Chapter 23
Two weeks on a civilian transport. Two weeks! It's as if I were stuck on a human ship from the 2150s. If that ship had made a pit stop on Korlus it would've been processed into scrap faster than anyone could explain that it was still (laughably in my opinion) in service.
And as if that weren't bad enough the quarters were cramped and the accommodation atrocious. Every room on board had about six bunks and twelve occupants. We'd been crammed into this tin can like sardines for a journey that just never seemed to end. My traveling companions didn't improve the situation much either.
The Colonel is keeping his distance, which is fine by me but he hasn't walked away altogether. Always hanging just on the periphery I get the impression he still wants to stick around, at least for protection. I'm not sure I know how to deal with him at this point. Part of me would like to kick him to the curb and part ways as soon as possible, but I haven't even spoken to him yet, let alone tried to drive him away.
Nalar on the other hand also proved difficult to draw into a conversation at first:
"If you don't like the ship you can get out and walk human," he snapped in an irritated voice after I had spent the last ten minutes trying to vent about the condition of the woman's showers. I frowned slightly, I had been trying to draw a laugh out of him over the awfulness of our situation but hadn't had much luck with that.
"Oh come on, you're not telling me you're not annoyed about all this too," I said, exasperated by the millionth failed attempt to draw some humor from the awfulness of our surroundings.
"It is what it is, human," Nalar snapped with some irritation in his voice. I opened my mouth to make a retort but he had already spotted his mistake.
"I mean Miranda. Assuming that is your real name."
"I'm sorry, do we have a problem that I should know about?"
"Why should we have a problem, hu- Miranda? You told me last time we spoke that you didn't want to have anything to do with me."
"I don't recall saying- wait do you mean back on the Normandy? All I said was-"
"I offered you a life debt and you cast it aside like it was worth nothing. Like my service held no value at all!"
"Why would you want to be my slave? Or to be anyone's slave for that matter."
"Because that's what I was born to be," he paused for a moment before continuing.
"Do you recall that name that Vorlak gave me?"
"Kroll? I remember you telling me that it stood for the bottom tier of the Batarian caste system. You said it was his little joke because as a slave it was one tier higher than you could ever reach."
"He never understood that that wasn't why I hated him calling me that. He never understood that I never wanted to reach that tier or any other."
"I can imagine not wanting to have anything to do with the caste system-" I began but he was already shaking his head vigorously.
"You don't understand either, I was happy with my station in life. When I was a young boy I was taken with a large group of other slaves to an assembly given by one of the Great Masters. He explained to us that every Batarian within our Empire had a role to play in keeping the Hegemony strong. He said that we should be proud to serve the role set down before us by the Emperor's divine will"
"You really believe that?"
"I believe in upholding the traditions of the ancestors. I know that some of the Masters have become corrupt and arrogant. They may have forgotten the duties set out for them in the ancient scrolls but I haven't. My honor remains intact."
Ah yes, the Scrolls of the Empire. Sacred scripture central to the millennia-old Batarian religion deserving of solemn respect or opportunistic propaganda established by the founders of the Hegemony to legitimize slavery and solidify their power base? Well possibly both, depending on your point of view. Historical evidence was difficult to come by (mostly buried on the Batarian homeworld) but what little had been made public could easily be used to support either theory.
Ind the end it makes little difference. What matters is that Nalar believed and it seemed unlikely that I would be able to dissuade him. Certainly not in just one conversation at any rate.
"Why didn't you say something?" I asked, mostly as a way of changing the subject.
"I was angry with you. A life debt is an honored tradition among my people but you dismissed it out of thought. I decided if you didn't want me that I would stick around and try to fall in with Shepard's crew. He sounded like an honorable man."
"And then I screwed that up for you as well," I reasoned.
"I doubt it would have worked out anyway. I mean could you imagine a legend like Commander Shepard taking on a Batarian crew member?" he laughed bitterly.
"I just hate that I don't even understand what's going on here or why we have to leave."
"But I- oh. I never really explained what I've been up to have I?"
He shrugged.
"It's okay. Honestly, I'm pretty much accustomed to being kept out of the loop."
"No it's not alright. After everything you went through to save me on that Cerberus station the least you deserve is an explanation," I replied, before pausing, not quite sure where to start. Nalar waited patiently as I gathered my thoughts.
"My real name is Miranda Lawson. My father is Henry Lawson, a multi-billionaire businessman you might see mentioned on the news from time to time. But to him I was always more of an investment than a daughter. Even from a young age it was clear he was prepared to do pretty much anything he had to to get the best return he could out of the money he'd poured into the project of my creation."
"Creation?"
"Yes. I'm a clone. He took his own DNA and then paid for extensive genetic modification to enhance the final result. He wanted the 'perfect' human to continue his dynasty. I lived under his roof for more than sixteen years before I discovered he was trying create another me, either as a replacement or a backup. I couldn't let another child go through the same torment I had so I took my time, planned our escape and ran straight into Cerberus' waiting arms. Not the best decision I ever made in retrospect but I was desperate and they were willing to help."
"So when you left the organization they decided to renege on the deal and hand your sister-"
"Her name's Oriana."
"Right, hand Oriana back to your father," he reasoned.
"More or less. I mean I had my own safeguards in place, she wasn't a hostage of Cerberus but... It still worked out the same way in the end. Or at least I assume so, it's hard to know without any leads to follow up on. That's why I confronted the director. The Normandy crew weren't getting the job done so I guess I decided to try a few tricks from my old life. For Ori's sake. I'm sorry it cost you your chance with Shepard."
He shook his head firmly.
"You were just doing what you had to," he replied just as Kallen awkwardly shuffled into the compartment before adding hesitantly.
"But so was he. Maybe ease up on him a little alright? We're all just doing what we need to, to get by."
I didn't reply, so silence reined in the cabin in the moments afterwards. I was absorbing the surprising gratitude I felt at finding someone actually willing to understand what I had been trying to do. Unlike the others, Nalar knew the score and didn't judge me for trying to protect my own. I also had no idea what, if anything I wanted to say to Kallen but I was spared the need when Nalar pipped up to ask if the Citadel was really as big as he'd heard.
"You've never been to the Citadel before?" I asked, my voice incredulous.
"None of my Masters were particularly keen on field trips," he replied by way of an explanation. We both glanced at Kallen, who shrugged.
"Uh sure. I've made a couple of stops off in Zakera Ward. You know, seeing the sights, shopping for souvenirs, that sort of thing."
"The sights on the Wards? You've never been to the Presidium?"
"What would a grunt like me be doing up there with the gentry?"
"Well just you wait. Soon as we get off this ship I'm going to show you the real Citadel," I promised with a smile.
It was still a long trip but from that point on, the time passed more easily now that I had someone to talk to. As the journey progressed my impatience to resume the search for Oriana was always present, though it had now been tempered somewhat by the realization of just how close I had come to destroying myself (or at the very least, destroying every friendship I had left to count on).
The ship was due to dock in one of the lower bays of Tayseri Ward. Luckily the access codes I had were still just as valid as ever so I quickly called in a shuttle transport to take us up to the Presidium in style. Once we had reached that level I set down in a parking lot in the commons. It was still a bit of a walk from the hospital but after the cramped quarters of the shuttle, I relished the opportunity to stretch my legs.
As for the other two? I think they were in a state of culture shock at the sight of our surroundings. The lush green scenery, perfect crystal blue pools of water, and pristine buildings were a far cry from the squalid compound we had lived in for so many months. As we took a stroll across the bridge I couldn't help but point out some of the sights as we passed them.
"Over there you can see the famous Krogan monument. Over there by the water feature, see it?"
"A statue of a Krogan on the Citadel?" Asked Nalar, frowning.
"It was erected in recognition of Krogan efforts in turning the tide of the Rachni War. It's never been taken down, not even during the Krogan Rebellions. And from here you can see where the Consort's Chamber used to be. Just down there, see? I wonder if she'll get set up there again now that she's back on the Citadel. I used to- Hey!" I exclaimed as a tall scowling Turian bumped across my shoulder as he came past us on the bridge. He didn't stop to respond so shaking my head I simply continued where I had left off. I kept up the commentary for a while but as we got closer to the hospital I noticed my friends were looking concerned.
"Miranda," Kallen asked tentatively. "Are bullet holes common in this part of the Presidium?"
"Bullet- Wait what?"
Silently he pointed to the area ahead of us where lines of machine-gun fire were traced along the walls, interspaced with charring from more destructive weapons. This pattern was repeated increasing as we moved forward. You could even track the direction of battle from the damage it had left behind, leaving only one question. What the hell had happened?
Initially, I tried asking a couple of groups of people what was going on but each time they simply snorted or swore and then hurriedly moved on. One of the people in the third group I tried to talk to glared at me with such ferocity that I gave up on the questioning altogether.
"What's their problem?"
"It's hard to say but I think you're uniform might not be doing us any favors, Miranda," Nalar replied, backing up slowly in the face of an increasingly hostile mob.
I looked down and saw the black and white Cerberus uniform I had taken from the Hades. On the civilian transport, I had (in conjunction with a certain amount of threats) convinced anyone who asked that I had been a spy working for the Alliance. Somehow I didn't think that story would work with the crowd.
That's when he stepped in. A Turian official of some sort, I supposed by the gear he was wearing, possibly a commando, but whoever he was it was clear the crowd were slightly afraid of him. They fell back as he approached and started to try and look as if they weren't part of the mob that had been forming. Hoping that the official would be more easily convinced of my cover story I strolled forward to greet him.
"Sarah Tully. Sorry about the uniform. I had a pretty hairy extraction from my last infiltration and I haven't had time to-"
"No need to apologize Miss Lawson. Plaso Indnis, Special Tactics, and Recon."
A Spectre.
Oh crap.
Immediately I started running but fast as I was, the Spectre was expecting it. Reaching for something on his belt, he tossed it onto the ground near my feet. A tech mine I knew without having to look. Even so, I barely managed to throw up a biotic barrier strong enough to shield myself before it detonated.
The blast knocked me off my feet, and I rolled a couple of times before coming to a stop. Cursing myself for lowering my guard so easily I sprang to my feet immediately and found that Nalar had rushed to my aid with Kallen not far behind. Forcefully I pushed them away to the side.
"Split up."
They looked uncertain but I forced the issue by continuing to make my escape at speed. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw them peeling off and sprinting in the other direction. Smart boys. It only took a few more moments before I had confirmation that the Spectre was more interested in me in any case. The Spectres footsteps were lighter than one would normally expect given the pace he was keeping but my augmented hearing was able to pick up the sound easily enough.
We tore through one of the commercial districts, the crowds parting quickly in fear of the gun Plaso was waving around as he barked orders at them. He hadn't yet tried to fire on me through which was comforting. It could be he didn't want to risk civilian casualties in such a public place but it was just as likely he wanted me alive. The Council wanted to have me in a debriefing room for the next five years minimum and as a Spectre, he was obliged to execute their will. Which meant he was likely on the up and up and not associated with Cerberus or any of my other shadier enemies at all. Annoyingly it also meant I couldn't really justify killing him.
Just as I was distracted with this line of thought I was blindsided from the right. Not by the Spectre (who a caught a brief glimpse of as I was floored once again) but by a young woman I realised as I recovered as quickly as I could. She looked odd for the Presidium, pretty but dishevelled. Her hair was dirty, her nails were chipped and ragged and she was wearing clothes that seemed not to have been washed in the last five years, if ever. Whoever she was it was clear that she was also on the run, with four C-Sec beat cops on her tail. She looked back at me for just a moment and I couldn't tell if the look on her face was a cry for help or pure contempt.
"No, you men help me bring in this Cerberus operative. Leave the girl."
Oh great, I guess I took priority over whatever she had done. It's always nice to feel wanted. While she was made a swift and easy escape I was growing increasingly frustrated with my pursuer. With the support of C-Sec, he was able to quickly close off all of the most obvious avenues for escape without any real difficulty. In fact, every so often I found myself so boxed in that I was forced to lay out an officer or two just to avoid becoming entirely surrounded.
'Go and find someone else for the Council to waste their time with,' I thought to myself as I rounded another corner to find yet more police waiting for me. Just as I was contemplating jumping from the balcony onto one of the speeding skycars I got a ping for a navpoint on my omnitool.
There was no indication of who had sent it but I wasn't really in much of a position to be fussy about it. If this chase wasn't brought to an end soon I'd have to engage in the kind of violence that would make it impossible to ever live in Council space again. There are some lines that are not worth crossing until it's that or die.
I ran past a line of storefronts, heading in the direction indicated. A couple of officers tried to bar my path but my biotics easily cleared a path (they'd recover soon enough, a day maximum). The pack of officers fell in behind me, with the Spectre leading the charge. Some of the C-Sec goons had already peeled off, wheezing their last but Plaso had held pace with me step for step for the entire run.
We cleared several more corners, the navpoint constantly updating to lead me deeper into the financial district. Just as I was starting to contemplate ignoring the instructions as useless, I heard a hiss of escaping gas nearby. Even as I ran the entire corridor I was into started to fill with smoke. As I looked round to see my pursuers disappearing from view I realised that someone had placed a dozen smoke canisters throughout the area, creating a wide area where visibility was near zero. Clearly, someone had gone to a lot of trouble in a short space of time to keep me out of the hands of the law.
Leaving the officers stumbling around in confusion, I followed the directions on the navpoint to their final destination. Even there the area was still too filled with smoke to see anything. I didn't notice I wasn't alone until a pair of hands took my shoulder and guided me into an open skycar. The cab flew off, leaving C-Sec to calm the crowd and admit to their superiors that I had gotten away.
"Not the best uniform to wear on the Citadel right now. I've rarely seen C-Sec respond so quickly."
Aria, relaxing comfortably in the back of the cab I had just been pulled into and wearing a confident expression on her face. For a moment I wondered if I hadn't been better off with the Spectre but it was too late for that. I'd just have to play it cool and wait to find out what Aria was up to.
"So I noticed. What happened here?" I asked.
"Cerberus attack. They thought they could pull off the same trick twice and seize this station just like they did Omega. Idiots should know by now they just don't have the stamina to hold onto anything for very long."
"They must have had help."
"You can blame your Council representative for that one."
"Udina did this?"
"Apparently he wanted to force the other races to support him in trying to retake Earth. Ballsy move. If he'd survived I might've decided to keep a closer eye on him in future. But that's enough of my time wasted on getting you up to speed. I have my own problems to take care of now and your friend Archangel assures you that you're just the person to help."
"Garrus? Is that what he meant by saying I might find some unexpected help on the Citadel?"
"That's the arrangement yes. You help me to deal with certain... stability issues in the Terminus Systems right now and I help you on your quest to save your sister."
I shook my head firmly.
"No deal. I have plenty of others here that I can call on for assistance if I need to."
"I assume you're referring to your friends at the hospital? All gone now I'm afraid. Krios was killed trying to stop Leng from getting to the Salarian councilor and your Krogan comrades were enlisted by the commander of Aralakh Company the moment they were fully recovered. Besides I'm the only one who can tell you who was behind the abduction of your Salarian prisoner."
"Who was it?"
"I take it this means you're willing to accept my offer?"
Hesitantly I accepted. She told me.
"That's impossible," I whispered.