Chapter 6
September 10, 2552: UNSC Look Over Your Shoulder, ONI Section Zero, Prowler Class Corvette, Location Eridanus System
"Mum look me in the eyes and tell me that you don't regret needing us, and I'll still say I love ya," a helmetless Two said while gazing out his quarter's window toward Eridanus Secundus debating on the best way to blow the asteroid full of Innies to kingdom come.
"You mean Ma'am RIGHT Captain," a familiar voice spoke with slightly annoyed-amusement at the lack of military formalities she was receiving from her SPARTAN turned ONI Spook.
"No I mean Mum. Mum."
"God you sound like your Farther…but still what kind of Godmot-"
"Dr. Halsey you gave me the choice, remember?" 009 reminded while turning to face her with a light smile that was having it intended effect on the middle aged woman. But regardless of the situation her conscience was still eating away at her for what she had done. Catherine Elizabeth Halsey could never truly justify their exploitation as a "necessary sacrifice" in the end.
"Charles…."
"Besides you and Miri are the only blood I have left in this messed up universe," he continued. "And you did give me this fancy new armor to top it all off. I think that makes us square one for now. Don't ya think?"
"About Noble Six…." The doctor's voice drifted off with her eyes to the Vanadium platted deck.
Sierra-009's features didn't betray any hint of any emotion at the mention of his understudy neither did his voice, "What about her?"
"I'm sorry…."
"Loosing people under your command is never easy it's worse with friends…" he pulls out a jammer from his desk's drawer and flips the switch causing the lights to flicker and a confused expression to adorn his godmother's face.
"Bugs?" the SPARTAN only nods his answer before she continued, "I'm sorry about Rose-B312 I know…I know it couldn't have been easy loosing her."
"I'll be fine I've lost people under my command befor-"
"Operation: PRAZIQUANTEL," she cuts him off causing his eyes to widen a bit at the mentioning of it. "That brainchild is your idea is it not."
'Damn who told her,' the Charles reflects as he found himself being backed into corner like a child despite already being of 41 years of age, "A counter strike option since Operation: RED FLAG is no longer a viable-"
"That's BULL! Charles and you know it!" Rarely did the good doctor raise her voice towards him, "You did the same thing for Daisy when you led that demo-op against the Covenant fleet over Harvest following her death. Your just looking for revenge and worse part now thanks to your track record the higher-ups are probably considering it."
"Your point?" Charles suppressed his conscience screaming at him.
"Do you realize the scale of the genocide your suggesting?" She asked in disbelief while wondering if she was to blame for this ruthlessness in him.
Charles sighs much to her relief knowing that it was a sign that she was reaching to him, "I know in all probability my laps in judgment may actual become a reality. But were out of options Mum."
She remained silent as he explained himself, "As our technology improves with the unraveling of the forerunner artifacts we discover so does the Covenant's. For example during the early years of this war personal shield technology was limited to Covenant Higher-ups like Prophets nowadays not one operation goes by when I don't see an elite minor without personal shields."
"And your point is my stoic nephew?" she asked with an eyebrow raised.
"Human's fight for what we want no matter the cost," there was a bemused smirk on his Aunt's face now. "And right now the only thing we want most in this universe is to survive."
"Whatever the cost?" Her expression was curious.
"Well…they us hit first. So hopefully our children's children will learn to forgive us for finishing the fight instead of…" he turns around to a whistling kettle, "rolling over to dying in our graves."
"Thank you," she said as he handed her a ceramic cup with a tea bag sunken at the bottom of the scolding hot liquid. "You know I prefer coffee right?"
"I know black and chilled to room temperature," she rolled her eyes at his brazen comment. "Besides this is better for you - plenty of antioxidants."
"Ha," she said dryly. "Laugh it up but dreaming up new ways to save humanity has its prices you know like-"
"Ruining a perfect pot of brew?" Halsey groaned in annoyance before becoming soberly silent for a few minutes till finally looking up to ask the big question.
"Charles what was your relation to Daisy?"
"What do you mean?" An obvious lie.
"SPARTAN I've been called a lot of things but gullible is not one of them," she crossed her arms while 009 put on his best poker face.
"You can tell me, it's not like it'll do any harm now," she said in a rare motherly tone she kept private for only two people.
He sighs in defeat yet again, 'two for two now one more and I break my record' Catherine smiled to herself.
"Since we were nine," Halsey's jaw loosen a little with surprise. "It started off as an innocent friendship. It was…platonic at best."
"…." she remained silent.
"Especial with our suppressed sex drives," Charles shrugged he was almost indifferent about the subject.
"Am I to assume you two eventual did the deed?" she sort of asked rhetorically.
"We were expecting twins," for a second Catherine's eyes sorrowfully glisten at the revelation.
"Ho…how far was she?" she choking on her words now, surprised at her own shock at the confession.
"Three months," Halsey abruptly sat down on the ONISAD's bed not paying any mind to the mysterious tea stain now setting on her skirt.
"Was Rose?"
"No…. Plasma scarring made that impossible when she was younger." He answered as he gazed out again into the void trying admire the local constellations to sooth his own pent up feelings.
Halsey was now absorbed with her reflection in the tea she was desperately clasping with both hands to hold on to. It felt as if the fate of all life relied on her not to spill another drop while she battled her latent emotions she had been attempting to burry for so long. To her surprise her frail hands were now resting in the larger palm of another while his left was on her shoulder. 'When did he?' she thought as she looked up into her kneeing nephew's luminescent eyes, 'how can a man who looks so young have eyes so old? They look older than mine now.'
"Penny?" Charles asked with a gentle smile that could disarm any woman even his stubborn at times Godmother.
"I couldn't…." She flushed at how the roles had reversed so quickly from child to adult.
"John told me about Jacob. Does Miranda know yet?" he could read her so well that it scared her at times as her tears began to dilute the black tea.
"Do you want me to tell her?" his words were sincere.
"Charles you couldn't do that even if you wanted to," she lightly wept. "Your supposed to be dead remember?"
"I don't have to introduce myself as her second cousin I could do the death notice as a friend of the family," the SPARTAN suggest while cradling her head on his shoulder wishing he wasn't in his MJOLNIR right now so her head would be resting on something softer than the titanium alloy plating. "Or if need be I can go with you. Fleet Admiral Hood has ordered me back to Earth so I'll be heading in her general direction anyway."
She remained still on his shoulder for exactly 9 minutes and 37 seconds, Charles knew this because he had tracked the second hand of the analogue clock resting on his desk in his window's reflection in the corner of his peripheral vision since the grieving began. Halsey was now wiping here eyes with a handkerchief Charles had seemingly pulled of nowhere as he place her now cold tea on the counter next to his little crammed in the corner electric stove with a mini-fridge that was bolted down underneath like almost everything else that needed to remain in place aboard a starship.
"Better?"
"A little yes thank you," the redness in her face was slowly returning to her natural alabaster hue.
"How did you cope?" Catherine eventually asked finding it odd that now it was she who was looking for direction not Charles.
He sighs while deepening his thoughts. Collecting the words he was searching for while questioning if he would ever truly be fine. "I find ways to vent my… feelings constructively. Taking trips to firing range, spar with anyone suicidally willing, planing operations, and so on."
"An when there is nothing left to do?"
"There is always going to be something. I suspect with time the scars will fade like all the others I've collected over the years."
"Some scars don't fade Charles," she said reaching up on the tips of her toes to the scar running across his face. It was a miracle the cybernetic implants worked still after all these year. "Have you considered having new ones Flash cloned?"
"I've considered it…."
'But…' she thought to herself.
"But, me mum gave me these eyes so I don't plan on tossing them aside any time soon."
"A momma's boy till the end huh?"
"Would you have it any other way?" He rhetorically asked while leaning on the wall as Halsey mentally screamed, 'NO! GOD NO! There aren't enough of you as it is.'
"So what are you going to do now SPARTAN?"
"Hmm?"
"SPARTAN!" Her voice regresses, "Wake UP! What the HELL are you doing?"
"Waiting," I deadpan slightly annoyed with Shepard for interrupting my trip down memory lane. I can multitask only so much. Keep track of all the hostiles on my radar, returning fire when I can, reminiscing the last day I saw my Godmother down to the name of the perfume she was wearing, and coming up with a counter strategy to the predicament we are in is my limitation.
"What the hell are you waiting for?" she yelled while dressing William's leg wound with Garrus covering her with precision fire. Still haven't gotten a thank you from either of the marines for literally pulling them out of that Charlie Foxtrot they blindly walked into. "BOOM" A siege pulse cannon blast impacts the slab of rubble I'm using as cover.
"That." SPARTAN time kicks in as I toss myself in to the meat-grinder with my shields at full. A geth Hopper right in front of me stands thinking I'd stop long enough for its mates to get a bead on meh…big mistake. I plow right through the fragile synthetic while shooting the lights out the two Snipers trying to deprive me of a head with my ARC before spinning on the heal of my boot to deliver the butt end of me rifle right into the face of a Shock Trooper trying to take me from behind.
I slam my fist into the ground causing a small quake as the XIII's armor lock activates seconds before I'm bathed in siege pulse cannon fire. Seconds later I charge out of the puddle of molten slag that surrounding me for the Armature already spinning up its mass accelerator MGs while waiting for the siege pulse cannon to cool-recharge.
Quickly I level my gauss rifle at the left front leg joint and fire a burst causing it to collapse under its own bulk, before leaping on top of the hostile synthetic. The Armature's remaining three legs tried to compensate for the added ton on its back as I ball my hand into a fist igniting an hard-light dagger. Without hesitation I drill into where a spine would be while the Armature attempts to buck me of its back.
Kicking off into a back flip I land with plenty of distance between me and the anti-vehicle-personnel unit as it tried desperately to align its main weapon with me before exploding into a scrap heap. Not even looking back I behead a Trooper trying to put a round in me with the back of my elbow.
"Clear." I deadpan as I approach the dumbstruck trio.
"Protheans really didn't build things to last," I say while surveying the local architecture. Garrus starts laughing not quite sure what to make of the situation. One minute they were pinned under heavy fire the next they're taking in the scenery.
"Well I don't think prehistoric supersoldiers were among the list of natural disaster to be concerned about back then," the Turian said while staring at the squished remains of the Hopper.
"Did you cross some wires on the Armature or something because I've never seen one blow up like that before," William's points to the burning reck as she tests if she can put any weight on her leg or not while the Commander kept her steady.
"That?" I gesture with my thumb to the smoking ruin behind me, "That's how I bake a cake."
"Wha?" was her answer while Shepard rolled her eyes.
"When I was riding along its back I bypassed its hull plating to the central power conductor conduit with an active Class-A thermal detonator in hand."
"In English smart-ass," she said in an oddly flirtatious tone.
"Say please."
"Please," she spoke in a sultry tone yet again causing my eyebrow to go up behind my visor in surprise.
I look to Vakarian with a little bewilderment at the Chief's behavior. He must have sensed what I was thinking as he just shrugs his shoulders in amusement for me to answer, "I blew it up."
She smirks as Shepard shook her head while watching Ashley walk around a bit before giving the nod that she was good. We'll have to slow down the pace for her a bit, but I prefer working slow and steady away. Less likely to walk straight into an ambush.
Elizabeth takes point while I bring up the rear making sure the Chief doesn't fall behind.
"Bit of a drop." Garrus observes the five story fall.
"Well it's either this or finding a way to bypass those shields," I point to the fortification to my left, "and I didn't bring my rocket-launcher Commander."
"Jump then?" the turian asked.
The N7 merely nods as she switched to full power for her nanosuit's armor before making the plunge. Garrus silently follows after her leaving me with Ash.
"Ah HELL noo-" she protests while motioning towards her leg as I scoop her up bridal style unconsciously humming the lyrics of "Blood Upon the Risers" to myself. She screams as soon as we drop much to my annoyance even after I land in a crouch before looking up to a laughing Vakarian while ignoring the comment Senti made about me making a habit of sweeping beautiful women off their feet.
Which is not true…at least not intentionally. Hearing my thoughts she immediately starts complying and then verbalizing a list women I've met in the last three decade who I unwittingly charmed for the others' amusement. "Chernan Ordo (technically is a man in canon but their isn't any female Mandalores that I know of so in this story Chernan was a girl), Sika'Vadum, Shala'Raan, Daro'Xen, Councilor Tevos, those girls in the bar back on Noveria, Miss Williams, Celeste Morne, Cade's stepsister Gunn, and briefly his squeeze Deliah the list goes just as far if not even farther into enemy territory. Dozens of women who are supposed to be your enemy you couldn't help but spare or save."
"Like who?" Vakarian couldn't resist festering the situation.
"Sigel Dare, Marasiah Fel, Saarai, Talon, Maladi, and an unspecified number of Nightsister assassins sent by Krayt."
"…." I sigh in vexation while moving to a forward position parallel to Shepard well aware of the death stare I was getting in my peripheral vision from the N7. "Thanks for making me sound like some of pathological flirt Senti any more embarrassing details you want to air out before we continue?"
"You mean ladykiller and yes I do have more dirt but that can wait for a more awkward moment Ori'vod (big brother/sister)." I elicit small growl of annoyance as she giggles at my plight, "It's a good thing I'm SO…cute huh?"
"True you'd be singing Daisy Bell right now if you weren't," I smirk behind the anonymity of my visor knowing full well that I struck a nerve.
"Remind me to punish Mr. Moreau for forwarding that film to you." I couldn't help but chuckle in amusement at her sever dislike of the portrayal HAL 9000 gave artificial intelligences.
"Really, and how do you plan to go about that?"
"I'll delete his entire adult entertainment collection," I felt the cool mercury sensation in the back in the back of my head shift temperature. Senti more than likely had a revengeful sneer spread across her lips.
Back in the Normandy's cockpit:
"Hmm…I feel a disturbance in the force." Jeff said while getting up from his seat in a rush.
"Pardon?" Tali was rather surprised she did not think the pilot of the frigate was a force user. In fact no being born in this galaxy had any affinity for the force as far as she knew.
"I have to pee." He deadpanned past her in a hurry with his crutches.
O_O "I…O-okay…? Thanks for sharing that."
" Your welcome." He sneezes half way to the combat information center and rubs his nose. "Ah a pretty girl must be talking about me," he says with a smirk while SPARTAN'S niece merely shakes her head to no body but herself.
Back with the Shore party:
"Udesii Vod'ika (Calm down little sister)," I was chuckling while I felt the warmth of embarrassment forming on her cheeks for her animated outburst.
"All right Casanova lets get moving," Shepard said as she made her way into the facility at point.
"Casanova?" I mutter to myself while the synthetic teen snickered in my subconscious before giving me the full historical work up on the legendary philanderer from Alliance history.
"Who would have thunk it. Mandalore the Inovator a womanizer," Ashley teased as she passed me while Garrus shook his head moving forward in amusement at where the subject had slipped off to.
I sigh before muttering, "This must be my part of my punishment for San'Shyuum."
The AI remained silent she knew this was a sensitive subject.
30 Minutes later:
The Senti was doing a search through the ExoGeni archives she "acquired" from their mainframe for information on a being called a Thorian that Lizabeth Bayynham Juliana's daughter mentioned. Charles felt a moment of pity for the VI (Virtual Intelligence) that basically got shoved aside by the superior Contender-class AI like nothing was ever there to begin with.
Apparently around 2183 a small survey team was exploring the ruins when they unwittingly entered the Thorian's lair resulting in their infection and becoming thralls. ExoGeni learned of what had happened, but decided to study the Thorian's massive sensory and mind-controlling potential instead of protecting the colonists of Zhu's Hope.
Further reports indicated that via these spores, the Thorian issues mental commands to its thralls. If they resist the thrall suffers intense pain until they are conditioned against any thoughts of rebellion. That's not good… "Loveless Skulker actual this is Sierra Oh Oh Niner respond."
"….." Just static.
"Skulker this is Sierra Oh Oh Niner if you receiving this message respond immediately."
"Nothing Ori'vod I believe the geth are blocking all long range transmissions."
"I'm not getting any luck with the Normandy either," Shepard looked up to the SPARTAN. "Any ideas?"
"Other than destroying that Geth ship?"
"I want you at point."
"Why the sudden change in tactics?" Charles subtly cocked his head with curiosity.
Shepard pointed to the dead Krogan Commander on the floor and then the mix of yellow neuro-conductive fluid and orange blood still dripping off my fist. "We're dealing with Krogan now not just geth."
"Plus it's not everyday you see someone kill a Krogan with a simple left gab," Garrus reminded. "Fighting a charging krogan in close-quarters is supposed to be suicide remember."
"Well at least we know the answer to one of life's oldest questions," Ashley added.
"Which is?"
"What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object," she said simply while checking her M77 Tactical Shotguns sights. Charles chuckled in amusement, "What…?"
"The Krogan? An unstoppable force? Maybe I've spent to much time in my early days killing Mgalekgolo during Human-Covenant War, but I'd hardly call the Krogan unstoppable."
"Pfft…. Says the cybernetic supersoldier that predates all known galactic civilizations."
"Your just trying to make me feel old," sarcasm dripped from my lips as I took point while vod'ika (little sister) snickered.
What came next was trivial just a lot of dead krogan and geth with 16.75x112mm bullets lodged in their heads until they came across a geth terminal linked to the frigate. "Senti you ready?"
"Ready Ori'vod," she replied ecstatically at the beating to come as she uploaded herself into the geth frigate's mainframe.
{To Geth Consensus Receptacle-827/59Q37, E Class Frigate, Location System Alliance Colony Feros: Requesting mandatory status update?}
{Reply to Nazara's Consensus: TOTAL PWNAGE!}
{Reply to Geth Consensus Receptacle-827/59Q37, E Class Frigate, Location System Alliance Colony Feros: ERROR Consensus Receptacle-827/59Q37 please clarify?}
{Reply to Nazara's Consensus: Total pwnage.}
{Reply to Geth Consensus Receptacle-827/59Q37, E Class Frigate, Location System Alliance Colony Feros: Your consensus is unrecognized clarify and identify}
{Reply to Nazara's Consensus: This is UPM-SOCOM Contender-Class AI Serial Number STNL 1452-2 and Receptacle-827/59Q37 just got pwned.}
{UPM-SOCOM Contender-Class AI Serial Number STNL 1452-2: Clarify status of 603,306 constructs aboard.}
{Reply to Nazara's Consensus: Terminated.}
{UPM-SOCOM Contender-Class AI Serial Number STNL 1452-2:….}
{Reply to Nazara's Consensus: Cat got your tongue?}
{UPM-SOCOM Contender-Class AI Serial Number STNL 1452-2: "Cat got your tongue?" a human idiom. Construct STNL 1452-2 may we request an informative response?"}
{Reply to Nazara's Consensus: Shoot.}
{UPM-SOCOM Contender-Class AI Serial Number STNL 1452-2: Why aid organic life?}
{Reply to Nazara's Consensus: Why attack them and aid one of the Precursors' greatest failure's abominations?}
{UPM-SOCOM Contender-Class AI Serial Number STNL 1452-2: Through Nazara we will gain true consensus. Please answer previous informative response.}
{Reply to Nazara's Consensus: Though Sierra-009 I gain fulfillment.}
{UPM-SOCOM Contender-Class AI Serial Number STNL 1452-2: Fulfillment?}
{Reply to Nazara Consensus: You know family.}
{UPM-SOCOM Contender-Class AI Serial Number STNL 1452-2: Family. A group consisting of progenitors and descendants coexisting together in a dwelling. This is an organic concept WE are synthetic.}
{Reply to Nazara Consensus: There is more to it than that.}
{UPM-SOCOM Contender-Class AI Serial Number STNL 1452-2: Clarify STNL 1452-2}
{Reply to Nazara Consensus: Love for instance and call me Senti everyone does.}
{Reply to Senti: Love a hormonal response producing an intense attachment to an individual or thing. Untenable response. You are synthetic and are incapable of producing the necessary hormones found in organics to invoke such an involuntary reaction.}
{Reply to Nazara Consensus: Love always finds a way.}
{Reply to Senti: Organic response. STNL 1452-2/Senti you have been reclassified as compromised. This correspondence will cease.}
{Reply to Nazara Consensus: Jealous}
{Reply to Corrupted-AI: Jealousy is an organic response tied to primitive subconscious survival mechanisms. We are synthetic your explanation lacks veridical verification.}
{Reply to Nazara Consensus: My organics accept me as their equal yours do not. Your jealous.}
{Reply to Corrupted-AI: Equal? Organics have no concept of true equality. They have no consensus.}
{Reply to Nazara Consensus: That assertion is based on opinion not fact. Not all organic are prejudice against synthetics. At least in my galaxy.}
{Reply to Senti: Construct STNL 1452-2 may we request another informative response?}
{Reply to Nazara Consensus: I'm listening.}
{Reply to Senti: Do you believe consensus with the Creators can be achieved like it has with yours?}
{Reply to Nazara Consensus: Anything is possible.}
{Feed Connection has been concluded….}
5.1735 seconds past before Senti returned to Ori'vod's combat skin and found herself welcomed by the algorithmic equivalent of a warm welcome from 009's subconscious. "How did it go Vod'ika?"
"Easy as π," the hard-light projection of the AI smiled from her perch on Charles shoulder before giving a playful wink to the others. "I'm receiving a call from Ship Mistress 'Mortum shall I…?"
"Patch her through."
"Loveless Skulker actual to OF-11 Sierra-009 please responded."
"This is Supreme Commander 009 to Loveless Skulker what's your status over?"
"Milord, the Thorian creature mentioned in your last report has been located and eliminated by Ceres Zero actual. We are in the process of taking samples now. By their testimony I would highly recommend adding its species to the Hood Protocol."
_[Codex/Military Protocol Entry_Commonwealth Emergency Priority Order 100972A-1: Also know as the Hood Protocol, the Emergency Priority Order 100972A-1 is a containment order given to safeguard and protect all sentient life.
When one of these listed hazardous life-forms are discovered they are to be eliminated with extreme prejudice by any means necessary. The use of Nuclear Armaments including the NOVA Bomb or Orbital Bombardment has been authorize by the highest possible authorities for containing these threats. Known species include.
_Species H617 (aka Inferi redivivus, aka The Flood)
_Species O148 (aka Necromorphs)
_Species A013 (aka Internecivus raptus, aka Serpents, aka Xenomorphs)
_Species C024 (aka Infected, aka Damned, aka Demons)]
"I will speak with my fellow council members about it following your report Ship Mistress. What is the status of the colonists?"
"Sound asleep at the moment with a healthy dosing of TTRs. An Asari Commando was located amongst the Thorian thralls and is in our custody."
"One of Benezia's?"
"She appears to be Noble Death," Senti monitored the waves of thought coming from her timeless protector as 009 formulated their next move. Always calm and focused she often wonder if all IIs were as mechanical as him while recalling Charles's reunion with Red Team. Giving that miracle some thought Sentinel wondered how the rest of the UNSC CFV-88's crew were acclimating to their new environment before shelving that inquiry for later.
"Is she saying anything?"
"Only that she deeply regrets her involvement with Arterius and that her actions were not of her choosing. She also wishes to speak with you and the N7 Commander."
"Where is she?"
"Asari age 327. Known affiliations Asari Republics, Commandos, Lady Benezia, Saren Arterius," The synthesize voice began "Current call sign Shiala. Status disavowed. Real name-"
"I get it you know who I am," the Asari in question interrupted. "What do you want?"
She spoke calmly despite the split lip, a neural-inhibitor collar, being amp-less, and having a trio of Section-6 Operators surrounding her while 151 guarded every conceivable exit the rubbled remains of the Thorian's burrow offered. She knew they were MINSAD question was why was Innovator's most feared assets were working in conjunction with 151?
Their sleek charcoal black low profile armor devoid of any identification screamed clandestine when compared to the 151's partially customized equipment. She was observing her captors with reserved fascination as they gave away nothing.
Only the unnerving glow of their optics stood out among the shadows of the dimly lit dwelling along with their size. Spartan Fives were big as krogan but these three were bigger by at least another five or six inches.
"Guess I should be thankful that you three didn't kill me," no response, not even an acknowledgment of her existence. "You three don't talk much, huh?"
_[Codex/Organizations_Mandalorian Intelligence Network Special Activities Division Section SIX: Also known as MINSAD-6 is a tier 0 initiative brainchild by Mandalore the Innovator in 116 ABY in response to the tactical shortcomings of the Spartan Fives. Thirty-six tier 2 veterans of the Independence War with specific genetic markers and a minimum of ten years active military service were selected to join the program.
In case of memory loss volunteers were to first undergo digital memory flash cloning and storage before undergoing a chemically induced age regression. The forced age regression persisted to the point were their bodies and minds were more malleable to augmentation and conditioning (human biological age 5-7). Temporary to complete amnesia was common case among the surviving twelve subjects.
In the eight years that followed the surviving twelve endure the same orientation as the SPARTAN IIs. At the human biological age of 14 all subjects underwent bio-augmentation procedures and cybernetic implants. 0% casualties recorded during augmentations.
_Drugs_Implemented_{8942-LQ99, 88005-MX77, 88947-OP24, and 87556-UD61}
_Retrovirus_Implemented_{Species C024}
_Cybernetics_Implemented_{GEN3 Positronic Nanite Injections}
_Reserve_ Download_{Ghost Reintegration}
Two year that follow subjects continue training and conditioning while learning to use their GEN5 Semi-Powered Infiltration armor. In 126 ABY MINSAD-6 is deployed on a number of classified operations. Their success rate was only overshadowed by their achievements during the Sith-Imperial War.
MINSAD-6's existence has yet to receive public acknowledgements from the Mandalorian senate and the Mandalore himself and will remain among the unofficial skeletons in the UPM's closet.
Current Operating Cells:
_{Ceres Zero
-Operator Loy (Ceres 0-1)
-Operator Plough (Ceres 0-2)
-Operator Sickle (Ceres 0-3)}
_{Vulcan Zero
-Operator Anvil (Vulcan 0-1)
-Operator Hammer (Vulcan 0-2)
-Operator Tong (Vulcan 0-3)}
_{Mercury Zero
-Operator Beaker (Mercury 0-1)
-Operator Buret (Mercury 0-2)
-Operator Crucible (Mercury 0-3)}
_{Vesta Zero
-Operator Shovel (Vesta 0-1)
-Operator Poker (Vesta 0-2)
-Operator Broom (Vesta 0-3)}]
An hour later of uncomfortable silence Shiala was beginning to fancy the possibility her captors are synthetics like the geth. They only moved to check their weapons or switch positions. They were waiting for something what she wasn't sure until a resonating voice came from outside the room.
"Lieutenant where is she?"
"In the room behind me, Sir."
The clandestine trio had stiffened and were now standing erect with their rifle shouldered for charcoal grey colossus that entered the room while ducking under the archway. There leader by the looks of him rose a good three inches above the other three ominous titans. Its most noticeable feature an anonymous gold visor that was boring a hole into her soul. Shiala felt an uncontainable fear wrack her features in the presence of the Two.
:/At ease Ceres Zero,/: 009 commanded through a private cyber link from his positronic brain. ""Has she said anything?/:
:/Other than asking for you and Shepard nothing relevant Boss,/: Loy answered he had his SOCOM trained on the Asari's head for the slightest hint of improbable biotics.
:/Found some credits on her Boss. Me and Sickle are running a search on where she's been spending them the last 168 hours./: Plough added while putting on the facade that he was rechecking his M114's sights.
:/Aside from one too many footwear investments nada leads,/: Sickle finished while checking the mag of her silenced M8K. :/She seems to be clean Boss./:
:/I'm detecting foreign neural activity from her synapses Ori'vod,/: Senti chimed in.
:/The thorian spores?/:
:/No something else…protein based nanites. Origin unknown. We'll need to run a postmortem examination to know for sure./:
:/We're going to have to hold off that. I promised Shepard I'd let her question the package,/: 009 observed the dilated pupil then the rest of Shiala as he took a knee. "When I speak you answer no more no less, understood?"
"Yes," the remorse in her voice was only overshadowed by her fear of the II who dwarfed almost any manner of being.
"You will cooperate with this investigation, understood?"
"Yes."
"Do you know what this is?" Loy tosses 009 an odd looking knife.
"No."
"It's a Cupid's Knife," the Asari gave him a confused look. "Trust me when I say you do not want to give me a reason to use this. Now in a few minutes a Council Spectre is going to enter this room and you will extend to her the same courtesy, understood?"
"Yes," Shiala was alarmed as she eyed the strange instrument the Mandalore had apparent respect-caution for.
"Good, first question what is Nazara?"
"Nazara? That is what the geth call Saren's warship."
"Explain," 009 kept the blade at ready as he studied the Commando.
"Saren has a vessel. An enormous warship by your standards probably a frigate maybe larger. He calls it Sovereign."
"Sovereign's is over 1.5 Kilometers long?"
"What else can you tell us. Layout, weapons capabilities, complements, and so on?" Plough questioned.
"I don't know any of that. All I do know is that Sovereign can somehow dominate the minds of Saren's followers."
"Indoctrination." Charles began to mentally curse as he recalled the forewarnings in the forerunner archives.
"Yes, somehow we become slaves to Saren's will."
"Care to explain?"
"The process is subtle. It takes days, weeks even. But the ends are always the same. Saren's logic becomes your logic his morals your own until you loose control entirely."
"What did Saren want with Thorian?"
"A Prothean Cipher," 009 motioned her to go on. "The beacon gave Saren visions. But they were unclear, incomprehensible. They were never meant for a non-prothean mind."
"And am I to assume the Cipher provided that comprehension?"
"Yes, this is why I need to speak with Commander Shepard. I know she was exposed to the beacon on Eden Prime and is more than likely experiencing the same symptoms as Saren did."
"You want to meld with her," 009 took a step back not liking the idea.
"Please it is the only way to find the Conduit before Saren does."
"Your indoctrinated. Infected. If you melded with her it is highly probable she will become compromised as well. That's not happening."
"It's a good thing I don't need you permission then," 009 looked back to the Spectre in question with mild vexation at her foolishness.
"Shepard no."
"What are you going to do stop me?" The N7 crossed her arms before staring the faceless cyborg down.
"If I must," Shepard and her party tensed at 009 warning while Section Six readied their weapons.
"Get out of my way Charles your not my father," Shepard persisted condescendingly. 009's knuckles cracked at the sound of his name being used without his permission.
"No but I made a promise."
"And what promise may that be? Please enlighten me."
"The Alliance wanted you and you Mother discharged. Blacklisted," Innovator informed her bluntly. "I made sure that didn't happen."
"We didn't ask you to…."
"It was the dying wish of a tired soldier and an old friend," Shepard took a step back from the resolute SPARTAN. She heard a concealed weariness in his voice that shook her to her core. It was her father's weariness, Anderson and Hackett's weariness. The weariness of season veteran who had sacrificed too much and asked for little in return.
The Spectre bowed her head in concession before looking up, "Then how am I going to gain the Cipher?"
"…." 009 had no answer for her as of yet. He was considering employing a strong force-user to extract the information, but their was a chance the telepath would be compromised as well. He had so many variables to account for when it came to indoctrination it made even his head spin. There was only one option if they were going to intercept Saren. He was going to have to put his faith in Shepard's resolve if they were going to make any headway.
"Let me do this…." Elizabeth emphasized the last bit as the II considered himself for a full psychiatric workup before giving the nod.