Disclaimer: I do not own Mass Effect or the various X-COM games. They belong to their respective copyright owners. This story is not written for profit. I make no money from it. It is not for sale or rent.
Chapter 5: A taste of things to come
=SF=
Part 3
ADF base Prosperity
Marnloow
Next five minutes were underwhelming – we spent them securing what was left of the base and making sure no one was left to resist our incursion into the underground levels. We shot the handful survivors we found – we didn't have the people to watch over prisoners nor the inclination to take any. Once I might have found the very idea unacceptable, however my stint as an alien captive had cured me from any such sentiments.
On a brighter note, Klaar and his Claws were all in one piece and out hunting for any Advent playing possum. After two decades of occupation, they loathed the Ethereals and their pawns as much as we did. Perhaps a bit more considering that their war was still ongoing.
Finally Anderson and company arrived. Even with top of the line stealth systems, we couldn't risk our drop-ships coming too close to Prosperity's sensor net before the attack began. Unfortunately that also meant more time for the underground complex to be secured and for any soldiers in there to arm and armor themselves. Even worse, it was time for reinforcements from nearby facilities to head our way. At least that shouldn't be an immediate concern – the Rhine and her small craft were going to be interdicting everything heading our way. Still, we were on the clock.
"Strike One on me. Get those charges set up!" Anderson ordered after he jumped out of the transport carrying him. The lieutenant was wearing an assault armor just like mine with the only difference being his primary weapon – a heavy plasma cannon.
A squad of power armored troopers fanned out behind my boss and they sprinted towards a section of slagged tarmac to the left. We had no intention of kicking in the main door – making our own through the ceiling would be safer and hopefully would avoid some of the built in defenses.
"Lancers form on me." I ordered.
"Copy that, Lancer One." Corporal Quin answered. "ETA thirty seconds."
I glanced at my HUD and sure enough, the farthest two of my people would be here in half a minute. The rest were already converging on my position.
"Fire in the hole!" One of our few combat engineers shouted. A heartbeat later the sky was lit up by a poison green explosion – that was the signature of Elerium enhanced explosives.
"GO, GO, GO!" Anderson shouted and his command squad jumped in the newly made entrance.
Another explosion sounded, signifying that the rest of the platoon and their attached Claws had made their own entrance too and were storming in.
"Room secure, Lancer One, you're clear to proceed!" Anderson informed me and jumped after his command squad.
"Lancers, follow me." I ordered and went in the still smoking hole.
Things went well. The resistance was minor – just two squads in light armor plasma carbines; no real threat. Shepard got impressions of the facility's layout from a dying defender too, which was the break we needed. Six levels down and about a kilometer away: that's where we needed to go to reach the command center. The main obstacles barring our way were distance and the doors – which folded under our firepower.
As we headed down, I began feeling something despite the chemical cocktail in my veins taking the edge of my emotions. It was a pricking at the back of my mind.
It was familiar.
I shook my head and accessed my gift to scan the area. We were just entering a quite large open space filled with crates and lab equipment. According to the drones that went ahead the place was hastily abandoned by whoever was working in. We even got a glimpse of an overgrown cat in lab coat of all things vanishing through a door in the far end of the room before it slammed shut just as the tip of the scientist's tail cleared the way.
Anderson's squad led the way with him moving a few meter behind them. Six Claws followed in the middle of our formation and my people secured the rear. We either blew up the side passages we passe by or left the other two groups of locals to secure them in order to keep our way back clear. The Claws moved in from cover to cover and we followed in when things went wrong in true X-COM fashion.
My first clue that we were in trouble was the pricking in the back of my mind becoming a solid, almost tangible buzz. Then our point man – corporal Richards screamed. He was enveloped by a purple flash and fell on the ground like a doll with its strings cut. My training kicked in high gear and before I could even think properly I was drawing on my gift and using its power to shield myself. I knew our psionic operatives would be doing the same with the rest left to rely merely on their willpower and armor.
Then the wall on the left was replaced by a wave of emerald fire that engulfed half our people and thew me off my feet. It was only thanks to my psionic barrier that I wasn't covered by burning jelled Elerium – nasty stuff that could either burn or eat its way through most armors. It was only the power armor we all wore that saved most of us from fiery death or being shredded by shrapnel. However, even our suits couldn't do much against large chunks of wall and crates moving fast enough to snap bones and cause concussions.
"Contact left!" My redundant shout was echoed by the soldiers farthest from the explosion. They added suppressive fire to their answer too.
Spears of blood red energy came from beyond the demolished wall and I heard a pained scream. I spat a curse, rolled on my belly and pointed my gun at the incoming fire. There were fire, smoke and who knew what else obscuring my sensors and cutting the visibility to next to nothing.
That shouldn't have been issue for me or the other Gifted in the platoon.
It certainly was. When I tried to search for targets I hit a solid wall and my awareness bounced off it. The only thing I get from that experiment – beside a headache – was a smug sense of amusement.
One of the Claws roared a challenge and threw a grenade at the obscured enemy. The small ellipsoid froze a meter in front of the poor bastard darted back his way and then detonated in his face.
That wasn't good, I thought with detachment. I had the sneaking suspicion that if not for the stims in my blood I would be panicking right now. Instead of giving to that suppressed emotion, I raised a hand and focused my gift into a spear of blazing unstable energy, which I promptly sent downrange.
My attack simply stopped halfway through the room – right between Allister and one of the Claws. They had a moment to glance at the pulsating raw psionic power before it blew up and threw their broken bodies away.
I simply stare at Allister's smoking remains. I knew my lips moved – I don't know if it was in a silent apology or a curse. I felt someone's satisfaction then was enveloped by a purple corona and lifted in the air. Acting on instinct, I desperately drew on my gift and tried to disperse the foreign power surrounding me.
I failed miserably.
The next thing I know, I was laying on my face and everything hurt. There was metallic taste in my mouth and my mind felt sluggish. I could hear indistinct whispers in the back of my head, which came hand in hand with a terrible headache.
What the hell did just happen? I tried to turn around, which only succeeded in making my whole body flare up in pain. I screamed, then felt pinpricks in my arms and tights, followed by a wave of cool bliss. My mind cleared a bit and I felt a bit better. Lights blinked in front of my eyes and my HUD came back alive. It was mostly red designating major breaches in my armor.
Fuck. There was fight going on! I tried to stand up, to find my weapon.
What happened was a very large armored foot kicking me in the side and throwing me on my back. I groan escaped my lips after the air was driven out of my lungs. I attempted to blast the bastard with my mind, only to felt my Gift bounce back and I screamed as feedback poured raw energy in my head.
"So we meet again." A vaguely British voice sounded in my mind.
The pain got down a notch and I was able to think again. Barely. I blinked away purple spots that blotted my vision and stared at a tall, thin figure hovering above me. It had four arms – two longer, thicker ones and a pair of smaller, more delicate looking. The alien wore a red and black flowing robe above metal armor, though it lacked a helmet and looked down at me from a pair of blue, human eyes. Eyes that didn't belong on an Ethereal's face.
Part 4
Underground complex
ADF base Prosperity
Marnloow
I felt myself falling. A tunnel lined with pulsing veins flashed past me and I found myself drifting within a purple mist. My quickened and fear gripped my mind. I knew it should have been impossible with all the stims in my bloodstream, yet the emotion was right here – real, tangible.
A pair of eyes blazing with power appeared in front of me. I could hear buzzing, clicking noises followed by amused chuckle.
"Your kind passed their first test. Time grows shorter." A familiar voice echoed all around me.
Tendrils of power slithered through my mind and began probing. My defenses – both mental, implants and even my Gift simply shattered under the onslaught. All I could do was scream as my very soul was violated – slice up, dissected and examined by a being with in-comprehensive power. I could feel my mind, the very essence of who I was being cut open. Torn apart and then stitched back together by expert fingers.
"The next test is coming, human. The Enemy's return is night. Failure equals extinction or worse."
My whole world became a purple storm. Shattered, agonizing images were burned in my brain. Black forms with too many appendages sliced through the void. Humanoid figures screamed. They were torn apart, twisted and corrupted. Flesh melded with machinery to birth abominations. People tore each other to pieces in a doomed quest to apeace dark gods. Whole families sacrificed themselves with smiles on their faces. Others walked calmly to pods to be melted into biological slurry.
Worlds were torn asunder as titanic fleets dueled in the heavens. Stars died, yet the black forms were relentless. Endless. Unstoppable.
Suns died. Whole star systems were put to the torch.
The Enemy advanced. Implacable. Undeterred. Uncaring.
Reality itself was shredded by psionic storms large enough to blanket a whole galactic sector. Black ships screamed as their corrupted souls were torn into the abyss. Trillions screamed in agony and blessed release.
The Darkness watched. Waited. Bit its time.
The Enemy paused. Plotted. Adapted. Advanced again.
More worlds died. Species were erased without a trace as the war in heaven continued.
It was not enough. Brother turned against brother, father against son, a mother against her children. Even the Gift was corrupted. Re-purposed.
The war was lost. The Enemy could not be stopped.
The time is night. The Enemy was awakening. The Enemy was coming.
=SF=
Jennifer was losing it. Being trapped withing a cocoon of psionic energy – unable to move, unable to access her Gift, unable to even scream… it the sheer crushing feeling of helplessness was slowly driving her insane.
The alien bastard that tore apart her unit turned around and looked at her. Behind it, the sarge dropped to the ground like a sack of discarded trash. The Ethereal glided towards Shepard and smiled.
"A vicious little thing, aren't you?" Anderson's voice sounded in her head, yet the tone, felt wrong. Condescending, mocking. It infuriated her and she redoubled her futile struggle.
Shepard felt grim amusement directed her way.
"So much hatred directed at the Batarians." Now Anderson's voice held a hint of interest. "You loathe them, don't you? Even more than you hate my people. How curious. How useful." Jennifer could feel the smile in that voice. It sent spices of fear through her mind.
Shepard felt pressure all over her head and then she was no longer alone in her mind.
"Yes. You will be quite useful, little girl."
Cold fingers began browsing through her mind and Shepard screamed. She felt them tearing and rearranging things. Something shifted to make place. Concepts, ideas and directives were shoved in her head, then purple tendrils began erasing any trace of the violation. Jennifer was vaguely aware of what was happening. She struggle, raged, screamed.
It was futile. She was already forgetting what was done to her.
At last the violation ended and Jennifer gladly embraced the falling darkness.
=SF=
All David could do was glare at the Ethereal bastard who tore through his people. He helplessly watched the fucking alien mindfuck Veil, then Shepard, before discarding them.
The loathsome thing then floated until it stood in front of Anderson and had to gall to smile at him.
"Lieutenant David Anderson – the man in charge of this ill fated adventure. The one responsible for all of this." The Ethereal spread his primary hands and waved them over the corpses littering the floor. "You've trained all your life for this. Prepared the best you could." The smile vanished. "You aren't ready human. Time is running out. The Enemy is coming."
"Is this some sick game to you?" Anderson snarled.
"A game? Its been more than a million of your years since I could afford to play games, human." The Ethereal glared. "We'll test you again. Pray we won't find you lacking for a second time." The alien looked at Delkatar's spawned body. "Consider this second chance a gift to someone who succeeded when I expected him to die. Fare thee well human."
A flash of purple and then Anderson knew no more.
=SF=
SSV Tokyo
Wormhole transit
"All system nominal. Shields are holding at sixty point two percent. Transit in sixty." The helmsman announced.
"Well done. Keep her steady." Captain Petrovsky spoke with a calm voice despite how he really felt.
Both the Alliance and XCOM navies were built for a single purpose - to protect humanity from the Ethereals and when an opportunity presented itself – bring the fight to the bastards. Its been a dream for every ensign and enlisted man who jointed the Navy that they would be a part of the old overdue reckoning. It had been something Oleg himself had been looking forward to. Yet, now that he was bringing his ship to achieve that very dream, he couldn't help it but felt nervous.
The simple truth was that no one really knew what the Ethereals had as a navy. Even if they once did, a century and a half was a long, long time. Well, he was going to find out firsthand.
"Weapons online. Targeting systems engaged..."
"Primary reactors at sixty percent. Secondary at twenty five..."
"Security teams in position..."
"Small craft ready to launch..."
"Battle net nominal…"
The captain paid almost no attention to the reports. They were largely redundant. Everyone had gone over the checklists before the transit even started and Oleg was connected to the ship's network through his implants and could monitor the status of his command directly.
Still it was protocol and helped soothe the nerves a bit.
The Tokyo's nose touched the event horizon of the artificial wormhole. Its shields flared and drank deeply from the dreadnought's power-plants. An indescribable sensation passed through the ship as reality itself bended, time seemed to freeze and then the Tokyo was emerging through a tear in space more than two thousand light years from the place it entered the wormhole.
Sensors swept the surrounding space, fighters and bombers shot away from their hangars chasing a spread of recon drones and then the dreadnought was hurling itself away from the doorway and opening the path for its escorts.
"Captain, we're being hailed. It's the Rhine. We're receiving a tactical update." The comm officer reported.
Petrovsky was already seeing the reports unfolding in front of his eyes courtesy of his ship's primary AI. The tactical display lit up as frigates, destroyers and cruisers passed through the wormhole and headed for their designated positions in the formation.
"Psionic disturbance straight ahead!" The sensor operator shouted.
Oleg froze as a new window opened in front of his eyes and he saw a purple vortex unfold a light second in front of his fleet. It vague resembled an impossibly huge flower opening its petals. The psionic construct pulsed, contracted and then vanished as suddenly as it appeared.
The tactical display blinked and updated again. A ship third again larger than the Tokyo stood had replaced the anomaly. It was surrounded by scores of escorts, each of them at least as large as an Alliance cruiser. At least two hundred frigate sized vessels were moving forward in seven strong packs followed by saucer shaped fighters.
"Case X-1 is now in effect. Purge all Class One data and above. The fleet will assume formation Delta-3." Admiral Duboa ordered from the flag bridge.
"I want forward shields at maximum strength. Give me a firing solution on the enemy dreadnought." Captain Petrovsky wasted no time and began issuing orders. "Concentrate sensors on enemy capital ships. I need tactical data, people."
Behind the Tokyo, the rest of Third Fleet finished its transition and the various ships hurried to assume their places in the formation.