Chapter Two: For Blue Skies
It's been a long year since we last spoke/ How's your halo/ Just between you and I/ You and me and the satellites/ I never believed you/I only wanted to/ Before all this what did I miss?/ Do you ever get homesick?/ I can't get used to it/ I can't get used to it/ I'll never get used to it/ I'll never get used to it
Whenever he had a chance, Kaidan Alenko slept in late.
Like so many other little things, it was because of his time in BAaT. Every morning the scientists would round up all the kids a 0600 hours to test their amps. Even lounging in the narrow, uncomfortable cots for a few minutes was grounds for punishment.
Wanting to know just how late it was, he fumbled around for the alarm clock perched on the headboard. Kaidan was on his first leave in months, a forced 24 hours R&R. After the Normandy had gone down, he had worked constantly as a way to avoid dealing with his grief. The habit had carried over after Horizon as a way to channel the alternating waves of guilt and anger he felt about the tense meeting with Shepard.
As he held up the clock, his thumb brushed over the radio turning it on. From the speakers came the tinny voices of a news report already in progress, "A week after the incident at the asari embassy, C-Sec is still without any leads regarding the—".
Kaidan flicked the sound off. Lately, all anyone ever talked about was the disappearance of Councilor Nailia, her security force, and a ghostwriter who happened to be interviewing the councilor that night. It was a mystery that no one could solve. Whatever happened had been vicious. Blood soaked the rooms of the embassy but no bodies were found. A computer virus destroyed all the security cameras inside of the embassy, but outside none of the hundreds of cameras and thousands of people saw anyone enter or leave that night.
There were rumors that the initial investigators had recovered the ghostwriter's camera from the scene. But before anyone could see what had been recorded, the camera had vanished.
Dropping the clock on the floor, Kaidan pulled a pillow over his head. Normally, at this time he would be reporting in at the base. Today though, he had no motivation to get up, no real plans on how to pass the day. The insanity from these last few days had left him exhausted. Tess had invited him over for dinner, but Kaidan wasn't sure if he wanted to put up with his flighty sister.
Maybe he would go check out that Citadel movie and see why it made Anderson's secretary giggle every time he walked past her desk. The best answer he had gotten out of her was a mumble about zero-G and being tasteful despite the length.
Slipping out of bed, Kaidan shuffled into the bathroom and stuck his head under a cold faucet to fully wake up. As he blinked the water out of his eyes, there was the slight electrical buzz from his omni-tool. Activating it, he saw that someone had sent him a message.
Something big is going down; I really need your help. Meet me at the usual spot. I'll buy the coffee this time.
Even though the message lacked a signature, Kaidan knew who sent it. During his time working on the Citadel with Councilor Anderson, he had establish contact with a number of informants and there was only one who would offer to buy him coffee.
After the attack on the Citadel by Saren and Sovereign, there had been a demand that a memorial be established for those who died. It didn't take the Council long to decide that a memorial garden would be the most appropriate choice. The final product ended up much different from the few decorative rose bushes they had approved. A group of art student interning at the landscape designer's office had hijacked the project. The number of donors that they had attracted gave enough money to turn almost ten blocks of the Presidium into a sprawling forest that was full of secluded nooks and hideaways.
"House blend, no cream, but enough sugar to ensure that you'll die an early and painful death. And look, I splurged on biscotti." A cheery voice sounded beside Kaidan.
Begrudgingly taking the coffee, Kaidan nodded a greeting to Emily Wong as she sat down with her own drink. One that appeared to consisting of more whipped cream than coffee.
"This is not inspiring much confidence by the way. I wanted help from an Alliance commander. Instead I get a guy in a hockey tee shirt and blue jeans." The perky reporter teased, the light-hearted voice not matching the dark circles under her eyes, "It's like the blind date my parents set up for me."
"It's my day off."
Emily let out a long sigh, before muttering, "It doesn't matter. I think I'm in trouble."
This wasn't the first time that she had come to him with those words. With her preferred investigations often involving the darker side of life on the Citadel, threats from the people she had exposed were part of the job. Usually they never escalated further than that, but every once and a while she needed someone with a gun to shoo them away. Three years ago, he wouldn't have even thought of using his position like that. But helping her is what Shepard would have done.
After one especially harrowing misadventure involving arms smugglers, they had come to the realization that they were actually friends. Since then they got together more often for drinks than righting the wrongs of the Citadel.
"You still don't trust C-Sec?" Kaidan leaned back and watched the simulated clouds. A few weeks ago, she had covered a story about a particularly corrupt precinct. While it had gotten results in cleaning out some of the seedier elements of the police force, it had also caused them to close rank towards the reporter.
"It's not what you think. I found something regarding the disappearances. Maybe." She fiddled with her coffee cup, spinning it slowly between her hands, "The ghost writer, Elia, we knew each other. We weren't friends or anything, but we've worked together before."
"And what? Did she contact you or something?"
Emily paused to look around before dramatically whispering, "I have the camera, the one that was taken from the crime scene."
"What!"
"I'm the one who took it. I was at the scene reporting when I saw it sitting in the back of the police cruiser unguarded. And, I don't know, something in the back of my mind compelled me to take it."
Kaidan stared at her for a few seconds, wondering exactly why so many of the women in his life were insane. He wasn't surprised by her confession; it wasn't the first time that Emily had stolen something to find a story. "Do you know how much trouble you're going to be in if someone finds out?"
"That's just it, somebody does know. That's why I need your help."
"You need a good lawyer's help."
She removed a camera-drone from a bag at her feet before connecting it to her omni-tool, "I think it would be best if I just show you. Most of the recordings are just Elia's interviews for the book. There are a few things from the night of the disappearance, but nothing that really sheds any light on what happened. The only thing really of note is that some of the data is corrupted with some weird audio distortion."
Projected from the omni-tool a small holo-screen with the asari councilor appeared, "I was thirty four when my father died, he was very old for a—" Emily cut the remembrance off with a tap to the fast-forward button.
"I've watched all of the interviews; it was possibly going to be the most boring biography ever." After a few seconds, she finally found the right segment.
"Never forgave my mother for finding a new—" Once again the councilor was cut off, but not by Emily this time. A loud, deep static drowned out her voice as the screen jumped and pixilated. A few seconds later another sound joined in, a high pitch whine that threatened to overpower the initial buzzing.
Kaidan couldn't help but cringe, the second sound seemed to drill into his head with the same white blinding pain as one of his migraines.
"Are you wincing? It's just static." Emily asked while stopping the video.
As soon as the noise disappeared, so did the pain, "You didn't hear that whine behind the static?"
She looked at him quizzically, "No."
Kaidan rubbed his forehead as he studied the now frozen image. Something caught his attention; there was a tightness around the councilor's eyes and mouth. It was a look of concealed pain, "She hears it too. I don't think it is part of the distortion."
"It could be what's causing the interference. I know I don't hear it, but if there is something, we could try to isolate it. I could do it at the studio, but the AV guys rule their fiefdom with an iron fist."
"I know someone with the right equipment." Tess's long-term boyfriend worked with film crews for documentaries and independent movies and did a lot of the editing work at his office.
"Good. That's all of the static, but there are a few other things." Again, Emily sped through a segment of the tape. When it resumed, the static and whine were gone as promised, and Nailia was no longer wincing in pain, "Now just listen, it's really soft." Almost immediately, there was the soft pop of a silenced gunshot. While the camera had been able to pick up the sound, no one in the room reacted. The next two gunshots were louder and close enough to get a reaction out of them. As a guard pulled Nailia off screen, there was a quick dark flash that obscured everything.
"There!" Emily exclaimed, "Did you see that? There was another image there for less than a second. I only have the video on my omni-tool and it doesn't allow me enough control to go through the video by milliseconds."
Kaidan wasn't as impressed as Emily, "Is that it? The processor probably hiccupped trying to focus on all the movement."
"No." She patted the camera affectionately, "This is a very high end model, and they don't mess up like that. Plus, the flashes occur two more times before the recording ends."
Kaidan leaned back against the bench and tried to make sense of everything he had just seen and heard. There was still one major unanswered question hanging in the air, "None of this explains why you need my help."
Emily laughed; it sounded tired and stressed, "Yeah, I know. I just wanted to show that I really don't have anything. Even if we figure out what cause the interference, it probably won't give any insight into what happened. But still, someone wants the camera back."
She unplugged the camera, and accessed a new file on the omni-tool, "An OSD was left at the studio for me this morning. This happens all the time, some idiot records a drunken krogan falling over and they think it should be on the news."
"I'm guessing it's not a drunken krogan this time?"
"I wish it was." Emily muttered under her breath before starting the new video. The quality of the recording was poor, blurry, and very dark. Squinting, Kaidan could just make out what appeared to be a couch. After a few seconds a dark mass, a person, appeared and sat down. A light from off-screen illuminated the figure—it was Emily. Dressed in a bathrobe and fuzzy slippers, she sat down and stared towards the light.
The whole sequence ran for less than twenty seconds and by itself was anything but threatening. Yet, Kaidan felt disturbed by it. It was voyeuristic and something felt wrong as if he had missed an important detail.
"I've been having trouble sleeping lately." Emily explained, "I keep on having strange dreams where I'm reliving past events while someone studies them. Studies me. So I've been watching a lot of TV instead of sleeping."
"How did they record you? Did someone break in and bug your apartment?"
"Across from the sofa is my desk where I've been working with a certain camera." Emily shoved the drone back into the bag as if she couldn't stand looking at it anymore, "These cameras aren't exactly hard to hack, but it does require the hacker to know what frequencies the individual units are set at to receive any information back. This can be achieved through trial and error, but there are millions of different possibilities."
"So they had to know exactly what combination to use, which means they were familiar with the camera."
"Or had a VI program that could filter through the various channels. That's what we have at the station, but even then it takes a few hours."
"Do you have any idea who sent this?"
After a few seconds, Emily absently answered, "Yeah." She was staring at something over Kaidan's shoulder.
Turning around, he saw that an asari was staring at them, partially hidden by the almost unnaturally dark shade of a large tree. She was wearing the dark brown armor of an asari huntress covered with dark stains and scarring. The top half of her face was painted black, making the whites of her eyes stand out. She was standing almost impossibly still until a full-body twitch jerked her body like a rag-doll. The small seizure lasted only a second and as soon as it was over, she was back to observing them as if nothing had happened.
"Is she watching us or am I just being paranoid?" Emily voiced for both of them.
Noticing their gazes, the asari leeredexposing all of her teeth and held out her hands as if to say See, I'm not a threat. As a marine, Kaidan had learned to trust his gut over everything else, and now it was screaming at him that something was wrong.
Very wrong.
An asari commando wouldn't be wearing armor in that condition. Without turning to talk to Emily, he commanded softly, "Go. Don't run; just calmly walk the other way."
"What? No." She answered breathlessly, "I'm not just going to run away. If she knows something, then I am staying."
He should have expected this, "Fine. Stay behind me and—"
Emily grinned, her normally vivacious manner finally starting to reappear, "Alright. Stop acting like we've never done this before." For all her bravado, Emily wasn't a marine. Luckily for Kaidan, she was smart enough to realize this and would actually stay out of the way.
As they approached the asari, her ugly grin grew as if she was pleased about their approach, "Thieves are supposed to scurry, scurry. So brave of it." She spoke with a strange inflection, her voice alternating between a soft monotone and an almost rapid, excited squeal.
"Thief?" Emily asked, "So you are here because of the camera."
The asari tilted her head as if she was listening to some distant sound, "What concern would we have for such a little thing of gears and chips."
"Then why are you here?" Kaidan interrupted already regretting talking to the asari.
She looked at Kaidan as if she was just noticing him for the very first time and was disgusted by what she saw, "To observe. To learn. To protect. Her crimes are great, but her restitution will be greater."
"What are you talking about? My crimes? Restitution?"
"We have no voice." The asari answered simply, "Oźwiena's screams can only be heard by abominations warning them of their damnation. But what of those who can be saved? Who will speak to them? Who will lead them?"
"You're doing a good enough job talking to us right now." Kaidan pointed out a bit more sarcastically than he intended.
"Alas, I cannot lie. And the truth is often much more painful."
Kaidan frowned, perplexed at the asari's cryptic words. It was becoming increasingly obvious that she was deranged. Taking a step back, he grabbed Emily by the crook of her arm, "C'mon, we should go. She—"
"No." Emily broke free and pushed past him. Her eyes had that predatory gleam that always appeared when she was onto something, "Who are these abominations? You're talking about Nailia and her staff, right?"
"They were taken for other reasons." The asari answered with a finality that clearly implied that they would not get any more information out of her about the councilor.
Still he had to try, "Enough games, who are you?"
"We have no name. This one was once known as Jehona. Call us that if you like. Such things are meaningless. It is the same as naming the individual leaves of a tree."
Running a hand through his hair, Kaidan felt a few small static snaps. Unconsciously, he had been building up a biotic charge. The sense that she was dangerous had persisted and he knew that she was just playing them. Even her toothy grin had been replaced by a smaller, slyer smile. They were sitting on a powder keg, and the asari was just waiting for the right time to set off the detonator.
"Jehona," Emily had put on the soft, gentle voice that she used for interviews, "Why do you keep on saying we? Whom are you working with? Other asari or…" she trailed off trying to lead Jehona into answering; a trick Kaidan had seen her do a hundred times on the news.
She didn't instantly answer this time. The smile slipped and Jehona froze for a few seconds before haltingly answering, "We, we are many. It cannot know us yet."
Kaidan gave Emily a small nod to encourage her to continue her questioning. This topic seemed the most promising, if they could press her enough there was a chance that Jehona would break and give them a straight answer for a change.
"Why can't you tell us about them? Are you scared of them?"
The question seemed to bother Jehona. She pressed the heels of her hands against her eyes, and let out a long, pained moan, "No, no, no. It would not understand. It is a—" She was cut off as another seizure rocked her body. This time when it ended, she went limp, sagging at the waist, and her chin resting against her chest.
It was as if someone had found an off-switch. Finally, she uttered a single word, "Dilemma!" but otherwise did not move.
Before Kaidan had a chance to stop her, Emily reached out while asking, "Are you okay?"
The moment her fingers brushed Jehona's arm, the asari jerked to life. She flinched away from the touch, making a throaty, animalistic growl.
Pulling Emily behind him, Kaidan built up a proper biotic charge. If he needed any sign that Jehona was about to do something, this was it. She no longer even seemed sentient anymore.
As the building energy started to distort the light around him, Jehona hissed and locked eyes with Kaidan, "Abomination! Traitor!" A black, viscous liquid began to seep out of the various tears and cracks in her armor. Instead of dripping to the ground, it traveled across her body enveloping her left arm. Wires and small metallic flecks flashed in the simulated sunlight.
"What the hell is that thing?"
Kaidan didn't answer, focusing solely on Jehona. The asari was gliding her free hand over the ooze in a manner that reminded him of an omni-tool, but he didn't want to just assume that it was a piece of technology.
Plus that obnoxious noise was making it hard to think.
It was the same whine that he had heard on the tape. But even louder and more intense. When he first heard the sound on the recording it had felt like something was piercing his skull. This was different, worse. Barely able to hide how much pain he was in, Kaidan stated, "You're the source behind the noise. You were at the embassy."
"Noise? This again?" Emily was backing away from them. There had to be a logical reason explaining why she couldn't hear the sound, something that made him different from her.
Suddenly it was crystal clear, "I'm a biotic."
Jehona stroked her wrist, which caused the sound to become more intense, "Only the damned can hear it. A taste of what awaits them." Since summoning the liquid, she had calmed down and no longer looked like a caged animal.
"But you're biotic, all asari are."
"This one is being purified;" Jehona almost sound reverent, "what remains of the cancer will soon be devoured."
More riddles. It was becoming harder and harder to stayed focus. The whine and the pain drowned out every thought. If this didn't end soon, Kaidan knew that he was going to be in trouble. He had to take the initiative, "If you're involved with the disappearance of the Councilor, I can't let you go. It would be the best for everyone if you just come with us quietly."
Jehona stared at him for a few seconds before laughing. It was a cold and cruel sound, "It believes it is in a position to make demands. Know this, Oźwiena is merely whispering. Her screams have destroyed stronger minds."
This time the sound struck him like a sledgehammer. Never had his head ever hurt this badly. With his throat burning from the coppery taste of blood, Kaidan dropped to one knee as the ground spun and pitched underneath him. With the last of his strength, he hit her with a biotic push. It was uncontrolled and sloppy, the kind that would have earned a sharp rap from Vyrnnus. It was still strong enough to slam her into a tree causing Jehona's neck to twist and flop with a sickening crack.
A sound that often had him waking up in a cold sweat.
The asari crumpled to the ground, her head bent at an unnatural angle. Kaidan noticed that it was now quiet except for the roar of blood in his ears.
Until a shrill shriek behind him, "What did you do?"
Ignoring the question, Kaidan barked at Emily, "Get some help!" as he scrambled back to his feet and dashed over to Jehona. Every step made his head feel like it was going to crack open. When he reached her, Kaidan crouched down a felt for a pulse. He found one, but it was rapid and weak.
Turning, he saw that Emily was still just staring at him in terror. "She's still alive but won't be for long unless we get some help." His words didn't seem to reach her. Kaidan swore under his breath, it was just his luck if Emily went into shock.
A metallic ping brought his attention back to the asari. It was the sound of wires snapping. Jehona was using her hands to force her head back into place, metal wires and chunks of bone were jutting and tearing out of her neck. Instead of blood, that black slime bubbled up from the wounds. Speechless, Kaidan could only stare. There was no way that she was an asari.
Or at least wasn't one anymore.
Jehona's eyes slowly turned black, "It dared. Tell us abomination, what use does it have? Why should we not tear its mind to little pieces and cast off the rest?"
"You're not exactly in a position to make any threats." It was true. The asari hadn't attempted to stand and her breathing was labored, it couldn't be possible that she would have enough energy to meld with him, "Just stay still and we'll get you so—" Before he had a chance to finish a blow came from behind, hitting Kaidan on the back of the head.
Combined with the pain from the whine, everything went white as he half-stumbled against Jehona. As he fought off another sickening wave of vertigo, Kaidan pushed himself away from her, turned, and saw through spotted vision that Emily had hit him with the bag holding the camera. Hot blood spilled from where she hit him and dripped down his neck.
"I'm sorry!" She half sobbed, "You-you don't understand. She knows the truth. The truth about Councilor Nailia, about the camera, everything. And it's my job to find the truth. No matter the cost."
"Emily?" Kaidan wasn't questioning what she was saying, but who was actually talking to him. There was just something off about her eyes. Her pupils were dilated and instead of looking at him, her gaze went over his shoulder to Jehona. Somehow, Jehona had been able to meld with Emily. Through this connection, she was exploiting the reporter's fears and desires, driving her into a paranoid panic.
"Look at what you have already done!" Emily slung the bag over her shoulder ready to swing it again. "I shouldn't have gotten you involved. Coming here was a mistake."
It was easy to avoid her next swing and the bag cracked loudly against the ground. Either the sound or the sensation of the camera breaking seemed to partially snap Emily out of her stupor. She let out a soft "Oh shit" that seemed so out of place Kaidan felt a delirious need to laugh. The dizziness was being replaced by a feverish lightheadedness.
Wobbling to his feet, Kaidan grabbed Emily by the wrist. They were going to get out of there, even if he had to drag her away like a small child. They would just leave Jehona and hope for the best.
"We understand now." Jehona gasped as they passed the tree where she rested. In one quick move that should have been impossible for someone in her condition, she tackled and roughly pinned Kaidan underneath her. Her black blood dripped staining his tee shirt. "The thief's mind revealed a hidden truth. The abomination knows of the one we seek." She grabbed his chin, and forced Kaidan to look deep into her eyes.
"Embrace eternity."
Disclaimer: Mass Effect World/Characters belong to Bioware and For Blue Skies: is by Strays Don't Sleep.