"This has to be a joke, what's going to happen to them now?" Shepard asked in outrage as he followed Anderson into his office.
Never before had he seen Anderson this angry.. "I'm just as surprised as you. Information was withheld from me in this. They see my connection to you as a problem.. an obstruction to prevent me from seeing things as it is."
"You tried talking to them about it?"
"Yes, I did once the meeting was over. I told them I would never condone such an action. But they overruled me by majority." Anderson put down his PDA onto the table with such force that it resounded through the office. "I'm sorry, Shepard. I'll do what I can. If not..."
"Then I'll have to get them off the station before time runs out." Shepard responded.
Anderson forced himself to calm down and turned towards Shepard.. "That may not be possible at this time. As we speak, the Council have had most of the civilian population of Zakera wards evacuated and instituted lock-down, instead filling the gap with security forces. They have also called in military reinforcements."
"I can't believe this. Why in the world did they make such a demand to the Kalinin? They got a brilliant point, the Citadel fleet brought to bear a full bombardment on the Kyubi and Sanbi, and it proved to have very little effect. We aren't talking about some plain animals that can be kept down with a leash."
"I believe they are frightened. The galaxy have been unchanging for too long... now the Kalinin have popped up and boasting capabilities unlike anything we have ever seen before. They want to take those weapons for themselves by any and all means necessary." Anderson described gravely.. "They fear what could happen if the Kalinin walks free. And that damned Turian colleague of mine especially, that bastard is terrified out of his wits and have gone every inch of the way into convincing the others that the Kalinin must be done away with and their weapons claimed."
The councilor let out a sigh while Shepard simply stared at him. Anderson shook his head before continuing.
"See it this way; What if the Kalinin became a member race of the Citadel? Them recovering, growing in numbers, becoming an interstellar race. With their militarized culture and mystical powers far beyond the regular scope. He fears that the Kalinin could one day reduce the Turian Hierarchy into a subordinate state while they rise to be the primary force to protect Citadel space."
"That can't possibly be the reason. Could he really had gone and taken an assumption so damned far?"
"Who knows, but I believe he is liable to do just about anything right now. I'm considering worst case scenario."
"That would truly give us a reason to get the Kalinin off the station. We could use the Normandy?"
"No, C-sec is keeping a solid eye on that ship. No one will be able to get on board without the Citadel fleet becoming aware."
"What will we do then?"
"Consider all options. Go to them, explain the situation. Maybe they can figure out something. I will try to see what I can do about it. I'll be calling Admiral Hackett shortly, trying to shore up some support."
"Alright. I'll go meet with them then. They are still at the hospital as I recall."
"Good luck, Shepard."
Shepard stepped off the air cab and watched it take off to leave, Tali tagged along this time. There were guards all over the place from the looks of it. C-Sec mostly, but they weren't there to guard the Kalinin, but to make sure they don't go anywhere unnoticed.
He showed his identification and entered, taking the closest elevator two stories up and journeyed towards the room where he had last seen them. An argument could be heard coming from that direction.
Shepard knocked on the door and entered promptly without even waiting for an answer, becoming the center of attention as every Kalinin in the room were directing their attention towards him... all but the girl Kurotsuchi who still remained unconscious.
"Is it true? That the council wants to take us down?" Tenten were the first one to spoke up. "Weren't they supposed to be benevolent?"
"Calm down. Anderson is on our side. He believes that the decision was made in fear." Shepard spoke reassuringly. "He will try to talk it over with them, to try and convince that you aren't a threat to Citadel space."
"Any chances of him being successful?" Nagato asked, standing up from his chair slowly.
"Don't know, but it is perhaps time to consider finding a way to escape the station if everything else fails." Shepard informed them.. "They will be putting Zakera on lock-down, so it will be hard to get out."
"Does that mean they are already gearing themselves for a fight?" Konan asked quickly, obviously concerned.
"Just in case you decide not to surrender your weapons for sure." Tali told them gently. "I do have an idea however on how we can get you out of here."
"You do?" Tenten asked, annoyed by the situation just like the rest of them.
Tali paused before she outlined the idea.. "There are options we can possibly consider. C-Sec have numerous docks assigned to them in the HQ of every ward. The gist of the plan's to try and capture one of their freighters and use it to smuggle you guys off the Citadel."
"There's a lot of risk involved in such a plan. We need to get out of Zakera first. And remain unnoticed lest the fleet shoots us down." Nagato responded, though he did seem intrigued.
Shepard was quick to bring up one flaw in the plan.. "But none of them can pilot even an air cab."
Tali frowned... the Commander had a point.
"Why not teach one of us to pilot the thing then?" Shikamaru asked.
Many in the room perked up as all their eyes turned to the Nara.
"If nothing else, I could give it a try. But it'd be for naught if..."
"It'd become a real crash course for sure." Tali responded softly as she stood in contemplation. "I could provide simulations. Maybe Joker's willing to lend a hand."
"He will." Shepard nodded. "But how will you get past the checkpoints, that's the only remaining hole in the plan."
"A significant enough diversion could solve that problem. That coupled with the use of henge's could give us all the openings we need." Konan replied with a measure of certainty. "And I got the distraction in mind." she folded a palm open, and in it lay a rectangular piece of paper with strange symbols painted on it. "Explosive tags. If we use enough of them, we could give them something to think about."
"I would prefer if you avoid as many deaths as possible during your escape. It will be even harder to convince the Council if you massacre those sent to suppress you."
"Of course. Tenten, I'm going to need your help." Konan said in a placid manner as she headed out of the room, closely followed by the younger girl."
"Shikamaru, go with Tali and have her and Joker teach you all you need to know." Nagato requested of the Nara boy.
"It's a pain, but alright, just give me some clothes, can't go out with this hospital attire."
"I can go and get you something if you want me to." Shepard offered.
"Hrm, sure."
The Illusive Man looked over the list of new acquisitions from Kalin 3. The list of current candidates in the process of being reanimated; An adult and a teenager. The rest being kept in cold storage while the the crew of Zeus station further expanded their facilities with additional equipment to allow greater number of subjects to be worked on.
The teenager had been found in Bachtein's latest search through Konoha, it was found in a partially demolished morgue. A body the natives kept around for study due to anomalous occurrences related to her. She could hardly be any more than fourteen at least.
Duran had made a very interesting discovery in the depths of one of Sunagakure's facilities. Things related to a container with a heart inside, and riddled with Chakra veins created a long time ago by someone by the name of Sasori. According to information, the container USED to be Sasori. A criminal who somehow managed to turn himself into a living puppet with the container as it's core.
That container had since been taken to the Zeus station where it is currently being studied. The Illusive man relished with the thought of what research options that could potentially open to them. His scientists are already underway trying to artificially create Chakra, with little luck so far. The goal of this research being, on short terms create special armor that could allow operatives to wield the Kalinin's mystical arts themselves.
The expedition on Kalin 3 also excavated a great number of other artifacts and sent them to Zeus station as well for analysis. Nothing particularly interesting, but could possibly be sold on the black market.
He made himself comfortable in the private shuttle of his upon finishing examining the list. He rarely left Minuteman station, but this time he found no reason to stay at HQ. The Illusive man had decided to inspect the operation on Zeus station personally. He felt a small lurch as the shuttle left the station, only waiting long enough for an escorting Frigate to catch up and follow the ship from there.
Bachtein stood in a sullen mood as he looked over the blasted landscape before him, clutching the note book belonging to late Sarutobi with his left hand as he gazed forward.
"What is it, sir? There's nothing here, we were supposed to head to Takigakure next. Why are we here?"
"There's something I need to see, Henry. I need to know how this world came to grow such a species. And though Sarutobi had no knowledge of what happened beyond a few centuries ago, not unlike the rest of the world. There was a hint. He came around here on a mission once, to this northern peninsula."
"What does that have to do with us coming here?"
"He felt disturbed while passing through this place. There's something ancient here. Ancient beyond knowing. Chakra as if from a distant age long since gone. He was never able to to search for it... but I need to find what he sensed."
"Whatever it was, it's none of our business, is it?"
"It is. I have had a bad feeling ever since I first got the report from the Illusive man. What if the Kalinin are more than we think of them. What if we are in the process of playing with Pandora's box, on the verge of opening it?"
"He would not be too pleased about us going out of our way to investigate what may be false leads."
"Then take the team and investigate Takigakure, I'll call for you once I've satisfied my suspicion."
Henry frowned at his leaders stubbornness about this.. and eventually decided to yield. "Alright, but make sure to call soon. I'll try to cover up for you while you're gone."
"You're a good friend, Henry. Until later."
"Later."
Bachtein took the first step forward as his assistant entered the shuttle and left him behind... down from the mountain on which he stood as he headed north. Armed with a pistol at his side, just in case. Many thoughts running through his mind. After reading through Sarutobi's book, he was no longer able to see the Kalinin as the test subjects which Cerberus have been set on turning them into. The Third Hokage had taken great care in writing about his village, the beauty in which it used to be back then. His pride over his student Genin as they continually grew.
His desire to protect all of Konoha and all it's people. Bachtein took his first long look at the dust covered images that were scattered around the library. In most images he could see a grown up... the Jonin of the team, and the three Genin under his command. He identified some similarities there, seeing the same people as Genin.. and then the other image where they had become a great Jonin in their own right and training the young of the village in turn.
He could not help but identify Konoha as a tree.. the trunk being the village, and the branches being it's people. Almost like a huge family. It was overwhelming to behold. Modern cities out in the galaxy were filled with faceless masses that hardly cared. But in these villages on the other hand... If he still regarded them as test subjects, that sentiment had been blown away in that very moment. He nearly felt ready to quit his work. A decision that could have proven fatal.
But questions still lingered on concerning their ancient history. If he could gleam but a strand of their history before the Sage of the Six Paths. Something, anything that could help them.
He did not carry the illusion that these actions of his would absolve him of his sins he. As long as he could help, he'd have no regret. Even if Cerberus might turn on him in the process.
It took the greater part of five days of constant work as Konan and Tenten worked on the distraction. They searched for all the military positions and those which would soon be staffed as well as empty streets and buildings. They had managed to procure a great supply of paper, and got help from the others back at the hospital to produce as many explosive tags as possible.
All along, Shikamaru spent his time in simulations.. trying to soak as much of the otherworldly knowledge required to pilot a space craft as possibly while Tali and Joker continually instructed him. To the normally lazy boy, it turned out to be quite tiring, but if it could help them escape this troublesome situation.. he found no time nor reason to complain about it.
"Those clothes sure fit you well." Naruto laughed as Shikamaru returned after another long day.
"Shut up." the Nara growled as he let himself collapse onto the closest bed.. his arms felt like they're about to fall off his shoulders at any moment. Shepard had gotten him some old used clothes; black jeans, light/dark blue striped sweater.. a black jacket and a chullo... which provided no end to the jokes made by Naruto and Hidan. Shikamaru idly wished he still had his old clothes.
"At least you don't have to worry about this mother of a head ache, idiot." Kurotsuchi glared.. quite upset that the attire happened to be all that Shikamaru seemingly complained about. She had woken up three days after the plan began taking shape.
Shepard provided her with clothes matching Shikamaru's.. just with a lot more red color.
Nagato and Onoki kept going over with her about everything that happened since the war on their home world. The primary cause of her head ache.
"Just keep reading, and shut up will you?" Shikamaru groaned, smiling slightly at hearing the girl cursing softly to herself while clumsily browsing to the next page of the PDA Shepard provided for her to use.
Mei on the other hand assisted Naruto and Hinata in producing paper bombs. She appeared to be very lenient towards Naruto whenever he made a mistake. While at the same time being hard on Hinata.. whom behaved no less polite in turn. The Hyuga had made sure to position herself roughly between the two others, as if to block the Mizukage's path.
The clock slowly turned to the sixth day. The elders were in no way willing to part with the tailed beasts in the groups possession. Two of which would have ended with the death of both Naruto and Hinata. The rest being carefully guarded by Nagato's six paths back on the Normandy. Most of them spent the entirety of the time guarding the large sack which Nagato put away in the corner of the crew's quarter. Containing kettles in which the rest of the tailed beasts were stored away inside. All but the Six-tailed and the One-tailed, the location of those two being unknown. Akatsuki had taken most of the tailed beasts from the Demonic statue of the outer path soon after the war with the Geth started, before it vanished. Nagato used Deva Path to talk with the various crew members... and Miranda wasn't allowed to even get close to the crew's quarter.
An hour later.. Tenten stood almost at the very doorstep of C-Sec.. where the Officers present steadily glared at her and generally blocking the way in case she tried to move further in. Smiling innocently, she stepped back out of sight, checked if anyone followed before she brought up her last paper bomb, using her Chakra to stick it to the wall... watching as the tag camouflaged itself, making it invisible to the naked eye.
From there, she quickly rejoined Konan on the way back, which took some doing... since the woman was at least a mile away.. and with most of the people in Zakera evacuated, there was no way to get an air cab.
When she eventually found her; "I've placed the final bomb, what more do we need to do?"
"Nothing till tomorrow. Try to stay calm and don't be afraid."
"I'm trying."
Far above Zakera, within the depths of the Citadel tower, talks were underway between Anderson and the Salarian councilor.
"How much are you planing to pester me with this?" The councilor asked, his hand resting on his temples.
Anderson glared sternly at him.. "Until you and the others come back to your senses. There are rioting on many worlds because of your decision. Many people are enraged because of how the council have chosen to handle this matter."
"Those rioters are merely malcontents. We have to consider the views of the majority."
"Of course. The majority comes first, but there are times when the minority should be taken heed of. This is one of those times!" Anderson argued. "What will happen once you kill the Kalinin off? Will the rioters voice become silent? Or will conflicts arise?"
"... The rock-slide has already begun, it's too late for the pebbles to vote." the Salarian quietly answered, turning to face the Human.. "Believe me, Anderson... I take no pleasure in this, but if he's right about his assumptions. We should act in the favor of galactic balance and order."
"Listen to yourself, listen to him! You and he are condemning a whole species because they are different from the rest of us." a beat... "Yes, they have great powers beyond our understanding. But they are nothing like the Krogan, nothing like Vorcha, and definitely not anything like the Yahg." - "Sure they can get gruff, but consider their situation. If you saw them close up, you'd see people whom seek to preserve their kind. Even though they are all combatants, the grown ups among them are very protective of their young. Despite their differences from us, they carry a value system similar to ours."
The Salarian was taken aback by this long outburst of Anderson.. "Please understand, we are nowhere close to a point to where we can accept them within our midst."
"They don't have to be accepted right now. All you need to do are to spare their lives, let them leave and they will someday prove that they are worthy of our trust." Anderson continued.. "They could bring great contributions to galactic society eventually. But as long as the Council continue to threaten them... they will lash out harshly in order to protect themselves."
Anderson took a moment to catch his breath. He had to avoid speaking of the Reapers as a way to persuade his fellow councilor's. And thus far, it seemed to go well.
"I see. I understand the point of my colleague. But also yours. I need time to think, if you excuse me."
"I won't take any more time from you then, Councilor. However, let me say this.. Between the choices that are wise, and the choices that are right, there's a deep cliff."
The other nodded slowly as he found a chair to sit down on, staring at the table in deep thought as Anderson left the room.
The seventh day beckoned, and despite discontent among many inhabitants on the Citadel, The forces of all the major powers were readying for battle. A force of thousands armed with everything up to heavy weapons and support from a larger fleet. The local fleet kept it's distance to make way to the high numbers of Turian cruisers that have been gathering in the space above Zakera.
The Shinobi made their final preparations.. all finishing in short order to pack down everything they needed for the voyage ahead.
Onoki stood before them all, looking at them in turn; Naruto, Hinata, Tenten, Hidan, Kisame who just recently recovered, Kurotsuchi, Nagato, Shikamaru, Konan and Mei. "Alright, this is it." he gruffly motioned to the map he had placed on the wall.
"There is no need for a grand speech, everyone here knows the stakes. Our goal is not to fight them head on, like they are expecting us to. Once we head out, Konan will be poised to activate the diversion.. from there we will go underground deep into the superstructure below us and move with all haste. Our target is C-Sec, more specifically the HQ for Zakera that stand guard before the Presidium. Once there, we will commandeer a ship from their docks, with which to escape."
The old man sighed, closing his eyes for a moment. "I cannot stress this enough. This is not a battle, it's going to be a running retreat."
Alarms began to go off in the districts nearby, calling on troops to march. Messages were being broadcast on different languages, Turian, then Asari, then Salarian.. then Human and so on.
"Do not break the lines, especially not you, youngsters. We need you for our people to have a future. It rests on your shoulders! Don't be reckless. If this all goes as planned, none will die. Not even the enemy." - "Any questions?"
No one came forth with any questions.. everyone knew what to do and not do. There were no doubts in their eyes. And for the briefest moment, the Tsuchikage swelled with pride.
"Then let's go. Let's find ourselves a new home."
Deep within the Armstrong cluster, the Zeus station rested in the blackness between stars. It's dull gray hull reporting naught of what heinous deeds went on inside.
Within it's walls, a distant girls scream could be heard. As if in a nightmare. The employees within paced to perform their duties without acknowledging the noise. The occasional squads of mechs patrolling the corridors in case of attack.
In a cargo room near the bottom of the station, artifacts from the dead world of Kalin 3 rested in the blackened room. All thoroughly checked before being placed there. All objects that used to be greatly valued by their respective owners. But in the depth of this collection, a single object seemed to pulse.
A figurine made of rock, shaped into the visage of a snake glowed under the effect of a seal breaking. Stone became flesh and scales.. pristine teeth reflected what little light present in the room. It's slitted eyes piercing the darkness as the creature slithered away... looking, searching.
The box finally opened and great evil came forth. For all that lives.