MASS
EFFECT:
THE NEW WORLD
BUREAUCRATS
"Captain," Dargell called, coming out of nowhere as he usually does. "the injured have all been tended to. Also, I'd like to advise you, dealing with this 'Dunn Baneswell' feels like a colossal mistake. He's hostile and unfriendly."
Carver nodded his reply. "He's definitely a mystery. I'll keep my distance and try to learn what I can."
"Rumor spreading through crew. They say you might be going to their fortress to meet with the politicians." Dargell replied, emphasizing politicians with exaggerated air quotes. A human trait Carver taught him when they met. Perfect for a sarcastic smart ass like Dargell.
Carver chuckled softly. "Most likely."
"I shall let you return to your duties, Captain."
True to his word, only a few hours after Carver and Dargell's conversation, Carver received a message from Baneswell requesting that they travel to their base, Skyhold together for a more detailed negotiation talk. Although plenty suspicious, Carver accepted the proposal. They were to leave the next morning, bright and early. It was a good sized journey but nothing remarkable.
Carver had suggested they take the shuttle but Baneswell's suspicion was too much for him. No flying today, they'd have to go on foot.
While preparing for the trek, Carver came across the young Alliance Marine; Sgt. Javier Reyes. A native of Earth, he was the great-nephew of humanity's ambassador and veteran of the Reaper War, James Vega.
Reyes grew up in the rough patch known as New Salvador. New Salvador was a city that; unlike London, had been completely obliterated by the Reapers. It was referred to as San Salvador at the time. Growing up in a bustling metropolis overflowing with patriotism for humanity, Reyes joined at a rather young age and made his way to Sergeant by the time he was 24.
That is when he was assigned to the London under Carver's command. He was the newest and youngest member but he definitely had the best sense of humor out of anyone on board.
"Captain Carver, I'd like to request I go with you to Skyhold, sir." Sgt. Reyes said while Carver was on his way to the airlock.
Carver's eyes narrowed on the soldier. "Why should I bring you?"
Sgt. Reyes laughed. "Because these people can't be trusted and bringing an alien to meet some high end putas might end badly for both parties in question."
The London's Captain couldn't argue with that logic. "Fine. Take only what you need, no weapons."
Reyes gave him a brief salute. "Aye aye, or whatever you Navy say."
/
2 WEEKS LATER…
It was two weeks of rather leisurely travelling. If it had been a march in Alliance training grounds, the distance would have been covered in a little under 5 days. Instead, Baneswell insisted on not wearing out the pack animals, driving them too hard would result in exhaustion and possibly death, and they had too much to abandon it now.
Skyhold itself was a remarkable feat of architecture. Nestled steadily in the cliffs of large mountains, not unlike the Alps on Earth. Climate wise, it was cold most of the time but it still managed to warm up somehow. Anything was possible on this world.
Baneswell became a completely different person the closer they got to his home. The hostile attitude and constant look of anger disappeared and he became more pleasant to be around. It was impossible for Carver to know which was a farce and which was the real Baneswell.
Skyhold had it's own marketplace with women and children walking about, attending to their business like this wasn't the staging ground of a religiously fueled military superpower. In reality, the place reminded Carver of one of the many naval bases he was stationed at during his tours of duty. Soldiers raising families while performing their duties.
Carver and Reyes received some sideways looks, probably because of the body armor they were wearing. Carver's right breastplate had the N7 imprinted on it and accented with dark grey. Reyes' had the golden Alliance Marines patch on his shoulder guard and chestplate.
Reyes had opted to go with a full face helmet while Carver decided to go without. Figuring seeing an actual face and not a black metal panel would ease tension in negotiation. Who knows? It could be the difference between life and death.
As Baneswell pasted the people in the market, he constantly stopped the party to greet someone or grasp arms with another. Talk briefly with elderly or swing children around with his abundant strength. In contrast, the people avoided proximity to he and Reyes like they were afflicted with a plague.
The party soon reached the Skyhold keep, a massive fortress. Carver couldn't help but note the presence of sentries already trained on him and his companion. It was true, these people were untrusting as well as untrustworthy.
When inside the main hall of Skyhold's keep, Baneswell took little time ascend a handful of stairs and taking his place on a large chair covered the pelts of various animals, included the largest bear skin Carver had ever seen.
"So," Baneswell said after a long pause, allowing the dozens of courtiers and onlookers time to gather around. "We hadn't enough time to speak in detail aboard your vessel."
Carver tried to relax his thoughts to little effect. "You did agree to help us while you were there."
Baneswell looked at Carver apologetically. "The deal has changed. It is why I returned to Skyhold. We have a problem to deal with as well."
The Captain frowned deeply. Entirely displeased by the Inquisitor's negotiation methods of eye for an eye. "What problem?"
Baneswell sighed with a knowing frustration. "Three entire villages under my protection have gone missing. We don't know why or how but some of here have our uneasy suspicions."
From the hours of data on Alliance servers back home, Carver had his own uneasy suspicions. But, they were impossible. The Collectors were dead and their masters were just particles of dust floating around space, and had been for a very long time. It had to be something different.
"I ask only one thing. Help us find my people and kill the bastards who did this." Baneswell said.
/
ONE MONTH EARLIER…
A normal day, that is what it was. People of the village of Corinth prayed for a day that was anything but the mundane going through the motions bore that was life in this village.
Banked on the side of a river that flowed through a vast valley, Corinth had beautiful weather most of the year, spare winter and a brief rain season. Stretching fields of grain and corn lined the village outskirts will a good sized collection of log houses and dirt roads. At the center of it all was a large common house for town meetings and trade.
Children frolicked their way through the fields and outlying forest beyond. Boys with their wooden swords and torn, muddy clothes, little girls with their dolls and homemade dresses with countless attempts to keep it spotless to little success.
An abnormal day is all anyone in the village of Corinth wanted. You know what they say. "Careful what you wish for."
The bright day quickly turned dark. No one paid it much mind for a few moments, until someone happened to look up at the sun. A dark, cylindrical, rotating object was blocking it out. It was no longer warm, now it was cold and dark as night.
People began to panic. Screaming, fleeing to their homes. As the object descended, it gave off such heat that it singed the grain grass as it's shadow passed overhead. The water in the river began to steam and the fish floated to the surface as they were boiled alive.
Small metallic pods broke off from the object and landed softly in the fields. The pods broke apart, revealing dozens of humanoid creatures with rifles. Together in unison, the creatures marched into the village. The villagers braver than most charged from their homes armed with pitchforks, old swords, and bows.
The creatures opened fire from their mystic weapons. Bolts of energy not unlike magic from a mage's staff fired out. Obliterating anyone in the beam's path. The poor souls had nothing left to bury afterwards.
As the creatures stomped through the field, a child hiding out let out a small yelp of uncontrollable fear. One monster took notice and stopped in it's tracks to investigate.
It grabbed the prone girl by the back of her dress and hoisted it into the air with one armored arm. The small child, not even a decade old came face to face with the terrifying creature of the sky.
"Organic life form." The monster said in an eerie voice that sounded like a sword scraping against a rock wall.
The monster turned back to it's pod and slowly walked towards it with it's new haul. The little girl flailed her arms and legs helplessly, screaming for her mother with no chance of being heard. The monster entered the pod as others came back with similar cargo.
Once it was full, the pods closed and ascended to the object that hovered over the destroyed Corinth. Inside, the being overlooked the various monitors and the horror that was on them. It had little effect on the cold and malicious synthetic.
"They are fresh. Unadulterated, pure. No interspecies relations bred these. They are worthy additions to us." the being said coldly.
The vessel replied. "Indeed. Males are to be used for fuel. In our time we have found that women and children are the best for interior workings. These will do nicely."
