Disclaimer: I do not own Mass Effect or the various X-COM games. They belong to their respective copyright owners. This story is not written for profit. I make no money from it. It is not for sale or rent.
Chapter 1: Vacation, X-COM style
=SF=
Part 1: Tales of the barman
22:48 PM 12 August 2176 AD
Azure Nightclub
Olympus City
Elysium
Vetus System
"Bloody publicity whores..." I cursed quietly over my drink – a purple Thessian beverage which was recommended by the barman, when she found out what my predicament was.
The latter wasn't particularly easy. Not when my face was plastered all over the God damned news. You see, some bastard, who probably was running for re-election had "accidentally" leaked my story to the news channels… Which apparently was a big thing, or it was just a slow news day. Either way, the blissful anonymity I was enjoying as far as the civies were concerned was at it's end.
The end result was that thanks to my actions during the Ethereal war and the simple fact that I was the last surviving veteran of that conflict, I was hailed like a hero. Which unless I was very much mistaken would mean my recall back to Earth for some damned dog and pony show, something that thankfully I've been able to avoid so far.
I wasn't a hero damn it! During the war I didn't fight to protect civilians, or even Earth as a whole. Oh, no. I did it for purely selfish reasons – it was the only way to ensure that I won't end up as an alien experiment. If we won and I wasn't captured that is.
The men and women who died, while I was learning the hard way how to use my Gift in the field, they were heroes. Me? Not so much. In fact, that was one of the reasons why I decided to remain with X-COM in this brand new world. They, we take care of our own. Besides they gave me the training so I won't be weak again, making it less likely that I once again end as a damn test subject.
The other reason was simple, I wanted to see the stars just as I said to Lieutenant Anderson. It was an opportunity I was given after not fucking too badly during the various training courses I had to pass.
On the other hand, now I was a brand new NCO, who would be responsible for people. Once my leave is over that is, something that would happen sooner than later thanks to the damned media circus that was happening.
"You know, most people, human or not, would enjoy being hailed as heroes." The proprietor of Azure, who apparently doubled as a barman said in a gruff voice.
I looked up from my half-finished drink and saw the blue woman smirking at me.
"All I did was survive and even that's debatable considering how long I spent on ice." I shrugged glumly.
"That's more than a lot of soldiers could claim and they didn't have to face such odds." She paused, studying me for a long moment. "Was the war as bad as the media portrays it?"
"I've seen some of the history vids. From where I stood was much, much worse." I grumbled.
"Well, that's a given. Most of those who made them probably weren't in the field getting shot." The Asari snorted.
"Of course not." I finished my drink and looked around. "Another one, please."
On five tastefully decorated platforms I could see scantily clad women, both Human and Asari, dancing to the beat of slow, melancholic music. The view was rather enticing, especially when you consider that I haven't had the opportunity to get laid ever since I awoke in that never sufficiently cursed alien lab. More than a century and a half. That had to be a record and not of the good kind.
"Like what you see?" The Asari behind the bar snorted.
"Yep. I'm a straight male so there is no way in hell I wouldn't enjoy the view."
"Some of your kind don't share that sentiment."
I turned around to see her sliding another drink my way.
"Do you mean Human or X-COM?" I asked after taking a sip.
"Either. Both."
"It's been a long time since the war ended. However the scars run deep, and I'm not just saying it because I saw it first hand. Usually it was pure hell and the bastards often targeted civilian in terror raids. More often than not we were too late to save most of them."
"While not on the same scale, what I've heard and seen, reminds me of tales my parents told me of the Krogan rebellion."
"From what I learned that one was quite bad too."
"Yeah."
"So how did you end up here, with a Nightclub on a Human world?"
"That's a long story."
"I have some time."
"Elysium was one of the first colonies your government made open for business with the Citadel. Part of why I came was curiosity. I'm no maiden and the last few centuries were quite boring." She smiled softly, obviously remembering something. "With a few notable exceptions, but I digress. When your people appeared on the galactic stage, you made quite a splash." A spark of mischief appeared in her eyes.
"So I've heard. I still find it hard to believe that the first contact wasn't made with guns blazing."
"Considering your history, that's understandable." She nodded. "Then again, the Turians are know to overreact now and then too. Stiff bastards, most of them. Actually getting someone reasonable in command on both sides probably was a small miracle in itself."
"You don't particularly like them?" I asked.
"I've been married to Turians twice, so they are nice enough. On the other hand, I'm not blind. They can be a rule bound idiots on occasion."
"Nothing new there, aliens or not." I smirked.
"Indeed..."
"Damn it, Kowalski! Did you have to drag us into a strip club?" A woman's voice carried over the music and din of quiet conversations.
I glanced towards the entrance. There were five human soldiers in civilian clothes. Three women and two men. It was obvious by the way they carried themselves. I'm the same ever since I survived boot camp. If this was their whole squad that meant marines or X-COM. The army's units were between eight and fourteen strong, but for those of us who served primary on ships, the squad size was usually four to six.
The woman whose voice got my attention was a striking redhead, who had a fiery shoulder length hair. I frowned when she looked around and I could see her face. She looked familiar, but I couldn't remember where I saw her.
"Friend of yours?" the Asari asked.
"The red head looks familiar." I shrugged and stopped paying attention to the soldiers. "She probably looks like someone I knew before they put me on ice..." I trailed off and sipped my drink. It's tasted sweet, exotic. Not like something I've tried before. All in all, it was quite nice.
"It must be hard." The Asari frowned. "I forgot that you are quite short lived species."
"Apparently that was somewhat solved with the newer generations of gene mods, but that didn't help anyone I used to know. No much point to dwell on the past. I'd be dead otherwise."
"That's the spirit."
She opened her mouth to say something, however her words were drowned out by the sound of sirens.
"You got to be fucking kidding me!" I spat.
Nope, this wasn't happening. I was on vacation, damn it! On a secure Alliance world too!
The military grade omni-tool implanted in my left hand started vibrating. It was probably ringing too, but I couldn't hear it over the sirens. I activated it with a gesture and my arm was engulfed by orange hologram, a transparent vid-screen appearing over it. The screen showed the X-COM logo for a couple of seconds before it was replaced by text.
Code Black is in effect.
Shit. That was the polite way to say that an invasion was imminent.
Orbital and planetary defenses are sabotaged.
Of course they are. My luck was apparently surgically removed.
Unidentified transports are approaching Olympus City.
X-COM personnel within the AO are to gather Intel on enemy ground elements and disrupt their operations by all available means.
Vigilo Configo
The message cut off. It was obviously a per-planned contingency going into an effect.
I glanced at the soldiers, most of whom looked stunned. Damn, rookies. The patrons weren't much better, most had looks of disbelief on their faces.
The sirens suddenly cut off just as the light went out, before we were bathed by the glow of red emergency lights.
"You'd better get your people and clients to hunker down. If this place has a large enough basement that would be ideal."
"My girls know how to handle themselves. There is a big basement." The Asari paused. "Well, some of them. Are you going to play the hero again?" She gave me a pointed look before smirking. "It will give your fans in the media some fresh stories to talk about."
"God damn it." I muttered, before accessing my Gift and flaring it.
One little trick I learned during the psi courses was that it could be used to burn alcohol out of ones system. Quite useful.
I took a deep breath and stood up.
"All civilians, follow the personnel, there is a basement below us" I bellowed, just as one of the Gunny sergeants running my NCO course taught me. "All military personnel form up on me."
One of the soldiers with the red head looked at me. His eyes became huge and he exclaimed: "Holy shit, that's the fucking Revenant."
I gave him a venomous look, which would have made any Thin Man jealous. Fuck the damn media for giving me a God damn moniker.
=SF=
Part 2. Navy woes
22:57 PM 12 August 2176 AD
SSV "Berlin"
High Orbit over Elysium
Vetus System
"What's the status on the sensor grid?" Captain Holy Michaels asked.
"The Lombardi is in place and running diagnostics." The Comm officer answered after calling the support vessel overseeing the repairs.
"They better fix it for good this time. It's the third time this week we are loosing partial coverage because of shoddy equipment." Holy muttered.
"We sent the report to command, the ball is in their court now." Her XO, Commander John Thorpe shrugged.
"Ma'am, one of the freighters nearby just declared emergency. Its the Holj, registered in the Terminus Systems."
"Call them and check what's the problem. Sensors, I want them scanned."
"Multiple life pod launches! They are abandoning ship."
"I want the nearby lanes cleared. What are they carrying?"
"Industrial machinery, or so their manifest says." The XO answered after consulting hims omni-tool.
"Multiple explosions along their cargo hold. The Holj is losing structural integrity. The hell?! Thermal blooms! Multiple torpedoes on course for Elysium."
"Battle stations! Weapons I want that ship gone! Intercept as many of those torpedoes as possible!" Captain Michaels snapped.
"Ma'am, we just lost contact with the Lombardi."
"Comms, Priority One call to all Alliance units in system. Code Black is in effect. Authorization Michaels-Zebra-Nine-Omega-Seven-One-Five-Niner. All civilian ships are to break orbit and get away from Elysium or they will be fired upon."
The Berlin shuddered as her broadside weapons spoke, slamming in the Holj.
"Target One is breaking up. GUARDIAN lasers downed eight torpedoes. The rest are out of effective range." The Weapons officer reported.
"Ma'am. The planetary defense grid isn't intercepting the remaining ordinance. Sat network is not responding either."
"Long range comm lines to Alliance space are down. I can't establish connection with anyone out of this system cluster."
"They are targeting the hyper-wave comm station as well as the military base near the capital." Commander Thorpe, who was looking over the shoulders of the sensor operator, reported.
"Comms, patch me to the Dauntless. Recall all our patrols."
"This is Commander Rostov, Captain. What are your orders?" Asked the frigate's skipper.
"Commander, I want you to get the world out and call in the cavalry. We'll hold whatever is coming our way to the best of our ability."
"Wilco, Ma'am. God's speed."
"Captain, Code Black is going in effect on Elysium. The Defense grid is still not responding."
"AA emplacements nailed five more torpedoes. We lost the comm relay. Six hits on the military base and four more over Olympus energy grid."
"Someone will lose their head for this." Thorpe growled.
"Can't say I disagree, XO. Status on the civies?"
"Scattering. No one is trying to approach the planet."
"So we might not have additional Trojan horses..."
"Or they are waiting for their buddies."
"Status of the fleet?"
"All units are ready for combat."
'Let's hope it will be enough.' Michaels thought. She had four cruisers and eleven frigates. Technically it was a rather small force for the defense of a system like Vetus, however despite being a nexus for a lot of primary and secondary Relays… which meant a lot of space to patrol. Further it was on the fringes of human space, with only the Batarians nearby. And the Hegemony was supposed to know better than to try anything dumb. Or so the Alliance parliament and Navy brass thought, though some elements within X-COM disagreed.
"Multiple FTL events detected! Multiple new contacts at long range." The Sensor operator reported.
"How many?"
"Thirty four… Fifty… Fifty seven… Sixty eight..."
"Well, at least it will be a target rich environment." The XO quipped.
"Comms, please warn them off once. What are we facing?"
"At least two thirds read as frigate class, multiple types. The rest are cruisers. Numbers still raising. Eighty… Eighty four..."
"How the hell did they slip through our early warning systems?"
"Same way we lost the grid. Some sorry bastard sold us off."
"Unknown contacts are advancing. Total count one hundred and seven. Eighty one frigates, fifteen cruisers the rest read as freighters."
"No response to our hails. Enemy fleet advancing."
"They appear to be standard Mass Effect designs." Thorpe mussed.
"They will try to pick us off at range." Captain Michaels nodded. "That gives them the best advantage."
"If we go and meet them, some of them will go FTL and hit the planet."
"They will do it anyway. There is enough scrap coming our way to cover those transports. All units, formation Beta Three. We'll stay mobile."
=SF=
The Alliance frigates moved in front of the cruisers, entering a loose arrowhead formation. Behind them, the four capital ships moved in a single line took aim and opened fire. Their spinal mounted Mass Accelerators spat a round every four seconds, while the two long range laser cannons each cruiser had spoke every five. Moments later, the enemy cruisers returned the favor.
