Authors note: okay, so a lot of stuff happened, but none of it on its own is an excuse for how late this chapter is, so I'll just say I'll sorry for how late it is. That and also how short this one is. I rewrote it like four times and it's still not right, but it's also smaller than I hoped because initially I was going to have the mission start in this chapter, but if I did that it would be even later it comes out. So I'll be writing the next chapter as promptly as possible. Again, sorry for he lateness, the chapter size, and if it feels off. I hope you enjoy.
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"So . . . First of all, that mission was a resounding failure!" Adaaya exclaimed, before falling to her chair and slamming her forehead to the table in the meeting room on the Normandy, putting a sizable dent in in in the process.
"Not that it was anyone's fault," Desolas said with a sigh. Then he looked at everyone around the table and sighed again. "Just to make sure, you were attacked by a slightly absurd number of Batarians, and it is figured that the thing the spectre was hunting for did something to Ashley, correct?"
"Yes sir, she was clearly being manipulated. I'm sorry," Kaiden said instantly.
"You have nothing to be sorry about. Chakwas says she'll make a full recovery with her memory intact," Desolas explained, making Kaiden look relieved in a bare second.
"Thank the gods."
"Hey, I have a question," Wrex spoke up from where he stood by the wall. "Do we know what did that to the girl?"
"We do," Nihlus spoke up as he tapped his omnitool to bring up his copy of the files, making Adaaya twitch in annoyance. "The researchers called it a Thorian, a sentient fungal organism that can dominate other life forms through the use of spores. According to the information they had, it takes both mental and physical strength for people to resist its ability, but Asari seemed to have a natural resistance."
"From our data it seems that Youkai do as well," Desolas joined in. "Unfortunately due to Ashley being a half-youkai, it made her somehow less resistant. Chakwas figures it might be due to being half plant-youkai."
"Well, that's a problem," Garrus grumbled as he shook his head. "A rogue spectre, with a mind controlling fungus. The council will love this!"
"They wouldn't, but I was unable to contact them earlier," Nihlus said with a sigh.
"Why not? Don't Spectres have special codes and such for that?" Wrex asked.
"We do, but none of them worked. Either the Citadel is on an information lockdown, or communications are being blocked."
"Probably blocked then," Desolas said as he looked to thee side. "We got a short message during the mission to the ship saying that, and I quote, 'Stuff is happening, don't come to the Citadel for a few days'."
"From who?" Tali asked curiously.
"The codenames were Cerberus and Gorgon," Adaaya groaned in anger. "Meaning those idiots sent it in case they screwed up on a mission."
"I'm assuming these are operatives you are meaning?" Nihlus spoke up, hoping for some form of information.
"No, not quite. They hunt down criminals and terrorist mostly," Desolas answered, leaving out any other form of information.
"Huh, so assassins. Would they be any help?" Wrex asked.
"Not if they are on a mission on the Citadel. Regardless of why, we won't be going to the Citadel anytime soon, which considering how badly we were shown up, is good, because we will be heading straight toward our next-.."
"Hey, boss man. Sorry to interrupt, but I have a priority message coming in for you and Adaaya." came Joker's voice over the intercom suddenly.
"From who, Joker?" Adaaya mumbled, her head still in the dent on the table.
"Operative Konpaku Youmu."
"Path it through now, Joker!" Desolas suddenly exclaimed at the top of his lungs, surprising everyone, including Adaaya to pull her head off the table.
A few seconds ticked by until suddenly a hologram formed over the table, a stoic woman with short white hair appearing there in uniform. "Desolas, Adaaya, how are you doing?" she asked politely.
"Could be better considering how our mission is currently going," Adaaya responded with a shrug. "Why the sudden call?"
"Desolas did not tell you?" Youmu asked as she looked at him, as did Adaaya.
"I asked Youmu to speak to her mistress about something that could help us in finding my brother," Desolas explained as he began staring at Youmu. "What was her response?"
Youmu instantly looked both embarrassed, ashamed, and disturbed all at once. "Well, uh, how should I say this? She agreed, but not in the simple way."
"How so?" Desolas asked.
Youmu was quiet for almost a full minute, fidgeting the entire time before she finally spoke. "She has told me to tell you to come to Arcturus, for a Code 2, 19 and 21."
" . . . . . I am okay with this," Adaaya said simply, her grin turning wicked and worrisome.
"Considering what happened on the last mission, and how many allies Saren has, I am too," Desolas said with an equally vindictive grin that no Turian should have been able to form with their mandibles. "Is she gathering the forces herself, or do we need to make calls?"
"We're on the way to Arcturus now and will arrive in a few hours with all the forces she mentioned."
"Good, then we'll see you when we get there," Desolas said, making Youmu nod and end the call, her hologram dissolving into particles. "Joker! Get us to Arcturus, double time!"
"Already on it, boss!" came Joker's reply bare seconds before the entire ship shuddered, making Wrex almost fall over.
"Damn it; tell me if this ship is moving. Damn magic."
"Isn't Arcturus a space station?" Garrus asked, allowing everyone to ignore Wrex.
"It is the dock for all Operatives ships, as well as the Alliance's biggest shipyard," Kaiden answered as he looked at Desolas. "I do not know the codes though."
"Code 2 is a request for face to face meetings. 19 and 21 are codes for support from both operatives, and ground forces," Adaaya explained with a grin.
The whole room was quiet for a moment before the meaning of the words sunk in. "Wait, you mean more than just squads, didn't you?" Nihlus asked in worry.
"Absolutely," Desolas said happily. "Everyone, get some rest. Once we get to Arcturus, we go to war!"
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June 11th – 2155 – Arcturus System – Arcturus station.
As soon as the Normandy came into the Arcturus system, all eyes from council space were drawn to the station as they approached. The station was shaped like a pair of black crescents that sat back to back, barely visible lines and riggings hanging off bars that must have been hundreds of meters thick and long.
"That is a large station," Garrus commented from where he stood.
"Not as big as the Citadel, but impressive. Where did you find it?" Wrex asked, turning his head to Joker as the two of them, along with Nihlus stood to his side.
"We didn't, it was built. Took about a year if I recall," Joker said casually.
"With how large Alliance ships are, I'm not surprised at this point," Nihlus said with a sigh as the sound of footsteps told him that Desolas had come up to the cockpit.
"You like the view that much? It's just a shipyard." he muttered.
"Yeah, but it's pretty large, the Turian shipyards I've seen are about half this size, and usually built into a moon or at the edge of an asteroid belt," Garrus commented before leaning forward, as if it would make him see out the window further. "Is there an asteroid belt here?"
"No, there is not an asteroid belt in this system," Desolas responded, mandibles forming a smirk that made Nihlus feel uncomfortable.
"Then what is that rock?"
"What rock?" Wrex asked Garrus.
"Just behind the Station," Garrus said as he pointed toward what he was looking at. "See it? Is that a moon?"
"That's no moon!" Joker said before breaking into a fit of giggles, confusing Wrex and Garrus to no end.
"It's a ship, the one we're meeting up with," Desolas said as he stepped up beside Joker and touched a button, causing a light to flash for a few seconds. "Tower of White Jade, this is the Normandy, requesting permission to dock. I believe we are expected."
Silence reigned for a moment before the connection buzzed. "Normandy, you are correct. Craftbay two is now opening for you, and Lady Konpaku is awaiting your arrival."
"Thank you," Desolas replied as the Normandy came around Arcturus Station, allowing those in the cockpit to see the ship that was ahead of them.
The thing was massive for a ship, its main body was like a cross between a squashed sphere and a cross, with the four points of the cross sticking out the sides of the sphere. In the center was a dome that seemed to shine an unearthly purple and around it were dozens of mountings that made the dome look like it was surrounded by walls like those off of an ancient battlefield.
"That,.. what is that!?" Nihlus demanded to know, his voice filled with shock at the things size.
"That is the Tower of White jade, the largest Ship in the alliance, though it doesn't technically count as a dreadnaught, or even a combat ship," Desolas explained, making Wrex and Garrus turn to face him.
"How is that not a dreadnaught?" Wrex asked simply.
"It has no main guns," Desolas responded simply. "it's classed as a Training and Landing ship. The only guns it has are short range defense Lasers."
"Okay, but how big is that thing? I mean, class is dictated by size, so there's no way that is not a dreadnaught!"
"The Tower of White Jade has a five kilometre diameter, but a large amount of that is transport room and armour."
"Yeah, and I've heard the thing moves like a halftrack!" Joker added to Desolas's words with a laugh as the Normandy approached the ship that was, compared to the Normandy, gargantuan.
"But why are we here?" Garrus asked.
"As we said in the debrief, we have allies here that we'll be pairing with," Desolas said before heaving a heavy sigh. "Probably because she is bored."
"She? You mean the one who called you during the debrief?" Nihlus asked.
"No, her master. They're both Operatives but Youmu's master is . . . . . . . . I don't know how she deals with her, let's put it that way."
"What does that mean?" Garrus asked, now visibly nervous due to Adaaya's words.
"You'll all see once we are inside," Desolas said as he turned to walk out of the cockpit. "Ah, before I forget, Nihlus, make sure your Asari is both wearing her Eezo repulsion bracelet, and that she does not leave the Normandy. The amount of magic in the Tower could kill her. That goes for anyone with Biotics too. Not having that bracelet on could lead to death here."
"Well, that's unnerving," Wrex muttered as he checked his bracelet as Desolas walked off.
"It is true though, the only ships with more magical energy in them would be the Academy ships," Adaaya said as she stretched her neck to the sides and then looked at Nihlus. "I haven't heard even a peep out of your Asari, so Desolas is right that you better make sure she's, well, alive at least."
"I'll do that, but is that ship truly so dangerous?" Nihlus asked.
"Well, it does hold a direct gateway to one facet of the afterlife, so yeah, you could say that," Joker responded with a grin.
Wrex, Nihlus and Garrus simply looked at him for a few seconds before they all voiced the same thing. "What?"
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Docking with the Tower of White Jade was an easy affair, and when the Normandy's ground team departed it they found themselves in a hanger large enough to hold a Citadel dreadnaught. The walls were smooth silver with collapsed rigging and trolleys on the walls and closed trenches ran beneath them separated by glass floors. There were three large double doors on the walls of the hanger and not a single person was in the hanger with them.
Not a single live person that was, as a number of floating wispy balls flitted around the hanger, some of them carrying equipment atop their intangible bodies.
"Uh, what are those?" Wrex spoke up first as Adaaya and Desolas led the large group toward one of the double doors, as if it didn't matter which they went to.
"The spirits of the dead. Ghosts," Kaiden provided as one flitted over their heads.
"Varren shit. Ghosts don't exist," Wrex stated as he shifted his head to not touch one that neared him.
"They do," Tali said with a sigh as she waved a hand and shooed one away. "These are lesser ghosts, ones that have mostly forgotten their past lives. That's why they have no real shape. They are harmless unless you try to attack them. Just annoying."
"What do they do to attack? I thought the Alliances idea of ghosts was that they could not touch people," Nihlus asked curiously.
"They have access to basic magical bolts and can coalesce their bodies and tackle people. They're not really that dangerous honestly, but since they gather around places with high magical energy or those associated with death you can't really get rid of them." Adaaya spoke up just before the double doors ahead of them opened up.
Standing in the doorway was a woman with long black hair and great wings similar to Adaaya's but black as pitch. She was draped in a lab coat and had a cape coming off of it that's inside seemed to have a pattern of stars that shifted constantly, and strapped to her right leg was a large case with some sort of rod poking out of it. "Morning Adaaya, Desolas," She said with smile.
"Utsuho, I wasn't expecting to see you here," Adaaya said as she came up to her and they both shook hands.
"Well, I was on Arcturus helping with some R&D when the Tower came into the area, so after some questioning Youmu requested a couple more Operatives to come and help on the mission," The woman named Utsuho explained with a smile as she and Desolas shook hands as well.
"How useful. Did she say what our mission was?" Desolas asked.
"No, but considering all operatives know each other's missions most of the time, it was pretty obvious, especially with the army," Utsuho said as she turned around and waved for everyone to follow her down the hall that the doorway led into, right toward another set of double doors.
"Wait, what army?" Garrus spoke up as he tried to place where he had heard he name Utsuho before.
"This army," Utsuho said as the door before her opened and the group walked in.
The room they entered was more akin to a massive barracks or food hall that appeared to be hundreds of meters long. Hundreds of people sat around huge tables with grills in the centre similar to the ones on the Normandy, while hundreds of other people were casually sitting around talking, or in small fenced off and upraised training platforms that checkerboards around the hall. On the walls were lines of doorways, and every twenty meters there were long tables of raw foodstuffs that people were filling plates with to cook themselves. The hall was lit by floating globes of white light, and while there were many ghosts flitting around, they seemed to keep to the upper levels of the high ceiling, out of the mass of peoples. Of course, the fact that every person appeared to be in uniform or carrying weapons may have been a factor as well.
"How, many people are here?" Nihlus asked, his tone making it clear he wasn't sure if he wanted to know the answer.
"Two divisions," Utsuho said as she continued to walk, any soldiers in the way parting automatically for the group that was headed by three operatives and a Spectre. "One and a half divisions of Bladebreakers, while the other half is split between Yuyuko's own Miko troops and a contingent of Earthrazers that I will be leading."
"Who's leading the other forces?" Desolas asked.
"Yuugi and Youmu are splitting the Bladebreakers for now while Yuyuko is leading her own Miko forces," Utsuho said as the back wall of the room came into view, where a large circular door ominously sat. "Youmu asked me to bring you two, and the spectre, for a meeting. Something about finding out our destination?"
"Yes, Yuyuko is helping with that, because I'm tired of being led around," Desolas said grimly.
"Is that why there's a veritable army here? Nihlus asked carefully.
"I wasn't expecting the army honestly, but if it helps deal with my brother, I'll take it," Desolas said as the group reached the circular door, prompting him and Adaaya to turn around to their ground team. "We'll be in a meeting for a while now, so feel free to get comfortable around here. I'm sure you can all find something to pass the time until we return or arrive at our mission locale."
"What he means is go have some food and do whatever you want within reason for a bit. Go relax," Adaaya added with a smirk.
Everyone but Garrus did so, and after a few seconds he went off as well, leaving the four of them by the door as Utsuho turned and began tapping on a panel. After a few seconds the door opened revealing a short hallway and the four of them entered it, the door closing behind them so quickly it made Nihlus jump a little bit.
"I assume this leads to the captains quarters?"
'Not, exactly," Utsuho said as they walked down the hallway to the other door, which upon reaching began glowing as scanners began filling the hallway.
"Then why the decontamination protocols and security doors?"
"Because, the actual Hakugyokurou, and the Saigyou Ayakashi, shouldn't just be seen by anyone," came a new voice just before the door opened. Youmu Konpaku stood on the other side in what appeared to be a garden, and as the group stepped in, Nihlus found himself looking around in wonder.
It looked as if they were on a planet in some kind of large yard. A wooden building sat just a moments' walk away, and over its roof he could see the bare branches of the biggest tree he had ever seen. There were ghosts flitting all over, and the air smelt sweet while it simultaneously had a slight chill to it as pink petals drifted around the area despite their being no wind. "Where is this place?" Nihlus finally asked as he looked up at the almost purple colored sky that had no source of light anywhere he could see. "Were we not just on the Tower of White Jade?"
"Yes, Lady Yuyuko had Yukari alter some boundaries, so the real Tower of White Jade, our home and the home of the Saigyou Aayakashi, exist upon the ship in the central dome," Youmu replied before sighing. "Yuugi and Lady Yuyuko are waiting inside."
"If I may ask, is there anything I should know before we head in?" Nihlus asked as the door behind them closed as Youmu had taken a step back from it.
"There is, yes. " Lady Yuyuko is a ghost of phenomenal power, but she is also very playful and not overly serious. The same goes for Yuugi in that she is not very serious. I don't think you need to worry about angering them, but just be friendly and you should be fine," Youmu said as she led the group toward the building and up onto its walkway. "Introduction can be done inside. Just, try not to be too overly shocked, or surprised by the room, or what is on the table," Youmu said as she turned and looked at Desolas with an accusatory glare, then opened a door for everyone.
The room in question was simple, made of wood with a low table in its centre and cushions on the floor surrounding it. Calligraphy and ornate woodblock paintings hung from the walls. At the far end of the table sat Yuyuko Saigyoji, who was wearing a very ornate kimono that she looked perfectly comfortable in, and to her left sat Yuugi Hoshiguma, who was in what counted for her normal clothing. A bottle of sake sat between them, and judging from the amount of liquor on Yuugi's wide sake plate, and the smell in the air, they had been drinking for a while. What unnerved Nihlus the most however was a Turian arm that looked partly desiccated in a cylindrical glass tube sitting in the centre of the table like some kind of disgusting centrepiece.
"Oh you're here! Take a seat!" Yuyuko said with a smile as she looked to Youmu. "Do we have enough cups for everyone Youmu?"
"I'll go get them," Youmu said with a sigh as she walked out a door on the other side of the room, allowing Nihlus to notice that a ghost was following her out.
"Thank you for helping us with this mission, Yuyuko," Desolas spoke first as he sat down at the far end of the table, prompting Nihlus to follow his and Adaaya's lead and taking a seat.
"It's no problem, I like to help!" Yuyuko said as she looked to Nihlus. "I don't believe we have been acquainted, Spectre. May we begin introductions with your name?"
"Of course. I am Nihlis Kyrik, special tactics and reconnaissance, assisting Operatives Adaaya and Desolas in their mission as a Council liaison."
"Then it is a pleasure to meet you, Mister Kyrik. I am Yuyuko Saigyoji, the owner of this place, and Youmu's master," Yuyuko said as she looked to Yuugi, who promptly took a deep drink off their dish and smiled at Nihlus.
"Names Yuugi Hoshiguma. Pleasure to meet ya!"
"Good, everyone else knows each other here, so why don't we have some drinks?" Yuyko suggested as Youmu came back in with cups, as well as a bottle of sake.
"Shouldn't we be looking for Saren?" Nihlus spoke up; astounded by how causal Yuyuko was being when she was supposed to be helping them supposedly.
"We already have the means to find him," Yuyuko said as she gestured toward the container with a Turian arm in it.
" . . . . .how is, that, supposed to help us find Saren?"
"Because," Desolas spoke up as he looked at the arm in disgust. "That arm is my brothers."
"What?!" Nihlus nearly roared in disgust and horror as he looked at it. "How?"
"I cut it off of him during the invasion of Shanxi. It was taken as research material as he was a biotic, but afterword's Lady Yuyuko wanted it as a trophy," Youmu explained casually.
"Yes, imagine my surprise when Youmu told me that Desolas here wanted access to it to use as a catalyst for some divination magic!"
"Divination, magic?" Adaaya asked as she looked at Desolas and scowled. "You're terrible at it though. We both are."
"I hadn't planned to cast it myself but to acquire his arm and ask someone who could," Desolas explained with a shrug, making Yuyuko chuckle.
"Luckily, I am rather good at it. I can divine his location through his arm, and then we can go right there in my ship!"
"How will having his arm allow you to find his location?" Nihlus asked as he tried to not look at the arm, feeling the contents of his stomach trying to find their way up his throat jut from looking at it.
"By using divination magic. Here, let's see!" Yuyuko said as she pulled out a fan and waved it, causing the whole room to darken, and a holographic map of the galaxy to appear in the centre of the table. She began whispering something under her breath, and after a few seconds of it the room felt cold, the desiccated arm began to glow, and a small spot on the galaxy map began to glow as well. "There, that is where he is currently!" Yuyuko proclaimed proudly.
" . . . . I, don't recognize that location," Nihlus said after a few seconds.
"Not a problem for our ships. I'll send my shipmaster the location information and he'll get us there!" Yuyuko declared as he took a drink of sake and then placed her now empty up closer to Yuugi, who took the prompt and refilled it without a word.
"Ah, hold that for a second please," Desolas said as he brought up his wristcomp and began typing away.
"Hmmm, okay, but why?" Yuyuko asked.
"There's a possible lead that we could have gone on but have not. And as we will be going right after him now we won't be going after it. But there still might be something to look into there, so I figured I'd contact the ones running the operative tests in the next few days and inform them about it as a possible test mission . . . . . The operative tests are still happening, right?" Desolas asked.
"They are, yes. I believe the test has two groups this time, one has Marisa's apprentice in it," Yuugi said with a grin. "Those two are a cute pair."
"Okay, good," Desolas replied as he went back to typing and then closed his wristcomp. "There, done. Hopefully it is a good challenge for them and it helps all of us as well."
"I'm sorry, I feel like I'm missing something. You're trying to have operatives in training sent to that last lead we had?" Nihlus asked to make sure he understood.
"Yes, that's correct. The tests for operatives are that groups of prospective operatives are sent on the same mission, usually two to five of them, and they complete the mission. If they fail, it's usually because of one or two of them individually. So it's a good way to weed out those who are not cut out for it," Utsuho provided.
"I see. I take it you know them then?" Nihlus asked Desolas.
"We've met them, yes. A couple of them were underclassmen on the AOS Final Spark when I was a student there," Desolas explained before stretching his neck to the sides and looking at Yuyuko. "Sorry, you can tell your pilot the location whenever."
"Okay! Until we get there let's just take it easy!" Yuyuko said with a smile, causing Yuugi to reach to the side and place a bottle of sake almost four times bigger than the norm on the table. "With drinks!"
The room was dead quiet for a few moments as Nihlus looked around to see Desolas, Adaaya, Utsuho and Youmu all having looks of worry plastering their faces. And it was in that moment he remembered something he had read about Youkai of the Oni variety. Leading him to think a single word.
Damn.