A/N: I'm back! And my first-of many-surgery is over! I feel like absolute crap just now, but I'm still alive, so I suppose that too, is something to be thankful for, no? And speaking of thankful, look what I found buried on an old flash drive of mine! I'd written this chapter long ago, but then I'd lost the data and now I've found it again. I'm still doped up on painkillers after this surgery and eh at least they're letting me use my laptop in the hospital, huh? Consider this my present to you all! Along with the fact that I'm still alive, of course. So...
...here we are! HAPPY HOLIDAYS! And remember, I own nothing!
"The woods are lovely, dark, and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep."
~Rober Frost.
Assassinate Destiny
"It'll be easy to find him, you said."
Shepard groaned. "Naruto, now is not the time."
The blond wasn't listening.
"We won't make any trouble, you said." He continued to feign her tone of voice, routinely poking his head out of cover, only to duck down again each time as a rocket threatened to blew his head clean off his shoulders and that smug smile with it. "Easy in and out, I believe it was? They'll never see us coming? Well I hate to break to ya Shep...BUT THEY SAW US COMING!"
Morinth ruthlessly restrained a chuckle, grimacing as a shot seared an angry line just past her cheek. Garrus Vakerian was not so inclined.
"Sorry for the critique, Shepard, but I think the kid's got a point." He popped up just in time to snipe an encroaching mech before it could reach their position. A blistering barrage of rockets and bullets forced him back down before he could take another shot, his shields buckling under the strain. "We're sitting ducks out here!"
"I'm open to suggestions!"
Naruto grinned.
"Its about godamn time!" Even as he said this, the spectre popped out from behind the crates and let fly with a brutal brand of biotic power, reaching across the room to pulp the Eclipse Heavy right through her shields, tearing through her armor and siliencing her short-lived scream in the same instant. A sickening squelch slithered through the open air of the Dantius Towers as her body disintegrated.
"Gah!"
Just like that, she was reduced to a red stain on the wall.
There was a sudden silence as the mercenaries realized what had just happened, as they processed the inexplicable implosion of their comrade. In that instant, the firefight ended and they knew no more. It only took a split second for Naruto to recharge and sweep across the room; that eerie gold-crimson aura engulfing him once more. Shots pinged harmlessly off his black and orange armor, whatever his kinetic barriers couldn't take his hardsuit simply absorbed, soaiking up shot after shot as he advanced amidst the mercs. Fingers opened, armored palms creaking apart to reveal spiraling spheres of pure death clutched within either hand. Energy in its purest form, each sphere was larger than his head, no wait.
Even as Shepard finished the thought, those spheres inexplicably grew. The Eclipse mercs must've realized the same, but too late, as Naruto brought both crashing down-summarily rendered them little more than gorry smears on the floors and ceilings. What had the blond called it? Rasen-er on second thought, the name escaped her at the moment. No matter. Isabellle was certain she'd remember the name eventulally. It was only as the blond cocked one back and threw it like a bowling ball-subsuquently pulverizing half the enemy squad-that the battle dissolved into an outright brawl.
"Strike!" He cackled, snickering as the plummeted to their deaths miles below.
"Oh." Morinth purred from a nearby vantage point, picking off another mech with her rifle, "That's a new one."
Shepard balked. Naruto had served with her in an effort to capture Saren, but he'd spoken precious little of these chakra abilities. Supposedly, this was why he had been chosen as the second human spectre some time after her "death" as it were. But for him to use his powers so openly, by the goddess, it almost made her feel sorry for those poor Eclipse mercs...
"A new what?"
Said thought proved inconsequential as Naruto extinguished a Rasengan and beckoned, crooking an arm at the now terrified soldiers for hire.
"What's wrong, boys?" his grin couldn't quite be seen behind his helmet, but there could be no disguising the obvious mirth in the man's voice. "Have ya pissed yerselves yet?"
Shots and biotics greeted those words.
In the carnage that ensued Morinth and Shepard actually agreed on something. Naruto was a madman when it came to combat. He moved like a force of nature; a human juggernaut utterly incapable of anything other than complete and total destruction. Whatever his twin Rasengan(s) didn't vanquish he did so himself; tearing through both merc and machine-in and out of combat- with brute strength alone. He shrugged off all they'd had to offer, batting aside sniper rounds, catching rockets and hurtling them back from whence they came.
Always moving, ever advancing, stopping for nothing, least of all ammunition. When he ran out of ammo he merely wielded his shotgun as a club, braining mercs over with the weapon in one hand-dismembering others with his free arm to disastrous effect. If one were to look up the definiton of murder in the galactic dictionary, there would've been a picture of Naruto beside it.
With each successive kill, Morinth felt her blood boil; her heart hammering, harsh and heavily like the drums of a great hunt out for her blood. There was just something so...intoxicating about the slaughter in which her partner strode, wreaking havoc and destruction wherever he went. Finally, she could contain herself no longer. She surrendered to the whims of her body, biotics flaring as she leaping from cover to join him. Naruto did not so much as spare her a second glance, he was far too focused on the fight, and yet both were dimly aware of Shepard's command to Garrus:
"Suppressive fire!"
Incendiary and and Armor-piercing rounds whisked past the pair, expertly timed shots making swift work of whatever the biotics left behind. Coupled with the raw destructive prowess of dark energy and chakra nothing could stop them. Swiftly, they clamored across the bridge to the safety afforded by the other side of the tower. Ah, but safety is a relative term; scarce had they made it out of cover than the door whoosed open, with a flurry of motion they found nearly three squads there to greet them.
More Eclipse. Lovely.
"I believe they have a bone to pick with you?" Morinth purred to her mate, her full lips quirking in the slighest of smiles.
"Lucky me!" Naruto laughed and cracked his knuckles through the armor. "Thanks again for volunteering me."
Biotics pused and chakra flared, blows were exchanged and shots fired, flinging the poor Eclipse and their mechs aside like rag dolls. By the Sheaprd and Garrus made it across the bridge and out of cover, they found a large mound of groaning, twitching bodies awaiting them. Some were still up and fighting, but their numbers were dwindling rapidly and with the addition of Shepard and Vakerian, quick work was made of them, in any event.
That didn't make Naruto and Morinth's deadly dance any easier to witness, however.
"Remind me...never to get on their bad side." Garrus offered the turian equivalent of a snort as he snapped off a concussive round; beside him Shepard barely restrained a smile of her own as another Eclipe tumbled to their doom, his failure their success. And then they were upon them, Naruto and Morinth. The spectre was like a tank, wading through enemy fire to rend his foes limb from limbs-the sheer shock of losing either an arm or a leg cobbled his opponents more than enough for Morinth to ended them.
In contrast to her mate, The asari seemed to be in a league of her own, lacking the brute strength employed by the blond but by no means less lethal. Her movements were swift and deft; a biotic warp here, a Reave to sap an enemy's lifeforce there, she even employed some of that alarming dexterity to snap a man's spine and flay him. With her mind.
By the time she and Garuss had cleared the staircase, the last of them had been dispatched.
Naruto turned his head and spat upon a nearby corpse.
Infiltrating the Dantius Towers was one thing. Finding their assassin and making out alive, well...was proving another matter entirely. They'd encountered resistance almost immediately after stepping out of the skycar's safety, forcing Shepard to rethink her initial plan of infiltration. Of course, with an indestructible chakra-wielding biotic and an Adrat-Yakshi at the forefront, their chances seemed to be improving. After saving several of the salarian's trapped in the tower, the quartet had finally made it here, past all the obstacles to this well fortified door.
Naruto simply raised a boot and kicked down the locked door, sending the panels flying to take out the pair of mercs standing guard there. Even Morinth winced at the sight of their bifurcation.
"Knock knock!"
"Was that really necessary?"
"Hey, I like to make an entrance." Naruto's words were cold and slippery, like glacial ice, hard and clear.
Garrus snickered.
Shepard and her three companions climbed those last few steps leading to Nassana and her small group of bodyguards, who stood before the large window over looking the view of the city and the setting sun. Nassana turned towards the intruders and immediately recognized the women standing in front of her.
"Shepard…but you're dead!" Nassana said, as if her words alone would send Shepard back to her grave. No chance of that.
"I got better," Shepard teased, a mocking smile pulling at her lips. Nassana was scared. No, scratch that. She was downright terrified. And she'd every right to be. Face with two heavily armed and armored Spectres', a turian vigilante and an Adrat Yakshi? That woud be enough to make most women-and more than a few men-scream like little girls.
"And now you're here to kill me." Nassana's guards raised their weapons, causing Morinth and Garrus to do the same.
"Maybe I just missed you." Shepard continued to mock-looking around the room as she spoke. There was no assassin as far as she could see. Where is this drell? He's gotta be here somewhere, right? She asked herself as she scanned the room once more. A glance at Naruto confirmed her fellow spectre was doing the same, his helmeted head regarding the ceiling with keen interest. Shepard followed his gaze, watching those cerulean eyes twitch toward one of the airducts in warning. Ah. So that's where he is. Clever drell.
"Go to hell." Nassana snapped, turning away from them in irritation, missing Naruto's nonverbal cue.
"Charming as ever," Shepard smirked, returning her gaze back on the clearly flustered woman.
"I bet you find this all very ironic. First you take care of my sister and now you're here for me. Well you made it this far, now what?" Nassana asked turning back to them.
"I'm no assassin Nassana. But I am looking for one." Shepard confessed.
"Do you expect me to believe you did all this." Nassana opened her arms in a wide, almost wild gesture, "Destroying my tower, decimating my security! All to find an assassin!" Nassana asked, scowling at Shepard, furious at the game the human was playing with her.
"I don't really care what you believe Nassana." Shepard drawled, crossing her arm over her chest defiantly.
"Is it credits, is that what you want?" Nassana was losing her resolve now; she was desperate to make this all go away.
At that moment Shepard heard something in the vents above. She assumed this was their assassin. Naruto merely grinned.
"All the credits in the world won't make this problem go away, Nassana," He taunted, her lips lifting in a smirk of his own.
"Who the hell gave you the right to play god, Uzumaki?" Nassana hissed out with indignation. "Don't think for a damned second I don't know you, Butcher of Torvan! Everywhere you go you leave nothing but death and destruction! You've killed hundreds, thousands in the name of your so-called "justice" and I've no intention of being added to that list do you hear me?!
"She's a piece of work." Garrus chortled.
"Shut the hell up, turian!"
"Mouthy, too." Morinth mused.
"I may not be perfect either, but look at you, Commander. We both kill people for money. What's the difference?" Nassana turned away once more, her head hung low with loss of hope.
"You kill people because you think they are beneath you: they're in your way. I kill people when they give me no choice." Shepard bit out coldly.
Hope seemed to return to Nassana in that moment as she returned her attention to the group." You have a choice. You don't have to do this. I can tell you…"
The noise in the vents got louder, but Nassana didn't seem to notice, but her mercs did. The Asari next to her interrupted her rant, telling her she heard something.
As Nassana gave orders to the mercs to check the entrances, she turned to Shepard and her group telling them to stay put. Her next sentence was cut off however. At that moment, the assassin decided to make his move.
He dropped down from the vents, systematically and gracefully dispatched the mercs in less than ten seconds. The first was brought to an end with a quick neck snap, the next suffered a punch to the throat, crushing it most likely. As he fell to the floor the Drell pulled his gun from his hip and shot the last Asari merc through the heart. She dropped to the floor as well, her gun however, was not. It was quickly snatched from the air, by the assassin, who swiftly spun to point the barrel into the side of Nassana's stomach.
In the ten seconds that it had taken him to end her guards, Nassana had barely registered what had taken place before meeting the eyes of the cold assassin. At the same moment she attempted to aim her gun, the drell fired and it was over. He took Nassana gently into his arms and laid her onto the desk in front of them. Her hands were folded together on top of her chest, giving her a peaceful look. The assassin did not spare even a moments glance to his audience, he only proceeded to bow his head over his cupped hands and stand in silence before the group and his victim.
'Welll...damn.' Shepard thought to herself.
"Thane!"
Heads turned to find Naruto prying his helmet off his head, exposing a wide grin.
To his credit, the Drell barely reacted; his eyes widening every so slightly at the familiar face. He stood ramrod straight, hands clasped behind his back with that same cool, casual confidence hed always carried. Were it not for the slight the slight smile that came afterwards, Morinth would've thought that the Drell was in shock. Naruto strode forwards-extending a hand to clasp Thane's arm. The drell promptly did the same, two deadly warrior's exchanging a timeless greeting between brothers in arms.
"I'm glad to see in good health, old friend."
"As am I, Spectre." He spoke in a deep alien like voice, his words not a question.
"Got it about a year ago." For the first time since meeting him again, the blond seemed sheepish. "Still getting used to it." He sighted across Nassana's lifeless form. "Say...this was your last job, wasn't it?"
"Indeed." The drell cupped his hand once more. "Given my...situation, I could ask for no more."
"I was hoping I could speak to you about that?" " Shepard felt bad for disturbing them, but they really did need to get moving.
"I apologize, prayers for the wicked must not be forsaken," his black eyes cut from Nassana's lifeless gaze to her own.
That's interesting, Shepard thought to herself. A religious assassin? I guess it is no stranger than myself.
"Not many would pray on her behalf." Shepard commented. Maria continued to preform the symbol of the cross before Nassana's body regardless of what she had said. Shepard was not one of those people.
This seemed to catch his attention and possibly his curiosity, she wasn't sure by his subtle and alien facial expressions.
He shook his head, "Not for her, for me. The measure of an individual can be difficult to discern by actions alone. Take you for instants, all this destruction...chaos." As he spoke, he moved around the table, his hands moving animatedly. "I was curious to see how far you would go to find me. Well...here I am." He stood in front of Shepard expectantly.
"How did you know I was coming at all?" Shepard asked curiously.
"I didn't, not until you marched through the front door and started shooting." He answered, moving past her to stand in front of Garrus' sniper, which was pointed at his chest. Isabelle wasn't sure if this was done to prove a point, that he did not consider any of them a threat or he just did not value his own life enough to remain cauitious. He stood calmly before them as he spoke, military style with his hands clasped behind his back. "Nassana had become paranoid. You saw the strength of her guard force." He looked over his shoulder to Shepard. "She believed one of her sisters would kill her." He paused as turned completely towards the Commander once again, it seemed he had a trouble remaining still for too long Maria noticed. "You were a valuable distraction."
Shepard could swear she saw the corner of his lips curve.
She took a moment to study him, before continuing with the reason why she was here, "I need you for a mission." Shepard needed to wrap this up, no point in holding it off any longer. She nodded to Garrus to lower his gun.
"Indeed?" He stated calmly.
"You familiar with the Collectors?" Shepard asked.
Thane took a few steps away from the group, his back to Shepard now, facing the large window overlooking the city, "By reputation" he told her.
Shepard crossed her arms over her chest, facing the assassin she spoke, "They're abducting entire human colonies. Freedoms Progress; was their handy work."
Thane bowed his head, taking in what he had just heard.
"I see."
"We're going after them," Shepard told him, wondering what his reaction would be.
Thane turned around suddenly giving Shepard his full attention, "Attacking the Collectors would require passing through the Omega 4 Relay. No ship has returned from doing so."
"My ship will be the first" Shepard said with confidence.
She said it in a way that made him want to believe her, like nothing could stop this woman; maybe his previous thoughts on whether she was crazy or fearless were correct. She seemed to be a bit of both.
"You would like me to protect humans I've never met, from aliens no one knows anything about, by going to a place no one has ever returned?" He asked. He already knew he would do it, a suicide mission did not frighten him, he was ready to die, but he wanted to see if this would cause her to falter.
"That's the gist of it," she said nonchalantly. She stepped forward moving next to him at the window.
Thane bowed his head, this human was interesting. Then again, could he really expect normality from a person who had made a career performing the impossible?
Thane looked up at the sunset through the window, "This was to be my last job." Thane looked over at her meeting her eyes, "I'm dying". He looked back to the sunset, he was curious what her reaction would be. He had felt that if he was going to work for her on this kind of mission, she should know about his condition. "Low survival odds don't concern me. The abduction of your colonist does." he told her.
He was dying. No one had told them that. "I hadn't heard that, is there anything I can do?" Shepard asked.
A desire to help him was not what he expected. "Giving me this opportunity is enough." So many mistakes, he thought to himself, "This universe is a dark place. I'm trying to make it brighter before I die." He told her, in a tone filled with regret. This would definitely make it a little brighter, but he knew there was nothing he could do to completely make the universe right, to make up for the mistakes in his life. Thane turned towards Shepard, "Many innocents died today, I wasn't fast enough and they suffered. I must atone for that."
This guy was something else, not what she expected at all.
"I will work for you Shepard. No charge." he said, shaking her hand to seal the deal.
"Great. Now we can get the hell off this planet."
Naruto inclined his head in her direction, the faintest of nods, and then he was gone, following Shepard out.
"You're not coming?"
Naruto shook his head. Shepard was determined to go and get the Reaper IFF. With Thane recruited the last of their team-as far as they knew-had finally been assembled. Barring another Collector trap, they were nigh but certain to succeeed, with or without his help. Unfortunately, he wouldn't be accompany them. Not this time.
"One of those shots must've gotten through my armor," he mused, rolling his shoulder. "Its healed, but the joint just doesn't feel right. Besides, wouldn't be of much use to you on a derelict reaper. And to be honest, I would rather not set foot on the damn thing to begin with. You know how I get when dealing with spooks like that."
"I'm staying as well." Morinth supplied. "I won't leave him here alone."
Isabelle frowned. "Samara won't like that."
"Samara can kiss my ass." Naruto bit out. "You don't like it? We'll leave at the next port."
"No, no," Shepard replied, brushing his anger aside, "Its just that she's still suspicious of you-
"I don't give a shit." he waved her away. "If she wants to take it up with me, she can do that. Now leave."
"Naruto...
"Leave." Naruto nudged her backward with a not-so-subtle application of biotics. The message was poignantly clear. Shepard dithered a moment longer, torn between protest and aggression-but the look in her old ally's eyes warned against further aggravation. Exhaling a long-suffering sigh, she could only nod and walk away. Before she said or did something they'd both regret. The door whoosed shut signalling her departure, perhaps from his life altogether for all he knew. Perhaps not. Either way, it didn't matter. He was here for the Collectors, not for her. Certainly not for Cerberus.
"She's right, you know." Morinth said at last. "You'll need to deal with her eventually."
Naruto groaned and tossed himself back against the bed, stubbornly ignoring the ache it evoked in his arm. She moved to lay beside him, curling her head into his chest, her fingers fisting at the lapels of his jacket. The world flared blindingly bright for a moment, his
"Don't remind me."
"Perhaps I can distract you...
A grin.
"I'd like that...
Kissing her brow, Naruto enveloped her, keeping her body nestled against him, skin to skin. Morinth's head tilted back into the pilllow at his quiet urging, firm lips in her neck, nipping and plying. She arched against him to meet his mouth, and in return Naruto's fingertips pressed her cheek as his lips tugged away. Resist though she might, she could already feel the sensation building, her need culminating for him a fluid gasp. Her eyes flared black, tongues of biotic energy trickling between the two of them, the air rife with tension.
"Embrace Eternity, my love." she kissed him softly, her body stradling his. Naruto grunted, his arousal becoming evident as he held her close. Their minds melded, and for just that, an enternity, they were one. Joining to become one entity, no longer a separation of the individuals.
Naruto sighed. He wanted to stay like this. More than anything else. Yes right now, he just wanted her. Wanted to forget about this god-awful mission that continued to probe at the limits of his patience. Wanted to lose it all in the arms of this fascinating Asari he'd come to love. Where their memories, their very thoughts, all were one. Even...wait. Naruto blinked, baffled by what she was showing him. Momentarily taken abacks as his mind delved into that secret fortess that was her very identity; illuminating a lone thought amidst the others.
Little blue children.
"Children?" Their eyes met, and the brief uncertainty in hers melted into the darkness of his. When he spoke, it shattered all pre-conception.
"That would be...amusing."
Her eyes lit at that; and when they kissed again, there was no need for words, the language spoken in their bodies, their touches, and their sighs.
Naruto wasn't sure when he had fallen asleep, only that he had. Perhaps he had slept for a day. Perhaps not. He had the vaguest recollection of Shepard coming to check up on him dimly recalled telling her he needed a longer rest period, that he would join her on the next mission. That had been hours ago. Now he woke to the sound of alarms ringing through the hull, stirred to cries and screams ripping through his ears. He also woke alone, to an empty bed. Morinth was not there.
Who threw a party without me?
Grunting, he rose, risking a look out on the empty void afforded by the lone window in the room. What he saw there caused his spine to turn to ice.
Naruto took one look at the viewport and swore a blue streak.
"Holy shit!"
There, looming before them, in all its repugnant glory, was the Collector Vessel. At the same time he realized it, he knew that the Normandy had been disabled. Why else would they still be here, with that vile vessel in position to dispose of them. Edi's warning over the intercom only confirmed his fears. Main passageways are no longer safe. Collectors have boarded. This did not bode well for the crew. Sadly, his first thought, was not for them, but for Morinth. Where was she? Was she alright? Was she unharmed? Was she in danger? He might've been forced to stay back due to his injury but he wasn't sure for the fate of his lover.
Throwing himself from the mattress-ignoring the explosion of agony in his right arm-Naruto left his quarters and strode out onto the deck, wreathed in chakra and biotics. His arrival was promptly met by with a wave of Collectors and Scions, each armed to the teeth. Seconds later, they weren't armed at all. Nor were they legged. Nor did they have their heads. Stepping over their decaying corpses, Naruto strode toward elevator, wreaking havoc on all those who crossed his path.
"Help!" Someone cried! "Somebody please, help me!"
His gaze snapped toward the elevator, eyes widened as he beheld Kelly Chambers being dragged away by collectors. He was fairly certain he also saw Joker, limping his way towards the medical bay, but there was no time for further thought. There was only action.
He forced his fist between the doors and wedged them open. A Collector shoved its particle beam in his face. He slapped it aside as a child would a toy, crushing it in his bare hand. Seizing the Scions that tried to bring their barresl to bear upon him, Naruto turned their barrels and let them fired. Once. Twice. Three times. Within seconds, all that remained was himself, Kelly Chambers, and the scion itself. Without a word, he disposed of the latter, eviscerating it with a well-placed Flare, rendering its body little more than a pile of dust.
"Thank you!" The yeowman cried, clinging to his side as he strode out. "Oh, god! Thank you so much!"
"Stay close." He instructed, but the words were lost onto her as he sighted down a familiar blue-black blur in his peripheals. In that instant, he froze. Morinth. There she was. She danced amidst the Collectors and their minions like the namesake she was given, a Demon of the Night Winds, tearing through anything that dared come too close. But, she was only one Asari, and there were so many. Too many. Even as he looked on, one of the Collectors managed to get its claws on her,
He exploded into action.
"Get your fucking hands off her!"
He wrestled the Collector away from Morinth, his eyes gleaming a fierce, flaming red. The former prothean spun and took aim with its weapons, its garbled voice emerging as a pitiable squeak when the blond pulped its head into nonexistence seconds later. He would have torn into many more, had not EDI's voice filled the ship.
"Preparing to accelerate in five..."
Naruto froze, realizing just what Joker had been up to. He grabbed Morinth and Kelly, tossing both women into the elevator he'd just cleared with a bodily heave. It chimed pleasantly, the doors sliding shut as he leaped inside after them, their destination the cargo hold.
Four...
They arrived just in time to find Joker hobbling towards them.
"What in the hell-
"No time!" Naruto shoved back from whence he'd come. Move!"
The three of them barely made it into the engine room in time; the doors whooshed shut behind them before the Normandy accelerated. The sudden surge of motion, the abrupt movement and lurch of the deck, was so sudden it sent everyone sprawling, hurtling them to the ground in a heap. Naruto's neck struck a bulkhead, sending tiny tongues of fire scrawling down his neck and into his brain. Stars-whole planets
Then there was only blackness.
A/N: And there you have it! This fic has resturned! We get to see a little bit of everything, and just how the situation might've changed, had Naruto and Morinth been present aboard the Normandy when the Collectors tried to abduct the crew. Not to mention a little contemplation on Morinth's part as she once more considers the future with Naruto. And with thatI wish each of you and all of you a Happy Holidays, whatever you may be celebrating! And of course, enjoy the preview! Its a dastardly one!
(Preview)
Naruto sighed; it was a deep, throaty sound. His finger tightened around the trigger.
"I should've known it would come to this. For what its worth, I'm not sorry." Before they could protest further, he squeezed the trigger.
Bang!
A lifeless corpse struck the deck of the Normandy.
R&R! =D
