"Only the dead have seen the end of war."
— Plato
-Episode III-
==X==
May 10, 2300
Torfan
Northern Torfan Command Bunker
Sub-level 9: Central Operations Room
Apollo watched the last Batarian collapse as he removed his serrated combat knife from its heart. "That's twelve now," he said as he sheathed his knife.
Zeus and Athena gave no mind, but Artemis gave a sigh of frustration. "You just have to make everything a competition, don't you?" she asked with a blunt tone while reloading her SMG.
"Not competition. Just fun."
"If I can remember, fun wasn't part of training, Apollo. We were created to be the tip of the spear of Human evolution. We left behind everything we held dear-"
"-in order to safeguard Humanity's place in the universe. Yeah, yeah, I remember what Yunani told us in boot camp before we went into the pods for the first time. You don't have to recite it for the millionth time."
"I do it to keep our unity in check, Apollo. More importantly, I do it to remind you that this isn't some video game form the Twenty-first Century."
Apollo snickered "Not the first you've said that."
"That's because you obliterated a company's worth of Xeno's that surrendered when they figured out they were visibly outmatched back on Shanxi."
"Not my fault one decided to get cocky. Fucking birds."
"Apollo, Artemis. Stop talking, finish securing the area. We don't any stragglers roaming around here."
"We've cleared the room Chief. My pulse sensor hasn't picked up single heartbeat since ever since we got here."
"No room for risks, Apollo."
"He has a point," Athena chimed in. Apollo only shrugged his soldiers and begun a second sweep of the operations center. Zeus then shifted his gaze towards Athena.
"What have you found so far?"
"Nothing surprising. Audio transcripts, money transfers, security footage," Athena answered as she continued to examine the influx of information that was appearing on screen.
"Anything on the "Market"?"
"Several copies and transfers have popped up under that name, but they're heavily encrypted."
"Hmph, nothing Allied Intelligence can't handle."
Athena was about to respond when she heard an explosion coming from the hallway outside the Operations Center.
"Apollo, Artemis, what's happening out there?"
"Some Batarian tried to be tough by taking another Xeno hostage and threatening us with a live grenade. Very cocky."
"Are any of you injured?"
"Pfft, we're fine. Artemis managed to put one between his eyes and retrieve the hostage before he went boom."
"And the hostage?"
She became frantic and violent, so we gave her some Nano-shots to calm her nerves. Other than that, we're good.
"Copy that," Zeus acknowledged. "Orion, mission complete. On our way to the extraction point, plus one."
"Affirmative Vector-One-One. Plus one?" the voice asked.
"Yes sir, we've acquired a former hostage not too long ago. She's was a bit rough, but we contained the situation. It's possible that she's a slave sir."
"Copy that Vector-One. Firebrand is on route to your position. We'll notify the Solstice to prep medical when you arrive."
"Acknowledged, Vector-Actual."
As Zeus disconnected from the secure Battle-Net, he looked towards the alien that was being held in Apollo's arms. Humanoid in anatomy, excluding her shorter, slighter build, three thick fingers on both hands, and their lower legs that bent backward significantly.
More questions arose within his consciousness about the connections between the many species that lived within the Milky Way. The Asari were the first example, an example that might push old theories into a new age.
But that didn't matter. Not now at least.
-X-
Proxima Mizar System, Datryia
New Alexandria
Entertainment district
June 13th, 2300
Dennis Tranner walked among the strip of night-life that was called Alexandria's Entertainment District. The neon signs that plastered the street he was walking on showed many offers that any man or woman would love to experience. Ranging from VR-Café's, Micro-Cybernetics, Dance clubs, Auton shops, and even some unsavory places that would attract those who want more action. For Dennis, these mainstream attractions weren't grabbing his attention since he made plans to meet up with his friends at a bar they frequently visited.
Stepping into the bar, Dennis was met with the jovial and life-filled hum of conversation from those who were enjoying the night-life. It wasn't long before Dennis heard his name being called. He shifted his gaze towards a small table that was in the center of the bar and saw Keven waving him to come over and Felix drinking a mug of whiskey. He strode over to the table and began to converse with his friends.
"Took you long enough!" Keven said in a jovial tone. "We were beginning to think you got lost."
"Or mugged," Felix finished as he took another swig of whiskey.
"Getting mugged is the very last thing I would allow to happen."
"That's what Michaelson said before he got stabbed in Arundel."
"That's because Arundel is a shady place to visit," Dennis countered. "The place reminds me of Old Chicago, make one wrong turn and some fucker stabs you and takes your wallet."
"Please, He acted all high and mighty to a point where he didn't realize that the bum had already stabbed him and made off with his wallet. I ain't like that."
"Sure, you aren't, mister I got my ass handed to me back by Harley Greene back in high school," Keven taunted and made Felix almost spit out his drink.
"Didn't I tell you not to bring that up again?" Dennis deadpanned.
"Yeah you did, but it's always a fun to see you get pissed off when someone brings it up."
"Didn't Harley get arrested for being affiliated with those Neo-Secessionist groups back on Petrovina?" Felix chimed in.
"Harley was arrested under false charges due to her Board of Directors using her as a target to slap all the evidence they needed to put her as a supplier of Illegal augmentations and weapon mods when it was actually themselves that were sending them their new toys. Soon after, when Allied Intelligence had put two and two together with the help of some captured rebels, they stormed NeoCorp or wherever they were and shoved their asses in a federal prison. Harley was let go shortly after," Dennis explained.
"Oh shit. What happened after that?"
"During the period following her release, she handed the rights to NeoCorp to her sister and left without a trace. No one knows where she is right now."
"Damn. Must've been hard on for her family to see her go like that," Felix acknowledged.
"It was. I was there with her family when she left that day. They thought she wasn't being serious about what she said, but when they finally realized. It was too late."
"Did they at least try to find her?"
"We couldn't. After 3 three weeks of checking in with known associates of hers, we came up empty. For a while, we thought we failed her as a family. In the end, we moved on," Dennis said as he took a swig at his drink.
"I'm surprised you did that so fast."
"Holding onto the past isn't healthy for one's mind."
"I can second that," Keven said.
Dennis began to pour his mug of ale down his throat, deciding to not let the freshness of his drink go to waste.
"Now," Dennis began, "Y'all heard about what the Madam President and Federal Congressional Assembly are doing to the Batarians?"
Sol System, Earth
New Geneva, Sweden,
Capitol of the United Systems Federation
House of the Federal Congressional Assembly
June 10th, 2300
In a flashback to three days past, those who governed the scarred Earth, her colonies, and her armies met within the House of the Congressional Assembly. It was there that these leaders debated on how they should handle the fate of the Batarian Hegemony if the skirmish between them escalated into a full-scale war. At first, the meeting was slow, the discussions that took place before the main topic needed to be addressed by some Senators were heard by President Ferin and would be taken to account.
It was then, when the minuscule topics were cast aside, the senators of the USF and high-ranking officers of the UAF began to debate on what route should they take to stamp out the Batarians and their oppressive ways.
Some agreed to set up a blockade around Batarian space, others had suggested that they instill a coup de 'at within their government, and there were a few that had demanded that the intel they had gathered from the pirate captains and Torfan be made public, so they could have the support to greenlight an invasion into Batarian space.
These were among the many suggestions that were formulated within the House, all waiting to be approved by Ferin herself. Being the elected leader, she signaled those that were bickering amongst each other to cease. Standing from her chair, she moved towards the podium and began to address those who were gazing upon her.
She began to tell them of a familiar story that most people knew of. A story that told the tale of those who let go of the boundaries that held themselves from doing what needed to do in order to wipe out those who stood in the way of the brighter future mankind was destined for. These tales were dark to many but righteous to some.
At first, there were many who couldn't understand how a dark tale that dated back from the last world war had anything to do with the situation at hand, but when those who were lost in thought had seen the cold hard stares and determined looks of those who knew, it finally became clear to all about what she was referring to.
"To keep our future clear, we must rid ourselves of those who will stop at nothing to blot out our children's sun," Ferin declared. "By any means necessary."
In that final moment, everyone knew the route she was going for. As a member of the Party: Ferrum Hominis Protector (Man's Iron Shield), what she suggested was in the mind of those she dutifully cared for.
Earth.
Her Colonies.
Humanity itself.
-X-
Verox System, Carin Asteroid Field
The Fringe of Batarian Space
Hegemony Outpost-031
August 12, 2300
Ever since the Council had dropped the Hegemony's association status from the galactic community, things were becoming tenser within Hegemony space. Riots began to occur, senators and generals blamed each other for the current situation there were in. The Chancellor declared martial law, and by order of the Chancellor himself, the military proceeded to take whatever funds they had in their economy to overhaul their military strength by the end of the solar year.
While this had caused a myriad of problems, the Chancellor had assured his people that, "The Human Menace will not break the walls of our mighty fleet and will be sent running back to their own systems."
A load of shit that was. Everyone knew what was coming, and they sure as hell knew that it wouldn't end nicely.
Brenk Prof'falak, a grizzled veteran of various conflicts and skirmishes that populated the Eternal Calendar, was now aboard one of many defense outposts that were stationed around the fringes of their galactic borders and within range of their core worlds, wasting away what time he had left in this galaxy.
"Fucking Humans, always have to interfere with everything," he muttered. Brenk glanced over the monitor in front for possibly the twenty-thousandth time before tuning out the world around him.
He thought of times where he and his comrades had stood against the impossible odds that were stacked against them. He remembered the battles he fought, the trophies he took, the near deaths that would've taken his life. It was a thrill for him. But now, he resides within a metal base stationed in butt-fuck nowhere.
It was a sad thought indeed. Sad enough for him not to be aware of what happened next. In the span of a few seconds, Brenk's senses lit up for a moment as he felt something come over him. But before he could react, a long spike of cold steel penetrated his skull and entered his brain, killing him before he could feel a thing.
His body landed with a thud on the cold metal floor along with other Batarians that were stationed in the same room with him, their life flowing from their bodies.
2nd Lieutenant Kayla A. Shepard
N7 Special Forces
30 minutes before the present time
Onboard the MKII-Mira-Class United Systems Stealth Ship Holland, Kayla Annalise Shepard prepped her gear for the boarding mission she and her team were about to embark on.
To Kayla, this was just another routine op. Textbook insertion tactics, she thought. After she finished loading the magazine into her Kriss-AR2 Vector SMG, she took one last look back at her team that had accompanied her for the last three years ever since she became an N7.
Private First-class James Vega, a former UAF Heavy-weapons specialist, and veteran of the First Contact War.
Corporal Kaiden Alenko, a Biotic Knight of the USF Templar Special Forces.
Tech Sergeant EDI, an Enhanced Defense Matrix that was situated within an MKV Combat Auton.
1st Sergeant Charlie Yamato, CQC Specialist.
This five-man N7 team was known as Wolf-1.
Not long after, the Holland stopped within a reasonable range of the outpost and activated its onboard stealth drive and radar jamming capabilities to negate any signals that would give away their presence.
Not wanting to waste more time, Wolf-1 exited the stealth craft and activated their XC1 Multi-Role Jump packs, accelerating into the cold vacuum space and beginning to traverse through the asteroid field. As they navigated the field, Shepard began to give orders to her team, telling them to get into position and await further orders.
When they made footfall on the metal plating on the outpost, Wolf-1 got to work. "EDI, see if you can disable the ventilation system and its alarm system in this sector."
"On it."
"Vega, place hull-breaching charges here." Shepard pointed towards near the base of her feet.
"On it, Chica."
It didn't take long for the two to get to work. EDI's enhanced infiltration systems had quickly made her way into the outpost's ventilation and security systems, effectively disabling any signs of attention. Vega slapped on the breaching charge and set it for five seconds
Five seconds later, the breach made a man-sized hole into the hull, creating an entrance for Shepard and her team. Once inside, EDI enabled the ventilation system to seal the breach, causing the air to rush through the corridor and fill the room.
"You know the plan everyone, keep a low profile, find the command center, kill anyone that tries to blow our cover," Shepard ordered as she primed her SMG. "Vega, you find us a way out. EDI, Alenko, and Yamato, you're with me."
"This is where the fun begins," Vega said joyfully.
20 minutes later
"Have you heard from Drato lately?" one Batarian asked.
"No? Why?" the second inquired.
"He was supposed to report in a few minutes ago after checking out a system fault that got picked up by the onboard VI."
"Heh. You know him. He probably fell asleep on the way there. Should probably go check on him.
"Pfft, like I care about that guy. Gator will probably run into him again and threaten him about sending him to the Varren pits."
The first one laughed. "Yeah. That's pretty funny to watch."
"Yeah," the second replied as he laughed along with him. It was then that a knock was heard on the door behind them.
"Probably the man himself, go open it and let him in before he starts getting grumpy again," the first one said.
The second one didn't bother to argue on this topic since he knew it would be better for both to just let their comrade in. When he approached the door, the knocking turned into banging, which irritated him.
"Hold on, hold on, I'm coming." Quickly hitting the button to open the door, the Batarian thought he had prevented an incoming problem for him and his partner.
"You know Drato if you wanted to sleep, we could've covered for you kn-."
That wasn't the case.
The Batarian didn't get to finish his sentence due to his head being impaled by a biotic blade, instantly killing him. The second Batarian didn't get to react in time as the same blade that killed his friend, sliced his skull in two and dropping on the floor with a hard thud.
"Room clear," Alenko broadcasted over the Battle-Net.
"This Room is clear as well," Yamato stated as she reloaded some shells into her silenced SPAS-15. "Four-eye bastards didn't see what hit'em."
"Yep," Vega said as he pulled his serrated knife from another dead Batarian. "Airlocks clear."
"I have successfully neutralized all enemy combatants in the general vicinity."
"Are you sure EDI?" Shepard asked. EDI was about to respond until she saw something in the corner of her cybernetic eye.
"Fucking…Bitch." A surviving Batarian." When I'm done with you, yo-."
PFFT. PPFT.
"I'm sure, Lieutenant."
-X-
"All Wolves, stack up," Shepard ordered. All members of Wolf-1 hugged the walls around the door to the station's Central Command Center. Close as they were, Yamato's translator could hear the Batarians in the next room bustle about in confusion, wondering why their comrades weren't responding to their hails. It was a glorious sound to hear.
Looking at her HUD, Shepard saw that everyone had given an all go for the breach. She motioned Vega to slap a breaching charge on the face of the door and on her signal, Vega blew the door.
"Go! Go! Go! Move in! Eliminate all targets!" she ordered. The N7 Operatives of Wolf-1 didn't waste any time in clearing the command center.
One Batarian tried to be a hero and reach for his combat knife, attempting to rush the shotgun-wielding N7, but fell short due to Yamato quickly pumping a barrel full of buckshot into his skull.
"Xeno wa manabanai!" she yelled in her native tongue. "Don't fuck with the Deck sweeper!" She then proceeded to pump another shell into his dead corpse."
"Stop fucking around!" Shepard barked. "Vega! Get back to the airlock and signal the Holland for pick up."
"On it!"
"EDI! Get what we need."
"Roger!" EDI then plugged herself into the station's systems and began to extract the information.
"Wolf-Lead, this is the Holland. We are on our way to your position. ETA 3 minutes."
"Roger that Holland, we're on our way to extraction point Alpha," she responded.
"EDI?"
"Affirmative. I have successfully extracted the information we need to execute the next phase of our mission."
"Nice work!" she complimented. "Wolf-1. We are Oscar Mike!"
On that note, Wolf-1 retreated from the space station to the Holland and made haste towards their next objective.
"Do you think the others got through?" Kaiden asked Shepard once they've made it aboard the stealth ship.
"This whole operation is riding on them, Sergeant. I doubt they would fuck up an opportunity like this."
-X-
[Incoming Transmission...]
[Identifier activated~]
[Transmission received…]
[N7 IFF received...]
[N7 Progression approved…]
[Selection-N7 Teams- Wolf, Echo, Gamma, Miami, Hotel. Galactic reroute imminent...]
[Galactic reroute commencing...]
[~14%~]
[~37%~]
[~56%~]
[~64%~]
[~88%~]
[~99%~]
[Galactic reroute complete…]
[New destination- Inner Batarian Systems…]
[Target system- Kite's Nest, Harsa System…]
[Target World-Khar'shan…]
[Course of action?]
[HIGHCOM-Orders Imperative.]
[Operation Skyshock initiated.]
[System Invasion Imminent.]