In Infinitum: First Contact
Chapter Twenty-Four
Omega Nebula, Omega Station.
Lower streets, Saren Arterius. 14:20 Cycles.
Saren was in total darkness. He could feel nothing, hear nothing… he was completely aware and yet not so, he was in some strange limbo. Am I dead? He thought aloud, expecting to hear his thoughts echo as if in some great hall. Did… What happened? He concentrated and tried to remember what had brought him here. To this place.
He remembered the Aircar chase. The human with the sword. Their mission to capture the single human, now confirmed two… maybe even Spirits more now. His arm… his arm had been cut off and he'd been thrown from the Aircar.
But how did that bring to this unending darkness? Where was he?
And slowly he felt something return to his consciousness. A tingling, it was distant… very distant, like a slow, tickling itch. He focused on it, trying to discern its exact nature. And in a flash of light, it turned from an itch into full on agonizing burning. Saren couldn't hold it, he tried to scream.
Saren's mouth opened and he shouted to the Spirits above, only to have a powerful hand clamp over his mouth and muffle his cry of agony as his eyes shot open and his vision swam, he began to struggle against powerful grips and heavy bodies as the sensation continued for but half a second before it left his arm in a slowly dying burn.
He smelt his own flesh cooking.
His ghostly blue eyes glinted once and his vision cleared. Above him were the five Sangheili, all peering down at him from their angles across his body since they'd been holding him down. He turned his eyes and saw one with a large, glowing sword of energy that hissed as it deactivated. He looked further and saw the source of his agony.
They'd cauterized the severed portion of his bicep.
The hand left his mouth and his voice returned quickly as he immediately cursed them and sat up, looking at his arm, then at them as they gave him space inside the musty old abandoned apartment room he saw they were inside of. "You damned idiots!" he raised his Omni-Tool. "I have medigel!"
They didn't have to put him through that damned pain when they could have just applied some Medigel. Fools.
"We are not trained in your medical practices, Turian," Captain of the team replied, lowering his glowing red visor to peer down at Saren, and the Turian suddenly felt smaller in the presence of the eight foot tall lean and muscled creature. "Besides, this method will stem the bleeding more permanently then any gel you adhere to it."
"And a little pain is good for ones spirit." Another of the Sangheili growled, receiving agreeing grunts.
Saren stood, ignoring the urge to push himself up with his now three-quarters-gone arm and used his other instead. Once he was on his feet he sighed and considered his options, then he asked. "How did I get here?"
"We saw your mid air battle," Vter explained. "When you were ejected from the battle, you hit into the lower streets, evidently the Gods themselves have blessed your existence, for your landing was softened by two sheet metal stalls and atop another air's replacement shield," a pause. "The fact you are standing is a testament to your fortune."
Saren honestly couldn't believe it so instead of questioning further he closed his eyes and accepted it. "What about the rest of my team?" he asked now.
"They escaped, however we believe one of your comrades did not make, one with a full suit, a…" Vter paused. "Quarian? Yes?"
"Dahl," Saren said, feeling oddly at a loss for the death of his comrade. Sure, he was a damned suit rat but even then he'd been a brave, and creative, one who had been willing to, and in the end had, give his life. Saren decided he would at least honor his fallen comrade and never refer to him in particular as a suit rat again.
"Did you find your bounties?"
Vter nodded, reaching behind himself and pulling a bloodied sack containing two large lumps. "There's only two, where's the third?"
"Left in the midst of their security team's bodies," Vter chuckled, reaching behind himself and attaching the sack of heads onto his belt again. "But enough chatter, we must move if we are to reach your team and aid them."
That surprised Saren. He'd thought they'd wish him and his team well then be off. "You're going to help them out of this?"
"They aided us in getting inside the station," Vter cocked his helmeted head to the side. "It would be right to aid you and the others get out of it." he turned to one of his fellow Sangheili, nodding.
The other took its cue, reaching behind itself and unclipping a solid blue weapon from its hip, it had two prongs and appeared to be an amalgam of two weapons, however when Saren gripped it he was surprised by the sheer weight of it, in his grasp it appeared more a small assault rifle. He hefted it up, no sights and unlike Garrus, Saren didn't have an optical HUD piece either.
"No sights?"
"You will have to make due." Vter grunted, and growled lowly when he peered at the door. There were a series of footsteps behind it, voices shouting orders to begin sweeping the area for the supposed "one armed Turian". "It appears the enemy is also aware of your survival."
Saren scanned the apartment. The furniture was gone, a few overturned non-kinetic-rounds proof crates and little lighting. "This place is a kill zone." Saren growled, the voices behind the door stopped and there was a click as the door's lock began to be hacked. "Spirits damnation!" He glanced around. No other exits. They were trapped.
"Killzone indeed," Vter rumbled in approval. "Spread out, cloak and stay in the shadows." He turned to Saren, "Appear injured, they will want you alive for questioning. Lead them into the room and we will make our first, and decisive, strike."
Saren raised a brow plate. "And if the don't want me alive?"
Vter shrugged. "Then you will be avenged." he replied simply.
"Right," Saren said, getting down onto the floor with his back to the door, hiding the Sangheili issued weapon to his chest and he sprawled himself out a bit as if he'd crawled there and just let himself go.
Vter and the other four Sangheili shimmered before flickering from view besides the odd distortion in the air here and there. When they stepped into the shadows, none would be the wiser they were even there. Saren closed his eyes and listened to the door open.
A few foot steps. "Found him!" A Turian called.
"That's him alright," agree a Batarian. "Grab em, Aria will want to interrogate him, learn who sent him."
"Right," his partner agreed.
A pair of approaching footsteps and Saren waiting patiently, resisting the urge to just outright turn and fire. Closer, He thought with narrowing eyes. Closer, come to uncle Saren. He tightened his grip on the weapon.
And with a sharp hiss echoing through the silent room Saren rolled over and aimed out the door, ignoring the Turian being impaled and lifted into the air by the twin points of the same glowing blade by the invisible Sangheili. The batarian by the doorway have been pulled to the side, slammed head first into the wall with enough force to bend the metal, he saw three others outside about to rush in.
He fired. Applying pressure to the trigger systems.
A soft whine and then the weapon spat out glowing orbs of shaped plasma in an instant, a spray of super heated gases flew through the air, leaving sizzled trails of air in their wake.. Watching in surprised awe as the rounds didn't even activated the enemies kinetic barriers.
Armor, meant to soften and spread out kinetic slug rounds… melted like paper against a welding torch as the globs of plasma ate through to bare flesh, flash vaporizing their skin, blood and muscle tissue, they screamed briefly and fell to his short barrage.
And like that, Saren understood. Really understood how outgunned the Council was against the humans, and indeed any, of their allies they were.
These Sangheili not only had ship based Directed Energy weaponry, but they also issued it to their infantry units. DEWs would render all basic modern warfare tactics completely dated and very dangerous. No longer would kinetic barriers protect soldiers and ship alike.
Their armor, designed after centuries of Mass Effect sheared kinetic rounds, rendered useless as it was never designed to be pit against sigh intense, concentrated heat. Their ships, fast and hard hitting, could never take a single hit from even the Human's Broadside guns, let alone their massive front nose guns and their allies weaponry in general.
These humans, their allies. They were single handedly the greatest threat the Council would ever face. Not plague, not rebellion, not corruption. Humanity and all its allies. Who's technology broke all rational limits and left only bigger horizons in the future. This same technology would destroy them in a war and now Saren truly understood that.
Brother, He thought with grief, standing on shaky legs. I understand what you were saying now. It's all clear. Batarian, Asari, Turian, Volus, Salarian… it doesn't matter what we are, who we were anymore. If our way of life, our power over the galaxy we know is to remain… He looked down at the polished blue plasma weapon in his hand. We need to adapt, we need to push ourselves. He gripped it slightly.
Outside the apartment, what people had been in the streets were now scrambling for cover. Saren looked to the Sangheili, they uncloaked and looked at him in time for the shallow echo of a distant explosion. Vter growled in approval, "Very good, their shields are meaningless to our weaponry." he dropped the Batarian he'd been holding up by one arm.
Saren, only when the Batarian was slumped over and fallen onto his face did he saw the back of his skull had been caved in as well as the wall. "Our shields were meant for high velocity physical slugs." he informed them lightly. "Never in a thousand years did we ever dream we'd encounter Directed Energy weapons on ships, let alone infantry weapons."
"Our Gods, the Forerunners," Vter said, and the Sangheili in the room bowed their heads in reverence of the holy name. "Possessed technology even more vastly impressive then trinkets we now use. They created entire worlds, natural and artificial, governed all life so it may prosper and for untold millenia they were the guiding light in the darkness of the universe."
"Forerunners?" Saren repeated, mandibles twitching. "I thought the Forerunners were an ancient species who's technology was discovered by the Humans?" he asked, having heard the rumors from Falcus, where humans and Turians, albeit strainingly, mingled as a sorta middle-man colony between their two governments.
"They were," Vter nodded, "However, their technology wasn't discovered by the Humans, it was my kind, and the accursed San 'Shyuum, who first found their scraps left behind on our homeworlds. It was these scraps that allowed us to enter the stars as they did. Little did either of us know that their technology was not ours to plunder."
Saren's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"
"The Gods had chosen their successor, before the parasite could claim their last bastion and begin infecting the rest of the galaxy with its disgusting plague, the Forerunners chose a new species to inherit their galactic responsibilities to govern and protect all life. To see it to brilliance as they did when they, in their last gallant effort, eradicated the parasite by firing the seven rings."
"Ship Master," One of the Sangheili urged. "We've dawdled too long as it is, our allies require our blades!"
Saren could see the idea of not furthering the story of their Gods bothered the Ship Master, but he relented. "You're right, H'ror." He turned to Saren, "I shall finish my tale later, for now, your team have gone down into the depths of the station. We must follow them." he raised his longer rifle, the same blue polish upon it, albeit much bigger than the one Saren was using with a longer barrel.
"We will cloak and assist you as fighting breaks out, we will be behind you, do not worry, Turian."
"Saren," Saren said, interrupting him. "I am Saren Arterius,"
"Saren," Vter nodded. "Proceed then, we shall right behind you."
The bareface Turian nodded, raising the weapon and rushing out into the panicking streets. His barriers flared as two more hostiles fired at him from the down the corridor, he rolled into a kneel and fired a spray of plasma rounds. They were down in the first volley. Having expected their shields to block the short bursts.
Saren could feel the shimmering forms following him, any bigger forces he encountered would be more outgunned then a hundred to one simply because of the weapons they were holding in their hands.
Saren felt like a God.
Omega Depths, Garrus Vakarian. 14:40 Cycles.
Garrus, Sparky and Wrex paused in their steps when the dull "thump!" of an explosion behind them was heard through the vents piping, he glanced behind them then ahead. "Keep moving." he said, moving along. He heard Sparky and Wrex follow after him.
"I bet that was the cars." Wrex chuckled. "If we're lucky they'll think we took the spare fuel cells and lined our trail with explosive traps, make them move more slowly."
"Not likely," Sparky grunted. "They would only have to wait until they reach junctions for such traps, the pipes themselves couldn't hide explosives. They'd still make considerable time."
The pipes themselves were dark, the sounds of water dripping could be heard much of the time, others they had paused to listen when there was a sort of clattering along the pipes, or when Wrex sniffed and said he smelt Vorcha. They'd not encountered the things yet, thankfully, they couldn't have much delays and they needed to start moving upwards if they were going to get out of here.
"Long range coms still down?"
"Haven't bothered, these pipes and the sheer amount of stuff in our way back to Albion? Signal would never breach. We'd just ping the guys following us." Sparky replied, much to his chagrin. She was right.
The same skittering was heard and the group stopped and crouched low, eyes narrowing and weapons raised in alert. They waited in silence. A moment, two… three. There was a sharp, sloppy hiss before the darkened pathway ahead of them was silent once again. Garrus frowned and stood, "We're clear up front."
"And behind," Sparky muttered. "That sounded too close."
"It was," Wrex growled and looked upwards, his weapons flashlight illuminating the piping above them. Revealing a single Vorcha, eyes widening in pain as the light reached its eyes, it hissed and lost its grip on the exposed wiry skeleton of the hole in the pipe, falling onto the pipe.
Wrex walked forward, stomped on its chest with a sickening crunch that silenced its hissing cries, it began to claw at his foot, leaving scratches on the armor while the Krogan levelled his weapon right in its face, revealing pointed teeth, dried blood and bits of flesh still stuck there. "Disgusting." he sneered.
BANG!
The Vorcha lacked a head and he kicked its body before peering up at the hole. "Clever bastards, must have been days of clawing through the pipes and then making their own little dens," he mumbled. "I'll bet you follow that, you'll find a lot more."
"And they'll have heard your shot," Garrus said slowly.
Wrex slowly grinned. "Yuuuup."
"Keelah." Sparky stepped back. "Movement!" she raised her Geth rifle and opened fire. Shooting at the dozen of so shapes moving behind them in the shadows, a screech and then they stood, breaking into full on sprints towards them. "Lots of movement!"
She held down the trigger and sprayed the pathway, downing more then a few of them but the rest came, and entered the light.
More Vorcha, eyes red, teeth bared in rabid hunger and naked as the day they were born. Scarred and claws raised.
Sparky never felt more frightened. And she fired more. "Move!" Garrus said, turning and sprinting along. "It's clear ahead! Run and Gun!" he barked his orders.
Wrex roared and rushed forward after Garrus, Sparky, after firing once more, turned and sprinted after them as well. Together, all three ran along the pipeline. Behind them, she could hear the sounds of the fast pattering feet of the Vorcha giving chase. Garrus jumped forward onto an junction chamber, glancing at the five different pipes they could go through.
Wrex leapt in behind him, followed by Sparky. They turned and fired into the oncoming horde. "Pick a way, Commander!" Wrex growled, and raised a fist, his body enveloped by the glow of biotics and he threw his fist forward with a bellow of challenge.
A series of solid explosions filled the air before it, spreading along and slamming into the oncoming Vorcha, sending them flying back and into their oncoming comrades, knocking them down and putting the wind out of them.
Sparky raised her Omni-Tool. "Tech mine out!" Thump! The mine stuck to the wall and began to blink, signalling its proximity fuse was activated.
"This way!" Garrus rushed into one the pipes, this one leading upwards into hopefully a less hostile part of the station. They ran along the pipe, into the furthering darkness. He could hear water running, more steadily. It had to be a drainage junction up ahead. They could follow the pipes further upwards.
We can make it! Garrus thought, pressing his legs harder. We can make it! He thought.
He saw the tunnel end, and knew they reached the junction. "Up ahead, another- Spirits!" he slid to a stop, feet sliding across the pipe until he stopped at the edge. . Behind them an explosion echoed. Sparky's tech mine going off. But ignored that, instead.
Wrex caught up, and stopped as well. "Ah ancestor's blood!" he growled in annoyance. "Really? By the blood really?"
Sparky bumped into his hump, and she stepped beside them.
The junction's floor grating had been rusted away by the leaking water that it was broke in several sections, bent and decayed, Garrus knew not a piece of it would hold their weight. And the pipe leading upwards? Was a good jump straight away and then fall down? He couldn't see the bottom, just darkness.
They were trapped.
"They're coming." Wrex growled, turning around to face the way they'd come from, the sounds of the Vorcha rushing after them reached their ears as well, there was a lot of them. "We have the ammo, but our guns will overheat long before they run out of Vorcha." he mumbled.
Garrus glanced over the junction. There had to be a way out of this, the other pipes in the junction were sealed off by thick grating, and again too far to jump to. He growled. "Shatha shit!"
Wrex rumbled, turning to Garrus. "Garrus," the Turian turned and Wrex held the groaning human out, "Hold him. Tightly." the Krogan growled. When Garrus dropped his Pheaston and hastily grabbed the human bridal style, he stared at Wrex. "Wrex, what are you-"
Wrex glowed and biotically flung them across the gap right into the other pipe, he looked to Sparky next, who stared back at him. "Wrex," she began, "Tha-"
"Yeah, yeah. Shut up." Wrex held out his hand, "Your spare Kredak." she handed it to him without hesitation. "Good," he flung her as well, she rolled beside Garrus and the human. Wrex raised both Kredaks, one in each hand and chuckled. "Now get going you two! The council paid top dollar for this mission and I never leave a job half done!"
He turned his hump to them, rumbling a low chuckle.
"Wrex! Try to make the jump!" Garrus called. "You can do it, just use your biotics to carry yourself!"
"Never learned how to do that!" Wrex called back over his shoulder. "Besides, I'm not dying here! Just giving you two pansies time to reach safer waters!" He laughed and turned back, he could see the shadows of the Vorcha, he growled. "Come at me you varren inbreeding shits. Urdnot Wrex had a few presents for you." he mumbled. "Now go! If I don't get topside, then assume I'm laying low!"
Garrus stared, before sighing. "My Pheaston!"
"Keep it!" Wrex replied. "Too small for me anyways."
"No, I mean its at your feet!"
Wrex peered down., "Oh," he holstered one of the Kredak, reached down and threw it at the Turian, who caught it with one arm. "Now will you go?! This is getting cliché!"
"Good luck, Wre-"
"Fucking go or I will shoot you both in the knees!" Wrex roared.
"Going!" Garrus turned and Sparky followed after him.
Behind them, a mighty roar of "You shall not pass!" echoed out, followed by the sounds of dual Kredak's blasting.
Garrus and Sparky ran in silence, following the upwards pipe as it moved along. "Sparky, take point!" He said. In his arms, the Human groaned, making Garrus look at him.
"Ugh…" his eyes blinked slowly. "What-"
SLAM!
Garrus drew his head back, shaking it briefly as his vision swam from the headbutt. The human's head lulled back, mouth partially open and once again KO'd. The Turian didn't have time to deal with him right now.
"Hostiles!" Sparky opened fire in a burst, tearing down two Vorcha who dropped from another hole in the pipes. "Keelah, they're everywhere!" she shouted, angry. Raising her sights she fired into another as it dropped down from another hole. It hit the floor with a wet smack.
They jumped over the body and continued.
They rushed along, Garrus seriously wishing he was strong as a Krogan right now so he could fire his offhand weapon, but with the weight of the human would keep him from firing effectively. And a missed shot in this situation could get him killed. Also could relying entirely upon Sparky.
"Gap!" Garrus called, seeing a hole in the flooring. Sparky leapt, and he did as well. Even as Vorcha crawled out of it, hissed at them and ran after them as well. Joining the dozen or so giving chase behind them now. "Another!"
Sparky leapt again, curling her legs, then bringing them down onto the floor… which then gave way beneath her feet, she screamed and fell, only for Garrus to slide down and grab her wrist, tightly. She dangled by her hand, staring down she spotted dozens of Vorcha, looking up at her from the junction she'd almost fallen into.
They growled and hissed at her, jumping at her hanging feet. "Yeah," She activated her Omni-Tool, preparing a tech mine. "No."
THUMP! Boooom!
The grating they were standing on gave, metal rent and bent as the weight of the Vorcha forced it down and they fell into the abyss below. Sparky smirked, "Hang on Garrus!" she called, reached up and together they pulled her up.
She grabbed his handgun from his thigh and fired into the five Vorcha right behind him, they fell back, dead. They stood, "Thanks," Garrus said as she strapped his pistol back to his thigh.
"Thanks yourself," Sparky replied, chuckling before turning and moving along, firing two more tech mines into the hole she made… then she widened it with the dual explosives. "My last mines." she informed him.
And behind them they heard the sounds of screeching Vorcha who didn't make the widened jump in the floor.
"Another junction ahead!" Sparky called from ahead, keeping her rifle raised. She saw a hole in the pipe to the right and kept her weapon trained on the opening as she passed it… and missing the one above in turn, which a Vorcha dropped out of.
"Sparky!" Garrus tried to warn. "Above you!"
She looked up, rifle halfway before the Vorcha landed atop her, knocking her down, its claws dug into her side and bicep before it hissed and leaned down, biting into the point where her neck met her shoulder, she felt its teeth pierce her suit and teeth dig into the flesh below. She screamed in panicked pain.
The Vorcha dug in… and then received a boot to the face, knocking if off the Quarian, it growled and Garrus brought his foot down on it, its skulled caved and he turned to Sparky. "Sparky!"
She whimpered and tears bubbled at her eyes while she bled. her suit activated its area seals and Antibiotics flooded her system the next system along with painkillers. She stood, grabbed her rifle and looked at Garrus. "I'm," she cleared her throat. "I'm good, Commander." she said. Her shoulder burned, but she was alive.
Garrus nodded, and jumped into the junction, the tunnels were sealed. "Spirits damnation!" he growled, all the exits sides the way they came were blocked. Sparky looked for any terminals, seeing a door, she moved over to it. Garrus right behind her.
"Please tell me you can hack that lock." He said, hopeful.
"I can try," she replied. "but these systems are ancient." she turned to him, "Put the human down against the doorway, grab your rifle and cover me best you can. I need to concentrate."
"Right," Garrus set the human down, unfolded his Pheaston and rolled his neck, growling softly before he raised it and soon he could hear Vorcha coming up the pipe they'd just exited. "Alright." he twitched his trigger finger. "Focus, Garrus… just another day on the range." he closed one eye, focusing on his targeting optic. "Moving targets. Ten meter clearance." he mumbled, trailing off.
"Single shots. Maximum accuracy." He whispered, distant. "That's the Vakarian way."
The first Vorcha leapt through the entrance, it's head snapped back and it crumpled to the floor. Two more, their bodies dropped with a pair of shots, their eye and forehead smoking. Another joined them. Garrus kept at it, eyes distant. They were just holo-targets, trying to get closer in a charging riot move.
Shot, dropped. Shot, dropped. Shot and dropped.
"Damnit," Sparky hissed behind him. He ignored her. "Come on you little Bosh'tet."
Shot. Another down. Double tap and two were sporting third eyes.
Soon, thirty two bodies littered the entrance, another Vorcha leapt up and over it, it's head snapped back as well and it fell down, rolling to a skidding stop halfway to Garrus. His Pheaston hissed as the weapon began to dump excess heat. A three point five second time on that. He folded the weapon and drew his sidearm as the next three Vorcha came at them.
"Anytime, Sparky." He mumbled, downing them as to more appeared. How many of these bastards were there?!
The door pinged unlocked as Garrus' sidearm overheated as well. "Good work, Sparky!" he turned.
"It wasn't me." Sparky said as the doors slid open to reveal.
"Saren?" Sparky and Garrus blinked.
The barefaced Turian stood there, weapon raised at them before he turned it on the pipe entrance and fired, mowing down three Vorcha and nodding them. "Inside! Quickly!" he urged them. "Vter, make room!"
Vter? Garrus looked over… and spotted the cloaked Sangheili, all five of them. They made room on the lift, and Sparky and Garrus stepped inside, the doors closing behind them as he saw a dozen Vorcha flood the room behind them… and the doors closed.
Garrus and Sparky both broke into relieved pants, their hearts hammer in their chests. Saren sighed and looked to them, "Sparky, Command-gah!" he was shocked when Sparky threw her arms around him.
"You stupid, plate head bosh'tet! I could kiss you!" She said, ignoring the looks of everyone else present. Even Garrus seemed surprised. She eventually peeled herself of, and before Saren could say what he was about to, she punched him. Hard. In the gut. He doubled over slightly. "And that's for you dramatic timing and making us think you were dead!"
Garrus chuckled, shaking his head. Even Saren grunted in amusement before he stood straight, then frowned. "Where's Wrex?"
That kicked their moods, Garrus sighed and hung his head. "He… stayed behind to buy us time." he informed his fellow Turian.
"Oh," Saren said, tone lower. "Well, his sacrifice wasn't in vain then."
"Wait," Sparky blinked. "Did you grab the human?" she asked Garrus.
"…You didn't?!" To Garrus' horror, Sparky shook her head.
Saren groaned. "For Spirits' sakes!"
"I did,"
Everyone turned to Vter, who gestured to his leg, where the dark skinned human was sprawled. "I grabbed him while you two stepped into the lift. You must have missed it in your panic." he said, chuckling slightly at their expressions.
"Thanks for that, Vter," Garrus sighed in relief again. "How far does this lift go?"
"Into the middle streets, some maintenance building, we cleared it out mostly, it' should be a straight shot to one of the hangers there, if we can secure transport, we might make it the Albion. Or a distance they can pick us up safely from." Saren replied.
"Our stealth craft can retrieve us at closer ranges," Vter stated from his spot. "Once aboard, both our ships can make their way to a safer location and you can return to yours, and our missions will both be complete."
"So, to clarify," Sparky said, crossing her arms across her chest and cocking her hip attractively to the side. "We're essentially going to gun our way to a guarded hanger while the entire station is looking for us, somehow get a small craft and then fly out to meet the guns of the local fleet orbiting the station and then, by some miracle of surviving that, we get picked up by their stealth craft and then get to safety?"
Garrus, Vter and Saren shrugged. "Pretty much," Garrus said. "Yeah."
"Oh good," Sparky said, wiping imaginary sweat from her visor. "There I was thinking we didn't have a plan."
The lift stopped. They rolled their necks, bared their weapons like teeth and readied to go out guns blazing.
February 8, 2581. Military Calendar.
UNSC Infinity-Class Cruiser Infinity, Sol System. 1500 Hours.
A lift to the bridge opened and out stepped Catherine, behind her was Hood, together they proceeded along. "I trust you remember the Infinity, Hood?" She asked him as they walked along towards the CIC.
"Of course," Hood replied with a nod. "At the time of it's construction, it was single handedly the most expensive ship the UNSC ever produced. Hell, it still retains the title next to the Daedalus." he glanced at her. "So, this is going to UNIT's primary HQ?"
"Point on," Catherine nodded. "Leonardo had her refitted specially for the task, it was originally going to go to ONI, but, well, they kinda got put under. So, now it's ours." she smiled wryly. "Sadly, Roland reached the end of his life expectancy so he had to be decommissioned some years ago, but our newest AI is of the latest tech, like Majestic, he'S top of the line and worthy of the Infinity."
Catherine glanced upwards. "Well? Introduce yourself already, Machiavelli." she urged the ceiling.
An AI avatar projected before Hood and Catherine, standing at Hood's height with his arms crossed behind his back and wearing old Renaissance era styled clothing. His face was hard, slightly aged and his expression cool. He looked at Hood, then at Catherine before bowing. "Captain Michealis," he looked to Hood. "First Lieutenant Hood."
He raised himself up. "I look forward to serving with you and UNIT," he offered them a brief smile. "As ordered. I've gone ahead and prepped our special attaches for the tactical meeting. They're waiting for you in the Ops briefing room."
"All of them?" Catherine asked.
The AI nodded.
"Good," she smiled and looked to Hood. "You're in for a treat old man, follow me." she gestured him along and altered their course to take them towards the elevators. While they walked, Hood observed the various staff and techs moving along, engineers as well. "Along with over three hundred support crew, we've two battalions of fully equipped ODSTs. Hand picked security and Intelligence officers." she explained.
"We've also converted some of the space to fit our needs as a more advanced medical, research and R and D vessel. We even have our own ammunition factories to produce additional ammo." They reached the lift and the doors parted, allowing them to step inside. Once they closed, they began to descend downwards. "We're every kind of vessel under the sun, Hood. Our weapons and cyber warfare systems have also been upgraded with the latest in reverse engineered Forerunner tech." she went on.
Hood was impressed, very impressed. "How long ago did the refits begin?"
"Two years ago at Leonardo's insistence." Catherine replied back briskly. "He wanted it done sooner, but events as they were then forced him to postpone his schedule." she added.
Hood considered, ah yes, then was a particularly tough time for the UNSC budget, as there had been a spike in Insurrectionist activity in the outer colonies. "I remember him grumbling he'd have to set some of his plans back." he said, shaking his head. "Five years ago, anyways. He's been planning this for five years?"
"Honestly? I have no idea, he never tells me everything, I don't doubt he's got a hundred plans all working, and even more in the back of his head," Catherine shrugged. The lift stopped and the doors parted. They stepped out into the corridor where a pair of guards saluted them. Catherine and Hood returned the salutes and proceeded along.
"The real kicker was I made some requests of my own of him," she smirked a bit. "It took a bit of haggling and convincing, but I got him to loan me some important tactical assets, if we're to be the best damn Intelligence unit out there, we need a damn fine specialist team." she stopped at a pair of doors, overhead was marked "Ops briefing".
"I think you'll know the leader of this particular team, we had to pull him off the dissection labs in Reach, he's been given Operation freedom with us for the next fives years before he has to go back and they start picking at him again." Catherine flashed her eye into the retina scanner.
The doors parted and revealed ten individuals seated around a circular table, two seats were empty, presumably for Hood and Catherine. But the old man stopped and looked at one of the gathered attendees in surprise.
The man looked back at him, short, shorn dark hair. A slightly scarred visage and pale skin that hadn't been exposed to sunlight for a very long time. A set jaw and sharp, aging eyes that could cut ship hull. Beneath the sage green tank top rippled augmented muscles. And the stripes of a very special rank were etched into the fabric. MCPO.
"Officers on deck!" The man bellowed and stood with crisp speed, saluting. The other nine individuals stood as well and saluted to the pair of leaders of UNIT.
Hood returned it slowly, Catherine simply smiled. "Hello, John." she said, looking over at the man. "Out of those skimpy lab garments, huh?" She cocked her head, smiling wryly. "You look nice."
"Thank you," The man replied with a quick nod. Hood could see something flash across the man's eyes. He stepped around and forward towards the pair, stopping before Hood and offering a hand for the older man to take.
"Master Chief Petty Officer of the UNSC Navy, reporting sir." The man's scarred lips firmed into a small, barely noticeable smile. "It's good to be back in the field."
"John," Hood smiled, grasping the hero of Humanity's hand in both of his and shaking firmly. "I'll be damned, last I heard you were playing patient in some lab."
"I was, sir," John stepped back, nodding to Catherine. "Captain Michealis and Fleet Admiral Petrov however requested me especially for this detail." he paused thoughtfully, "I admit, I'm grateful to them. I belong in the field."
"That you do, Spartan," Catherine spoke up, crossing her arms. "I expect great things from you." her eyes roved over the others. "All of you. From here on out, we pick up the pieces of the mess ONI left behind." she said, tone serious. "They left one hell of a mess, and more than a few of them have escaped our eyes, so we're going to find them and bring them into the light screaming."
Hood watched the Spartan hero regard Catherine. He could see the intelligence, nostalgia, flickering across those dark orbs and he knew instantly he was thinking of his lost comrades. Cortana and Halsey. Both had been important to the Spartan, very much so. Hood knew. The loss of Cortana had shaken the Spartan deeply… so much so that when the UNSC received a coded transmission from her he'd gone rogue and chased out after her.
That turned out to be a trap set by the Didact, Dr. Halsey and Jul. But… as it turned out, Halsey had set them all into her trap. And that had lead them to the Janus Key in her possession, and the Didact's weakness.
If only she didn't need to die to ensure John could save Humanity again.
Catherine finished her speech, turning to John and offering a small smile. "Welcome home, John."
He tensed… then nodded. "Thank you, ma'am."
"Well," Catherine smirked. "Let's not dally any longer. Lets get to work."
Hood and John nodded. They could use some work.
End of Chapter Twenty-Four
Yup! You all read that ending right! Master Chief, at long, freaking last, is back! John - 117 In the house, ya'll! Break it down! But no, really, I hope his reveal wasn't too soon, as I was going to save him for a much later point, but with the release of the Master Chief collection, I thought. "Y'know? Chief deserves some more spotlight." and so, here he is. And the Omega Garrus arc is coming to a close, woop! Still gotta tie some loose ends, but, you guessed it. First Contact is slowly, steadily, reaching its conclusion and soon I shall begin working on the second story to this one. In Infinitum: [REDACTED-LEVEL BLACK CLEARANCE REQUIRED!]! Aren't you excited?!
Ahem. Oh, and for all you Wrex lovers, consider this a major hint to his fate. JUST so you know I didn't kill our favorite Krogan.
Wrex snippet! Go!
"Spirits," A Turian Armed Forces officer muttered, he and four others had been following after the escaping operatives and they'd gone into the tunnels, splitting up to try and find them. And what they'd found? Vorcha, lots and lots of Vorcha. Crazed and hungry.
But this Turian's particular group found piles of bodies!
"Goddess, what did this?" An Asari muttered, pressing her foot to a body, it shifted… and she fired into its back, it didn't move again.
"Damage to the bodies," The Turian replied, kneeling next to one dead Vorcha, "Suggests shotgun weapons, blood splatter and wall damage? I'd guess a Krogan Kredak." he stood again and nodded to his group. "Let's move."
They came upon a head end, more bodies piled, one so high it could be used to conceal a full person. The Turian grunted, stepping atop the bodies and walking, peering over and seeing no one, he frowned. "They somehow got across." he sighed. 'No point in pursuing any further."
He hopped off the mound, turning to the Asari and two Batarians. "Lets double back, we'll meet up with Thorin and help him search his section. This ones a dead end."
They nodded, turned and proceeded the way they'd come from. And after a few solid moments… the mountain of bodies shifted…. Then a Krogan's hand burst from between them, along with a muffled curse and bellowing growl of "Ancestor's blood it stinks in here!"
Urdnot Wrex wouldn't be dying today.
Wrex Snippet end!
There, you can all breathe normally and sigh in relief. Now, I need to sleep. Have a nice day or night, and do leave a review! I'm so close to that 800 mark I could froth at the mouth! I mean… review if you want, y'know, no biggie. Would be nice, but ya don't have to…
-Kredak cocks-
Just sayin'.