A/N: My apologies, I had hoped to have this part up last week, but, unfortunately, I had to go back to the hospital because of an arrythmia issue that my pacemaker couldn't resolve. So—after a cardiac catheter showed that I had no new blockages, they installed an upgraded pacemaker with a defibrillator. That way, if my heart decides to stop beating, I get a nice shock which has been described as being kicked in the chest by a horse. Still, better a kick to the chest and live rather then the alternative—right? Anyway, here's the next part of this story and I'm working on the next part of "Raptor" as well which I've tentatively titled "Here Monsters Lie" and stars Clone Shep and some of her team. I hope you enjoy this part—yes, I did make some changes to dialogue and story from what happened in game—I hope you don't mind! Take care everyone!
Golden World
Habitat 7
"Entering atmosphere." Fisher, Shuttle Two's pilot, announced to his passengers and the Pathfinder's shuttle.
"Copy Shuttle Two." The Pathfinder responded, his voice coming through the speakers.
"Better buckle your seatbelts back there!" Kirkland called out from the copilot's seat, "It's gonna get a little bumpy."
"A little bumpy?" Eric jibed as he grabbed a handrail.
"Told you that you ought to sit down." Greer laughed aloud with a smug look on his face.
"Bad luck." Eric responded with a frown. "After my first op went south, I promised I'd never sit down for a shuttle ride unless I absolutely had to."
"You jarheads really are superstitious." A man standing on the other side of the door joked before quickly apologizing on seeing the cross look on the younger Ryder's face. "Sorry, man. Didn't mean anything by it. Name's Liam…Liam Kosta. I was a late addition to the team. We never got a chance to be formally introduced."
"Ryder…Eric." The former spec-op commando automatically responded. "Got a problem with Marines or something?"
"What?" Liam exclaimed, "No…no! Of course not! Like I said, I'm sorry. Sometimes stuff comes out of my mouth before my mind gets in gear…that's all. I didn't mean anything bad by it."
"No harm…no foul." Eric, mollified by the other man's apology, responded in a more genial tone as the shuttle was rocked by turbulence. "Rough weather."
"Yeah." Liam responded, gasping as he pointed at a structure in the distance, "Looks like we're not alone here."
"Whoa." Eric exclaimed, mouth agape as his eyes took in the size of the structure. Activating his comm, he called out, "Shuttle One? Did you see that?"
"We saw it, Shuttle Two." The Pathfinder curtly responded, "Remember your first contact protocols everyone. No hostile action unless fired upon first."
"Understood." The younger Ryder acknowledged in an equally brusque voice, muttering in low tone, "Don't have to tell us twice."
"Lighting!" Greer shouted as the tiny shuttle, already buffeted by hurricane force winds, was struck by a powerful bolt of electric energy rendering the craft's systems inert just as a powerful gust of wind ripped the door off its hinges and shattered windows, propelling Ryder out the door.
Barely holding on, Liam yelled, "Ryder!", extending his hand in vain as another wind gust pushed Ryder away, plummeting to the surface.
"Shit!" Eric screamed as he fell to the surface, struck repeatedly by debris as he plummeted down. "SAM!" Hearing no answer to his call, the young sniper shouted again, "Goddamn jet pack's not working!" as the ground grew larger. Thinking fast, Eric managed to switch to the pack's backup system just in time for the jets to cut in, breaking his fall just enough. Landing and rolling, the former commando heard the ominous sound of air escaping as the toxic air from the planet entered his system. Moving instinctively, the young recon specialist tried his best to ignore the pain as the medigel worked to mend the internal scarring caused by the poisonous air, while he activated his omnitool's repair function, sealing the crack in his visor just in time.
Flat on his back, Eric spent several moments panting as the medigel worked to heal him. Looking up, the young man was grateful just to be alive before finally rising to his feet. Hearing a voice call his name, he turned about to see Kosta rushing up to join him.
"Damn, Ryder! You all right?"
"I'm fine." Eric responded, "Had a hard landing, but…you know what they say."
"Any landing you can walk away from." The other man answered back. "Think anyone else made it?"
"We should check." Ryder declared, "We made it. No reason to think the others didn't."
"We can hope." Liam acknowledged as the pair surveyed their immediate environment. "Not like what they promised us in the vids, is it?"
"Hmph." Eric snorted, "Golden world. Yeah. Right. Someone screwed up somewhere."
Liam quipped as he pointed at several rock formations seemingly suspended in midair. "How many planets do you know that have floating rocks on them?"
"We didn't sign up to see the routine." Ryder responded with a laugh, "Come on…let's do some reconning. See if we can find the rest of the crew."
"Not to mention your old man." Liam answered back as the pair began walking. Coming to a stop near some debris, the dark skinned young man pointed, "Looks like part of the shuttle."
Nodding his head, Eric approached the twisted wreckage, spotting what appeared to be a mostly intact console. After trying to activate it, he shook his head dejectedly, "The quantum relay's out."
"That means no SAM." Liam sighed. "Looks like we're on our own."
"We don't need SAM." Eric declared as the pair continued on their way. "While he makes life easier for us, we don't want to get too dependent on him."
"Right." The other man nodded his head in agreement. Chuckling as he saw his team leader scanning the local plant species, Liam remarked, "Thought you didn't need SAM?"
"We don't." Eric asserted, "But it still doesn't hurt to catalogue what we're seeing for him to analyze later. Like I said, SAM can be a big help to us, but that doesn't mean we should rely on him to do everything."
"I guess I see your point." Liam agreed with a nod of his head as the pair came upon rougher terrain. "Looks like we're in for a bit of climbing." He remarked pointing up at the ridge line ahead.
"Good thing the jump jets are back online." Eric chuckled as he and his partner used them to scale a small rise. "We're gonna need them for that." The recon specialist declared as he pointed to a sheer bluff. "I don't see much in the range of natural hand holds there and we didn't bring anything in the way of climbing gear."
"Yeah." Liam concurred as the pair used their jets to scale the precipice. "Thanks for the assist." He added as his partner helped him up. "Not used to much climbing."
"What did you do before joining the Initiative?" Eric asked, making conversation.
"I was a cop before I quit." Liam responded, "Tell you about it over a beer sometime."
"Okay." Eric answered back as the pair cleared a large gap thanks to their jet packs. "I'm buying."
"You're on." The other man laughed. His laughter fading, Liam pondered, "I wonder how the others are doing."
"Hopefully better than us."
Shuttle One Landing Site
"Status check!" The Pathfinder called out as he surveyed the wreck site. "Sound off!"
"Harper here." Cora at once responded, "Ready and fit for duty."
"Hayes here!" The redheaded technician shouted, "Other than a few bumps and bruises, I'm in A-1 shape."
"Carlyle reporting." Harry answered back, "I'm doing triage. We've got two fatalities." He reported somberly.
"Who?"
"Jeffers and Malik." The doctor replied, "Our pilot and copilot."
"Shit." Alec swore under his breath. "Did they have family?"
"Malik did." Harry glumly responded. "A wife and child in stasis. How do you break the news to a wife and child when they come out of stasis that their father's gone?"
"Yeah." The Pathfinder agreed, heaving a dejected sigh. "To come all this way…" Taking a deep breath, the former N7 forcing himself to return to the task at hand, motioned for Harper to join him. As the blonde biotic approached, Alec surveyed his immediate environment. "This looks like a good base. Easily defensible should there be any hostile wildlife."
"Or hostile aliens." Harper grimly interjected.
"Let's hope not." Alec grinned back in an effort to ease the tension. "I don't think any of us came here hoping to get into a war. I'm going to do some reconnoitering and see if I can find any of our missing people. If…"
"If Eric or any of the others come here, I'll let you know." Cora assured, "Don't worry, Sir. We'll take care of them and leave a light out for you."
"I know you will." The Pathfinder replied. "Be back soon."
Eric and Liam
"More debris." Liam sourly noted as the pair spotted yet more scattered wreckage. "It's not looking good."
"No…" Eric let out a breath as he shook his head, "…it isn't." Hearing commands being uttered in an alien guttural language, the recon specialist froze in place, holding his hand up in warning as his partner nodded silently in understanding. Gesturing towards the sounds, Eric and Liam both crept up silently, halting as they observed two aliens carrying weapons, obviously searching for someone near what both men quickly recognized as the forward section of their shuttle.
"Think Fisher or one or more of the others might be there?" Liam whispered as he drew closer to his teammate.
"Safe bet." Eric responded.
"How do you want to play this?" Liam inquired as he cradled his rifle.
Drawing his Hurricane SMG, the former spec op commando replied, "Follow protocol, but if it looks like it's going to go bad…"
"Right." The former cop agreed with a single nod of his head. "Let's do this."
"Cover me and be ready." Eric commanded as he slowly walked towards the aliens, his weapon drawn, but not pointed at them while his other hand hovered near the button that activated his cloak. Addressing the aliens, he called out, "We come in peace."
Acting on instinct as he saw the first alien leveling his rifle at him, the former Alliance marine activated his cloak and dived behind cover as his companion opened fire with his Avenger, hitting the alien square in the chest. As the other alien dived for cover, Eric fired, hitting his target.
Emerging from cover, the pair heard a voice faintly call out to them. "Fisher?" Eric responded, at once recognizing the pilot's voice, "You okay?"
"I'm alive." Fisher responded as the pair approached him, "Thank God you got here. They almost had me."
"We weren't going to let that happen." Liam declared as he knelt down next to the wounded crewman.
"You up to travel?" Eric asked as he carefully scanned the immediate area both visually and with his scanner while his teammate attended to their injured comrade.
"I don't think so." Fisher replied as he tried and failed to get up from the ground. "I think I might have broken my leg."
"You didn't break it." Liam said in a placating tone of voice before addressing both Fisher and Ryder, "But it is a bad sprain. You might also have some other injuries." Turning to Eric, the former cop advised, "Probably be a bad idea for him to travel. Doubt he could keep up and moving might make his injuries worse."
"Good point." Eric agreed as he spotted what looked like a secure spot for their hurt teammate to hunker down. Spotting a flat section of shuttle debris, the recon specialist suggested as he pointed at the wreckage. "We can use that as a makeshift litter and carry Fisher over there…" He pointed to the safe spot he had found. "We'll leave you some water and rations and a pistol. You should be okay there if you lie low and stay quiet."
"Wasn't planning on throwing any wild parties." Fisher chuckled.
"I'll see if I can get Maia to hook you up with a friend of hers when we get back to the ship." Eric bantered as he and Liam carefully helped their wounded teammate on to their makeshift stretcher and then carried him to the sheltered outcropping. Placing a pistol in their friend's hand, Ryder clasped him on the shoulder. "Stay cool, Fisher and we'll be back for you."
"You better." Fisher grinned, "I want to meet that friend of Maia's."
"It's a date." Eric laughed as he spied one of the alien corpses. Kneeling next to it, the recon specialist scanned it into his database with his omnitool.
"Seen anything like them before?" Liam asked as he looked warily about the area.
"Nope." Ryder shook his head. "Bony exterior acts as a partial armor. Well-muscled…it's like they were bred to fight."
"Shit." Liam swore as the pair moved off. "Think there's more of them?"
"I'd almost guarantee it." Eric responded grimly as he hefted his sniper rifle. "Better be ready. I've got a feeling we're gonna need our weapons a lot more before the day's through."
"Yeah…" Liam answered back as he loaded a fresh thermal clip, "I was afraid you were gonna say that."
Alec Ryder
"One thing's clear." The former N7 smirked in satisfaction as he saw one of the larger alien soldiers go down to the concentrated incendiary fire from his Valkyrie. "They don't like fire. Stubborn bastards though." He noted with concern.
"Agreed, Pathfinder." SAM replied through the pair's private channel. "These aliens do pose a significant threat."
"Were you able to determine anything from the scans I just made?" Alec inquired as he scanned more data into his omnitool.
"Not at this time." The AI responded with what seemed to be a note of regret in its voice. "My ability to conduct analysis is limited at this time due to environmental conditions. I will need more evidence before being able to render an assessment."
"Are you able to patch me through to any of the other teams?" Ryder inquired as he made another visual scan of the area.
"I am sorry, Alec." SAM answered back, "The interference is still too strong. I am…however…working on a possible method to fix it. I will keep you updated as to my progress."
Taking a deep breath as he loaded a fresh thermal clip into his rifle, the Pathfinder commented as he eyed the strange alien constructs in the distance, "That strange building over there might have some useful information." Smirking, the grizzled veteran quipped to his AI symbiote, "Only one way for us to find out. SAM, activate Infiltrator profile. We've got some ruins to investigate."
Eric and Liam
"Fuck them!" Liam snarled as he looked down on Kirkland's lifeless body. "Kill them all!"
"Easy there." Eric said in a soothing voice, "You gotta keep your cool." The sniper declared as he quickly raised his Black Widow and, after sighting in one of the aliens moving up on them, quickly dispatched it with a single shot. "Greer's still out there. Maybe they haven't gotten to him yet."
"Then we better get to him first." Liam declared as he loaded a fresh clip into his rifle.
"My thoughts exactly."
Cora and the others
"Did you catch that?" Hayes pointed to the rocks on the other side of a narrow crevasse. "I thought I saw something move."
"Yeah…I saw it too." Cora affirmed before calling out to the doctor. "Harry? How are you doing?"
"Fine." The doctor responded.
"Good." The former huntress replied as she motioned for him to join her and the other still standing member of their shuttle crew. "We're being scouted. I need you and Hayes to help me set up a barricade."
"I think I can spare a few moments to give you hand with some heavy lifting." Carlyle joked.
"Good." Cora nodded and then gave instructions, "I figure we can use some of these containers and debris as a makeshift wall. Hopefully, if we're attacked, that'll buy us the time we need until Alec or someone else comes to help."
"On it." Hayes acknowledged as she went to work.
"Pioneer medicine." Harry quipped as he assisted the redheaded tech in moving a shipping container into position. "One moment you're a doctor, the next a combat engineer."
"Welcome to Heleus." Cora bantered back as she moved a piece of wreckage into position next to the container. Nodding her head in satisfaction, she remarked, "It won't be the Great Wall of China, but it should get the job done. If whatever those aliens are…are determined enough to get through this, we're dead anyway."
Eric and Liam
"Look!" Liam called out as he started forward, "The other part of the shuttle. Let's check it out."
"Careful, Liam." Eric replied in a low voice as he raised his rifle and carefully scanned the area, paying special attention to potential hiding spots for ambushers. "I've got a bad feeling about this."
"We gotta take the risk." The ex-cop insisted, "There might be something worthwhile there. Or if not…something we don't want the aliens to have."
"Good point." The younger Ryder sighed, "All right. I'll cover you from that sniper's perch over there. Give me a minute to set up and then you can go up and scout it out. If it's all clear, signal me, and I'll join you."
"In other words…" Liam grumbled, "I'm the decoy."
"You're the one who wants to look it over." Eric countered, then let out a breath of air as he put away his sniper rifle and took out his Hurricane. "But…if you insist, I'll go first. Stay back here and cover me."
Chagrined, Kosta nodded his head in acknowledgement as he readied his weapon. "All right. I've got your six."
"You better." Eric muttered under his breath as he slowly made his way towards the shuttle wreckage. Spotting movement behind the cover of a rock formation, the recon specialist growled as he activated his cloak, just in time to evade the ambushing aliens. "Figures."
"Ambush!" Liam called out as he fired his rifle, taking down two of the assailants. "You okay?"
Killing a pair of hiding aliens with his omniblades as he emerged from cloak, Eric answered back, "Fine. Watch your left. They're trying to flank you."
"Got 'em!" Kosta shouted back as he sprayed a burst from his assault rifle at the charging aliens. "Look out yourself!"
"Thanks." Ryder answered back as he engaged his cloak and dodged, just in time to avoid a blow from a cloaked alien animal. Lashing out again with his omniblades, the former commando severed the creature's head. "Watch yourself. Their dogs have cloaks."
"Shit." Liam swore as he fired another burst from his rifle, bringing the last of their attackers down. "What did we blunder into?" The former cop pondered as he and his partner carefully surveilled the crash site. "Everything's trying to kill us here."
"Good question." Eric replied as he picked up an object lying amongst the strewn debris. "Flight recorder." The recon specialist explained as he hit the play button. Listening to the recording, the former commando scowled, "This isn't telling us anything new. You find anything worthwhile?"
"Some thermal clips, medigel, and rations." Liam responded with a slight smile on his face, "Those could come in handy."
"Bring 'em." Eric commanded as he surveyed the environment with his scanner and his eyes.
"Told you we might find something useful." Liam quipped while also gently chiding his partner.
"Almost got one or both of us killed in the process." Eric responded in a somewhat snarky tone before letting out a breath of air and admitting in a more conciliatory voice, "But yes…in this case, you were right. The reward was worth the risk. Good call."
"Thanks." Liam responded to the somewhat grudgingly given praise, "I think. So…where next?"
Again surveying the area, the recon specialist replied, pointing his finger in the general direction of a rock formation. "Over there. I thought I saw something that looked like the mouth of a cave. If it is a cave, then Greer might have decided to duck in there for shelter."
"Good idea." Liam remarked, "Let's check it out."
Alec Ryder
"These ruins are old, SAM." Alec noted as he scanned the data into his omnitool for future processing, "I'd say several hundred years at least. I've never seen writing or glyphs like that before either." The Pathfinder noted was he continued his scan, looking down at the inert constructs strewn about the area. "And then there are the robots. What are they? Who built them? And why? What is the purpose of this place?"
"All good questions, Pathfinder." The AI replied through their private channel.
"Yeah…" The former N7 quipped, a crooked grin appearing on his face, "We're collecting a lot of questions. Now, it's time for us to find some answers."
Eric and Liam
"Weird cave." Liam muttered as the pair exited the cavern through an opening on the other side. "Some hope though…that tree still living, I mean." The former cop asked his companion as the pair carefully made their way down a trail towards an alien building. "Maybe whatever is affecting this planet's atmosphere can be fixed?"
"Maybe." Eric conceded as the pair carefully approached the building, "We're going to need to learn a whole lot more first. Like…who built that and why is it here?"
"Why don't we find out?" Liam grinned.
"Good idea." Eric smirked back, "Let's go."
Hyperion—the human ark
"We've recovered ninety percent functionality." Moishe Dillon, Captain Dunn's executive officer reported. "Engines are back online, although we're still working on the ODYSY drive. Kristof says he should have that back up in approximately twelve hours."
"Good." Nozomi responded with a single nod of her head. "What about cryo?"
"Dr. T'Perro reports that the stasis pods are all working properly and that all casualties are improving."
"I'm going to put you in for a pay raise, Moishe if you keep giving me good news like that." Dunn teased. Her laughter quickly faded, the captain then inquired, "Still no word from the Pathfinder or his team?"
"I'm sorry, Nozomi." The executive officer replied with a shake of his head, "But…look at it this way…we haven't heard anything bad yet either. There's still plenty of time before you have to make the call on staying and risking Habitat Seven or jumping to the Zheng He system to find the Nexus."
"Thanks, Moishe." Dunn replied, her lips turning up in a warm smile as she gratefully took the cup of coffee her XO handed her. "We might make it through this yet."
Eric and Liam
"Looks like lightning got the aliens too." Liam growled as he gestured with his rifle at two charred alien corpses lying on the floor of the building the pair had just entered.
"Yeah." Ryder nodded his head as he began scanning the different machines in the facility. "At least the weather isn't playing favorites."
"Good to know." Kosta bantered back, "More recon specialist stuff?"
"You could say that." Eric chuckled as he continued his scans. "They could prove useful once we get SAM back and we upload them into him."
"Good point." Liam nodded as the pair explored the structure. "So…what do you think was its purpose?"
"Maybe something having to do with the weather?" Eric speculated as he pointed to one of the alien bodies, "Whatever it does has their interest too."
"Yeah." Liam agreed, "I've noticed that wherever we see these ruins we see them. But it doesn't look like lightning got him."
"No, it doesn't." Eric replied as he noticed movement out of the corner of his eyes. Reacting quickly, the recon specialist activated an overload protocol from his omnitool while simultaneously firing with his Hurricane, bringing down the robot that had suddenly activated.
"Damn." Liam scowled, "Now the robots here are trying to kill us."
"I don't think it was personal." Eric responded as he inclined his head to a ruined console. "It looks like it had a defense protocol that activated whenever it spotted any movement near that."
"I wonder what it's purpose was?" Liam pondered as his teammate motioned towards the door.
"Time enough for that later." Eric declared, "We still need to find Greer and link up with Cora and the others."
"Right." Liam nodded his head in assent, "Let's go."
Exiting the building, the former crisis responder called out as he saw movement in the rocks, "Cover!"
"See 'em!" Eric shouted back as he dived for cover. Activating his cloak, he sighted in on a shimmering form with his sniper rifle. Squeezing off a round, he let out a breath of air as he cautioned, "Careful. They've got more of those cloaked critters."
"I know!" Liam responded as he emptied his thermal clip into another of the animals that had nearly grappled him. "That one almost got me."
"You lay down fire and I'll snipe 'em off." Eric instructed as he picked off one of the aliens with a well-aimed head shot.
After a brief, but furious firefight, Liam smiled broadly as the last of the aliens fell. "Bet you're glad we risked that shuttle crash now, Ryder."
"Don't press your luck, Kosta." Eric responded in a tone that was half joking, half warning. "I said you were right at the time."
"Yeah." A more crestfallen Liam replied as the pair made their way down what was obviously a crude trail, "I'm sorry."
"No harm…no foul." Eric responded as he pointed up towards what was obviously a signal. "Might be Cora or my Dad."
"Could be." Liam agreed.
"I've entered the probable location into my omnitool." The recon specialist announced, adding on a thoughtful note, "I think we should still look for Greer though."
"Right." Liam responded affirmatively, "There's a pathway that branches off over there…" He pointed, "Maybe he went that way?"
"Worth taking a look." Ryder answered back, "Let's check it out."
Cora's Team
"Big risk you just took." Carlyle commented as he looked up at the signal flares his comrade had just launched into the day sky. "If our people can see those…"
"The aliens can too." Cora grimly replied, nodding her head in acknowledgement. "I know. But we really don't have a choice. Leaving out the fact that the aliens already know we're here, we need to let any of our people who might have survived know that we're okay and where we are."
"Yeah." The doctor agreed, "You're right. Not like we have a whole lot of options anyway. We're not getting off this rock without help."
"One thing at a time, Harry." Cora grinned back, "First we get all our people together and survive the day. Then we look for a way off."
"Sooner would be better than later." The doctor grumbled, "I figure we've got a week's worth of rations—tops."
Shaking her head, the former huntress remarked, lowering her voice so that their other teammate, Hayes, could not hear, "We're not going to starve or die of thirst, Harry. Either the aliens or the weather will get us first if we don't find a way off this rock in one…two days tops."
"Here's hoping Alec finds us a way off." Harry replied as he handed his cohort a tube of nutrient paste. "Here…you need to keep your strength up. You've got first watch."
"Thanks." Cora smiled back before calling out to the team technician. "Hayes? Any luck fixing the comms?"
"Getting there." The redheaded engineer responded, "I should be able to restore comms in a few hours."
"Great." Cora called back, "Let me know when we're back online!" Turning back to the grumpy doctor, the former huntress grinned, "Well…at least we've got one bit of good news."
Eric and Liam
"Hear that?" Liam muttered to his companion on hearing a series of taps coming from his comm.
"Yeah." Eric replied, "Morse code."
"SOS." Liam agreed, "Gotta be Greer and he's in trouble. Signal's getting stronger."
"It's coming from in there." Eric declared, pointing to the entrance of a small cavern. "Move up, but be careful…I don't like the look of those puddles."
"Right." Liam responded as he advanced further into the cavern with the recon specialist now taking point. "I got your back."
Advancing closer, Eric paused, hiding in the shadows as he saw Greer with two of the aliens, both pointing weapons at him while uttering something incomprehensible in their guttural language. Taking cover, Eric raised his hand on hearing his partner's silent approach. Motioning for Liam to take cover in a flanking position, the recon specialist quietly listened while simultaneously aiming his sniper rifle at the lead alien.
"I can't understand you." Greer moaned while also tapping his chest in a seemingly innocent gesture. "What do you want?"
Seeing the aliens both preparing to fire at their prisoner, Eric, activating his cloak, got in the first shot, hitting the leader in the head. Firing quickly before emerging from cloak, the sniper scored another hit, taking out the other alien, just as his partner killed a pair of aliens who had remained hidden on the flank.
"You okay, Greer?" Eric asked as he and Liam approached their teammate.
"Yeah." The dark-skinned technician replied, "I guess. Thanks, Ryder. I thought I was done for. Ummm…what about the others? Fisher? Kirkland? Are they…"
"Fisher's got a bad sprain and some bruises and contusions, but he's okay otherwise." Eric responded, "He's back at the crash site."
"And Kirkland?" Greer asked, his voice hitching slightly.
"I'm sorry, Greer." Liam said in a gentle, consoling, voice, "He didn't make it. Those bastards killed him."
"I…see…" Greer stammered, barely repressing a sob. "Kirkland and I…we were best buds. Know what I mean?"
Eric nodded his head sympathetically, "I know. Look…you gonna be okay?"
"Yeah." Greer nodded his head, "I'll be fine. I'll scrounge around for some supplies here and circle back over to Fisher—if that's okay with you?"
"Sounds like a plan." Eric agreed, realizing at once that Greer, in his present state, would be useless in a fight. "Fisher could probably really use the company. When we contact the others, we'll come back and get both of you."
"Thanks, Ryder." Greer responded in a low voice, "I'll get those supplies and get over to him. You two take care of yourselves. Those aliens are playing for keeps."
As the pair exited the cavern, Liam spoke to the recon specialist walking next to him. "Seen it before…this is gonna be with him for a long time."
Eric replied with a nod of his head, "Yeah. I've seen it too. Kirkland and Greer weren't even Alliance military. Neither one of them were trained for combat. They should never have been put in this situation to begin with."
"Can't second guess now." Liam responded with a grimace, knowing that the former commando next to him was also talking about him and Hayes. "Gotta go with what we've got."
"Adapt. Improvise. Improve." Eric agreed, reciting the Marine mantra. "We're in stage one right now. We're adapting. Items two and three will have to wait until we link up with the others and get off this rock." Pointing in the direction the flares came from, the recon specialist commanded, "Let's move out."
Alec
"I would estimate the odds of a successful solo infiltration of the facility to be less than five percent." SAM declared through the private channel the AI shared with the human silently observing the patrol routes of the alien soldiers.
"That's what I like most about you, SAM." Alec Ryder chuckled softly, "You're always full of good news."
"I was not aware that the high probability of you being killed in a forlorn hope was 'good news', Alec?"
"Are you being ironic, SAM?" Ryder smoothly riposted. His laughter fading away, the Pathfinder explained, "Don't worry, SAM, I don't have any plans to go in there alone—not unless there's no other choice."
"I am pleased to hear that." SAM replied, "I have also completed the calculations you have asked me to do earlier. Assuming that Lieutenant Harper or someone else can repair the shuttle's quantum entanglement system, I should then be able to restore communications with any landing team survivors as well as the Hyperion."
"Very good SAM." Alec nodded his head thoughtfully as he continued his careful reconnaissance of the alien base. His lips turning up in a slight grin as he saw one of the barrier lightning rods absorb a bolt of lightning, the Pathfinder declared, "I think I know how we can even the odds some if we do have to go in."
"Agreed, Pathfinder." The AI concurred. "Bringing down the barrier will increase the odds of success from five percent to ten percent."
"Five percent improvement." Alec grinned, "I'll take it."
Shuttle One Wreck Site
"Here they come!" Cora shouted as an alien shuttle hovered near the rocks, dropping off a squad of the strange beings who at once opened fire on the encircled humans. Her reflexes taking charge, the former huntress charged the closest alien, further stunning him with a nova before finally bringing him down with a blast from her shotgun. Feeling the impact of the aliens' plasma rounds on her barrier, Cora again charged, repeating what she had done previously until eventually she made it to cover, out of breath.
"Stim." Carlyle explained as he injected a drug through one of the commando's hardsuit ports. "You need to keep your strength up."
"Thanks, Harry." Cora replied before calling out to her other teammate. "Hayes? How you holding out?"
"Almost done with the comm unit." The technician shouted back, "Give me another five minutes and I'll have it."
Seeing more shuttles on approach, Harper yelled, "You've got two. We've got more incoming!"
"I'm getting a transmission!" Liam called out as the pair made their way up a hill, "Lots of static."
"Alec…Eric…anyone who can hear."
"Sounds like Cora." Eric declared as a look of alarm crossed his face, "She's in trouble."
"Aliens…they're attacking. Lots of them. Don't think we can hold them off this time."
"You heard the lady!" Eric growled, gesturing for his partner to move up. "Time to hoof it!"
"Right behind you!"
Advancing, the two men at once saw how desperate the situation was for their trapped comrades. Watching as Cora charged into one of the aliens, Eric at once spotted another alien lining up a kill shot on the fatigued biotic. Without thinking the former sniper aimed his rifle and fired, bringing down the alien just as he was about to the pull the trigger.
Turning toward the direction of the rifle shot, Cora managed a half-hearted wave as her voice came through the comms. "Glad you could join the party, Eric!"
"Looks like you've got a problem with crashers." Ryder joked back as he fired at another alien.
"Think you could help us convince 'em to move on?"
"I think we can do that." Eric responded with a laugh. "Hit 'em hard and fast, Liam and no letting up."
"Don't have to tell me twice." Kosta growled as he lobbed a grenade at an alien fireteam lurking in cover, following it up with a burst from his rifle.
Moments later, the aliens fell back, the sudden attack on their flank throwing them temporarily off balance. As he and Liam approached the camp, Cora rushed up to greet them. "Good to see you, Ryder."
"You too, Harper." Eric answered back with a grin before querying further, "Where's the Old Man?"
"Off doing recon." Cora replied as she motioned to a container. "We've got spare ammo, gear, and rations. Might want to stock up before they come back."
"Good idea." The younger Ryder agreed as he loaded up on thermal clips and sucked down the nutrient paste from the tube that he attached to his helmet. "That stuff still tastes like shit." He grimaced as his companions laughed.
"We don't get off this rock, that's all we'll be eating." Cora quipped as Hayes called out.
"I think I've…"
"They're coming!" Harry called out in alarm as a pair of alien shuttles appeared.
"Right everyone!" Cora shouted, "Breaktime's over. We've got work to do."
Spotting an ideal sniper's perch, Eric announced, "I'll set up over here."
As the shuttles disgorged their cargo, Liam yelled, "Here they come!"
As the last of the aliens fell, Dr. Carlyle cried out, "Harper…Ryder…over here! Haye's has been hit!"
"How bad?" Eric inquired as he and the others rushed over.
"She took one to the gut that got through her armor." Harry reported, "But thankfully, the hardsuit's sealing system kicked in and resealed the opening. I'm injecting some more medigel to supplement the suit's and also something to clear up any of the toxins that might have gotten in. She'll be okay…for now. But we need to get her back to the Hyperion's medbay stat."
"Gotcha, Doc." Ryder acknowledged as a new problem presented itself. Turning about at the sound of weapons fire, the pair paused at the sight of a now nearly berserk Liam emptying the magazine of his rifle at one of the dead aliens.
"Enough, Liam!" Cora shouted as she rushed up to her teammate, "It's dead."
"Liam…let it rest." Eric, joining his friends, interjected in a calming tone of voice, "All you're doing now is making hamburger and wasting ammo. Ammo that we might need later."
"Bastards!" Liam huffed out of breath as he loaded a fresh clip, "Killed Kirkland. Tried to kill us."
"You're not helping anyone losing your cool like that." Eric admonished as Cora looked on approvingly. "Walk away…take a few moments and breathe." Sensing the ex-cop's reluctance to heed his suggestion, the former Marine lieutenant adding a slight edge to his voice, turned that request into a command. "Now."
"Bastards!" Liam muttered under his breath, grudgingly complying with his companion's command, "Fucking bastards." Moments later, after the ex-crisis responder had cooled down, he rejoined his teammates, "Look…guys…I'm sorry about just then. It's just that…Fisher…Kirkland…Hayes…"
"Listen, Liam." Eric replied, again taking on a soothing tone, "You can't let your anger get the better of you out here. That's a good way to get yourself and your teammates killed. There's a time to get pissed off and a time to cool down. Now's the time to cool down."
"It's okay. I'm all right now." Kosta responded, heaving a sigh as static crackled through their comms, and then Alec Ryder's voice.
"Ryder to Harper. Are you there, Cora? Did anyone from any of the other teams make it to you?"
"I'm here, Sir." Cora crisply responded, "Eric and Liam made it. Fisher and Greer are back at the wreckage for Shuttle 2. Fisher's injured. Hayes is also injured, Doc. Carlyle's with her."
"I don't have a lot of time." The Pathfinder declared, "Meet me at these coordinates as soon as possible."
"Aye, Sir." Cora acknowledged before querying. "Did you find something?"
"You might say that." The faintest hints of a chuckle came from the comm's speaker. "I'll fill you in at the rendezvous. Have to go now. Got party crashers."
"I have created a navpoint and we have restored communications with the Hyperion." SAM reported through the comm. "Captain Dunn states that she has shuttles ready for a pickup, but that at present they cannot safely enter the planet's atmosphere."
"Good to hear from you, SAM." Eric exclaimed as Cora turned to Dr. Carlyle.
"You got everything covered here, Harry?"
"Yeah." The doctor responded, "I got this. Now, go."
"Right." Cora pointed in the direction of the rendezvous. "That's where we've gotta go. Let's move out."
"Damn!" Liam cursed as a bolt of lightning barely missed, temporarily staggering him. "Is it my imagination or has the weather gotten worse?"
"It's not your imagination." Eric replied as they reached one of the alien base camps. Commenting on the dead bodies lying on the ground, the former commando quipped, "Looks like Dad's been here."
"Yeah." Liam concurred, "I know we didn't do it. See…they were killed by incendiary rounds."
"He's an N7." Cora commented dryly. "They don't play around."
Nodding his head in agreement as the team cleared the area and reached a sheer cliff, Eric bantered back, "Yeah. The aliens are finding that out the hard way." Looking up the cliff face, the recon specialist announced, "The rendezvous point's up there. We're gonna have to jump it." Readying his SMG, he cautioned, "Go in expecting it to be hot."
"Right." Cora, the other military veteran on the team, agreed as she charged her shotgun with a fresh clip.
"Ready when you are." Liam declared, readying his Avenger.
"On three. Now!"
Smirking as he stood amidst four of the aliens lying dead at his feet, Alec Ryder quipped as he saw his son, accompanied by Cora and Liam, appearing at the cliff's edge, weapons charged and ready for combat, "Welcome to the party."
"Looks like you got started without us." Eric joked back as he inclined his head at the dead aliens. "They killed Kirkland. Almost got Fisher and Greer."
"I wonder why they're here?" Cora pondered as she and her friends approached their leader.
"I think it has something to do with those ruins we've been running into." Eric speculated as a sly grin appeared on his father's face.
"Interesting conclusion." Alec commented as he motioned for his team to accompany him. "What's your evidence?"
"First…" Eric answered back, his original good humor now replaced by a scowl, "…was the fact that we ran into those things wherever we encountered ruins."
"Could be merely coincidence." The Pathfinder countered, "Anything else?"
"Yes." The younger Ryder responded, "We scanned what appeared to be instrument panels and audio recordings in an alien language that seem to be scientific notes."
"Very good." The Pathfinder grinned as he led his team to a precipice on the other side overlooking a giant alien base apparently built to study a large structure.
"What?" Eric growled, "You didn't think I'd do my job? This isn't my first rodeo, you know."
"I know." Alec responded in a placating tone of voice. "Besides the training I gave you, I know for a fact that both you and your sister were trained by the best the Alliance has to offer. I also know that you've done your share of ops. But this time's different. This time you were going into the truly unknown. You never know how someone's going to react to that until it happens."
As father and son talked quietly with each other, Liam nudged the woman kneeling next to him. "What's the story on those two?" The former cop inquired, his curiosity getting the better of him.
"It's…complicated." Cora laconically responded, closing the subject with a curt admonition. "Leave it at that."
"All right." Kosta grumbled, "Whatever."
Seeing that the two Ryders had finished their conversation, Cora prodded the man next to her, "They've finished. We can join them now." Approaching the Pathfinder, the former huntress seeing the alien base, inquired, "That our objective?"
"That's it." The Pathfinder confirmed.
"Doesn't look good." Harper remarked, "Resistance is going to be heavy."
"Not to mention the lightning and that barrier." Liam complained. "If the aliens don't get us, the weather will."
"Odds of success currently stand at fifteen percent." SAM declared through everyone's comms.
"Then we're going to have to do something to improve those odds." Alec said as he tapped on his omnitool.
"Let me guess…" Eric smirked, "You rigged a little surprise for our friends."
"You might say that." The Pathfinder grinned.
"That will bring the odds of success up to twenty percent." SAM announced without a hint of irony in his voice.
"Thanks, SAM" Eric replied with a snort, "You missed your calling. You should have been a bookie."
The Pathfinder, his expression deadly serious, issued orders in a level tone of voice. "When that barrier goes down go and don't stop until we get to our destination. Don't get bogged down in any firefights and don't worry about your flanks. Just keep pressing forward. Got it?"
"Yes, Sir!"
"Now, SAM!"
"We don't have much time." Alec urged as he motioned for his son and the rest of the recon team to join him at a large door. "We have to get this door open before the aliens regroup and make another push."
"Right." Eric agreed as he bent down to give his father an assist while Cora and Liam watched for the aliens. "By the way…" the recon specialist queried as father and son managed to force the door open, "…how did you do all that shit you were doing? I don't remember you being a biotic or much of a tech for that matter."
"A little something extra having to do with SAM." Alec cagily responded as the pair stepped into the cavernous alien chamber. His eyes taking in every sight as he gasped in wonder, the Pathfinder remarked to his son, "Makes it all worth it…doesn't it?"
"Yeah." Eric agreed in a hushed tone as the pair walked towards what appeared to be a triangular shaped console with strange glyphs on it. "It does." Upon reaching the console, the recon specialist turned to his father and queried, "What now?"
"Now…we talk. Hopefully, with whoever or whatever made this place." Alec responded as he activated his omnitool and passed it over the console.
"Are you sure that's such a good idea, Dad." Eric cautioned, "First…who says there's anyone or anything on the other side to listen or who wants to listen. And second…everything on this planet has been trying to kill us."
"We've got to start somewhere, Son." The Pathfinder responded, his voice echoing his sincerity. "Yes…we came here looking for a place to live. But we're also here to learn and discover. Now's our chance."
"If you say so." Eric responded dubiously as his father, raising his arm, commanded in a clear voice.
"SAM. Are you ready?"
"Yes." The AI responded before cautioning, "Are you sure you wish to do this?"
"It's our only option." Alec answered back, "Carry out Protocol Ryder One."
"Carrying out protocol."
Watching as his father's omnitool glowed, Eric gasped as he saw the transfer of energy to the alien console which suddenly sprang into life. "What the hell's happening?" The former Marine exclaimed as the chamber was now suffused by a dim yellowish-orange light.
"The weather!" Cora called out from the entrance, "It's clearing!"
"Don't know what you did…" Liam exclaimed, "But it's working! The lightning's stopped!"
"What just happened, Dad?" Eric asked as he turned to his father, his expression a mixture of shock and astonishment.
Laughing, the older man clasped his son on the shoulder and squeezed, "Looks like we made first contact with the unknown, Son."
"You did it, Dad." Eric, appreciating the opportunity to see this rarely shown other side of his father's soul, remarked as the pair exited the chamber, a smile appearing on his face as well. "You proved that we could go all this way out and make it."
"I think we should give SAM a little credit too, Son." Alec smiled back as the ground shook at their feet and a red light filled the room they had come from. Glancing back, the Pathfinder shouted as he saw the cloud rushing towards them, "Move!"
Eric, his eyes widening, cried out before being thrown, along with his father, off the platform, "Shit!"
Ark Hyperion
"We're receiving a message from the planet's surface." The ark's communications tech called out from her station. "It's from the Pathfinder team. They're requesting assistance." She exclaimed, "Shuttles destroyed on landing…hostile aliens… injured crew…Pathfinder…dead."
"Shit." Captain Dunn swore under her breath, feeling a momentary pang in her heart for the loss of the Pathfinder and the others on his team. Quickly regaining her composure, Nozomi inquired, "Have the weather conditions improved? I can't risk any other shuttles or people if they're going to have to fly through the same shit the earlier team went through."
"Weather has improved." An officer manning a sensors console reported. "Relief shuttles should be able to enter and leave atmo safely now."
"Launch the relief shuttles." The captain ordered, "Get our people out of there. Now!"
"Shuttles launching. ETA three minutes."
Hyperion
"How is he, Doc?" Cora exclaimed as the shuttle landed.
"We'll take care of him, Cora." Dr. Carlyle responded gently as Dr. T'Perro arrived with several med techs and stretcher bearers.
"Keep you hands off me!" Cora snapped as one of the medtechs tried to lead the former huntress away. "I'm not leaving until I know Eric's going to be okay."
"Doctors T'Perro and Carlyle." SAM announced, his voice coming through the doctors' comm units. "Alec Ryder has transferred the Pathfinder protocols to his son. You must bring him to SAM Node immediately to complete the process. His continued survival depends on it."
"Alec did what?" Lexi cried out in astonishment as a stunned Cora stood listening with mouth agape.
"When did this happen?" The astounded blonde gasped as feelings of hurt and betrayal washed over her.
"The transfer took place on Habitat Seven." SAM clinically responded, "Eric's helmet visor had shattered and could not be repaired so Alec took off his helmet and…"
"Gave it to Eric." Cora finished in a somber tone.
"Alec transferred the protocols before he died, Lieutenant Harper." SAM announced in what almost seemed a conciliatory tone. "He did not intend to…"
"You don't have to finish, Sam." Cora interrupted, cutting the AI off before it could finish its statement. "I…understand."
"It is necessary to get Eric to SAM Node immediately." SAM reiterated, stressing the need for haste. "The window of time to successfully complete the transfer is narrowing."
"You heard the AI!" Harry exclaimed, "Get Eric to SAM Node—stat!"
SAM Node
"You're not helping him, Cora." Liam said softly as he gingerly placed his hand on her shoulder, "Let the doctors do their thing…okay?" Glancing back at the shrouded figure being carried on a stretcher, the former crisis responder advised, "We got other stuff we've gotta take care of."
"Yeah." The former huntress took a deep breath, repeating the exercises she learned from her idol, Sarissa's, training manual. "Breathe…release…breathe." Rallying herself, the temporary leader of the Pathfinder team declared, "I need to see Captain Dunn and deliver my report. Keep an eye on things here, Liam."
"Will do." Kosta responded, watching as the blonde biotic reluctantly turned away and strode towards the exit.
"I understand you've had some medical training." Carlyle called out, motioning for Liam to join him.
"Yeah, Doc." Liam answered back, "Just field medicine though. Emergency first aid and all. I'm no nurse or medtech."
"Don't need you to be." Harry replied as he pointed to where Fisher and Greer were being treated. "I need you to go over there and give that medtech a hand while we take care of Eric."
"On it, Doc." Liam at once responded, making his way to his injured friends just as Lexi called out for the other doctor's attention.
"He's going into cardiac arrest." One of the medtechs monitoring Eric called out in alarm. Moving quickly, Harry and Lexi tried everything they could to restore the injured man's heartbeat with no success until Harry, taking a deep breath and exhaling, bitterly declared, "We've lost him, Lexi."
"Not necessarily." The asari physician responded as she pointed to their patient's brainwave patterns. "See…there's still activity."
"It's very low." Harry shook his head dejectedly. "Once we disconnect him from the machines, we'll lose that too."
"Doctors T'Perro and Carlyle."