Convergence
By: Absolute Edge
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I've read a few Dead Space x Mass Effect stories and was inspired to write my own! After replaying the Dead Space series I developed a writing method I will be implementing later on to make the story darker and more terrifying! I have four chapters already typed up on my cell and will be converting them to Microsoft Word later this week, enjoy.
I'm not going to crazy with this one, not focusing so much on it as I am Pain and Suffering, but I hope it suffices.
Chapter I
"So far so good." Doctor Seth Halloway commented as the engineers finished up their construction.
"What do you think is going to happen?" Jhai'Sa va Senma asked pacing across the observation deck. Her nervousness was unnecessary in Seth's opinion; he turned and stopped her with a hand.
"Hey, stop worrying. Everything will be alright. Cerberus guarantees this device will work flawlessly." Seth said reassuringly.
It didn't seem to help Jhai much as she didn't stop fidgeting with her hands and continued to glance around. Seth placed a hand under her chin and turned her to look at him.
"Jhai, please calm down. Once the Marker is functional we will have more than enough power to continue our research into curing your people's problem." Seth said with an honest smile. The pair of them held the most knowledge on the Quarian disease and have, together, come closer than anyone else to a cure.
"I know Seth, I know." Jhai said wrapping her arms around him, "It's just… Cerberus. Now we owe them and they're the last people I want to owe a favor to."
Seth laughed softly, "I agree completely my love. Hopefully they'll wait until our research is complete before cashing it in."
They were interrupted by a beeping control panel before a voice came over the communications system.
-Eagle three, Lead Thunder Super. Maintenance actions complete. All discrepancies complied with. Awaiting serviceability inspections. Will notify prior to ops check. Lead Thunder Super out.-
"Excellent, soon we will have a fully functioning facility and we can continue our research." Seth said in excitement. He loved his wife more than anything and suffering a favor to Cerberus in exchange for her life unburdened by disease was a small, small price to pay.
Suddenly, the same console beeped but was accompanied by a warning klaxon that blared for a few seconds before a different voice came on.
-Attention Supers on the deck, Attention Supers on the deck. This is the MOCC with a maintenance red ball. Complex Energized Conduit seven in red 'x' for generator hot brake worn. All Supers acknowledge with call sign, MOCC out.-
After the MOCC signed off all of the supervisors began reading off their call signs. Thunder Supers one through four, eight, and Lead Thunder Super. Seth let go of his wife and pressed a button on the console, "Eagle three, copy."
"Those damn CEC generators." Seth said in irritation and sat down in a fairly comfortable chair.
Jhai smiled at her husband's irritation and, to his surprise and enjoyment, straddled his lap, placing her hands on his shoulders. "Always something breaking on a CEC it seems."
Seth smiled holding her waist and ran a finger over her ample curves. "We will find a cure, mark my words."
"Of that I have no doubt, my love. On that day or soon after you will receive the long overdue permission to remove my suit for good." Jhai giggled and ran a hand through his dark hair. They cuddled for a moment until the comms beeped again.
-All Supers, Lead Super. The QAI has checked out the hot break on CEC seven's generator and signed off to run as is. Resume normal operations. Lead Super out-
"Who is our Quality Assurance Inspector anyways? I haven't met him yet." Jhai asked looking over her shoulder and out the plate glass of the observation deck at the people down below scurrying about like ants.
"It's a 'her' and it's a Cerberus operative named Miranda." At the faction's name Jhai whipped her head around and Seth could feel her glare burning into him through her dark tinted visor.
"You really don't like them, do you?" Seth asked with a grin.
"No, I don't. Please don't hire them anymore, please?" Jhai asked as she rubbed Seth's shoulders before sending a hand further south.
"Well… when you put it that way." Seth and Jhai laughed together as he stood up. She wrapped her arms and legs around him still laughing as Seth carried her away to their quarters.
Seth woke to a chirping comms unit by his bed. Jhai groaned and rolled over pressing her body to his and tried her best to reach over him for the device; her fingers just missing by inches. She grunted in defeat and let her arm drop over him and drifted back to sleep. Seth smiled and took the unit.
"Go for Eagle three." Seth said softly, not wanting his little angel to be awakened again.
"Yes Sir, Lead Thunder Super here. Serviceability inspections are complied with and my Supers are standing by awaiting the go ahead to begin equipment operation checks." Lead Thunder Super said rather loudly causing Jhai to grumble, something about CEC generators, before rolling over.
"You may proceed Lead Thunder Super. Please keep me informed." Seth said doing his best not to laugh.
"Understood, Lead Thunder Super out." The device shut off with a faint click and Seth set it back down. He sighed happily and cuddled up to Jhai who sighed softly as he threw an arm around her.
"Soon my love, soon." Seth whispered and kissed her neck. If Jhai felt his touch she gave no sign, then again she was out cold and dreaming about CEC generators. Seth almost laughed again but contained it, intent of letting her rest. They had a long day with a very satisfying night and come tomorrow the equipment checks will be complete and the Marker will be ready for sustained operation. Seth fell asleep believing the future was bright and full of hope.
The comms unit woke Seth again with its persistent chirping. He looked over to find his Jhai gone but the light pooling from under the bathroom door betrayed her location. Seth rolled over and took the unit, "Go for Eagle three."
-Yes Sir, Lead Thunder Super here. All operation checks complied with, no defects noted. We are standing by for Marker activation." Lead Thunder Super said bringing a smile and a relaxed sigh from Seth.
"Eagle three copies, stand by for orders, and stand by for orders. Eagle three en-route." Seth said jumping out of bed and only vaguely hearing Lead Thunder Super reply. He threw his clothes on and opened the bathroom door calling his wife's name. Jhai was standing in front of a full body mirror trying on different styles of robes to go over her suit.
"I thought I'd dress up for the big day. What do you think?" Jhai made a small spin in a paper thin red silk dress robe.
"It's beautiful, you're beautiful Jhai." Seth said admiring her from the doorway.
"Aw, you're too kind." Jhai walked over and took her husband's hand and they walked out together.
They made it to the observation deck in good time and sat down to watch their lives change for the better.
"Are you ready?" Seth asked in utter excitement as his finger hovered over the comms button.
"Yes, I am." Jhai lied, she was still uncomfortable knowing the mysterious construction, this Marker, came from Cerberus, but she couldn't take this moment away from her love. He had worked so hard, sacrificed so much, and asked for so little in return. His life was one of suffering for the causes he believed in. Right now, as it had been ever since Jhai's suit had ruptured, almost killing her, seven years ago, his focus has been on the wellbeing of Jhai and that meant the curing of the Quarian disease.
Jhai looked at her husband and noticed he was watching her carefully. He knew she had doubts. Jhai sighed and looked at the floor wringing her hands slowly. Seth has this uncanny skill for reading someone's emotions by the way their body responds to something. It's a blessing and a curse is how Seth described it. He grabbed Jhai's hands gently to stop her from wringing them and she looked up.
"What's wrong, please tell me." Seth asked softly, almost pleading.
"There are too many unknowns. I don't like not knowing all the facts before we try something." Jhai said softly still not looking at Seth.
"Baby, we're scientists. Sometimes we don't get to know all of the answers, that's why we have trial and error." Seth smiled finding her concern so silly for a scientist, especially a scientists attempting to cure a disease with virtually nothing known about it and from scratch.
"You're right of course. You're always right darling, but I believe my concerns will leave only when this Marker is no longer needed." Jhai sighed and looked at her husband. Seth had always loved her eyes and now that he could see them in such an unhappy state it gave him pause for thought. Maybe she's right, maybe this conveniently perfect gift from Cerberus demanded more examination than he had first thought.
"Alright my love, we'll run some tests on the Marker first." Seth said slowly. Perhaps her hunch was right but why would Cerberus try to sabotage the research for a cure to the Quarian disease? He may never know and realized that if it was true then he didn't want to know. If this was an elaborate method of disposing of them and all research related to the Quarian cure then Seth simply didn't want to know what perverse motive was behind it.
"Thank you Seth. This means a lot." Jhai said with a smile.
Miranda frowned as the conversation ended. Of course it was too easy, something always has to get in the way right at the end. She sighed and opened her QAI briefcase. She pulled out a small chip which she inserted into her handheld radio; why the construction company was using these old blocks was beyond her. Miranda then slowly, carefully, pulled a little black box out of a foam padded section and laid it carefully against the radio broadcasting assembly protruding from the observation deck.
I swear to God if this doesn't work…
"Lead Thunder Super, Eagle three." Miranda said slowly so the voice emulator could adjust the incoming audio more efficiently. It wasn't perfect but over these dinosaur radio systems it wouldn't need to be. She glanced down at the small screen besides her, the doctor and his wife hadn't heard her call, they had no idea there was an imposter.
-Go for Lead Thunder Super.-
"Proceed with Marker activation." Miranda said with a small smirk on her face.
-Understood, all Supers proceed with Marker activation.-
Miranda smiled as the eight CEC generators began to whine into life and idle at fifteen percent power before suddenly whipping up to a hundred percent. Their combined screams were equivalent to standing beside a Mark II Vodesta Fighter jet engine at full blast without using hearing protection. Her smile widened as she watched the doctor begin to panic on her screen. She didn't know why the Illusive Man wanted this device activated so badly but it was her job to see it so.
His will be done.
Too long Miranda had been pretending to know what her job was and many a time the crew chiefs on the spot would give her odd looks and laugh behind her back, but none of them had the balls to say anything to her face. Well, almost all. Miranda smiled as she recalled the young Drell crew chief who had flirted with her every chance he got for the entire five moths she'd been stuck here. It was a welcome distraction Miranda had to admit and she enjoyed their conversations, though perhaps she had allowed their strictly platonic relationship grow a little too much as Miranda now found herself upset knowing his death was unavoidable. Maybe she was getting soft, maybe she wanted to be with a nice young man…
I could take him away. Retire on the fly and never look back. He'd come with me.
Miranda crushed the thought. She wasn't getting soft, merely unfocused. That's all it was; the man's persistence had sidetracked her and had brought these weak thoughts with him.
Miranda walked quickly and with purpose, if there was one thing she didn't hate about this QAI job it was her unquestionable security clearance. She had been able to explore the entire facility during the first month and only ever being stopped once. Even then it was just a shocking polite Krogan security guard mentioning to her that her QAI badge had gotten turned around.
Miranda made it to the ground floor and began following the signs to the shuttle bays. Coming up to an Entry Control Point she observed two guards standing ready with high powered rifles, she took note that one was the same overly courteous Krogan from a few months ago.
Miranda walked up to the ECP holding out her badge and made to continue walking but the other security guard held out a hand arresting her movement.
"I'm sorry ma'am but by order of Eagle three there is to be no foot traffic to the flight deck through any major passage in case of an emergency evacuation during Marker activation." The man said sharply as if everyone had been informed of this.
"I'm the QAI, I need to make my inspections." Miranda said with a frown. The Krogan pulled her away from the other security guard and took her out of earshot.
"Hey, just an info you, there's maintenance just around the corner and they have the service hallway open directly to the flight deck, but you didn't hear that from me." The Krogan said softly with a glance over his shoulder.
Miranda smiled and thanked the man for his help. He grunted with a nod and went back to his post. Having high friends in low places is the key to a successful mission. They seem to know things that the higher ups never hear about.
Sure enough there was maintenance being performed on cross-feed gas piping. There were two fabricators in heavy leather garments and a supervisor standing a few feet back. The fabricators were too busy welding the thick piping to notice Miranda coming up behind them; but the supervisor turned his head and gave a friendly wave. It must be Metals Thunder Super; he's probably the nicest of the Supers that Miranda has met, an excellent people person. Miranda smiled and waved back as she walked by them, a little surprised Metals Thunder Super didn't try to stop her from entering a maintenance area without proper protective equipment. He probably figured the QAI was smart enough not to touch anything, he'd be right.
As she entered the flight deck a deep rumble echoed throughout the facility. Miranda was suddenly terrified that she was about to die, but her fears were washed away as the comms chimed.
-Attention all personnel, attention all personnel, this is the MOCC with a general announcement. Marker activation is a success. Sustained operations are to commence momentarily. No need to respond, MOCC out.-
Miranda sighed in relief and made her way to her private shuttle. This will, hopefully, be the last time she ever sets foot on this flight deck ever again. She didn't look back.