Kodiak
"Right. We'll rendezvous in about six hours as per your orders, Normandy out." Joker's face disappeared over the com link leaving Shepard staring at a blank wall.
"We haven't been detected yet Steve?" She asked coming up into the cockpit section of the personal shuttle.
"No, not that there has been any indication we are free and clear." Steve reported.
"Very good."
She went back into the cargo compartment in order to check on her squad. Cynthia, Paul, and Ashley greeted her all of them fully armed and capable trying to avoid from looking too curious.
"Alright, pretty simple if we don't get caught, just walk in observe, report, and then leave. If the opportunity presents itself then are to interdict the shipment. Ashley you and Cynthia will be with me, Paul you'll be on over watch covering our backs." Shepard ordered.
"Any other intel?" Paul asked
"Nope, we just know that the Disciples and Cerberus are having a regular meeting here, this is about the third time they've done this. They seem to be trading merchandize of some sort."
"That is not a lot to go on." Ashley groused.
"No, but we've had less to go on in the past." Shepard agreed.
"True, shall we?" Ashley asked.
"Yep."
"You better get up here Commander." Steve's voice came over the com, "Something interesting for you to see."
She did as the pilot requested and joined him in the cockpit looking out at a picture of the Omega space lanes. Shepard watched it for a second as a few ships were taxing in and out of the patterns.
"You don't see it do you?" Steve asked.
She shook her head.
He pointed and she scrunched down to follow it. "There."
"Well I'll be…looks like we are getting in at the same time." Shepard commented on seeing what Cortez felt was so worthy of her personal attention.
A starliner, but with the symbol of the Deciples. A Reaper looking on with the symbol of the Milky way under it.
Kinda chilling. It implied control, stewardship, guardians, that the Reapers were the protectors and guides of Galactic life and that they had a reason for what they had done.
"Alright get us in position." Shepard ordered.
The Kodiak gracefully turned over and rocketed down Omega's long spine, it made its way to the lower maintenance portions of the station, away from the usual docks.
They got in position and Shepard made the all-clear signal as they got their helmets on as one group. Abby gave a thumbs up to the squad as the three of them confirmed in slow succession.
The cabin door to the Kodiak opened, the artificial gravity shut down, and the three of them drifted out into space. Slowly moving into position and latching on to the side of Omega just above a waste disposal system. Shepard slammed her hand down running the bypass as it opened.
She brought her hand up to her helmet. "Alright Cortez, we're in."
"Roger that, I'll find some place to attach myself to the side of Omega away from everyone and shut down. I'll run commo checks every half hour or so. Good luck Shepard."
"Thank you Steve." She smirked behind her helmet while gesturing with her index finger into the hole.
The four squad mates got into position and their lights went on down the long tunnel illuminating the slight trickle of liquid and garbage.
"Ugh, gross." Cynthia sniffed over the com.
"I thought you would've been used to filth by now you seem to be a good operative." Shepard commented.
Cynthia smirked, "Yeah, I am, but usually when I infiltrate I do it a bit more out in the open. No one expects a busty blond in a mini skirt with a brief case to be that much of a problem."
Abby smirked, "I'll have to remember that."
The four squad mates climbed into the shaft and slowly trudged along it, going into the station at a high rate of speed and trying their best to balance stealth, and their need for climbing out of the muck.
They reached the other end and Paul applied the bypass as the four of them crawled into the station, and then onto their final destination.
Omega Proper- Lower Maintenance works
Shepard vaulted over a low wall into a low hanging path way snaking its way through Omega and though the many work stations, factories, repair yards, and restaurants in this part of the station.
It was dark, and red, like most of the station but even darker as Shepard had a hard time making out her surroundings for any appreciable distance.
She could walk right into a Cerberus squad and not see them coming. Fortunately she had her visor on and her weapon ready just in case things got desperate in a hurry.
She tapped her ear, "Paul, you read me, you in position?"
"Yeah," His voice came over her coms. "I am trying to follow you on the catwalks and looking for a good place to set up over watch at the estimated meeting place. Will keep you posted, Leighy out."
"Alright, let's keep moving." Shepard pointed out gesturing for them to get to the meeting spot.
They quickly found their way, the meeting looked like it was in the middle of a 'courtyard' a bald spot in the middle of Omega, where tables were set up, and where people were eating and enjoying some time off from the grind. The floor was dirty as more than a few paper containers were strewn on the ground as well as some dirt, covering the floor with a slight film.
Shepard crunched herself along one wall off to side, surrounded by shadows, hidden from view of the main promenade, or so she hoped, but she could see the well-lit part of Omega.
"Com check, Paul you read?" She said into her com.
"Yeah I'm here, five by five. Got a good place overlooking the meeting in a vent, with easy exit and entry points in case I need to bug out in a hurry. I can see everything in the vicinity."
"Good, sit tight." Shepard ordered.
"And now…we wait." Cynthia commented perching herself on her hands.
"I would've thought you would've been used to all this sort of operations, you were a sniper, on your own." Shepard commented.
"Sure, but that doesn't mean I have to like it, besides never done exactly this kind of mission. Not here for maybe hours on end."
"Neither have I." Shepard admitted.
"Let's hope we don't have to wait too long." Ashley offered getting set up with her Harrier.
It turned out they didn't have to wait long as the door opened in one corner and a group of orange clad soldiers came through it and began to immediately check the area. Cerberus soldiers in all of their glory.
Four troopers spanned out and checked the immediate area around the meeting site, but not anything too far. Shepard kept her eye on them though in case they moved their way, they could always bug out in a hurry, hopefully not be seen, and then break back and wait for Paul to get back to them with the information.
One of them tried to get the crowd to leave the area, and one of them wouldn't budge, so the Cerberus trooper unhitched his Talon and shot. The blast hit the hit and the corpse collapsed to the floor. The rest of the people screamed and departed the area in short order.
Cynthia hissed.
As soon as they were done with that the four troopers took up defensive positions as a regular man in a business suit, supported by two Centurions flanking him, and came into the room. Shepard peered at the man and noticed that he was carrying a briefcase.
"Package in sight." Paul pointed out confirming her suspicions.
Mere seconds later the other door opened and seven figures stepped through, the Cerberus officers turned to them curiously.
And that must be the Disciples.
They were led by an Asari wearing skin tight getup, and she approached the Cerberus officers boldly.
She was escorted by four lightly armed guards, and two more were armed with Mattock assault rifles, and the four of them scanned the area making a quick sweep with their eyes.
"Alright this is it," She whispered hoping the audio filter could pick up her voice; she got a confirming click from Paul in response. "Paul, you and Ashley cover the Disciples, Cynthia you and I got the Cerberus forces."
More clicks and nods met her pronouncement.
The two groups came together cautiously meeting each other, seemingly exchanging pleasantries before exchanging the actual package, and Shepard was watching the preliminaries with a frown.
Wish I could actually do something about this but my orders are to watch, not get into a fire fight.
In all actuality this was the perfect ambush now that they had managed to get into position without being detected by either of the parties, they had easy firing lanes and a sniper covering the exit with at least three more snipers and experienced Special Forces/ guerilla operators.
Cynthia leaned forward bringing her head into the light for a second.
"Cynthia." Abigail hissed.
But it was too late as the leader of this group of Disciples jerked her head over to the squad her mouth agape.
"You set us up!" She wailed at the Cerberus officer.
"No, I don't know who they are!"
"Please can't you properly secure an area!"
"Damn it" Abby said unhitching her Valkyrie and deployed it aiming down it once she got the proper ammo deployed.
"Shit its Shepard!" One of the troopers discussed as he bolted firing his weapon at them.
The N7 dodged the bullets coming her way and flung a grenade at the group of still clustered Cerberus soldiers, it exploded causing the guards to stagger and the suit to be shredded.
Her Valkyrie went to work on the group as she lined up two head shots with the adrenaline flowing through her slowing down the pace of battle dramatically allowing her to pull of two perfect head shots.
Cynthia finished off the rest of the Cerberus guards, with a flurry of bullets from her Tempest.
That done the Commander turned her attention back to the Disciples whose guards were now firing at her, forcing her to duck, but the weapons slammed through their weak cover and into her shields causing her to duck, but fortunately they had to reload.
She looked up over the edge again as the Asari tried to dive for the brief case but a shot rang out from Paul missing her, she screeched out and flung a biotic field at the walkway and then dove for the brief case again, picking it up on the fly, and then running for the exit.
"Son of a-"Abigail began to curse but frowned, pulling the trigger on her Valkyrie, the bullets bounced off the biotic field harmlessly "Cover me!" she yelled vaulting out of the cover.
Ashley rushed forward and flattened herself against a pillar ahead as her Harrier went to work on the remaining clutch of Disciple guards, Cynthia began to follow her.
Shepard rushed out the door with the former Blue Suns operative following her in hot pursuit of the Asari leader of the Disciples.
"Come on you go that way, I'll try and lead her to you." She huffed.
"You want to split up?" Cynthia asked.
"Sure why not? Should be fun." Abby shrugged.
"Fine." Cynthia said vaulting over a railing down to another path.
Abigail looked up to reacquire her target and redoubled her efforts to catch up with the leader who was taking the briefcase as far away from Abby as she possibly could.
The Asari checked back behind her and flung a biotic warp over her shoulder, Abby's eyes widened and she rolled to her side as the warp exploded just to her side.
"Take care of her!" She heard the Asari yell.
She looked up to see two dirty looking, brown clad 'soldiers' leapt off the railing and unfurl a Predator and a Vindicator. They pointed them at her and began to draw a bead on her.
My God one of them looks like just a kid…no more than nineteen. She realized as she closed the distance. One of them fired at her and the bullets slammed into her shields knocking them down, but they held.
She retaliated with a Concussive Shot to the older of the two which knocked him into the side of the wall and causing him to slump against a wall, and then she back handed the kid as he panicked firing his Predator wide.
She tried to get back on the chase but was beginning to lose her focus; her lungs were beginning to burn as she was slowly starting to lose sight of her target.
The target which just vaulted over a slight pass from one part of the station to the other.
"Damn it," Abby breathed clutching her knees. "She's getting away!" She said into her com.
"No she's not." Paul's voice replied.
A split second later the Asari fell as her back prickled from a rifle shot. Cynthia came up from the other end covering her and then picking up the brief case.
"Clear." She reported.
"Good." Shepard sighed. "Everyone on me, regroup."
"Coming to you Commander." Paul replied.
The four of them came together in the center of the Omega street, all of them curious to see what Cynthia had brought them, as she arrived last.
"Well, I wonder what we got here." Paul commented representing the group and staring down at the briefcase that Cynthia was cradling in her hands.
"Hmmm." Abby concurred, debating on whether or not they should open it here, or wait for the Normandy.
"A bunch of angry people." Ashley said.
"Hmm?" Abby grunted turning to her XO.
Who gave a slight chin lift as the four of them were beginning to be boxed in by a gathering of well-armed…gang members?
"We don't want you here…this is the turf of the Red Hand!"
Cynthia rasied her Tempest threateningly covering the group.
Abby raised her hand and slammed it down and shook her head at the accusatory glance of her squad mate, "Not here, not random gangs. The political ramifications would be disastrous…we aren't even supposed to be here. Come on, retreat by cover."
Just as she finished giving her orders the group of people began coming in getting closer to the squad.
"Ashley." She ordered.
The Spectre raised her Harrier and fired a burst at the knees of the crowd; they flinched back but looked otherwise unperturbed by the display of firepower.
"Come on!" Abby ordered as the four of them bolted just ahead of the groaning and grumbling crowd who surged past them.
They cut down a side ally in a hurry and then vaulted over a low wall onto an adjourning section of the space station. But the gangs were still hot on their tail, and they were desperately out numbered.
"This way, looks like a minor door." Cynthia reported from out in front.
Abby turned and it sounded like the gangs were getting more distant, she listened for a second, but couldn't be sure, and it looked like as good a place as any to hold out.
"OK, fine, open it."
Cynthia bypassed the lock and they went right through the door which looked like a section of the wall, it was a partial miracle she was even able to notice it in the first place.
Abby vaulted through the door behind the squad closing it as she went.
"What the?" Ashley asked.
"Oh my God." Cynthia whispered.
Shepard began to turn around to face the room but was stopped as she winced, her head began to slowly ache, like something was tugging at her consciousness, and she could've sworn that she heard a low electronic growl at the edge of her mind.
But she finally managed to complete the turn and blanched, able to restrain herself from gasping.
The room was filled with humans, I guess civilians from around Omega. Dressed in work clothes, flowered covered shawls, about six of them spread along the walls and in alcoves mounted along them. Tubes were stuffed into their mouth and one of the women in the room had one mounted on her belly stuffed just under her shirt.
But it was their faces…they were pasty white…completely lifeless.
"Is this…what I think it is….Overlord?" Paul asked.
Abby sucked in on her mouth and looked around the room, noticing Ashley heading off along the computer banks.
"You mean that happened?" Cynthia asked turning to Paul.
"Of course it did what did you think?" Paul snapped.
Cynthia moved to make a nasty reply but looked around and thought better of it, she got very quiet. "I thought it was Alliance propaganda. I mean I don't know the full story but it just sounded…too bad to be true. Especially given my experience with Cerberus. I mean I don't know what exactly happened."
"Well it wasn't Alliance propaganda. It happened." Abby cut in before Paul could jump down Cynthia's throat anymore. "Overlord was the Cerberus attempt at controlling the Geth, creating a VI interface." She paused as she tried to shake off another head ache rolling through her psyche. "They wanted to control the Geth, to avoid war without firing a single shot. In the process the head scientist, Gavin Archer, hooked his autistic brother up into the system, trying to create a short cut…a cheat. Instead his brother took control of the entire system and almost wiped out the entire base, the only survivor was Archer. The Illusive Man asked me to take care of the problem and I did, sending David to Grissom Academy."
"So Archer went rogue?" Cynthia said hopefully.
Paul scoffed.
"Something like that," Abby smiled, "But I ran into Gavin later on hiding in a group of Cerberus scientists. He claimed that the Illusive Man came to him and wanted him to restart the project, to find another project, do the same thing to them. Gavin refused and destroyed all his research."
"Jesus." Cynthia blinked. "I…had no idea."
Paul sighed, "I suppose it had to happen."
"Yeah…" Her voice grew distant, Paul went over to her.
Shepard went over to one of the alcoves; an elderly man was in it, pale as death. She began to stretch out her hand towards his cheek wondering if she could touch it.
"Can we get these people out?" She heard Cynthia ask.
"Doubtful, not in the middle of Omega…we have to get out of here…and we don't know what will happen if we try to unplug them."
"I…I had no idea." She repeated.
Abby heard another low growl in the back of her head; she closed her eyes her hand continuing to reach for the technology, for the tangle of conduits and technology in the figure before her.
'Shepard, your mind will be ours.'
A voice spoke, an echo from the past, something familiar. Object Rho.
Her eyes fluttered open and went wide as if she had just gotten up in the middle of the day from a rough night of sleep, disoriented, a low humming starting in her ear.
She backed up quickly nearly tripping over herself but quickly regained her composure, or hoped she did.
"Shepard?" She heard Paul ask.
"My God, they've enhanced this with Reaper tech."
"What? How do you know?" Paul asked.
Shepard turned to her infiltrator her lips pursing, "Can't you hear that hum?"
Paul's mouth worked for a second and he furrowed his brow at her. "Shepard, what hum?"
Her eyes widened slowly and her mouth dropped slightly, trying to keep a hold of herself. What do I say? What's happening to me?
"Shepard! Over here!" Ashley's voice pierced through causing her head to snap around shaking it to clear it.
"What've you got LC?" She asked walking over to her.
She began pointing, "Computers, looks like they were trying to…well Overlord." She huffed. "And this."
She tossed Abby a small device, Abby pocketed and gazed at it twirling it around.
Wow, a black box. It was small, it was compact, and it had a wire sticking out of the top of it. And it had the…symbol of the Disciples?
She glanced at her Lieutenant Commander who nodded her ascent.
"Yep, that is sure what it looks like. The Disciples have been keeping a track on Cerberus. Must've been using the meeting as an excuse to sneak in here and plant that transmitter. Steal their research notes."
Paul whistled lowly, "damn. But what could they be doing?"
Ashley shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know, I can't make heads or tails of that technological mumbo jumbo."
Abby glanced around again and again winced. "OK, very good job LC. Let's get this information back to the Normandy. Palin or Liara can take this information…and our package." She glanced at Cynthia.
"Sounds good to me." Paul replied nodding making his way out of the room.
Ashley then Cynthia followed her.
Shepard gave another look around the building and felt a chill creep up her spine; she backed out quickly, heading for home, and the migraine medicine.
But she found as she got farther away from the room, her head ache rapidly subsided.
AC/N: Well its official Shards is now exactly as long as OTR. And while I would have loved to present you with an epic chapter full of epic awesomness, but well I did think of something pretty interesting, so I tried.
Anyways the narrative is going to really start picking up as I check my notes things are going to be paying off and issues will be solved and we are going to start picking up and really this is like the 'high water mark' of the story, not the story. But things are going to start happening within the next couple of chapters.
Reviews are always appreciated and I should be out with another chapter anytime now.