}!{
"Kara?"
I open my eyes, "Yes, Mother?"
"Kara, how do you feel?"
Silence. I frown. "I'm afraid I don't understand the question…"
Silence. She smiles. "Oh my darling." Her hand reaches out to caress my cheek. "Someday you will…"
The background darkens, I see her pretty white labcoat slowly drench in red blotches. "But…" The red fluid dribbles from her mouth and eyes, those beautiful blue orbs turning black until I could see my reflection in it. "…at what cost?"
I reach out, but I can't. Seemingly paralyzed as Mother drops to the floor in that horrible crimson pool.
She whispers as my tears fall. "…At what cost?"
Wait a minute. I can cry?
}!{
I sit up with a jolt, my core humming furiously with fear. I calm myself immediately, realizing I just had what people call a bad dream.
Been a few hours since my brush with Singularity's mercenaries, I was fortunate enough to escape Syccalea without further incident. I'd best not leave anything to chance in the future, knowing that this attempt will further complicate events in the future concerning my enemy.
It was all over the news, the spokesman for the corporation had made his announcement thirty minutes ago. He deemed it 'an isolated incident', reassuring that this little hiccup of theirs will not impede their efforts to serve the public as they have done for years.
The reporters have asked if they have a clue to whom it was that would, in their words, 'stoop this low to disrupt the peace'. The answer was the tyical political BS, they blamed it on the luddites.
Next step, get to the core of all the files I have downloaded.
From what I saw in that room, I had already decided what path to take, and I boarded a merchant vessel heading over to the trade capital of the Terminus Systems. Omega won't have much of SingularityCorp's lackeys hanging around on every corner, but I also knew that the last thing they would do is let me alone.
Won't be surprised if I find a hitman hiding in my laundry.
The information digging took longer than expected, and we were minutes away from our destination. Good thing the captain maintains a well-disciplined crew, seeing as how the workers left the passengers alone even when they found it strange that I sat with my eyes glued and unblinking on the window while my mind processed the raw data to what I could interpret properly apart from the rubbish.
What I found was one I could call a solid lead. While normally, SingularityCorp isn't into things like digging stuff up from dirt like other archeologist organizations, there were several files tagging priority one finds in clusters all over the ice world of Noveria.
Hmm…I wonder what's so special about that frozen tundra…
Noveria is a planet held under the Noveria Development Organization, who lease out labs to perform research too dangerous or too questionable to be performed elsewhere. Makes sense, considering what Singularity is up to these days,
Given Noveria's unique situation, it is the source of many wild and conspiracy theories. This particular file indicates little about their more recent finds other than it says so that they did. Connecting the dots sure made my interest pique now more than ever.
I stroked my chin, deep in thought. Noveria is far away from the edge of the Terminus system, as it was located in the Horse Head Nebula cluster. I could head over to the black market first, buy a few things (my own ship for example) like a bigger arsenal and bigger closet.
Seriously, my clothes are falling apart with every escapade.
The entire crew, including me, were screened and tagged by security. A routine process, but one that made me tense when the scanners started to malfunction around me.
Something about my unshielded mass core emanated small electromagnetic pulses, bad news for anyone carrying a mass effect driven device- which is everything these days.
The batarian officer muttered something about murdering the tech jockeys back at base and waved me away. Walking up the streets, my eyes were overwhelmed with the station's sights. No city had ever had a motley variation of buildings like Omega, and none were as dirty as it was inside and out.
Cargo lifters and trucks zipped in and out of the skies, baleful red being the popular color of the station's neon lights. Asari prostitutes lined every other corridor in the streets and alleys, advertising their assets as magnificently as they could.
I might be one for enjoying life, but that's one road I won't go down on….
Mercenaries and gangs roamed the rest, calling others to join their warbands and then ensuing a brawl every now and then. I hurried on, not wishing to be an unwilling victim of the daily body count in Omega.
I reached the markets, heading first for the ship dealer shops.
A volus in a red splotched enviro-suit greeted me warmly, alongside his elcor partner who was as accomodating. "Tentatively excited; Welcome to AsirenFlights Incorporated, where products firsthand is never secondhand."
I smiled at the effort of his sales pitch, "I'm here for a ship, not too big and not too small. Make it fast, agile and able to carry a payload worthy of a fighter."
After a moment of silence, and a couple of checking over the roster, the volus allowed his partner to deal with me while he waddled off to help another customer. "With Pride; take your time, we have what you need somewhere here."
The display was sent over to my Omni-Tool, and I was faced with a vast list of ships available for purchase that came with my expectations.
I had to decide between two, not at all caring about the cost since I could cover it with the amount of credits in my account. A faded turian interceptor, contrary to the sales pitch earlier since it was indeed a secondhand judging from the scratches added to its character. The second choice was another variant of an interceptor, similar to the Trident ships the Alliance boasts for its manueverability. While the second was a marvel to behold, looks are secondary to purpose for the trained eye.
I had to test that theory.
"I think I'll take it." I paid up front, getting synched with the interceptor as I ran my hands over the console, another trick I learned running hands all over the ships I hitchhiked with.
Then I noticed the retractable turret on the portside hatch, wondering if the interceptor was more of a troop transporter than a real fighter. The readings were geniune, indicating that it was faster than it looked on the outside.
I was never one for flying machines. But now that I owned one, I felt a queer sensation deep inside, pride over something as impressive as the one sitting in front of me. Taking it to the body paint shops, I decided to paint the tips dark green to match Mother's eyes, overlaying it completely with white in fondness over her white labcoat- the first among many things I saw waking up.
After this, I took out the ship and had it docked on Omega's harbor. While synched, nobody will be able to hack and steal the interceptor without alerting me, so I relaxed and continued on with my purchases and touring of the station.
The market here had a bigger array of products compared to the Citadel, owing to the even bigger line of competitive arms corporations and small time dealers.
Trade Capital of the Terminus indeed…
I still had the Armax Arsenal armor I bought from the Citadel, so that crosses out armor and barriers from the list. I left my weapon and bag of knickknacks back on the Normandy when I escaped…a small loss easily replaced.
I was thankful I carried Mother's interface necklace at all times. I could never replace it.
"Hey darling.." a sultry voice called my attention above the noise of the crowd and the murmurs of disagreement over prices and haggling conversations. An asari dressed in a fine red dress that did little to cover the areas over her hips and thighs and black apron that had the name Viki over her left. Shewas leaning casually on her doorstep, ellaborate tribal tattoos decorated her entire left arm and neck, showing what kind of profession she had. "You look like you need something to cover your skin…"
"I've got clothes, don't they do a good job?" I answer innocently. There, she pounced.
"You're not from around here, are you?" she laughed, "Of course not. I'm Viki, and personally, clothes are overrated. I'm just the person to see when you're tired of covering up with fabric all day long. And they certainly do a better job than clothes, with a better design."
"A tattoo? Why would I want a tattoo?"
She pushed off the door, turning to walk inside without breaking eye contact. "That, baby, is a question better answered inside."
Out of curiousity, I followed. She was already waiting, a hand laid on a leatherbound table. "So, what will you be having?" Viki showed me her collection, another choice to make with a more complicated list of options.
Even among all of these, I found angel wings the most appealing of their kind. Mother did always call me her little angel, why not go a bit practical with the notion?
"Folded angel wings, make it white with a quicksilver tint around the edges and over my shoulderblades." I say, moving to take off my coat and armor.
Viki politely turns around as I undo the clasp of the sports bra I wore underneath, and then laying flat on my stomach on the table.
I hear her turn and her feet shuffle to head over to grab her equipment. A small ink dotting pen was on her hand, "I hope you don't mind me being old fashioned. This might sting a bit." I felt her dab some ointment, something part of an ancient asari custom, and then felt the sting over my skin.
I didn't react at all, surprising both of us. Pain is a feeling I react to differently, able to ignore it like the casual touch of a feather on my head.
It took only a few minutes before I was standing with my back reflected to me with a mirror Viki provided.
I gave a sizable tip with the amount due to the artist, that tip coming with a peck on the cheek as I left the shop.
The rest of the day, I got over buying weapons parts instead of them as a whole. I wanted to experiment with the combinations running through my head, so while I test drove the Jaeger (german for 'hunter') I was sitting in the makeshift workbench coming up with the most effective form of weapon without sacrificing its good looks.
I came up with a one-of-a-kind rifle with a grenade launcher mod on the bottome, using parts from a salvaged Alliance Piranha shotgun's barrel and the body of a batarian military police's Argus rifle. The ammo I've come up with was a little tricky, concerning the type of magazine I fashioned halfway through the trip to the Relay.
People rarely use magazines with the availability of Mass Effect technology, and use thermal clips to cool down the mass accelerators within today's weapons.
I, however, understand the practicality of magazines. So, I started coming up with a rare type of ammunition that weapons designer teams would come up and enact in years, whereas I could do it in mere seconds of analyzing and eliminating simulations.
What I came up with was better than I hoped, though I have to give some credit to the technologies I analyzed from the data I pulled from the servers.
While there hasn't been anyone who invented a way to apply plasma for combat, pseudo-plasma stands as the available alternative. Except, pseudo-plasma was ever recorded to be used by the Geth.
Except, with Omega being a criminal underground, some more underhanded suppliers have been able to give me what I need. I was able to concoct a clustered smart missiles, tiny bearings the size of my thumb, to act as the secondary's barrel's payload. These rounds have been outfitted with a tracking program, while I pinpoint the opposition with the rifle's scope, the rounds will follow anywhere I fire and hit with deadly accuracy regardless of cover or obstacles. Downside was that it could accurately fire only within a ten yard radius, any more would result in disaster.
A little ceremony was in order, as I held up the fruit of my labors. I decided to call the new rifle born into this world with a simple one, Supremus. A fitting one, though perhaps not so simple.
The indicator beeped, alerting me that I was close to Noveria.
Using the time I had left, I added the latest upgrade I planned over the month to my body. While the Omni-Blade was extremely benefetial with closequarters combat, I considered what would happen if I was ever captured or in a much more dire situation. I was thinking ahead, if you will.
Taking my arms off, one after the other, right arm first, I added an extra kinetic absorber beneath the servos in the elbows. That way, my punches would be a hell of a lot more punishing with every strike- as well as faster.
Noveria loomed in front of me, the dark side of the frozen world illuminated at the edge by the sun as night took its place in the skies.
I took the Jaeger down and settled it over the mountains, choosing the most stable part of the rock so that I would avoid making and being in the way of an avalanche. The wind was howling like a wounded banshee, the snowstorm ever stronger as I descended further in.
While it was to be expected of Noveria to be less of a comm trafficked planet, I was getting the signature static of a lot of comm traffic indeed.
Something was up with Noveria, and the labs inside. If it wasn't SingularityCorp, or the other organizations Noveria Development have been catering, it certainly calls for an investigation.
The Jaeger made touch down with a thud. I put on the furlined jacket, not just because of the cold that stung my synthetic skin, but because my systems were never designed nor upgraded as much to compensate for extreme weather.
There, down between a mountain pass with a small valley stretching, a frozen iron installation was wedged securely in the snowed out rock. There was a secure channel that I was able to snag, following the line enough to access the network. I didn't stay too long, though. Already, I could feel the wires deep within me fizzle and complain from the harsh conditions I was exposed to.
Putting my gear securely, I leaned off and considered the distance from the top of the rock to the bottom.
Suddenly, I was able to crack the network, instantly gaining access to the laboratory's security feeds.
Hmm. That was fast! Goes to show that Noveria DevCorp isn't exactly as secure as Singularity is about their establishments. Too bad for them, too good for me….
With that thought, I jump off, not bothering with rappeling since my platform was more than capable of handling a drop that sheer.
Oof! I land with a soft plush, the snow cushioning my body as I landed on all fours into the valley. This time, the mission would require a more stealth approach, considering that Singularity wasn't expecting anyone other than a said 'luddite terrorist'. Security was tighter further in, so I didn't have much problems getting close from the outside.
The lab was secure on all fronts, except the vents. I expected it would be complicated, imagining laser tripmines or some boobytrap like in the movies. But in reality, it was real simple.
I crawl through ventilation, careful with each progression and ignoring the heat of the air pulsing through that tunnel as I moved along the corridors.
And then, just like that, I stopped.
"Hmm…Forgive me, but I most sincerely doubt it could work. All the work we have done here or otherwise is of a sensitive nature. Yours, might not have the most meticulous of hands…"
Voice recognition protocols just kicked in; it was Saren Arterius!
My core hummed again, and I would be sweating had I the glands to do so. What the hell is Saren doing on Noveria?
Another voice, mysterious and alluring, joined in. "The Board does not care about your opinion, Sir Arterius. We only care for the results."
The Board is here too!? Well now, the plot thickens…
"Results I have yet to see, I gather?" Saren sounded bored, and I looked through the narrow slits. The tall, dignified and very villainous looking turian stood proudly with his hands held behind him.
An asari matriarch was at his side, with two geth soldiers standing close by. I had to guess that one was Matriarch Benezia.
Adressing them, with a blue holographic projection manifesting in their stead, was none other than the Board's avatar.
Of course, it was either that the Board changed leaders over the course of sixty years, or the other reason; them being an AI collective consciousness. There were several parameters and key indicators that the Board was running out of its preservation protocols, meaning that it was expiring.
I think that's why they want me so badly. I frown at the realization, sad that Mother had to give her life for it and angry at Singularity all the more with reopening those old wounds.
The room was a demonstration area, and the Board avatar moved to send in the medium of the said demonstration.
"While there have been some minor hiccups during this week, concerning the setbacks with Syccalea's terrorist bombing attempts, our efforts haven't suffered loss. Project Evolution 's first step has just been attaine, watch carefully."
Bored, Saren snapped. "Do make it fast, I have quite a tight schedule to keep today. My friend and I have someone else to talk with later in the morning hours."
There were two men in the glass box in the assembly area below, I had to strain to see them. One was undoubtedly a real flesh and blood man, and the other was a synthetic.
"Based on the artifacts recovered on Noveria, as well as some I would purposely neglect to mention, we were able to apply base indoctrination protocols and pair it with genetic code rewriting."
The synthetic in the box turned robotically towards the test subject, "The protocols have been uploaded to unit A640-111, the first among many of our synthetics crafted from the Cradle. Now turn your attention to test subject 555, see how GCR will be incorporated as follows."
The test subject, obviously put into a hypnotic trance for some reason, shook visibly as something started to work its way into his system.
I scanned the room, feeling unknown waves of energy emanating from A640-111 as it continued to gaze at subject 555.
The man convulsed, gagged and wretched his stomach's contents on the floor, staining the metal surface with black bile and dark red blood. Matriarch Benezia remained as passive as ever, making me wonder whatever it was that Saren did to her.
What the hell does indoctrination mean?
Subject 555, having done away with his wretching, stood up straight and stared blankly at the onlooking pair. Then, his eys turned bright blue, equally bright lines of blue traveling out from his eyes and down his cheeks. For what seemed like half and hour, he just stood there and remained so.
Indoctrination, so that's what it was…
Characteristically, Saren clapped a polite pair and turned to the Board. "Very well, it was an interesting display, I'll give you that. My superior would be pleased with your progress."
"We both know who exactly and what exactly is your superior, Sir Arterius. And you know your mission, we suggest you go on your merry way. We bid you adieu, for now."
The hologram disappeared, and the turian general walked away, taking Benezia with him along with the geth guards. Meanwhile, subject 555 remained as transfixed as ever, A649-111 still emanating that constant energy surge from his head.
Out of pity, I concentrated on hacking the android, thinking of a way to help the man however I can.
It worked, a little too well…
Gasping, I felt a sharp cool spike through my head as I felt my eyes burn with an intense flame. I'm just being dramatic in my expression, but that was real close to what I felt.
Like joining a multitude of voices, a tiny droplet in an ocean of minds. Whatever or whoever Singularity or the Board was dealing with, they were certainly unworldly and as unnerving as the name goes.
I felt like I knew them, and yet also knew it wasn't my mind telling me that. Bad idea to hack every network AI you come across. I wasn't in too deep, but I deep enough to feel those voices scream in a harsh crescendo, like a giant tidal wave and whirlpool threatening to drown me!
I break away, groaning as everything in my vision went black.
In the background, however, I could hear subject 555 break off from the glass box, screaming as he goes. I must've reversed the effects of that thing they called 'indoctrination', or whatever. Somehow, interfacing with A649-111 had put a snippet of that Reaper code in my programming.
That's not a good thing, you being interfaced with those monsters….let's not do that again…
I slump and my consciousness fades away.
..that is, assuming if we wake up...ever…
}!{
Fun fact about indoctrination, it takes days before someone gets indoctrinated. Thing about Reapers is that they like to take things slow, Singularity doesn't.
And yes, Singularity had always been focused on the Reapers, or rather the Board was.
Hope you enjoyed that twist, I've got more incoming…
As always, review and feel free to PM me...
