Interlude 2 Zaeed - Rage is a hell of an anaesthetic
Disclaimer: I don't own Mass Effect. I don't own Crest of the Stars.
Beta:The Wistful Bloom
I have twisted my ankle and am wearing cast, so I have some time (not much) for this chapter.
If you want any ME character (human) to show in next Interlude, do write (PM/review). If you want you can add, in what situation the character makes her/his appearance and what interaction he/she has with Adrian. But I don't guarantee I will follow the scenario.
Shephard is out. He/She (haven't decided that) MIGHT (not WILL) appear in few recollections, but not in any interlude. Steven Hacket has already reserved interlude. All other are possible… with exceptions of Zaeed and Chakwas (Javik might still be possible, but only with someone else).
Year 3563 (Alliance calendar)
9 years before destructions of Illium Seed Bunker
48 777 years before creation of Teyxus company
Orbit of Gellix
Frigate SSV Bayonet
The ship rocked.
"Section nine has been destroyed! Isolating section!"
"Artillery sections 4 and 1 are destroyed!"
"Deck 2 reporting multiple wounded!"
"Left engine is not responding!"
Adrian Wierzbowski cursed. They had taken them completely by surprise.
"What's the status on Nairobi!?" [1]
"It's destroyed, Captain! The Hong Kong is crippled but still operational. The Messenger had its bridge vaporized – there were no survivors, but its other sections are intact. The Burninator was heavily damaged, and is descending on the planet. They're attempting an emergency landing!"
Falael, an Abh Executive Officer of Bayonet, turned to him.
"By Navy regulations, you are now in command of fleet."
Adrian cursed again.
Only a minute ago, everything was quiet and peaceful. Then a massive Prothean fleet droped out of the FTL and in one fell swoop crippled their – now his – fleet. The only cruiser in their formation – SSV Nairobi – was the main target of the initial salvo. With its destruction, the commanding officer of Gellix defense fleet, Rear Admiral Xia Rou, was killed. Its screens barely managed to survive. He was third in the chain of command, but with the deaths of Xia and Captain Tahir Ozcan of the SSV Messenger, he was now in command of the remaining fleet.
He had four crippled frigates- soon three- to defend planet against Prothean invasion forces. Thirty-three frigates, five cruisers, hundreds of fighters and numerous freighters carrying invasion forces.
And on the surface, a garrison counting two hundred... two and a half thousand young Cruet'ohs - a race developed barely eight years ago. All of its members currently living on the surface.
He stood before two choices: an honorable death, in the defense of young race; or to retreat, saving personnel and using them in more favorable battle, where they would be meaningful.
The situation was clear.
Adrian gritted his teeth.
"Order the fleet to retreat."
Silence sounded on bridge as everyone looked at him.
"Move it! Connect me to Gellix."
"Yes sir. You're online."
"This is Captain Adrian Wierzbowski, to all Alliance personnel on Gellix. A moment ago invading Prothean forces entered a system and decimated a defense fleet. What's left of it will retreat. All noncombatant personnel are ordered to hide. The garrison is to aid civilians in whatever way, and ensure their survival. Wait for relief forces. Wierzbowski out."
"Sir! Hong Kong's FTL is not operational!"
"Messenger not responding!"
"Are Messenger's engines operational?" Falael asked.
"Yes, sir."
"Hack into their system, and program it." Abh XO ordered.
"Fighters closing in!"
"FTL ready sir!"
"Connect me with Hong Kong."
"Captain Wierzbowski." He heard voice of Captain Irène Rousselot, the commanding officer of Hong Kong.
"Your engines?" Adrian kept it short.
"At least fifteen minutes to achieve ten percent. A working state."
Adrian cursed.
"We don't have that much time."
"…I understand. Hong Kong will cover your retreat."
"No. Descend into atmosphere with Burninator. Try to destroy as many freighters as possible. Maybe you will take some heat from the ground forces."
Even though he ordered that, he knew that it wouldn't happen. They wouldn't make it a quarter of the way before their destruction.
They both knew that.
"Sir." Irène answered.
"Messenger's FTL is ready, sir!"
"Good hunting, my friend." Adrian cut the connection "Engage FTL."
Surface of Gallix
A Brelk [2] fired the self-repeating gun at another Prothean transport. After a fifteen seconds, its shield collapsed and rounds started bringing death to the troopers on board. After half a minute, he aimed at the pilots' cockpit, swiftly killing them. The freighter clashed into ground. The seven meter high giant aimed his gun to finish off whatever troops survived the crash.
That was when he was killed by one of the Prothean frigates that entered the atmosphere.
Said frigate exploded soon after. From it's direction an Avari flew. She landed right next to a group of three humans, a Rahni warrior, a Wukong and a nine meter high Brelk who kept firing into the distance.
"Good job, Semyaza." Zaeed Massani turned to rest of his squad. "Now we will strike their HQ, kill their commander, slaughter their staff and destroy as much equipment as possible. That should buy some time for the civilians. We go in beta formation. Any questions? No? Good, let's head out."
"Yes sir!"
Prothean HQ on Gallix
Blerk collapsed, under fire from Prothean AA batteries.
Semyaza landed on the frigate and started setting charges. The beauty of shields is that they deflect whatever hits them, but they don't protect from internal damage. And, since explosive are under the shield...
After setting the charges she flew forwards the next target.
She threw herself to the side when she saw a flash in the corner of her eye.
She was fast enough to dodge a direct hit from an AA battery, but not fast enough to dodge the heat of the laser.
Her burning body fell on the ground.
Moments later the Prothean frigate exploded.
Rachni pounced on one of the Protheans defending the HQ, and used him as a live shield – adding Prothean's captive shields to his own – while firing at all others. Zaeed ran past the last living member of his squad.
He'd lost his left arm earlier, and along with it his Omnitool and Omiblade.
Didn't matter. The opposing General was in his sight… alone.
He fired Jessie, destroying the bitch's shields and destroying her gun. But at that moment Jessie jammed. She could be moody at the worst of times.
He dropped his beloved gun and ran up to stunned officer, grabbed her throat and started squeezing. The Prothean struggled, to no avail. He could see her eyes darting to where his left arm used to be.
He grinned.
"Rage is a hell of an anaesthetic." He tightened his grip.
Before he could kill the general, a blade cut off his arm. And, a moment later, pierced him.
Zaeed looked at the one who had interrupted him in rage. He impaled himself further trying to reach his assailant's throat with his teeth. The Prothean head-butted him, stunning him for a moment. He removed his blade from Zaeed's body and in a swift movement decapitated him.
The Prothean General massaged her throat and got up.
"Commander Javik. Thank you for your assistance. I didn't except them to actually break through our defenses."
Javik nodded.
"They will become worthy Protheans."
SSV Bayonet
Adrian looked outside of ship. He couldn't admire the beautiful sight.
The glass reflected his face was bleeding – courtesy of his communications officer. He left her husband on the planet's surface. He didn't blame her.
He couldn't.
Because as he looked at his reflection he could think of only one thing.
'Disgusting'
Present
'Disgusting'
T'Estari closed her eyes. Slowly she calmed down and forced her mind to return to the matter at hand. Once she opened her eyes, she was completely focused.
She stood up, spilt blood out of her mouth and looked at the Vorcha.
"Very thoughtful of you, Wiit. And here I was going to hire your entire clan… I thought you would be happy with the prospect of being able to feed your children, considering the state of the Vroux'urk clan and its home planet."
He snarled and raised his gun to strike her again. Only to be pushed to the ground by biotics.
"Even if I don't carry any weapons, that doesn't mean I don't have any." San'Yaga glanced at Samara, "My weapons always walk with me."
"Enough!"
A newcomer, the older Vorcha, was certainly bigger and older than his comrades… and from the look in his eyes, far more intelligent.
"Speak, Asari."
T'Estari nodded. She considered her words for a moment before she spoke.
"Originally, I wanted to hire your entire fighter squadron. But I have decided otherwise. I want your entire clan on Lessus. No more scavenging or waiting for jobs while defending yourselves from other clans. In return, the Vroux'urk clan will supply fighter pilots and soldiers to the Lessus military. You will be fed and trained, your families looked after. What do you say?"
3 Hours later
T'Estari's private transport ship - Kyaeri
"…with the number of freighters that we will supply, the Vroux'urk clan settlement should take no more than a month." Apex finished.
"Make sure, that all of them are given gene-mods. With that we should rid of most problems that we might have with them." T'Estari said.
T'Estari would be using the same solution they used when the Alliance encountered Brelk.
Gene- mods.
Modified for Vorcha.
Unfortunately, it wouldn't work on Yahg, not in such a short time. In their case, the effects would be seen after few generations – or a millennium.
But Vorcha… they lived shorter lives, and most of their behaviour was due to their environment, rather than genetics. Not all, but most. Vorcha's unique biology, their adaptability, would play a mayor role in the fast assimilation of genetic modifications. The current generation would only be a little less aggressive, but next… they would keep their aggressive behaviour – just like Brelk did – but they would be more in control of it.
Her musings were cut when Samara entered her quarters.
She waited until doors closed behind her before she spoke, about something that had bothered her since meeting Apex and the Geth.
"Tell me about the complex on Illium."
AN
[1] Nairobi and Hong Kong are part of original ME universe, the officers are not.
[2] Races:
Brelk – a mammal race of 8 meters high giants. Uplifted by Mankind. To tone down their aggressive behavior, they were genetically modified, before uplifting.
Avari – an "angels". At first sight – humans with wings and feathered ears. In reality their anatomy is greatly different from that of humans. Their bodies are much lighter, their organs are little different and their bones are hollow. Originally they served as scouts and explorers in mountain terrain. Many of mountain areas were populated by them.
Wukong – one of two species, uplifted by mankind that has it's origins on earth. They originate from capuchin monkeys and were named after a monkey king from one of Chinese classics "Journey to the west". Due to their size – and natural knack for engineering – they often serve as mechanics in Alliance fleets.
