Normandy-CIC
"How the hell did this happen?" James yelled out angrily from just behind the Galaxy Map.
Ashley Williams winced at the outburst as she was in a small circle with the Special Forces soldier, and he was not happy at all about the state of recent events. Shepard had gone missing and Paul Leighy was found with a bruise on his head the size of a nation-state. All this had happened after the two of them had been missing from radio contact for five hours over their allotted check in time.
I knew that was a bad idea. Ashley sighed.
"Unfortunately we won't know for sure until Paul wakes up from his encounter with whoever it was that has kidnapped the Commander." Chakwas started off getting right in the face of the young Lieutenant. "And that is if he makes it, with the severe head trauma and internal bleeding we got to him just in time to stabilize with Medi-gel, only time will tell if that is enough."
"Come on we have to know who it is," Cynthia groused waving one hand in the air dismissively before recrossing it over her chest. "I mean it has to be the Disciples. No one else has that much of a grudge on Shep."
"Could be the Batarians." EDI pointed out.
"Batarians? On Earth?" James Vega asked incredulously.
"I am merely pointing out the possibility Lieutenant," EDI replied simply.
"Fair enough I guess." Vega shrugged looking over to Ashley for answers.
The rest of the crew joined him in his appraisal.
Ashley shivered self-consciously at the looks being directed at her. Well I guess that means I'm the big boss lady now, all these people are looking to me for answers, and truth is I don't have anything good. Only bad…and more bad. No wonder Shepard gets all the big bucks she makes this look easy, probably she just knows how to hide it.
"Just point us in a direction boss and I'll set a course." Joker's voice drifted over the coms.
"Thank you Joker." She said glancing upwards.
"What does Alliance Intel have to say?" James asked glancing at Traynor and EDI.
"Very little I'm afraid," EDI explained, "With the amount of refugee, construction and tourist ships flying through the Charon Relay, and without anyone knowing that a crisis was enfolding in the first place, it was impossible to track all the vessels coming and going. Especially as they made further jumps out into the Great Galaxy and the statistical probability that they 'jumped ship' makes it difficult to track them.
This is, of course, assuming that they have left Earth, but even then there are many places that such an organization could hide."
"Have we tried pinging her Omni-tool?" Ashley asked.
Traynor nodded, "But to little effect, she is not down there, at least in an area that is not shielded for that kind of communication."
"Or they could've taken her Omni-tool" EDI pointed out.
"Or that." Traynor shot EDI an annoyed 'know it all' look.
"Look," Vega pounded his hand on the railing, "we know who is behind this, we know where their corporate headquarters are, I say we just take a fleet, kick some ass and get our girl back."
"I appreciate the sentiment Lieutenant, but we need to make sure. And remember…again…they are an Alliance based corporation. They have political ties, and we can't just legally rush in there." Ashley pointed out.
"Screw legality we need to get in there."
"Now it's your turn to look Lieutenant," Ashley spun on the subordinate angrily, "we don't even know if she is there yet. If we go rushing in blind, without intelligence, without knowing for sure if she is there or not we could wind up dead. And if we get there, survive, and then get out again there could be a political shit storm on our hands if we manage to get back to Alliance Space as we have to explain that we just attacked a corporate headquarters for no good reason."
He grumbled incoherently and turned away from the Galaxy Map.
Ashley sighed and walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Look, I know James…" She wondered what her next words should be, "…I just know ok. We'll get her back. And you know her, she's strong and we can get her back. She'll hold out, she'll last until we can come up with a battle plan."
James's shoulders sagged and his head dropped, but he nodded slowly.
Ashley turned back to the center of the group; all of them were looking at her expectantly.
"Well we can't go anywhere until Paul gets up and tells us-"
"Med bay to Doctor Chakwas." A male voice came on the intercom.
"Yes, what is it? Chakwas toggled her Omni-tool.
"Gunnery Chief Leighy just woke up, he seems to be fine though groggy, life signs are stable, and he has already asked to speak to Commander Williams's ma'am."
"Understood, we're on our way." Ashley said spinning to move onto the elevator car.
Only to be followed by the vast procession of squad mates and extended crew as everyone apparently wanted to see what Paul had to say for himself and what the situation was, and most importantly of all, the whereabouts of Commander Shepard. She froze, sighed, and shook her head.
"OK, James, Chakwas you're with me, Traynor I need you up here to get into contact with OANI. EDI you can listen anywhere on the bloody ship and the elevator can't hold us all." She ordered.
"And what about me?" Cynthia asked.
Ashley sighed, "You can come along. Not sure what you would have to do down there."
"Hey I just want to stare deeply into his steely eyes." Cynthia sneered.
Very funny. Ashley thought with a sigh. You may be on the side of the angels now but man you're still a pain in the ass.
Med Bay
Paul Leighy blinked up as Ashley, James, and Cynthia's faces peered down at him. His eyes lingered on Cynthia, but he had to blink and shy away from the sudden bout of attention.
"Easy Chief you're ok." Ashley said smiling warmly.
"Ma'am with all due respect I just had my face caved in and I hurt like hell, despite what I'm sure is a bunch of painkillers flooding my system, I am far from OK. And you guys are violating my personal space bubble…not that I mind really pretty girls staring at me concerned…I could get used to this."
He saw Cynthia smirk out of the corner of her eye and bite her lip, but she said nothing.
For her part Ashley rolled her eyes at him. "Well report, what happened down there?"
"I don't know, where's the Commander?" Leighy asked with a groan as he attempted to sit up.
"She's missing Paul." Cynthia replied.
He sighed, "I figured as much."
"Well?" Ash tried to get him to continue the conversation.
He shrugged, "Afraid I don't remember much. Just some biotic owned me and I saw her and Commander Shepard engage in combat. Everything was a bit of a blur I'm afraid."
Ashley sighed, "Is there anything else you remember?"
"Well all I remember was this woman was black haired and maybe blue eyed. Nothing other than that I'm afraid."
"Alright, just get better Paul; I'm sure you'll have a role to play in the events to come yet." She gave her shoulder a slight squeeze before leaving with James in tow.
But Cynthia stayed behind pulling up a chair to sit next to his bed side. He smiled at her for a second before stretching back and getting comfortable.
Trygerisch Corporate Head quarters
Abigail Shepard's eyes fluttered open only to instantly slam shut again. She gave it another effort squinting at the light source that was hanging above her. Her eyes watered but she did not let that get to her as she battled through it.
As her senses began to return to her she nearly cried out but managed to keep it to a small whimper as her head groaned in pain, feeling as though it were being rearranged from the inside out, as if something was crawling around in there…
But that didn't stop her, she tried to move her arms, and her restraints gripped into her flesh at a more furious degree. She inclined her head moving it about the room, not finding too many details of it as her vision was still blurred. She ran her tongue over her lips and mouth…parched dry. But wait…my restraints. Moving her arms around again she tried to test it…the straps were definitely cutting into her bare flesh.
She inclined her head straight down to see her, looking down at her chest, which was now covered in a grayish bluish form fitting piece of clothing.
"My apologies for undressing you," a voice announced off to the side causing her head to snap up to look at him, "but we had to take every precaution. Have seen too many of those old Spy Vids where the secret agent produces a magic lock breaking device from the side of his underwear to make a drastic mistake. Allow me to introduce myself, Keith Faukner."
And indeed there he was, standing there; straight of posture, confident, assured of his position, gray haired, almost white even. His beard was flecked with gray and white, his blue eyes smiling down at her, but the smile of the predator.
"Ah finally, I am so happy to stand in the presence of such august company." She sneered at him straining against the restraints.
He chuckled, "Well I take it you know me? And who I am? Well you'd have to. After you raided our facility in Phoenix I could no longer take the chance. You had to be removed. But how to do it? Now that's the question? Do I just throw you away and kill you? With all you represent? Or do I try to use the strength of our greatest enemy to my advantage?"
"I will never become a Disciple of the Reapers." She spat at him.
"But can you really be sure of that? I mean," He grinned mischievously, "it had to occur to you, the question: Just why is it that so many people and so many species follow the Reapers? Where did this religion come from? How do they preach and spread the good word of the Reapers? Who is controlling this? And who in their 'right mind' would follow the Reapers? I mean after all they just waged a galactic war responsible for the extermination of millions."
"Well there is that." She acknowledged. "But I care more about the fact you seem to be a danger. Seem to have an agenda. Have been attacking me and Alliance interests. I believe in the freedom of religion…even of stupid ones…but you want to force yourself on the rest of us, that's the problem, and my chief concern."
He smirked, "Yes the big bad demons in the dark corners of society. Waiting to strike out and tear down thousands of years of false civilization. I certainly understand the fear, of what we can wrought. But come on, aren't you curious on how we can exist in the first place?"
"I'm sure I will find out some day." She said simply. "But right now I am more interested in defeating you and whatever your agenda is."
"I doubt you will want to for long," He whispered, "And yes our agenda!" He slapped his hands together. "That thing that has caused so much angst and concern when all we want to do is restore balance, the balance that you destroyed when you convinced the Reapers to commit mass suicide. For a billion years the Reapers have been Galactic Gardeners. Trimming the weeds and preventing them from getting too long, killing everything in the process. But now they are long gone, and it is up to someone else to replace them."
"Who?" Abby asked, for the first time genuinely curious.
"The human race of course. We can do it; we can be the key that restores balance. Not only for this cycle, but all cycles! The Reapers were flawed. They killed everyone off in cycles to preserve them. But we can pick and choose! Who lives and who will be of benefit to the Galaxy, and who will be a danger. Just take the Krogan for instance! With the gifts we are unlocking if they got out of hand its simple! Just kill them. Be done with them! Balance will be kept. From now till eternity. But only by those individuals and races bold enough to take that step."
"That's it? That's your sales pitch?"
"You of all people should understand the need for discipline Abigail! You are a soldier, an officer and a lady, a leader of men women, and aliens. You know that it takes order to rule and survive, to bring Hummanity and ourselves personally to the apex of evolution."
"But that order does not come out of the barrel of a gun. It comes out of free association and mutual respect!" Abby challenged. "If that is the best you have then there is no way I am following you down this path to hell!"
"But don't you see?" He asked beginning to pace. "That's just it! The politicians and the individual of other races lack the will, they are corrupt, self-interested, and a danger to themselves and others. Too few people, even among humans, are willing to do what it takes to control everyone. To bring this Galaxy to the apex."
This guy is truly insane…but it sounds…
He stopped, brought his head around to look at her, and smiled. "You think I'm insane do you?"
"I told you she'd be stubborn, willful," A voice boomed out from somewhere in the room, deep, dark, full of an unnerving assurance.
Wait…stop… that voice?...no it can't be?
Keith sighed. "I know, but I had to make sure she would see reason, I had to try. She is no good to us with her mind broken eventually she will be of no use to us."
"What they hell are you talking about?!" She screamed.
Keith looked at her curiously. "I would like to introduce you to someone Shepard. I believe you are aquatinted."
With that he moved back over to a tarp in one corner, and with that he gave it a vicious yank. Under the tarp was an orange mass of what looked like piping and folds, into the center, a solid box of undefined stuff, all twisting and snaking around one another.
"Shepard!" It spoke out, glowing internally.
Her mouth dropped open. "Harbinger?" She questioned, not quite willing to believe what she was hearing.
"You recognize me, no longer stumbling in ignorance, believing you know your enemy, yet you thought I was dead."
"But…how?"
"How can be revealed later I'm sure…you have a lot of…catching up to do." Keith sneered at her and then turned back to the Reaper fragment. "But do be gentle to her. We need a symbol and a leader of our forces. We do not need a broken husk of a woman."
"I'll be…gentle." The Reaper rumbled in response.
"I'll never give in!" She spat, but yet her head as already beginning to pulse and she had to wonder…
"Your mind is already ours Shepard, you have fought us for so long, and now at the end you will witness the rise of the Reapers, the return of our balance, and you will herald us, being the leader of our Disciples and our personal representative."
Before she could rally the will for another challenge she felt something bore into her physically knocking her head back even though it was not material, her body felt like it had caught on fire, and she screamed, white spots exploding in front of her vision as she was driven to blindness, and incoherence.