May 14th, 2185
Location: Citadel
The Presidium was on lockdown. C-Sec shuttle and gunships crisscrossed the area as the human embassy burned. Half an hour before an explosive device that had somehow managed to slip passed C-Secs defenses had been
planted and detonated
A massive crowd had gathered behind C-Sec crime lines to watch. One of whom had used their omni tool to bring up the extra net. An Asari reporter was in the middle of a long monologue, "This afternoon, the Citadel Council responded to accusations that they have lost faith in the ability of C-Secs to maintain order. They insist that Captain Jacksalic Briggs'alk, and his Violent Crime Unit, have their full backing and support. They claim, the situation is under control."
C-Sec HQ was in utter chaos. With the recent string of bombing, murders, and assassination on a drastic rise threw out the Galaxy, C-Sec found itself in a difficult position. Even now officers raced back and forth, many of whom dragging criminals or fighting them in the middle of the station. Threw it all, a large Batarian, Jacksalic Briggs'alk, marched calmly threw the hall as if the task ahead of him meant more than the world around him.
Jacksalic was the only Batarian in C-Sec. Several years before he had been a bodyguard for the Volus Ambassador to the Citadel. Somewhere along the way he had impressed the Volus ambassador enough to have him sponsor his application to C-Sec. Early on he had earned the nick name "Jacks", as humans seemed to have trouble with the name. Let alone respecting a Batarian.
That didn't matter though.
What he was about to do, what he knew he had to do, was go to the Devil himself to restore order to the chaos.
Interrogation room B.
A long Turian sat on the dark side of the table. His features hidden in the shadows, but his prison garb and the omni cuffs told the story. He was a convict of one form or another, but for anyone who had access to his file then they would know he was more than that.
The entrance to the Cell opened. The silence within was broken by shouts and the sound of violence. A lone Batarian who the Turian knew as Jacks entered the room, carrying several data pads. As the door closed behind the Batarian, silence once again filled the room.
Jacks had a stern look on his face as he sat in a chair across from the Turian.
The Turian pulled his hands on the table, slipping them out of sight.
Jacks lifted one of the data pads and began. "Seven foot 4. Race, Krogan. Born with a rare skin condition called Melinkin Syndrome." Jacks slid the data pad across the table for the Turian to see. The image was of a Krogan infant, its head plate was beginning to developed, but it looked as if it was spreading too far across the face. "The head plate does not stop growing, eventually covering the whole body. Life expectancy after the plate begins to form is two months..." Jacks paused a moment for dramatic effect. "This guy is two hundred and thirty."
Even as they were having this conversation, elsewhere in the galaxy in a dark room a human sat slouched against a bed.
"He likes to tear the heads off his victims' bodies."
An armor plated three fingered hand took the human by the head and simply tore it off the body.
"Stores the heads in his refrigerator."
So the Massive Krogan was doing. He was wearing basic body armor, but the gauntlets had been torn off. Still, the arms looked armored enough to serve as perfect protection.
"Then when he is hungry…"
The Krogan reached into the fridge, pulling out a bag with a Salarian head within. He ripped open the bag and withdrew the head.
"He eats them."
The Krogan stuffed the head into his lipless mouth. His teeth were ragged edges, pulverizing flesh and bone. His skin looked to be made of stone. His eyes were constantly opened, as the armor had long ago ruined his eye lids, forcing him to rely on his nictitating membrane for blinking.
"His known fatalities are in the triple digit. Code named… Reptile."
The Krogan bit down into the skull, breaching into the brain forcing it to spew out. Slide out between his teeth and down his plate.
Jacks sat still, allowing the prisoner to digest this. From what he could tell, the Turian across from him seemed unimpressed. So he pressed on, lifting another data pad and pulling up information on the one before the prisoner.
"Next up. Doctor Eeezec. Plastic Surgeon. The only known Vorcha to have the patience and intelligence to graduate Medical school." The image on the pad shifted to a brown Vorcha wearing a lab coat. "His first victim was most likely accidental… The next four dozen were not." Jacks sighed, "Eeezec couldn't take being a failed doctor. He went psychotic, and turned the knife on himself."
The lights came on in a distant lab, somewhere in the galaxy. The body of a naked Asari, her chest surgically opened and her guts removed, lay upon a table dead.
A bare chested Vorcha walked across the room to a sterilization unit.
"He removed his fangs, replaced them with razor sharp strips of Salarus armor. And he even surgically attached a pair of ten inch blades into his forearms."
Eeezec stuck his arms into the units, the stains of blood and bile being lifted away from his skin and blade.
"Code Named…"
Eeezec withdrew his arms, and raised his left arm to admire his blades, and how well they work.
"Beraka."
Beraka hissed audibly with satisfaction.
The Turian looked down at the pad, tilting his head slightly as he studied the case file.
"Last contact we had with Beraka was threw Johnny Cage." Jacks stated. "Yea, that's right. The old human Action Hero. After the whole galactic Karate movie craze died down, he needed work. So we had him working for us undercover."
Night.
The Citadel.
In a luxury apartment, a movie poster showing the Specter Blasto and Johnny Cage in positions of action hung proudly. Until the Johnny Cage was thrown against it hard. The glass of the frame exploded outwards, dozens of small shards penetrating his shirt and impaling into his back.
He fell to the floor, flopping onto his side. He did not have enough time to react as Beraka skittered across the floor before him, and growling in a bestial manner, like a predator indulging in the thrill of the hunt.
Cage pushed himself up, growling with nothing but rage behind it.
Beraka began to rush at Cage on all fours. Johnny instantly got on his feet in an attempt to get into a fighting stance.
Beraka shifted toward the wall, rising to his feet and running up the wall a few steps to launch himself at cage, bringing his fist down against the human's skull.
Cage only staggered back for an instant before he recovered and began throwing punches. Beraka began blocking them, even got another jab in on Johnny's face. The Vorcha tried again, but Cage was read. Deflecting the hit, cage began to pummel Beraka in his abdomen and face.
Beraka backed off enough to spin around and kick, trying to catch Cage in the head. Cage ducked down, but Beraka continued the motion and kicked Cage in the jaw. Cage staggered back, hitting a decorative support beam with a massive vase next to it containing Bamboo sticks.
Beraka got into a combat stance, his fist up at the ready.
Johnny grabbed the Bamboo stick and began to swing it at Beraka, knowing this was a fight for his life.
Beraka began to dodge, and to use his forearms as shields. The Bamboo hitting hard, but not phasing the Vorcha.
The branch hit the Vorchas forearm once more before Beraka punched Johnny in the face, then gave a kick to the shoulder for good measure.
The bamboo fell to the floor, Johnny's vision going blurry for an instant as he spun around in time to catch Beraka trying to kick at his legs. Johnny jumped over the kick, then tried to kick Beraka in the Chest. The Vorcha dodged the impact, but instead kicked Johnny in the chest hard.
Johnny could feel a rib crack and staggered backwards. He slouched over, wanting to sleep.
Beraka leapt into the air, intending to bring his fist down on Johnny head, but Johnny shifted his position and leapt up, catching Berakas arm and falling back with it.
The momentum of the impact pulled Beraka with him, as Johnny landed upon the couch, still holding the Vorchas outstretched arm.
Beraka began to pummel Cages chest with his free arm until Johnny had no choice but to release the arm.
Beraka instantly grabbed cage by the shoulders and pulling him to his feet, and gave Johnny a quick jab to the face to throw the human off balance long enough for the Vorcha to wrap his arms around the Johnny's waist, and throw the human against the roof.
Beraka then threw Johnny over the couch and glass coffee table.
Johnny was sprawled on the floor as Beraka leapt onto the couch, then leapt into the air to bring his foot down hard against Johnny's chest, but before impact Johnny rolled to the side and quickly got back to his feet.
Beraka rushed at him, jabbing and kicking. Johnny fell back to his liquor table and grabbed a random bottle by the neck, and smashed it against Berakas face.
The glass bottle exploded as Beraka shrieked in surprise of the impact.
Johnny pressed the attack, punching and hitting witch way, but Beraka had rapidly recovered and was deflecting the punches.
Johnny grabbed another bottle, seeming to be trying the same trick twice, but Beraka brought his forearm up to block the hit. Johnny took advantage of this and kicked at Berakas chest, forcing him backwards. Beraka was going to rush again, but Johnny kicked out at Berakas lower region. Throwing him back and to the ground.
While Beraka was down, Johnny leapt into the air, doing a spinning kick to Berakas face before landing back upon his feet.
Berakas mouth exploded with blood as his metal fangs scrapped against his gums.
Johnny grabbed the Vorcha and pulled him into a slouching position, but Beraka began to recover and wrapped his arms around Johnny's waist. As Johnny began to punch the Vorchas back, Beraka began to punch Johnny's side.
Johnny wrapped his arm around the Vorchas neck and brought his elbow down hard against Berakas upper back.
Beraka took three of Johnny's fingers into a crushing grip, and bent them back further then they were meant to.
Cage howled with pain and furry as Beraka took hold of cages hand, broke free and twisted. Beraka grabbed hold of Cage by the back and lifted him into the air. Beraka then fell backwards, falling against the coffer the center of the coffee table while Johnny hit the edge.
The table shattered, and both combatants released one another. Beraka lay upon his back, stunned from the impact.
Cage began to crawl on his belly away from the Vorcha. As he moved he slowed at the sight of his ash tray. A still burning Cigar was within. He reached out with trembling fingers and took it, bringing one end to his mouth and taking a few ragged puffs.
Beraka got to his feet and closed on Johnny once more. The Vorcha grabbed Cage by the shoulder and spun him around. Upon impact with the table, and the position of Johnny's hand, Cages already broken rib had shattered and been pushed downwards, puncturing his lung. Jonny coughed up blood and spat away the Cigar.
Beraka stood over his prey. He raised his arms in victory, his blades extending from his forearms. With a roar of lust and satisfaction, Beraka brought his blade down in a slashing motion, ending Johnny Cage.
The image now on the pad was from a crime scene. The headless body of Johnny Cage could be seen, but the head was nowhere in sight.
"We have reason to believe this man…" The image changed to a granny image of a human of Asian descent, standing in some back ally on some world smoking a Cigar, "Shang Tsung, maybe behind each killer."
The Turian slowly looked up from the pad towards Jacks.
"The night before Johnny Cage was murdered, he told us about a..." Jacks narrowed his eyes a bit as he considered the information once more, "Tournament, this Shang Tsung putting together. Some underground death match between the Galaxies top fighters. Mercenaries, Serial Killers, Assassins…. Which bring me to you. Voltest Hefgran."
An Asari matriarch crossed him Thessia bungalow to her liquor table. Most of the bottles were nearly empty. She placed his pistol on the table and prepared herself a drink.
"Before your incarceration, you were the top assassin of the Drestacalock. The most lethal gang to ever arise from Turian Space."
The Asari sighed and was about to take a drink when her neck when blood suddenly shot out from her neck, her face instantly taking on a surprised expression. Blue blood dripped down into her drink, changing the color to a darker tone.
Jacks face became more intense as he began to spill out what this whole thing was about, "We want to release you back into the Galaxy… If this Tournament exist, then Shang Tsung will find you. If this Tournament exist then this is our one chance to take out Beraka, Reptile, and all the other maniacs that have turned this Galaxy into a killing field." The Batarians lips parted, revealing his pointed teeth, "We want you to join this Tournament and win it. We want you to do what you do best, and kill them all."
The Asari began to gasp as the spike in her neck blocked breathing. Then the Omni field activated at the tip to prevent the spike from being pulled out the way it had come. Suddenly a cord attacked to the spike reverse rapidly, pulling the Asari off her feet and straight backwards threw the air.
The interrogation room was silent as the final statement was said. Jacks looked across the table at Voltest, just waiting for the Turian to reply.
"You know a great deal about me" The Turian tilted his head up, his features still hidden by shadow, "So you must know that I surrendered my freedom voluntarily. What you don't seem to realize is that I can have my freedom back whenever I choose."
As if on cue there was a loud clang against the floor. Jacks shifted a bit to look under the table. On the floor were both the hand and leg Omni Restraints. They were supposedly unbreakable, and yet there they were. Jacks looked from the floor back across the table as Voltest brought his hands together at the top of the table, as if he were at a negotiation.
"So tell me Briggs…. What could you possibly offer me in exchange for my help?" demanded Voltest.
The door to the room opened once more as a female human entered the room.
Without looking Jacks greeted, "Sonya Blade. Perfect timing."
Sonya Blade was average height for a human female. Her body was muscular, and her hair was a golden blonde. She sat down between the two and sent a new data stream to the pad before the Turian. She stated casually, "Subzero."
Voltest chuckled at that, "That man is dead."
Sonya tilted her head slightly and smiled, "These pictures were taken yesterday."
Voltest suddenly looked directly at the human female with surprise. Looking down at the pad for a moment before lifting it. He rapidly began to shift threw the image. Onscreen was the image of a white and blue Drell. The Drell in question wore cloths similar in style to other Drell, save for the fact the gauntlets had freezing emitter installed, the trade mark kill of Sub Zero.
Sonya continued, "The Drell you killed was his brother."
Voltest began to sift thru the file rapidly, trying to find an explanation, "No… Impossible."
"Sub Zero is alive, and well, and he will be at that tournament. You want him…" At this point Sonya's smile became wider. Her eyes took on a predatory gleam, "You got him."
Voltest looked from the two officers to the pad. His hands began to tremble, then suddenly brought the data pad down hard enough for the screen to crack. He was suddenly to his feet, moving to the door.
Sonya called after him, "Leave no survivors. Understand, NONE!"
As the door opened Jacks rose, "Voltest, are you listening? Find Shang Tsung and finish him."
The Turian held his position at the door. The light from outside the interrogation room revealed he was a brown scale with white paint, "Voltest Hefgran is dead."
Jacks narrowed his eyes a bit, not fully comprehending.
The Turian thought only a fraction of a second, remembering his own code name
"My name," The Turian turned to face the two officers. The scars around his eyes, and milky white pupils, told a dark and terrible story, "Is Scorpion."