Mass Effect: Progeny
Chapter 1: Rage is a hell of an anesthetic
The Citadel, McGregor Residence:
Shepard, Tiberius, Luana, and Jack sat in the living room. Luana was holding Tiberius' hand.
"Tiberius, I need you to tell me exactly what happened the day of the battle of the Citadel." Shepard sat on the edge of his seat.
Tiberius lowered his head. "We were running. Trying to make our way to the escape shuttles." Remembering the day was hard for Tiberius. Even worse than remembering Akuze. "I had cleared a path through the Geth with my biotics. But an explosion caused a support beam to come crashing down." His voice waivered a bit. "Dust and smoke filled the area, and in the confusion, Shana was screaming. God she was screaming…" Tiberius' voice trailed off.
Shepard nodded. "She was abducted in the confusion."
Luana hugged Tiberius tight. She whispered something to him to help him become a bit calmer. She then looked at Shepard. "Commander, why would someone wish to take a little girl? To harm a family that has done nothing to them?"
Jack hopped off the chair. "Because like Cerberus, they're fucking cold hearted bastards that have been tracking potential biotics for years." Her face said a lot about what she knew. "They're doing to her what they did to me. Pumping her full of shit, causing her pain, and trying to make way for a stronger biotic power. They are trying to do this by breaking through the pain threshold."
Shepard looked at Jack. "Jack are you sure thats what they're doing?"
"It doesn't take a damn scientist to figure it out, Shepard. Look at who the kid's father is." Jack pointed to Tiberius. "A biotic that made it off Akuze. Probably unleashed his full potential when escaping the thresher maws. That information doesn't stay hidden forever."
Shepard rested his head on his hand thinking. "Could it be a former scientist that may have escaped or left Pragia before you escaped, Jack?"
Jack shrugged. "Probably. Those assholes always rotated out."
Tiberius looked up, his eyes most from sobbing. "Will they kill her? Will they kill my baby girl?"
"Can't say. A lot of kids at Pragia didn't live through most of the experiments. Kind of depends on your kid's will I guess." She shrugged nonchalantly.
Tiberius noticed Jack's indifference. "How can you be so calm about it? What if it was your daughter?"
Luana tried to calm Tiberius down. But she knew as emotionally unstable as Tiberius was right now, that would be very hard.
Shepard interjected. "Jack's had time to come to terms with what's been done to her, Tiberius. But she's the best one to help deal with the situation and rescue Shana. But you have to trust her."
Jack shook her head. "Sittin' here and talkin' about it isn't savin' her."
Shepard nodded in agreement. "Jack's right. Finding them won't be easy. But we aren't going to rest until we find her."
Tiberius stood up. He seemed to have settled down a bit. "I'm going with you, John. I don't know what I can do, but I'm not going to sit around here doing nothing, feeling sorry for myself."
Shepard clasped his hand down on his friend's shoulder. "What about, Luana and Meleesa?"
Luana smiled a bit. "We'll be alright. Finding Shana is more important right now."
Tiberius walked over and kissed his wife. He touched his forehead to hers. "Thank you. So much, Luana."
"She's my daughter too, Ti. I want her back just as badly. Go and save our little girl." The two kissed.
Hawking Eta Cluster, Schwarzchild System, Atahil:
A group of scientists sat at a table looking over the data they accumulated from their latest batch of tests. The mulled over the varying levels of biotic power that their test subject exhibited. They were pleased to see that if she was pushed to her breaking point, her power rose exponentially. But what they were not pleased at was the point that she became uncontrollable. She had almost become like a caged animal.
The lead scientist tapped his chin thinking. "Perhaps we should see how she does in a fight for survival? That Asari prisoner we captured. Pit the two against each other and let us see how Subject Sigma does."
"How do you know Subject Sigma will fight? She's defied us this long."
"You let me worry about that." The lead scientist smiled. His name was Dr. Charles Menson. Back in the day, he was the mind behind the work with biotics. Mostly biotic implants. His biggest experiments were with the L2 biotic implants. He was hoping that they would realize their potential with the migraines and the crippling pain. But when the ethics board found out about what his real intentions were, they had his license pulled. It wasn't until Pragia when Cerberus found out about him. But by then it was too late. Subject Zero had killed most of the people there. Dr. Menson was one of three that were not on Pragia when Jack broke free.
Many called Menson insane or obsessive to the point of eccentric. Others called him a child murderer. But one thing was always clear, when Menson smiled, it was never good. For the smile itself was a smile that would end someone's life for what he called the greater good. "Get the Asari and take her to the "arena".
The "arena" was their testing ground. A place where they watched Subject Sigma. The guards brought in the young Asari and threw her into the "arena". The asari's name was Kelai. She was an acolyte of the Consort Sha'ira that was returning from a retreat on Thesia, the Asari homeworld. Dr. Menson had the transport hijacked and the prisoners brought here for testing purposes. Mostly, as fodder for their Subject Sigma.
"Welcome to the arena, my little blue friend." Dr. Menson said smiling.
"You have no right to keep me imprisoned here!" Kelai exclaimed.
"You are quite the spirited one, aren't you? I wonder how spirited you'll be when facing death, hmm? Let's see if you asari are truly as powerful as you claim to be." He looked at the guard on the other end. "Bring in Subject Sigma."
The guard rolled in a large containment pod. In it was Subject Sigma. Shana. Her eyes were covered by a large metal visor. The asari saw the young woman. She bristled with biotic power. Kelai looked up at Dr. Menson. "You arrogant bastard! You're a monster!"
"Yes, well. Everyone has to have a hobby." Menson turned a dial on his console. Shana, in the containment pod, screamed in pain. But as she did, her biotic powers began to grow.
The scientists in the seats above the area watched behind protective glass. They watched as the pod strained under the pressure of Shana's biotic powers. The pod erupted as Shana broke out by use of her biotics. The visor shattered. There was an animalistic look in her eyes. Rage. Hatred. She glared at Kelai as if she was the one that hurt her. Kelai wasn't sure what to do. She didn't want to hurt Shana. But knew that whatever these monsters did to her, she would have to defend herself.
Shana let out a cry of rage as she charged at Kelai. The Asari raised her barrier just in time. Shana let out a warp field that caused Kelai to stagger backwards. Shana then let loose a powerful biotic shockwave. Kelai dove out of the way to avoid the incoming impacts. Kelai studied Shana a moment. Shana was blinded by her hatred for anyone that hurt her. The rage was causing Shana to be reckless in the use of her biotics. There was no control. Kelai thought of a way to use this to her advantage.
The scientists above nodded as they saw the levels of Shana's biotic energies. They were still growing the more angry she got.
Kelai stood and braced herself. As she set her foot back to brace herself, she heard a click. She looked down to see that she stood on a pressure plate of some sort. As she looked back at Shana, she saw a collar that she wore. It started to glow as it sent a strong electrical shock through her. Shana again screamed in immense pain. Kelai caught sight of tears flowing down Shana's cheeks. "Oh goddess…"
Shana, again in a blind rage, charged at Kelai again. This time, Kelai used Shana's own momentum to throw her off balance. Shana went down hard for a few long moments, she didn't move. Kelai covered her mouth. What had she done? She walked over and placed her hand on Shana's shoulder. Shana's body ignited in biotic energies. She grabbed Kelai's arm and rolled her over, pinning her. Shana's eyes burned with hatred. Kelai knew this was the end. She closed her eyes. "Goddess…forgive her. Please show her the love that has been taken from her."
Shana had her arm raised to deliver the final killing blow. She had a ball of biotic energy in her hand, ready to drive it into Kelai's head to smash it. But she stopped. She looked at Kelai, the rage in her eyes fading. Kelai looked back at Shana. Tears flowed down Shana's cheeks. "M…mommy..?"
Kelai blinked slowly. She slowly raised her hand, her fingers gently touching Shana's cheeks. 'Her mother…she must have an asari stepmother that she called mother.' Kelai no longer felt that this young woman was a killer. She felt sadness, sympathy for this poor soul.
Shana stood up…backing away from Kelai, her biotics dissipating. She looked around for a way out.
Dr. Menson growled. "Subject Sigma! KILL HER! KILL THE ASARI!"
Shana looked up at Dr. Menson, rage again filling her eyes. She screamed at him in a rage and threw a warp field. Her biotic energies growing again.
'Dammit! Damn that asari! But perhaps this isn't a total loss. The girl responded to her. The asari is her weakness. Hmm…' Dr. Menson thought a moment. He looked at the guards. "Subdue Subject Sigma and put that asari back in her cell!"
The guards entered the arena. Shock sticks in hand. Shana turned towards the guards. She threw a biotic singularity which caught a couple of the guards. She then turned back to see three of the guards grabbing Kelai. Shana roared in rage and charged at them. Menson touched his panel and Shana screamed in pain as the electricity went through her from her collar. She glared at him. He sent another wave of electricity though her. She screamed again and fell to her knees. Her biotics fading.
Kelai shook herself free from the guards and ran over to Shana, trying to get the collar off. The guards raised their shock stick but Kelai put herself between the guards and Shana. "Leave her alone! Haven't you done enough to her?" Shana was breathing rapidly, nearly unconscious. Kelai turned and pulled the hair away from her mouth and eyes. "Shh…don't try to move. Please, be at peace."
Menson grinned. "Put Subject Sigma and the asari in Sigma's cell. It seems we'll have more tests to run."
