Covert Ops

Farish'Tah nar Usela was last to arrive in the dark room of the human embassy. She was not late to the meeting; she came right on time in fact. Her company had simply arrived early, but she still felt awkward and vaguely at fault when she entered and saw the two men waiting there for her. She showed this sentiment with a low hung head as she stepped inside. She was a quarian; young, and it showed with her slight build and height, if one did not understand the meaning of her name. Her suit was mostly crimson, with white trims here and there, with a darker red cloak over her shoulders and head, and a pink visor covering her face. A pistol was on her left thigh and a small blade was behind her, in the small of her back.

She already knew one of the men who greeted her. An elderly, well built human by the name of Commander Granger, he had personally requested her presence. She had never met him personally, but she recognized him from his hologram, the hologram she had showed to countless guards with her omni-tool, all who refused to believe she was supposed to be here. They poked and prodded at her. They tugged at her suit once or twice, in which time she slapped their hand angrily and threatened to scream as loud as she could if they did it again.

And for the life of her, she could not understand why she had been summoned like this. She had come because… because she was afraid of his wrath if she did not heed his call. She had been given passage onto the Citadel, but she did not go a day without a hassle. The last thing she wanted was to anger a high ranking human.

The second man in the room, who was seated with his back to Farish and turned when she made her presence known, was a human as well. Slimmer and younger than Granger, he wore mostly black body armor. While Farish' weapons were small and barely noticeable on her slender form, this man wore his weapons blatantly: a heavy pistol on his left thigh, a wickedly curved blade magnetized onto his chest, a rifle was beside him in the chair. And how he sat in his chair, the tenseness of his spine and legs as if at any moment he might leap out of it. The way his left hand kept drifting to the pistol on his belt, dancing over it, and then slipping away to his side.

"Thank you for coming on such short notice, Ms. nar Usela," Granger said with soft words and a slight smile. "Farish'Tah nar Usela, this is Private Isaac Church. Private Isaac Church this is Farish'Tah nar Usela."

Farish did not enjoy shaking hands. When neither human made an effort to shake, she was relieved.

"Do you have any idea why I asked you to come here, ma'am?"

Farish swallowed nervously, and shook her head softly. "I'm sorry, captain, I do not know. I…I am afraid that I may be exiled from the Citadel…I am sorry for whatever laws I have broken, but I do not think that I broke any laws. I am fairly certain in fact."

"I did not ask you here just to tell you that you have to leave. You are a leading expert on biology. You have studied diseases, viruses, and immunities of almost every species in the Citadel, and written several articles which have caught the attention of prominent scholars, despite your species."

"I-I desire to develop a superior vaccination for my people, captain. Something that will allow for longer time spent out of our suits, and with fewer risks. My contribution for my Pilgrimage. Nothing I have done is against any laws or rules and I do not wish to be exiled from this place until my work is complete. I believe I am close to a breakthrough."

"Please relax; I'm not going to exile you. Private Church, will you please share what you told me."

The man looked away, as if gathering his thoughts, then looked to the quarian. He stood up. He was a fair bit taller than she was. She wondered if this was some sort of show of authority for him. "You are familiar with Cerberus, I can assume?"

"Yes, the human terrorists."

"I'm a member of Cerberus," the man said bluntly. "Or…I suppose I was. So, you figure, if a card-carrying member of Cerberus comes and turns himself in to the human embassy, something big must have happened." He lowered his head to his hands, and rubbed his eyes softly. "For the past few years, we've been experimenting with human diseases and viruses, stuff that has been part of humanity long enough we've developed immunities to it by now. The hope was that we can release the new virus into a mixed community. Any aliens who contract it would die; any humans would be able to fight it off, because of their prior immunities."

Farish shivered, swallowing nervously.

"Maybe I figured it would always be a last resort. I never had a problem spilling blood, but spilling blood was always the means, not the ends. I thought we were developing the virus as a last resort. I guess I thought that. Not like they ever said that to me. We never really talked about it. I just went about my business, serving security. Now the virus is going to be released."

Granger interrupted. "If the private is to be believed, the virus is now in the hands of a known Cerberus terrorist, 'the Machinist.' Are you familiar with him?"

Farish nodded slowly. "Uhm…yes captain. The terrorist who builds the machines around bombs…I believe I saw a report on him…or something. So they, the bomb machines, can easier infiltrate their target."

"He does not build machines around bombs. He builds bombs into machines. He builds bombs that are so well integrated into the host machine; a dozen mechanics could examine it and never suspect a thing. That is why he is so dangerous when using mundane explosives. Because no matter how good of security we might have, he can slip right past us. If he manages to incorporate the virus into an explosive, and he managed to smuggle that machine into a populated area... If the virus is somehow released, the causalities done to the aliens, not to mention the retaliation against humanity, and our loss of face…"

"Please forgive me, captain, but why am I privy to this? S-surely this…this is meant to be classified information. I…I shouldn't be hearing this, I don't understand."

"Private Church is going to attempt to capture the Mechanic. If he has planted the virus, we should be able to extract its location from him. We would also like to obtain a sample of the virus. At the very least, we'll be able to develop vaccinations and medications. We need someone in the field, though. Someone with knowledge of biology and viruses, just in case anything happens."

"Sir I…I'm not a soldier."

"I have recruited a mercenary to protect you. Private Church will also be accompanying you. Farish, in the event of an emergency you are the only one with the knowledge to handle the situation. Your suit will also protect you from any outbreaks, better than Church or the mercenary will fare."

Farish shifted nervously.

"The praise of the Citadel will be a great gift to bestow upon your people, as well as a personal debt from myself. We will pay you for your services, whatever you desire. Think of your people, of the pride and bounty you can bring them."

Farish gave a sigh and a soft nod. "I…alright…"

XXX

The mercenary who was to serve as her bodyguard was a krogan by the name of Kero. If that was his given name, surname, or a nickname, Farish was too afraid to ask. He was tall and powerfully built; he looked hulking compared to the slight build of the quarian, wrapped in her suit. He even dwarfed Isaac. His skin was the yellow common in his people. His head crest was dark green, and his eyes were a glowing emerald. He was dressed in black armor with some green and brown trims and colors, and held a nasty looking shotgun over his shoulder. He was waiting for them in the hangar. When Isaac and Farish approached, he gave no sign of greeting. He only gruffly climbed aboard the small ship. Such a small ship. There were only three operatives on this mission: Farish, Kero, and the human. The Citadel did not want this operation well publicized. They did not want to cause a panic about what Cerberus was capable of. Or the humans did not want the turians to know what they were capable of. So there would be no carriers, no back-up, nothing official.

The planet that Isaac claimed the Mechanic was hiding on was known as Tesher, a secluded gas giant that Farish was vaguely familiar with. When she was young, her and her people had visited the planet, seeking to strip it of whatever resources could be had. To their surprise, a human corporation claimed to have an interest, and offered a "gift" in the form of several ships. The quarians quietly left the system and never returned. The reason why the humans might be so interested in such a planet, they had never bothered to wonder about. But now, as Farish watched the krogan pilot the small ship towards the gas giant she somehow remembered from her childhood, an odd sense of ill feeling touched her.

Isaac was spending the trip in his room. When Farish tried to enter, she found the door was locked, and he did not answer her knocks or greetings. She assumed he would want to be alone, and instead she traveled to the bridge, where she found the krogan quietly piloting the ship through the depths of space.

"Good greetings, captain."

The krogan turned to the quarian, gave a stiff growl, and resumed staring at the controls.

"May I take this seat?" she asked, gesturing to the co-pilot seat. And when the krogan gave a snort, she assumed that was a yes and took the seat. "I've never spoken to a krogan before. I have seen some on the Citadel though. You can imagine, when I first arrived…when I first arrived it was the first time I had ever left my home; I had ever left my family. I was all alone, and when I first came onto the Citadel, I cannot begin to describe what I felt. I saw so many unique creatures, so many amazing creatures. And the powerful krogan. You can imagine my fascination. We…we're so frail, and to see these titans..." Farish caught herself, and gave a long breath. "I apologize. Sometimes I talk too much."

"Its fine," Kero said, turning to her. "I've never spoken to a quarian, actually. I've killed a few over the years, but I've never spoken to one."

"You are to serve as my protector?" Farish asked.

"I have been hired to capture a human. That is my primary objective. Protecting you and the other human is secondary. But yes, it's on the list."

Farish sat back in her chair.

"Do you trust that human you came with?" Kero asked.

"What do you mean?"

"I do not trust him."

Farish sighed and wiggled in her chair, trying to get comfortable. She found it strangely difficult. "I…I do not trust him either. I do not trust anyone though. It…it comes with being a quarian, I suppose."

"And with being a krogan," he said, with a soft chuckle.

"But…I am to trust you?" Farish asked.

"This is not about trust. This is simply about a job I have been hired to do. I'm getting paid, and getting paid well to see it that you don't get hurt. I have no idea why the commander is paying so much to capture a human or keep a quarian safe, but I can't argue with the credits. I've worked for the commander before. He always pays well, and pays on time. If the job changes and I have to kill you, I'll be sure to make it quick. But I'm mostly here to kill humans."

"You do not care for humans?"

"No. But I need not worry. It's only a matter of time before someone releases a genophage on them."

"Yes, the genophage…You have my sympathies in regards to it. I am sure that does not mean anything, but…you have my sympathies. I have often questioned if the turians were justified in their decision."

And yet, Farish was trying to prevent a virus from being released upon the turians. A krogan was being used for that end, and he did not even know what he was being used for.

"Do you know of the target…the human you have been hired to capture?"

"It's a human. He has his own corps protecting him because he is too weak to protect himself. If I bring him back alive, I get paid. If I bring him back dead, I don't. I just wish humans weren't so breakable. It always makes extraction a problem." The krogan looked over the controls. "We should arrive at the planet shortly."

"This ship is amazing technology. The speed at which it moves and being so small. I assume it would aid the humans in…unofficial operations. They would not have to move through monitored mass relays. This is, of course, not as fast as travel that way, but…this is impressively fast, to be sure."

"Do you think you could take that human we are traveling with? If you had to, could you kill him?"

"W-why would I have to?"

"That genophage cannot come fast enough."

XXX

When the gas giant was within visible range, Isaac came onto the bridge. How the human could possibly know to come on at that very moment was beyond either of the two. In fact, Farish was just getting up to go fetch him, when he filled the doorway, and she quickly sat down in the chair. Isaac, arms crossed over his chest, stood beside Kero.

"What is to stop them from shooting us down?" Kero asked.

"The codes of this ship are special Cerberus codes. They won't shoot us down."

Kero turned to the human, growling loudly. "Cerberus…?"

Isaac looked passively down at the krogan. "The man who you are here to extract is a Cerberus terrorist."

"Why was I not made aware of this?"

"It's on a need-to-know basis."

The krogan growled once more. "I was hired to extract a crime boss, not a Cerberus terrorist. Cerberus soldiers are better trained than some common thugs. Not to mention, I may be facing Cerberus' wrath for this down the line."

"Stop your whining, krogan. You are being paid for your services."

When Kero stood, Farish thought that he was going to tear the human's head off in a fit of blind rage. Instead, he casually poked a chubby finger into the human's chest and growled lowly. "You and I will have words about this, after the target is secured." Turning to Farish, he said, "Get ready."

A small orbital gas-skimming platform, with a landing pad, was located so deeply entrenched in the gas and fog of the planet, passersby might have not even realized it was there. Perhaps the gas aided in hiding the bases location from scanners, or perhaps the planet was so out of the way no one ever came looking for the base.

Donning a breather mask, Isaac was the first one to leave the ship. There were two guards to greet whoever came out on the platform already. Isaac said he would take care of them, and because Kero did not protest this, Farish did not protest either. Together they watched as Isaac walked down the ship's ramp and onto the platform. There was sound on the monitors, but Isaac and the two Cerberus guards spoke low enough that Farish could not understand. She leaned closer, watching, breathless, as one of the guards came closer. Isaac did not draw the pistol on his left thigh. Instead he took the kukri knife off his chest and swung wide, and slashed the first guard across the tender throat. Kinetic barriers stopped high-velocity slugs, not the slower impact of a knife through the flexible padding of the neck area. The other reached for his pistol, but Isaac was already upon him: a knee smashed into the man's groin, and as he reeled forward, Isaac dragged the blade across his throat as well.

Isaac turned to the ship, and made the gesture for the other two to come out and join him. Isaac was quick to drag the two dead guards to the edge of the platform and cast them down into the oblivion of the gas giant's core. There was still blood on the platform, but hopefully any patrollers would not take notice of the saturation against the dark black metal ground.

At the door, Isaac typed in a code he knew by heart, and the huge door opened, giving passage inside. "How did you know the code?" Kero asked, coming up behind Isaac, helmet over his head.

Isaac did not answer. Bringing his rifle to bare, he headed inside. "Resistance shouldn't be too intense. We'll encounter bodyguards, but the target relies more on the seclusion of this base than power."

"Just who is the target?" Kero growled lowly.

Isaac turned to glare at the krogan, who was stomping forward, at least until Farish moved between the two males and held her hands. "We are here to kill a Cerberus terrorist known as 'the Mechanic.' Is your payment sufficient for such an operation?"

Kero growled softly. "I suppose…"

"They weren't trying to cheat you out of a payment; they didn't want this operation well known though. That's why the human has kept you in the dark for the time being. But now you know, so we need not keep fighting amongst each other. You want money," she said, addressing the krogan. "You want to stop the virus and clean your conscious. And I want the debt from the commander. So let's all work together. You can kill each other when this is done."

Kero sighed, but Isaac lifted his rifle. Fortunately, he was aiming down the hallway, as several Cerberus soldiers spilled into the hallway. Kero shifted and took hold of Farish, pulling her behind him to keep her safe before taking up his shotgun. A heavy blast soared down the hallway, and knocked three of the Cerberus down. Isaac lowered flat to his belly, and lined careful shots up, squeezing each shot carefully. Kero stood proud in the center of the hallway, blasting his shotgun, roaring and shouting. Farish was squatted behind him. Bullets hit him with little effect, his heavy armor chipping or boiling away, and his sheer bulk and strength overcoming the impacts of the shots. Although Farish had never seen real combat, she had been taught survival skills, both to defend herself on the pilgrimage and to protect the fleet before that. How easy it was: line the sights, squeeze the trigger, and line the sights once more. She killed at least one of the Cerberus, but wounded several. It was mostly up to Kero to kill them, as the massive blasts of his shotgun seemed more than enough to penetrate their armor.

When the bullets slowed and the hall was quiet, Kero looked over his shotgun. Isaac got to his feet. "Well, now they know we are here," he muttered. "The Machinist won't stick around. He's too valuable to get into a gunfight. There are three pads on this base. We're on one. That means his escape ship might be on one of the two."

"Where are they?" Kero asked.

"This base isn't very big. We landed on the north platform. There's one in the south, and one in the east. Follow the direction you should get there pretty quickly."

"We should. I'm not letting a Cerberus terrorist out of my sight."

Isaac cringed slightly.

"You know all the codes; you know who we are after. I would say you were undercover, but I can see it in your eyes. Not just how you look at me. How you look at Farish. You're a terrorist. You were captured by the Citadel and made a deal: the Machinist in exchange for a lighter sentence. But if you think I'm going to go hunting for something that's not here while you make your escape, I'll break your legs and carry you."

"We don't have time for your paranoid bullshit!" Isaac shouted. "There are two platforms and three of us. If we check the wrong one first, he'll be long gone by the time we get to the other."

"I'll go with Isaac," Farish said quickly, once more placing herself between the two angry males. "I will stay behind him, and if he tries anything, I'll shoot him in the back."

The krogan growled lowly. Isaac pointed in the direction, and said, "Follow this hallway until you are outside. If there are Cerberus soldiers, kill them. If there is an older man they seem to be protecting, take him alive."

Farish followed Isaac, running at his heels. There didn't seem to be much resistance. Farish assumed that after that initial assault, all remaining men were attempting to evacuate the Mechanic, as he was far too important to be killed or fall into enemy hands. "Once we capture the Mechanic, we will search for the laboratory. He might have a sample of the viruses here. That will be important if the location of the bombs can't be extracted."

Farish huffed gently behind her mask. "Do you know the location of the laboratory?"

"This base isn't that large. We can find it when we have the time." Coming to the airlock door, Isaac squatted and typed at the controls. "I wish you had gone with the krogan. If the Mechanic is here, he's my priority. I'm not worried about you."

"I can take care of myself," Farish said sternly.

"Well, I'm about to open this door, so get to the other side of the threshold and take cover. The moment we open this door, we may have to deal with a dozen bodyguards."

Farish nodded and walked to the opposite side. She drew her pistol, as well as the knife she carried behind her back. She had a bad feeling about this. She imagined a whole hoard of Cerberus charging at her, and that she would need to resort to stabbing and slashing to keep them at bay. When the massive door opened to expose the platform to Farish's aim, she identified four Cerberus. And lifting her pistol, she squeezed, hitting one of the Cerberus squarely in the chest. She did not kill him, she only knocked him down, and that Cerberus rolled onto his stomach and opened fire, peppering her with shots. One of the other Cerberus grabbed another and pulled him towards a drop ship, while the other two provided cover.

Farish recoiled behind the cover of the doorway. Her gaze passed towards Isaac, who was casually loading a concussive shot into the grenade launcher underneath his rifle. He peeked around the cover and lifted his aim, and squeezed. The Cerberus who was being escorted towards the drop ship was struck from behind. His body contorted sickeningly from the force, before lying down on the ground. Under the continuous fire, the Cerberus escort did not bother trying to drag the broken body towards the ship. He joined the trio, and engaged Farish and Isaac, who were still peppering them with shots.

"Kero, we've found the Mechanic," Farish shouted into her radio. "Kero, come here!"

Isaac slew one of the Cerberus before he was hit three times in the chest and knocked flat on his back. He screamed and groaned loudly, as Farish leaned out and shot four times. Isaac was screaming and shaking. Farish leaned out and fired once more, before darting through the open space as fast as she could. Halfway across she leapt to the ground and slid, landing beside Isaac and pulling him into better cover in the doorframe. Sheathing her knife, she placed a hand on him to try to keep him down, and leaned out, still shooting as best she could. But the Cerberus, sensing the disarray, began to move up.

It was then that Kero charged down the hallway, snarling and screaming like a rampaging beast. He stopped running just long enough to line the sights of his shotgun, and fire, the force of the blast enough to send the Cerberus rolling along the ground. A shoulder ram knocked the third Cerberus away, and Kero finished him off with an additional blast. The body tensed a moment, and then went still, and Kero lifted his shotgun to slay the Cerberus they were trying to escort to the drop ship.

"No!" Isaac shouted. With Farish's aid, he got to his feet, holding his side lightly. "That's the Mechanic."

Kero looked over his shoulder, and snorted. Placing the shotgun on his back, he stomped over to the human and lifted him by the throat. Swift fingers tore his weapons away, before Kero casually threw him at Isaac's feet. Isaac lowered to one knee and removed the face mask the Cerberus was wearing. He gave a stiff nod to Kero, who growled, and now hoisted the body over his shoulder.

"You did good," Isaac said curtly. "Both of you. I don't think there have been any toxic releases, or Kero would probably be feeling it by now."

"What?" the krogan asked.

"I think it's safe for the Citadel's team to be sent in. But that doesn't bar the possibility that the Mechanic's bombs have already been shipped out." He sighed. "I just hope we can make him talk."

"Knowing the Citadel, they will find a way," Kero muttered under his breath. "Let's bring him back. I want to get paid."