Tinker Effect
Most people in my situation are there due to vaguely defined ROBs dragging them into a malfunctioning game. In my case, I think its because of a group of interdimensional nutcases out to defeat a golden Superman. Oh well, at least I'm not as helpless as some of them.
And we're back. Nothing to say here, other than enjoy!
Chapter 3
About three hours after we left the Citadel, Shepard called everyone to the briefing room.
"Alright everyone...whats wrong with Arsenal?" said Shepard, apparently catching my mood from my drooping shoulders.
"He accidentally dismantled his hoverboard," said Tali, sounding amused.
"How do you accidentally dismantle something?" asked Alenko.
"When you're a Tinker, its irritatingly easy," I grumbled.
Unfortunately, it wasn't the first time I'd done something like that. In the six months I'd been active, I'd gone through three TVs and two entertainment systems, not to mention about five different guns, three sets of armour and I'd even dismantled my halberd for parts twice. Of course, I'd then rebuild it better than it was before, but it was still a massive pain in the neck.
"Alright, back on track," said Shepard before anyone could ask what the hell I was talking about, "We've been given a couple of possible leads, but we're starting with Matriarch Benezia's daughter who was last seen on a dig in the Artemis Tau cluster. She may have some details on her Mothers actions."
There was a general murmur of assent.
"The ground team will consist of Arsenal, Wrex and Garrus," continued Shepard, "We don't know what to expect, so I want some heavy hitters along."
I'll also see about building some better shield emitters for everyone and upgrade your guns before we arrive," I said.
Shepard raised an eyebrow.
"You can do that?" she asked.
I snorted.
"I can build plasma guns out of scrap metal," I deadpanned, "Of course I can do that!"
"Plasma guns?"
"I'll show you later," I said.
"Hmm, I'm not entirely comfortable taking untested equipment into battle…" started Shepard.
"Untested my purple arse," I said, "What do you think I've been doing for the past six months? Any gear I make is safe and will work or I won't use it. I DO run more tests than just pulling the trigger and hoping for the best."
"You can trust his work Shepard," said Garrus, "He repaired and upgraded my sniper after it got damaged in a fight and now its practically semi automatic, is insanely accurate and the range is greater than anything I've ever heard of."
"Speaking of, I probably ought to see about checking that," I said.
"Still working perfectly, but I'll drop by later," said Garrus.
"Alright, I'll allow it," said Shepard, "Frankly, I suspect we'll need all the help we can get. Dismissed."
It didn't take me long to upgrade the ground teams weapons (resisting the urge to make them shoot energy like my guns. That would come later) and it took even less time to produce a full set of Tinkertech shield generators for the team. They weren't actually that different from normal ones, the only difference was that they were Tinkertech and thus, complete bullshit. With those done, I turned my attention to the weapon I had in mind for Wrex. It was a hammer, so big and heavy that the only beings with a hope of wielding it were Krogen, high level Brutes or me in my armour. The entire thing was composed of a unique Eezo-titanium alloy that I could only produce with my Tinkertech smelter, which meant that it could act as a focus and amplifier for Biotics, as well as its primary and most dangerous function.
The weapon was designed to take the force with which it was swung and, upon impact, increase the mass of the head by a factor proportional to the speed it was swung at for a brief instant, massively increasing the force of the impact. The tech was actually very similar to a set of gauntlets I'd built shortly after I got started and scrapped after I nearly broke my arms using them, so it didn't take me that long to finish the hammer. I wouldn't give it to Wrex just yet though, much better to save it for a special occasion. Like a fight with a Thresher Maw.
I carefully put the hammer away in a safe place where it wouldn't end up being sacrificed on the altar of spare parts and turned my attention to my gutted hoverboard. After eyeing the shell for a moment, I sighed and pushed it to one side. I'd fix it later, but it wasn't really suited for the upcoming mission. Instead, I pulled out another project, this one something I'd been working on for a long time without much luck. Still, I was hoping that I was getting closer to a breakthrough.
I tilted my head slightly as the motion tracker in my helmet caught someone rounding the corner of the crates that hid my lab. A flick of my eyes brought up a screen that showed the view of one of the hidden cameras I'd installed to make sure no one nicked my stuff.
"Need something Shepard?" I asked as the Commander stopped behind me.
Shepard raised an eyebrow, but didn't ask how I knew it was her.
"I was wondering how your work was coming along," she said.
"Guns are done and back in the lockers and the shield generators are over there," I said, pointing at a box on the side, "Just replace the standard emitters in your armour and they'll work fine."
Shepard quickly checked the box and nodded.
"Thank you for this," she said.
"Not a problem," I said, "I'll probably end up building some more personal weapons for the squad in the future, but they'll do for now."
I glanced at her.
"Did you need anything else?"
Shepard shrugged and lent against the crate behind her.
"I was just hoping to get to know the people I'll be working with," she said, "I've talked to most everyone else, but I admit that I'm very interest in you."
"Oh?"
Shepard nodded.
"How could I not be?" she asked, "I've seen the reports on you. You appeared out of nowhere about six months ago and started taking down criminals on the Citadel like something out of a comic book with weapons and equipment that not even the STG could figure out when they got their hands on some. In fact, according to the reports, some of your tech is simply impossible."
She narrowed her eyes.
"I can't figure you out at all," she said, "Your a Quarian, clearly reasonably young, so you're likely on your Pilgrimage like Tali. However, you have all this incredible technology that should prove to be an incredible gift, so why are you still out here and not back on the Flotilla?"
I raised an eyebrow.
"You know a lot about Quarians Shepard," I said.
"I did my homework. Well?"
I sighed and reached up to rub my temples, only to meet my helmet that I was still wearing.
"Christ, not even a full day and already I'm outed to two people," I muttered.
Shepard raised an eyebrow.
"The truth is, I've not 'returned' to the Flotilla because I was never a part of it," I said, "I'm...well, I'm not sure what I am anymore, but I do know that I'm not actually a Quarian. I'm physically identical to one, but the similarities are only skin deep."
"Then what are you?" asked Shepard.
"According to medical scans and what few scraps of memory I have left, I am...or was a Human," I said.
Shepard gave me a flat look and purposefully looked at my three fingered hands and blatantly inhuman legs. I sighed and tapped the release on my helmet so I could actually rub my temples, ignoring Shepards sharp intake of breath when she saw my face.
"Six months ago, I woke up in an alley with only a few scraps of memory to go by," I said, "I have memories of attending a university, a few books, movies and games and a few blurry memories of people I'm pretty sure are my family. Other than that, its a complete blank. I don't even know my own name."
"Thats why you go by Arsenal?" asked Shepard.
"Pretty much," I said, "I picked the name pretty much at random because it fitted my abilities and intentions."
I snorted.
"I guess something remained from my old self, a sense of whimsy and love of superheroes."
Shepard didn't say anything, she just stared at me with an unreadable expression on her face. I squirmed under her gaze, my mind trying to figure out why that look was setting off my instincts to such a massive degree that I wasn't sure if I wanted to run, curl up and cry or shoot her in the head.
"Thats...quite a story," she said at length.
I sighed.
"I get that its hard to believe, but its the truth," I said, "Not sure what else I can say to make you believe."
"Oh no, I believe you," said Shepard, "I know how to read people and, even though your not like anyone I've ever seen before, your tells are Human enough that I can tell your telling the truth."
I blinked.
"Well, thats...cool I guess," I said, "So, what are you going to do now?"
Shepard sighed deeply and rubbed her eyes.
"I know what its like to lose everything," she said, "I wouldn't wish it on anyone. I can't even imagine what its like to literally lose everything like you have."
"Pretty disorienting," I said, "I mean, its not to bad because I can't remember anything about what I lost, but still…"
"It'd be nice to have closure," finished Shepard, "I can't promise anything for obvious reasons, but if you like, I'd be willing to try and find out any information I can."
I blinked. That was a tad unexpected.
"You'd do that?" I asked.
Shepard smiled thinly.
"Your not a soldier or a mercenary," she said, "Your not getting payed to be here but you came along willingly and are offering your tech to help us. Making some enquiries is a small price to pay for that. Besides, I like to help out where I can."
She pushed off the boxes and turned to leave.
"Shepard...thanks," I said, feeling a little choked up that she'd do something like that for me, a complete stranger.
"Like I said, its no trouble," she said, "Oh, and you don't need to be so formal. Like I said, your not a subordinate and, after telling me all that, I think your entitled to be a little more relaxed around me."
"So...what should I call you?" I asked.
Shepard glanced back at me and smiled.
"Fortuna," she said, "My name is Fortuna."
Shepard walked away, leaving me feeling like I'd just been dunked in liquid nitrogen. Well, that explains why I felt so uncomfortable around her at least!
Done. A little short, but I really don't care. I suspect the future chapters will be longer anyway.
So, a briefing, a brief look at what hes working on and a chat with Shepard...who's apparently Contessa's alternate self. Yeah, shes not as much of a Paragon as she appears, although shes certainly not as ruthless as Contessa is...well, unless Batarians are involved.
Next time, saving Liara! Should be fun. Anyway, until then, leave a review!