Hangar Bay - Wings of Xenobia
Lieutenant Krisal entered the shuttle bay and approached the cluster of troops that had gathered around the quiescent pod. The white and orange markings were distinctive. A team of medics stood ready while a gang of techs were scanning the pod with careful skill. Cerberus had been well known for sneaky traps. Usually ones that exploded and killed lots of Turians.
"Make a hole, people!" A loud voice called and she bit back a smile as a lane cleared between her and the pod. The head NCO aboard, Master Chief Mudok, stood near the pod with... She paused. Hadn't that crazy male been in the brig? She was sure she hadn't ordered his release and the captain hadn't had time either. The NCO nodded at her expression. "Private Crado has more experience with Cerberus than any of us, sir." Krisal nodded and looked at the other.
Private Crado looked like hell. Of course, he rarely looked any other way. His face was a mass of scars and the lack of face paint said he was a renegade, clanless. His scarred red and black battle armor, with it's attached jump jets, proclaimed his history. Only nutballs openly wore Amiger armor these days. Private Crado qualified. She had busted the being no less than four times since he had come aboard. Then she blinked. What was the Chief wearing? Her eyes went wide as she saw the NCO also wearing red and black Amiger armor. His was subtly different. The chief nodded soberly.
"Wasn't important to the operation of the ship, LT." The chief said soberly. He held his Phaeston rifle in a profession grip, one that Krisal noted mirrored Crado's. The chief's rifle had a bayonet attachment, while Crado's had a large scope mounted. "And you may need us. If I hadn't let him out, he would have busted out as soon as he heard about Cerberus and gotten in even more trouble."
"You functional?" Krisal asked the silent private. "You were very drunk last night."
"About 80%." The private replied stiffly. "I don't like you, Ma'am." The private said. "But I like Cerberus less. Much less." Hate colored the male's tone as he turned to look at the pod. "But..." He shook his head. "I don't know if this is Cerberus. Their markings, but...not their style."
"Ah?" Krisal turned to the chief, but he was also looking at the private. After a moment of watching the techs scan the pod carefully. "Can you explain?"
"Odd feeling." Crado said slowly after a moment. "Familiar, but... not..."
"You are kidding." Krisal said softly, but everyone turned to look at her. Her tone was almost scared. "The Reaper said the same thing, Private."
""The Reaper said that?" Mudok asked, dumbfounded. "Spirits..." The chief said in a soft voice.
"Yeah. Glad you are here, chief." LT Krisal said as the head tech turned to her. "Report?"
"No traps detected." The tech said quietly in the absolute silence that fell. "Other than fuel for the thrusters, no explosive potential detected at all. No chemical or biological weapons detected that we have on file."
"That leaves a lot of wiggle room, tech." LT Krisal complained. "Cerberus was always coming up with new and better ways to kill sneakily."
"Nothing we can detect is dangerous, XO." The tech said with quiet conviction. "No explosives, no odd chemicals. Just a lot of medical gear."
"Medical gear?" The chief snapped, but paused as the LT looked at him, "Sorry, sir."
"Not a problem, chief." Krisal said quietly. "Just don't become like him." She waved at Crado whose attention did not waver from the pod. "Suggestions?"
"Only one way to find out, Ma'am." The chief replied. "And the life signs are fading too. Crado." The private nodded, slung his rifle, hit his helmet seals and had his rifle back in hand before the helmet had finished sealing. "Everybody back." He said as he hit his own helmet seals.
The techs beat a hasty retreat to stand with the medics and the security force who stood by the hatch. Ordinarily, the security teams aboard looked fairly competent, but with two Amiger Legion vets in armor standing there, the team looked decidedly out of their depth. Krisal did not move.
"LT." The chief's voice held disapproval. "You should get back."
"I should." Krisal agreed. "But I won't. We need to know."
"Lieutenant, door breaches are what enlisted are for." Private Crado said sternly. "Your job is to lead. If this is a trap, it will likely get you as soon as the hatch opens."
"Shut up and open the hatch, Private Crado." LT Krisal snapped, her patience going.
"I would do what she says, private." Chief Mudok said with a shrug. "She is in command."
"I want my protest logged, chief." Private Crado said as he moved to the hatch. "I have enough trouble without crazy females."
"Crado..." Mudok said, his tone long suffering. "Stop insulting the people in command. No one is going to execute you. But they will make you life hell."
"My life is hell." Crado said in a voice that barely carried to Krisal's ears. Then he became professional. "Standard Cerberus entry panel. Sequence was usually green, green, blue, green. Permission to try?"
"Granted." Krisal said when the chief looked at her. He nodded to the private and drew a bead on the hatch with his rifle. The private hit a sequence and stepped back and to the side, clearing the chief's line of fire while bringing up his own rifle. The hatch opened smoothly and nothing happened. Crado held up a hand in question and Krisal nodded and spoke again. "Go."
The private stepped forward, his rifle ready, then paused at the hatch. He seemed to stagger for a moment and then stepped into the pod. For a moment, he was out of sight and then he was back, his rifle hanging loose and his entire posture one of amazement.
"Chief..." Crado's voice was stunned. "Tell me I am dreaming..."
"Crado, yes you are awake. What's up?" The chief did not lower his rifle.
"One human female, connected to a bunch of medical gear." The private stepped away from the pod and he was shaking his head. "No traps. No room for them. I..." He shook himself quickly and then spoke in a very different voice. "LT, I need to speak to the commander." The LT stiffened, she had never heard the private speak like that. Calm, assured, and totally in control.
"Chain of command, private." The chief said slowly.
"Need to know, Chief." Crado replied evenly. "It's Anya." The chief staggered as if struck.
"You are kidding!" The chief stepped forward and only massive discipline kept him from jumping forward to look for himself. "Crado, if this is some kind of joke..."
"No joke, chief." The private's helmet disappeared back to where it had come from and his face was scared. "LT?"
"What the hell?" Krisal stepped forward waving the techs and medics forward as well. Inside the pod, she could see a human female. The woman was covered in medical gear. "Chief?"
"I..." The chief stepped forward and his posture turned even more shocked as he looked at the woman. "Looks like her, but Crado..."
"I know." Crado said slowly. "Anya is dead."
