlier this week…”
     
    • Chapter 89
    • MarkWarrior

    MarkWarrior

    Well-known member
    Chapter 89

    "Alright, people, Commander Alenko here says that the enemy has relocated the beacon to the spaceport for transit off-world," Shepard said both in person and over the comms. "We've got to get there and stop it while the rest of the marines and soldiers in our battlegroup are deployed to handle the bad guys."

    "Shifting to recon and cover the approach to the spaceport," Arthur replied. "Alpha-Nine, you heard the lady, move!"

    "Now, you're certain these were Asari supplemented by robots and zombies?" Shepard asked. "Can you clarify robots a bit more?"

    "Pretty sure," Williams replied. "Though they did have some odd cybernetics on 'em and the robots looked a bit like someone tried to make Mechs like the Commonwealth's, only smaller in size. "

    "You copy, Alpha-Nine?" Shepard asked.

    "Heard, Ma'am," Hazen responded as the crack of a sniper rifle echoed in the distance. "The way forward should be clear aside from a few stragglers."

    "212, you can move with us or we can leave you here for some R&R. Choice is yours."

    "Don't know about the rest of these guys," Williams grinned. "But I'm itching for some payback. I'm coming with."

    "I'll leave a squad here to assist," Garrus spoke up, the mercenary issuing a few orders to his company. "The rest of us are moving up."

    "On you, lead," a Turian said with a nod.

    "Alright, I want team three to remain here and assist the 212, the rest of you, we're moving up!"

    The company of Turians began moving down the path, assisted in the short firefights they got into by short cracks of a pair of sniper rifles off in the distance.

    "Thanks for the assist, Alpha-Nine," Garrus said after a handful of sniper shots took out two Asari that tried to Charge them.

    "Shepard, we've got the pathway to the spaceport's tram cleared, you might want to get over here," Garrus reported.

    "Copy that," Shepard's voice responded. "I'm bringing the 212 with me, and they're going to hold down the tram station while we push up."






    "That Superdreadnaught isn't moving sir," the captain of the cruiser Tenochtitlan reported. "But they've got quite a few escorts moving to engage."

    "Have our frigates move up and wolfpack up their heavier ships, the Tenochtitlan and the Madrid will target their smaller ships while their bigger ones are harassed, we'll move on from there," Anderson ordered. "All units use discretion when firing, we don't want to hit Eden Prime."

    The small battlegroup shifted, the small group of frigates splitting into two groups of three while the two cruisers and lone carrier began moving to their positions.

    "All hands, get your hardsuits on and prepare to vent the atmosphere," the Captain of the Tenochtitlan ordered. "Admiral, you might want to do the same."

    "Copy," Anderson said as he stripped off his duty uniform, the underlayment of the hardsuit being underneath. "Doing so now," he grabbed his hardsuit out of the footlocker behind his chair and began putting it on and sealing it up. "I'm sealed, begin sending relevant data to my suit as well as omnitool."

    "Aye sir," the sensors officer began running a patch through to the Admiral's suit and omnitool.

    "Good, now start running the numbers necessary to get the first shots off, we need to prevent these guys from maneuvering," Anderson ordered.






    "Alright 212, we're moving on," Shepard said to the small group that remained of the formation of the Marines. "You think you can hold here?"

    "We're set, Captain," Lieutenant Commander Alenko replied. "Thanks for the assist."

    "Alpha-Nine, what's your status?" Shepard asked.

    "We're on approach to the Spaceport now," Arthur relayed. "Expect more numbers of those bots than before."

    "Copy that," Shepard responded. "Garrus, you hear the good news?"

    "We heard," Garrus said with a laugh. "Hey Alpha-Nine, the one with the least amount of kills buys the drinks when we get leave again."

    "You're on," Hazen laughed. "Good luck and try not to eat our dust."

    –
    –

    "We've got bots!" Garrus said to his company of Black Watch members as they moved off of the train, the biotics creating shields to hide behind as the rest of them moved up under the cover generated.

    Shepard moved up behind them, and the small handful of 212 members that wanted to fight fell in line behind her.

    "Alright, let's get a move on, that Superdreadnaught in the sky is making me worried, so let's roll this up and get back to the Normandy, I don't want to stick around and find out what kind of fire support missions that thing can bring to bear."

    "Agreed, ma'am," Arthur said as he descended from one of the roofs with his jump jets, the rest of Alpha-Nine behind them. "We're right behind you."

    The mixed group then moved forward, the Black Watch members taking point while the Commonwealth Special Forces soldiers took out the more specialized units, what was left of the 212 and Shepard taking what was left.

    "Beacon should be up and to the left, if it's still here, ma'am," Chief Williams reported. "It's the loading dock."

    "You heard the lady, move!" Shepard barked.

    "Ma'am, I've got readings consistent with nuclear devices," Pockastar reported, the Batarian hitting a few buttons on his omnitool before switching over to his slate. "I'd like to take a team and work on disarming them, if those things go off, none of us are going to be here anymore."

    'Take what you need," Shepard responded. "Just make sure that those things don't go off!"

    "You got it," the Batarian winked with two of its four eyes with an unpolarized visor before grabbing a handful of 212 members to act as escorts.

    "You're with me," the Batarian said as he grabbed the Alliance members.

    "But what if the nuke goes off?" one of them protested.

    "Then none of us will know it," another one slugged the one that protested in the shoulder. "Because we'll just be the first ones vaporized. "Now, where do you need me, four eyes?"

    "Just watch my back," Pockastar said with a shrug. "I'd do this alone but my team would probably have my hide."

    "Damn right!" Arthur said as he killed a couple of the miniature mechs that had begun swarming them. "You're not allowed to die until I give the authorization."

    "I'll do my best boss, but no promises!" The Batarian smirked under his helmet as he moved under fire to the first nuke. "Disarming the first nuke now!"

    "Don't fuck it up!" Garrus snarked.

    "If I do, none of us will know that I did!" The Batarian said right back. "Now shut the hell up and let me focus!"

    The Batarian began interfacing with the nuke's attached arming device, quickly breaking it down and shutting down the potential for use as a weapon.

    "Alright, first Nuke's disarmed, only five more to go," Pockastar reported. "I'll update as necessary."

    "Let's go," the bigger of the two Alliance Marines shifted in front of the lithe Batarian. "I'll draw fire, you just do your job."

    Pockastar just nodded, seemingly shifting into a combat trance as he moved into cover next to the closest nuke and began rapidly going through commands on his omnitool and slate.

    "Second nuke down, but they're on a timer, I've got less than five minutes to get the rest of them disarmed.

    "Team 2, I want you to move to disarm nukes, you've got the most experienced techs," Garrus ordered as Alpha-Nine switched out almost seamlessly, taking their place in the formation and continuing to push past the enemy crossfire.

    After moving from cover to cover, the last of the nukes were disarmed while the Black Watch held fast, the group moving forward and clearing out the last of the resistance at the same time they heard the call.

    "Nukes are down," Pockastar reported. "We're clear to proceed."

    Author's note: Apologies for the Hiatus, but this fic is now resuming the regularly scheduled programming.
     
    • Chapter 90
    • MarkWarrior

    MarkWarrior

    Well-known member
    Chapter 90

    “Vakarian, I want the area around the beacon cleared for a twenty-meter radius!” Shepard barked once they had cleared the area. “No one comes inside of that perimeter until we get some qualified techs or scientists to examine that thing.”

    “Let’s move,” Garrus began directing the Black Watch company to their respective positions. “Team one has the North side, the rest of you divide into a direction and lock this location down.”

    “Normandy, the Superdreadnaught is leaving our position,” Shepard reported as the giant ship began leaving the atmosphere. “What’s the situation in the void?”

    “Captain, they just tore apart one of our cruisers and some of our frigates before bypassing us and heading for the Relay,” Pressly responded.

    “See if you can follow them,” Shepard responded. “Stay in stealth as long as possible though, we’ll get picked up by one of the other frigates until then.”

    “Aye ma’am,” Pressly replied. “Joker, I want you right behind that cruiser, if we’re in the right spot we might be able to expel our heat before entering the Relay.’

    –
    –

    “Captain Shepard, this is Rear Admiral Anderson, do you copy?”

    “This is Shepard, we read you loud and clear,” Shepard responded as her Omnitool glowed orange. “Alpha-Nine and what’s left of the 212 are beginning to clear out any remnants that were left in the colony while the rest of us lock down the beacon.”

    “We’re dispatching the Gettysburg to pick you up,” Anderson informed the captain. “So you might want to call them back, we’re bringing the 212 with us from now on, and the Alliance is dispatching reinforcements, they’ll be in the system within twelve hours.”

    “Understood, sir,” Shepard said as she ducked into an office so she could speak more privately. “We’ve got the beacon locked down, but it seems that whoever was here turned it on before we got here, I recommend that we find an expert on this sort of thing before continuing.”

    “The Council is sending one of their experts,” Anderson replied. “We have some reports to file, and a whole lot of red tape to wade through in the meantime.”

    “Any word back from the Normandy?” Shepard asked. “I figured they’d have reported back by now.”

    “They lost them a couple of relays ago,” Anderson sighed. “I called them back, but it’ll be a while before they arrive at the system. So I’m sending them on ahead to scout out the relays we’ll be using in the future until we rendezvous.”


    “Understood,” Shepard said into the comms channel. “I’m just eager to get back to my ship.”

    “You’ll be back on her soon enough,” Anderson chuckled. “Have your men and women start writing their reports once they’re onboard the Gettysburg, the Council’s going to want that information.”

    “Copy that sir,” Shepard sighed. “The paperwork Nazis will get their paperwork.”






    “Alpha-Nine, because your people are the least interested in the beacon and what knowledge it might contain, you’re being used as third-party guards until we get some experts here,” Shepard informed the Commonwealth Special Forces that she had been assigned. “I know that you’re normally not used for guard duty and that it’s not exactly within the scope of what you were supposed to do while working in this battlegroup, but needs require it at this time.”

    “So we get to stay here until some sort of expert shows up?” Arthur asked with his rifle in hand. “I understand why you picked us. But I’d rather be doing anything but waiting for some stuck-up Asari to come and flash her tits at us and dismiss us with a wave of her hand.”

    “Orders are orders,” Shepard rolled her eyes at the slight vulgarity. “And I can always contact the Commonwealth to get them to affirm them if necessary.”

    “We’ll comply,” Arthur sighed. “But I’d like some backup if the credentials don’t check out. It’s not like there’s a ton of us here if someone returns to clean up the evidence.”

    “What concerned that you aren’t all that you’re made up to be?” Shepard teased a bit.

    “Ma’am,” Arthur met her eyes. “We’re damned good at our jobs, but it only takes one mistake in our line of work for everything to fall apart. You of all people should know that.”

    I’ll ask for some volunteers to stay and assist,” Shepard offered. “Can’t do a whole lot more than that with the resources I’ve got at the moment.”

    “That’s all I can really ask for,” Arthur responded as he shifted, his armor’s black and gold paint scuffed from the day’s work. “We’ll hold her down. Just make sure that we get some sort of actual expert and not a political appointee.”

    “I’ll see what I can do,” Shepard smiled. “I can’t make any promises though.”

    “Just do what you can,” Arthur polarized his visor back to the gold color that was standard. “We’ll keep the site secure.”





    Citadel, two days later….

    “We have reviewed the reports submitted by the joint task force,” Benezia stated, her voice echoing slightly in the massive chamber. “And find them hard to believe.”

    “If not for data submitted that contained the recordings of ship’s sensors and the remaining orbital satellites would be thrown out as fabrication,” Valern agreed.

    “This is a trustworthy group of individuals,” Sparatus took a spot in front of the senior officers that had been gathered. “And while I am retired from office now, I would hope that my judgment is not in question.”

    “Of course not,” Benezia assured the Turian. “But all the same, we will be sending a handful of independent investigators along with a Spectre to ensure the safe delivery of the Beacon and its contents.”

    “Have already selected proper team,” Valern spoke up. “Your services no longer required.”

    —
    —


    “The Commonwealth isn’t going to like this,” Shepard muttered to Anderson once they were secure in the Alliance’s embassy. “And we left a team of their special forces behind to guard the Beacon.”

    “It’s out of our hands now, Captain,” Ambassador Udina sighed. “Should they cause an incident it’s on their heads, not ours.”

    “Those men and women were under my authority and are my responsibility,” Jane argued. “And they’re about to get blindsided by backroom politics.”

    “We know that,” Udina replied. “And I’ve begun communicating the potential scenario using the channels that we have for this sort of thing. The Commonwealth is going to be aware of the situation and will react accordingly.”

    “Admiral,” Shepard turned to Anderson. “Request permission to take the Normandy and keep an eye on the situation.”

    “Permission granted,” Anderson smirked. “We’ll mark it down as a routine testing of the stealth system after potential strain from the engagement over Eden Prime.”

    “I’ll do what I can to blur the lines,” Udina chimed in. “But I’m hamstrung by rules and regs here. So denying any knowledge of this might be my best option.”

    “I’ll go collect Sparatus,” Anderson stroked his chin. “He’ll be a valuable asset to have onboard should something political go down.”

    “I like it when a plan comes together,” Shepard smirked. “Now, we should probably plan for the worst-case scenario.”

    “Agreed,” Udina nodded. “Just not in my office. I need to have some plausible deniability here, after all.”
     
    • Chapter 91
    • MarkWarrior

    MarkWarrior

    Well-known member
    Chapter 91

    “I hate jobs like this,” Hazen said over the comms channel from her sniper’s nest. “How long does it take for them to have the people that were already supposed to inspect the Beacon board a ship and come straight here?”

    “You know why it’s taking so long,” Pockastar chimed in, the Batarian technician hiding somewhere. “It’s a joint project, and the Council is going to try and prove that they have the best experts to look at the Beacon. The Asari will push their way in with some ancient Matriarch who’s been doing this for the last five centuries. The Salarians will cave as long as they can send a member of the STG in who will proceed to have bugged the Asari’s tools.”

    “And the Turians?” Kordak asked, the massive Krogan the one blocking the main pathway to the Beacon.

    “Bit of a wildcard at the moment,” Pockastar replied. “They’ve been extremely active in galactic affairs over the last decade or so, but with Sparatus retired they could push either way. I just don’t know enough about their new Counselor to give a good analysis.”

    “Well, remember to keep your brains on and your mouths shut,” Arthur spoke up from next to Kordak. “The last thing the Commonwealth needs is an intergalactic incident between us and the Asari. Our fleet is still less than a quarter of theirs remember?”

    “Yes, they are still sore about losing Ilium,” Wiso’s accented voice said with some laughter in it. “They are not willing to accept their defeat and have been our opponents ever since.”

    “One must always stand their ground,” Kordak said quietly. “Especially when it is about your beliefs. For if one is like a small branch, then they are easily blown wherever the wind takes them. But if one is a mighty tree, then firm you will remain.”

    “Nice words, but I’m not really sure what they have to do with our current conversation,” Elizabeth snarked. “It’s a nice non sequitur though, I might have to steal it sometime when my parents try to bring up grandkids.”

    “Children are a gift,” Kordak replied to Elizabeth. “That you and your people are so fruitful is a blessing that you should not forget. My people would sacrifice nearly anything to have such again.”

    “Sorry Kordak,” Elizabeth said after a minute of silence. “I didn’t mean for it to come out that way.”

    “All is forgiven,” Kordak laughed. “We are friends are we not? It will take much more for that to cease being the case.”

    “Love ya’ big guy,” Elizabeth laughed for a minute before her voice turned serious. “We’ve got an incoming frigate analog. Looks to be Asari in design, be ready for further updates.”






    Liara shook with excitement as she waited near the airlock of the Frigate.

    “Be patient,” Shiala said as she shook her head with an amused smirk on her face. “Your chance to inspect the Beacon will happen soon.”

    “I know,” Liara said as her eyes met her bodyguards. “But this is the first time anyone as young as I am has been allowed to be the expert on such a thing!”
    “The youngest for an Asari,” Shiala corrected. “Liara, you are older than many of the other experts that have accompanied us.”

    “But they’re all so worldly and experienced,” Liara said as the ramp lowered and the airlock depressurized. “Doctor Jones and Doctor Croft have been out in the field for years!”

    “They’re also Human,” Shiala reminded the younger Asari. “And one of them is from the Commonwealth while the other is from the Alliance,” she lowered her voice. “They also don’t seem to get along very well.”

    “Listen here, Croft. I respect what you’ve gone through, and even the adventures you have had, but you’re a tomb raider, not an archeologist or anthropologist. I don’t care what your degree says.”

    “As if you’re any better,” the woman scoffed. “Most of your exhibits end up repossessed by the government.”

    “Foor good reason,” Jones argued. “At least I have exhibits, all of your artifacts are kept in some mansion that you have.”

    “See what I mean?” Shiala winked at Liara. “They’ve been like this for the entire journey. I’m halfway tempted to throw them into a room and lock the door.”

    “We don’t have time for that,” Liara jolted down the ramp. “To the Beacon!”

    –
    –

    “I’m sorry, but you’re not allowed to proceed without the proper authorization,” Arthur said as he stopped a small group of scientists and their guards from moving closer to the Beacon. “Unless I get the go-ahead from the right people we’ll be waiting here for a while.”

    “Did you not get any messages about our arrival?” Shiala inquired.

    “Ma’am, we’ve not heard anything from the Joint Strike force since they left to deliver their reports,” Arthur explained calmly, his rifle sitting at a non-threatening angle. “It’s possible that our comms gear was messed up during combat, but we’re going to have to request an update just in case. Now, if you’ll go find someplace to stay for the evening, we can return to this in the morning and have everything sorted out.”

    “If that is what must be done in order to ensure that we are able to see the beacon then that is what we will do,” Shiala spoke for the group. “Come on then, we shall find a place to stay while they get confirmation that we are indeed the ones who are supposed to be inspecting the Beacon.”

    “Pockastar, get in contact with Read Admiral Anderson, I want to make sure that these are the right people before we start shooting,” Arthur ordered.

    “Copy that, sending a message now,” the Batarian replied. “Wiso, you want to go dark and follow them, make sure they’re not up to anything that might get us in trouble?”

    “I shall follow them from the shadows,” the Quarian disappeared from sight. “And will make you aware of what they intend to do.”

    “The rest of you need to hold position,” Arthur ordered. “Hazen, you need to shift so you can cover us properly if we get into a firefight.”

    “Give me fifteen to reposition,” Elizabeth replied. “I’m going to have to sanitize my current location.”

    “Copy that, will wait for an update,” Arthur said as he moved into position to guard the Beacon properly. “Kordak, go set up the LMG, I want us prepped and ready for if anyone tries something.”

    “It shall be done,” the Krogan moved his primary weapon to the designated spot and deployed the bipod. “Let them come.”

    “Hopefully it won’t come to that,” Arthur muttered. “But Murphy favors the prepared.”
     
    • Chapter 92
    • MarkWarrior

    MarkWarrior

    Well-known member
    Chapter 92

    “Arthur, it looks like everything checks out on the guys who tried to gain access to the beacon,” Pockastar informed his CO.“When they come by in the morning they’re authorized to inspect and verify the beacon, and all of its contents.”

    “Copy that, standby for watch rotation. We might be at the end of this, but that doesn’t mean we can let our guard down,” Arthur said as he looked around. “If I were going to sabotage any of this I would do it now. So let’s make sure that we’re alert and active. I’m authorizing combat stims if necessary to keep everyone active.”

    “Ugh, stims,” Elizabeth said over the comms channel. “Only thing worse than using them in combat is the side effects that kick in when you’re done with the op.”

    “If we have to use them then try to use them sparingly,” Kordak cautioned. “I would hate to have to carry you all out on my hump.”

    “Just keep on your toes and only use the stims if it becomes necessary. A firefight is the last thing we want to happen around the Beacon,” Arthur said as he moved into the shadows of the night and activated his night vision settings on his helmet. “And remember to cycle through the spectrum, someone might try something crazy.”





    “Come on, Shiala!” Liara said as she pulled her bodyguard out of the hotel room they had been staying in. “We’ve got to get to the Beacon.”

    “Slow down,” Shiala said as she sipped from a small cup of tea. “I need to finish this before we leave. It is not every day that I am able to sample such a vintage as this.”

    Liara then stopped in her tracks as she noticed that there was a small amount of smoke drifting up from where the Beacon’s location had been the day before.

    “By the Goddess, no,” Shiala tossed her cup of tea to the ground and began running in the direction of the beacon. “Come child, we must ensure that the Beacon has survived.”

    The two Asari ran through the streets to the building where the Beacon had been housed, finding it mostly intact but with signs of an obvious firefight.

    “Captain Steiner!” Shiala called out as she unholstered her concealed SMG. “Is everything alright?”

    “We’re clear,” a scarred and scuffed Black and Gold armored figure walked out of the entrance. “Just had a few unwelcome guests make an appearance last night.”

    “Is the Beacon intact?” Liara asked as she stepped out into the open. “Can I inspect it to ensure that it was not damaged in the process?”

    “Go right ahead,” Captain Steiner gestured towards the Beacon. “Be my guest, I’m done with the damned thing.”

    “Long night, Captain?” Shiala asked as she leaned up against the wall next to the Commonwealth Special Forces officer.

    “You could say that,” He replied. “Now we should probably get in there and make sure that nothing gets broken. We haven’t had anyone get closer than 20 meters aside from the Forklift we used to move the thing.

    “Captain! You need to get in here, now!” Elizabeth yelled. “The Beacon’s doing something.”

    “Moving!” Steiner bolted into action, Shiala following close behind as they entered the room where the Beacon was only to find Liara suspended in some sort of energy field.

    “Don’t touch her,” Shiala told the Commonwealth soldiers. “We don’t know how the Beacon will react to us doing anything.”

    The group stood there for a minute or so and then the energy field disappeared and the Beacon started sparking.

    “Captain, the power source for the Beacon is overloading. I’m going to try and stabilize it as best as I can,” Pockastar said as he opened his Omnitool and began typing rapidly, His slate appearing in another hand as all four of his eyes focused on different things while his hands did their work. “Alright, Beacon is temporarily stabilized. The Batarian said as he sighed. “But we’re going to need one of those ‘experts’ here to ensure it stays that way.”

    “Lisa, go grab those geeks,” Arthur ordered. “Kordak, you’re the medic, check on the Doc and we’ll secure the area. “You want in on making sure the perimeter is clear?” He asked Shiala.

    “Yes,” Shiala said as she gestured with her SMG. “I have some questions for you as well.”






    “The Beacon was perfectly recovered,” Saren stated. “I have no doubt that they will obtain the same information that you have received.”

    “You assured me that the Beacon and everything in the spaceport were going to be destroyed!” the voice roared. “Now, you shall have to pay the price for that failure.”

    “I did the best with what I was given,” Saren responded.

    “Unfortunately, your best is just not enough,” the very air around the Turian seemed to close in as whispers began moving through his mind. “Now, prepare to experience the power of a true Sovereign.”

    Saren felt his body fall to the floor as his vision faded to black.

    –
    –

    “Good, you are awake,” An Asari Commando helped the Turian up from the small cot he was laying on. “The Surgery was a success.”

    “Surgery?” Saren asked, confusion evident in the way he flared his mandibles.

    “Yes, your combat abilities were enhanced as instructed,” the Commando said as she pointed to his arm, now fully cybernetic from his shoulder down.

    “I see,” Saren said as his mind screamed. “I assume my Omnitool has been upgraded as well?”

    “Indeed,” the Commando smiled. “No expense was spared.”

    “Thank you,” Saren muttered. “Now if you will give me a moment to establish a baseline for my new abilities.”

    “Of course. Some time to recover and work out how to properly utilize the cybernetics is expected.”

    Saren waited until the Commando had left before grabbing the closest thing to him and crushing it in his newly augmented hand.

    “Something is wrong here,” He said as he searched his mind for what had happened. “I must try to find a way back to the Council, they must know that I have failed in my mission.”

    Then the whispers started again, causing the rational part of his mind to retreat and build walls to protect what was important to him.

    “I am done with resting,” Saren said after a minute, his rational mind firmly locked behind the protective barriers. “There is much left to be done.”
     
    • Update
    • MarkWarrior

    MarkWarrior

    Well-known member
    So, after getting some much needed advice from a good friend and much better author than I am, I'm going to be making some changes.

    1. I'm going to be rewriting Blood on the Horizon.
    2. I'm going to be slowly doing the same with my other works.
    3. Updates to all of my stories and fanfics will continue, but I'm going to be putting them in a regular update schedule which will be as follows barring vacations and other things.

    Mondays will be the BOTH rewrite.
    Tuesday will be The Good Tenant
    Wednesday goes to Beyond the Horizon
    Thursday is War on the Horizon
    Friday is my Original fiction.

    Saturday and Sunday might go to the rewrites or I might simply rest. It will depend on how I feel on the weekends.
     
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