Reviews and stuff
Important Note: When I started writing this and it still is the case I wrote/write this for myself but I am really glad that people are enjoying it, also cheers for the reviews.
Important Note (2): I used the Mass Effect Fan Fiction Wiki page of the Alliance Navy for the SSV Rome, it really doesn't have a lot of stats (four lines of basic information, no sizes or anything like that) so I was going to make some up but decided to have one last check for Systems Alliance Navy Ship Classes and their stats and it paid off. The SSV Rome is no longer a Cruiser but a Battlecruiser which is an Alliance Only Class of ships (Because other races don't need them) and the Alliance's answer to the Treaty of Farixen, they are technically not Dreadnoughts but only just, they have many of the same capabilities as Dreadnoughts but have significantly less armor allowing them to barely squeeze below the minimum tonnage limit defining the Treat of Farixen but as a payoff they rely heavily on Kinetic Barriers.
Important Note (3): I will be doing a Codex 'chapter' next so everyone can get stats of things.
edboy4926 – Cheers mate, Cerberus is complicated, there are parts of it that are pro-human but the higher you go in the chain of command (looking at you Illusive Man) the more goals become for their own gain and not just for humanity. So, some parts or it is good while other parts are bad. That is at least how I see Cerberus.
Crazzytony – Cheers mate, personally I can't wait until the Council founds out about Reach and see them shitting bricks about it being mostly controlled by AIs. Differently going to be a few jaws dropped when they see the size of the UNSC Fearless. I completely forgot they are from Command and Conquer, I loved that game growing up it was one of my big three, the others being Warcraft 3 and Starcraft, now I want to go play it. Sorry about the spelling mistakes, I did catch myself doing that a few times.
Azai Jin – All good mate. To begin with they won't be combining the different technologies but was the Reach is able to sustain itself and start producing goods they will look at trying to implement the different techs. I don't want to spoil to much with the Ryder family it is either this or next chapter I do something with them. Where Cerberus says they are pro-human (I explain my thoughts on them above) the UNSC and XCOM really are pro-human and they will (I hope if I do it right) act like it. I haven't thought about it but I will be looking into the defectors, cheers mate. There will be a period in which they don't mainly because they don't trust aliens on principle but like with the case of Tezo 'Watum the aliens can earn their trust. Cheers for the compliment mate.
Bisaster – I will admit I am kind of bad with names, you only need to see the name of Chapter Two to see that but XCOM stands for Extraterrestrial Combat Unit, so in this case it would be United Nations Space Command – Extraterrestrial Combat Unit.
Knighthunter911700 – Cheers mate. The Wolf Pack is officially called UNSC NAVSPECWAR Strike Group WOLF PACK, the current composition is four modified Gladius-Class Heavy Corvettes, the UNSC Shooting Star (the flagship of the Wolf Pack) and the UNSC Trailblazer are currently assigned to the Epsilon Eridani Fleet as patrol vessels (The Shooting Star has two special assets, everyone in the Wolf Pack knows about them but they are super classified under penalty of death so they haven't told anybody about them). The other two ships are called the UNSC Little Rascal and UNSC Tourist and they are assigned to the Operations Fleet with the Rascal being the Flagship. Onboard the UNSC Shooting Star was also SPARTAN Amber Team, there has been some Lore changes with Ralph-103 and Daisy-023 being dead and Kirk-018 and Rene-081 being crippled, Daisy is the only one with MJOLNIR, the other three being equipped with heavily modified ODST Armor. The last ship in the UNSC Arsenal is the UNSC Fearless and is the flagship of the Epsilon Eridani Fleet. With regards to NOBLE Team, I was thinking about giving them another name when I wrote the Slave Base Raid but started writing it and I called them NOBLE Team so I stuck with it. It is really sad that Six is the only NOBLE left though. The Citadel Council (or anyone really) doesn't know about the true events of Intai'sei, they know there was a slave raid that was stopped and the Fifth Fleet was somehow involved but Slave Raids are a dime a dozen. I was thinking of writing a news segment about it but decided against it. Cheers for the compliment mate and sorry for writing such a big response.
MarauderPrime12 – Cheers mate.
shypunk – Your welcome mate.
TOGDESTROYER – Cheers mate, there are some really good crossovers out their so thanks for the complement mate.
Location: Dirada System – SSV Rome – Fifth Fleet Special Assignment
Date: July 21st, 2180
Time: 0945hrs Local Time
After the SSV Rome was situated with her new crew it took several days to get to the Dirada System and by that time the lock out on the SSV Tokyo had been lifted and the coordinates of the Slave Base sent to the SSV Rome. They are minutes away from exiting FTL in the Dirada System having spent the last day traveling from the Nariph System which holds this Cluster's Mass Relay.
Not knowing what to expect Captain Anderson has sounded Battle Stations, her small fighter and bomber compliment ready to deploy as well the ten UT-47 Kodiak Drop Shuttles loaded with most of the Rome's marine complement and the UT-47SOC Grizzley Stealth Drop Shuttle loaded with Omega Squad of the N7s.
Although Omega Squad's history is short it is bloody, being activated in 2175 CE, a year later they were present during the Skyllian Blitz and in 2178 CE they were deployed on Torfan and the following Theshaca Raids. Omega Squad's heavy involvement in these operations and unwillingness to take prisoners, going so far as to execute a number of surrendered and detained slavers and pirates has earned Omega Squad the title of the Death Squad.
"Captain Anderson, exiting FTL." Staff Lieutenant Joseph Kirby reports.
"Understood, be ready for anything." David orders from his command chair.
As the near Dreadnought sized Battlecruiser comes out of the FLT the Sensor Officer Staff Lieutenant Gavin Hoyle reports. "Multiple ships detected, one Cruiser tonnage and two Frigate tonnage, all Batarian design…" Gavin stutters for a moment. "Both Frigates have been destroyed, unknown means. We are also detecting two wreckages above an asteroid; it appears to be some sort of asteroid base. Cruiser is coming about."
"Weapons load Target Package on the Batarian Cruiser, Communications contact them." David orders.
"Channel open sir."
"This is Captain David Anderson of the Systems Alliance Navy SSV Rome. Stand down your attack or we will be forced to defend ourselves." David says and he gets an alert on his Haptic Interface that the Target Package is ready to fire.
"No response sir."
"Batarians are firing!" Gavin reports.
The SSV Rome's Heavy Kinetic Barriers flare as it defects the incoming rounds.
"Return fire and disable that ship." David orders.
Moments later the twenty-inch Super Heavy Spinally-Mounted Mass Accelerator Cannon opens fires scoring a direct hit, on the broadsides of the Rome, the two turrets closest to the front turn fore and open fire. Each turret is equipped with two eight-inch Medium Mass Accelerator Cannons with a fire rate of four seconds, one second faster than the twenty-inch.
As the combined fire of the SSV Rome's Mass Accelerator Cannons quickly overwhelm the undermaintained and obsolete Cruiser's Kinetic Barriers it is about to launch itself into FTL when a lucky shot from an eight-inch Mass Accelerator Cannon penetrates the side of the Cruiser at an angle where the round comes out the back of the ship destroying its FTL Engine. A small Mass Effect Explosion occurs when the engine is destroyed from the excess Mass Effect Energy destroying the rear of the vessel and sending it adrift.
"Hale destroy the ships remaining weapons emplacements." David orders and activities a Comm Channel from his Haptic Interface. "Commander Riley, Omega Squad has a go, board the enemy Cruiser and eliminate any resistance and save the slaves." Known Omega's Reputation he didn't bother ordering them to take prisoners.
"Yes sir." Commander Lee Riley replies.
"Kirby, set course to the asteroid base. Crowther prepare your marines." David orders.
"Yes sir." They both reply.
"Captain we have received a Comm Burst but it has another lockout." Staff Lieutenant Michael Frost reports.
Location: Dirada System – UT-47SOC Grizzly Stealth Drop Shuttle
Date: July 21st, 2180
Time: 0955hrs Local Time
The Grizzly shutters slightly as it lifts off and launches out of the Transport Bay, settling in her seat Staff Commander Jane Shepard flips her helmet over in her lap, looking into it see focuses on the physical photo of her family on Mindoir. Her father standing proud in his Marine Dress Reds with four strips on either shoulder signifying his rank of Colonel, he has one hand around her mother's waist, his battle-scarred face not diminishing his smile. Leaning into Colonel Marcus Shepard is then Commander Hannah Shepard in her Navy Dress Blues smiling and gazing into her husband's eyes. To their left is then First Lieutenant John Shepard in his Marine Dress Reds standing at attention and giving a picture-perfect salute and to their right is then Lieutenant Commander Jane Shepard in her Navy Dress Blues leaning forward and giving her brother an annoyed look at his insistence of saluting in every family photo. Of the four people in this photo only Marcus Shepard was killed during the Raid on Mindoir being brutally killed in front of Jane while he defended the colonists of his new home, this led to the deep hatred Jane has against the Batarians and any Slavers.
"Thirty seconds." The Pilot announces.
Putting her helmet on and making sure it is Vac-Sealed Jane she then checks the Heat-buildup on her N7 Hurricane SMG and M-5 Phalanx out of habit then anything else, around her the other nine N7 Operatives of Omega Squad are going through the same motions of prebattle checks.
The Grizzly enters the small Hanger Bay of the disabled Batarian Cruiser and the hatch on the side slides open.
Being Omega's Heavy Weapons Specialist Second Lieutenant Sherlock Headley jumps down into the bay first and aims his N7 Typhoon left and right sweeping for hostiles. First Lieutenant Garner Mosely and Second Lieutenant Carlos Fenwick the squads two Infiltrators cloak as they disembark and rush to the entrance of the bay to secure a forward position.
Jumping out of the Grizzly Jane immediately notices the near lack of gravity, looking at her Omni-Tool it is registering .37Gs. Looking across the Hanger Bay it is in a condition, by the looks of it an eight-inch round made it's way through here, destroying the Batarian Shuttle and a good portion of the deck plating.
"Mosely, Fenwick secure Engineering, Shepard take Headley, Kernell and Paskey and secure the bridge, Rizzi, Calbert and Court with me we are going hunting." Riley orders over Squad Comms.
Bring up a map of Cruiser's Layout, Shepard takes her team of four and starts making her way towards the center of the ship, with Captain Riley's team moving Fore to the Barracks and Slave Dens and First Lieutenant Mosely's Team moving Aft to Engineering.
Moving through the ship is slow not because of an Batarian actions but because the Rome did a number on the interior of the ship with Mass Accelerator Cannon fire, having to stop to use Biotics to move bulkheads and take detours due to missing compartments.
Jane is starting to wounder if anyone survived the ship-to-ship battle when her Biotic Barrier flares with incoming fire, the Fireteam of four quickly duck into cover firing downrange as they do.
"The fucker is behind the collapsed bulkhead, firing between the cracks." Sherlock informs as he suppresses the enemy with his N7 Typhoon LMG.
"Paskey Charge the bastard, Kernell help me move the bulkhead." Jane orders.
As Sherlock's LMG overheats, Jane and Mia use their Biotics to move the bulkhead apart revealing a single Batarian, immediately after Toni covers herself in a Biotic Aurora as she propels forward with a Biotic Charge. With the bulkhead separated Toni impacts the Batarian sending him flying backwards, when he impacts the bulkhead behind him he gets squished from the overpressure on his front meeting an immovable object on his back.
The Fireteam moves up to rejoin Toni, according to her Omni-Tool they are about to enter the Officer's Mess and beyond that is a short walk to the Bridge. Looking down at the Batarian his is flattened in his armor, the only thing Jane regrets is he probably didn't feel any pain.
"We are about to enter the Officer's Mess, be ready for heavy contact." Jane says over Squad Comms.
Using her Omni-Tool Jane activates her Tech Armor to reinforce her Biotic Barriers, both Toni and Mia beef up their own Biotic Barriers. Sherlock activates an Incendiary Ammo Mod as Toni activates a Cryo Ammo Mod as they stack up on the door.
Jane hacks into the door and opens it, enemy fire immediately fills the corridor they are in. Jane throws a Cluster Grenade into the room, Sherlock quickly following with an Inferno Grenade and Toni and Mia throw standard frag grenades inside the room.
As they scramble for cover from the grenades the firing stops and Jane rushes into the room and throws an Overload at one of the two Krogans followed quickly by a Throw, as the grenades go off she ducks behind a turned over table her Tech Armor taking several hits but staying online. The next to enter the room is Sherlock, the grenades detonating don't bother him as he charges a cluster of five Batarians while firing his Typhoon and sending out a Concussive Shot at a Batarian Shock Trooper. As his LMG overheats he tosses it to the side and tackles a second shock trooper to the ground, pushing him once in the head he pulls out his M7 Piranha and puts two rounds into the Batarians head, the first taking down his Kinetic Barriers the second smearing the bulkhead with Batarian head, brain and blood as his Kinetic Barriers start flaring with incoming fire.
Toni is the next to enter, putting her sights on the second Krogan, firing her slightly illegal M-22 Eviscerator Shotgun twice at her target, the unique ammo allowing her to hit at this range. As the Krogan roars in a Battle Cry Toni envelopes herself in Biotic Energy and Charges towards him. Accepting the unissued challenge, the Krogan charges, when they meet the Krogan is hit with massive amounts of Biotic Force and Toni is hit with the force of a pissed off Krogan, both are sent stumbling back. Both the Krogan and Toni fire their shotguns at the same time, Toni's shot killing causing the Krogan to stumble backwards and Toni getting hit with enough force for her to get thrown to her ass.
The last to enter the room is Mia, when she does Jane pushes her table with Biotic Energy and a whelp of surprise and pain comes from the other side, watching as Jane puts two rounds into the baffled Batarian Mia focuses on the large group of Batarians on the other side of the room, throwing a Singularity, six Batarians get caught in it and she immediately follows with a Throw causing it to explode killing them, then she sends Shockwave after Shockwave anywhere the Batarians are clusters together.
With their combined firepower and Biotic and Tech Powers the N7 Fireteam is able to kill the defending Batarians unfortunately when the last round is fired Toni stumbles back clutching her stomach.
"Shepard?" Toni asks as she collapses.
"Toni!" Jane yells and rushes over to her and immediately applies Medigel and starts a scan of her injuries.
"Having trouble breathing here Jane." Toni says weakly coughing up some blood.
"The Krogan got a lucky hit in, one of your lungs was hit by his shotgun, you need surgery." Jane replies still typing on her Omni-Tool.
"I'll find my way back to the Hanger Bay." Toni says and tries to get up but Jane holds her down.
"No!" Jane declares. "Mia will carry you back and Sherlock will keep the both of you alive on your way back."
"Wanting the fun to yourself." Toni jokes and coughs up more blood.
"Damn straight." Jane replies jokingly before activating her Comms. "Transport, we need immediately medivac back to Rome for a critically wounded, tell them to have a surgical suite on standby."
"Copy Shepard, inbound now for pick up."
"Move it!" Jane orders and walks towards the bridge.
Mia envelops Toni in a Biotic Field to carry her and the three rush out with Sherlock taking point, Typhoon raised and ready to shoot anything not Alliance.
Moving past the Officer's Mess there are three Batarians outside the Bridge at the end of the corridor that Jane is able to quickly kill in her rage induced state. Charging the Bulkhead Door to the Bridge she envelops her Biotic Energy, throwing a Warp at the door before ramming into it with a Throw infused punch. The door easily comes off and flies into the Bridge proper, Mass Accelerator rounds being shot through the now open door.
Jane throws two Cluster Grenades into the Bridge and reups her Tech Armor as she runs into the Bridge, Biotic Energy flaring off her uncontrolled.
"The Angel of Vengeance!"
"It's the Butcher!"
"We're going to die!"
Jane didn't hear anything else as she unleashed the full force of her Biotic and Tech Powers slaughtering everyone in the Bridge and leaving it a wreck of its former self, none of the Batarians are recognizable many missing their entire bodies as Jane Shepard, the Butcher of Torfan, the Angel of Vengeance and the Angel of Elysium takes her revenge on the scum of the galaxy.
Location: Dirada System – UT-47 Kodiak Drop Shuttle
Date: July 21st, 2180
Time: 1000hrs Local Time
Captain John Shepard leads the detachment of the 1st Marine Raider Regiment aboard the SSV Rome, having been transferred by Admiral Steven Hackett and rushed to Arcturus Station not even able to pack a toothbrush and then immediately departing on the Mumbai-Class Battlecruiser SSV Rome he knew he was getting involved in something big. Now he is leading a vanguard breaching force of Marine Raiders, Marine Force Recon and Marine Combat Intelligence against an Asteroid Slave base he is kind of glad he can get some payback for his father and Mindoir, he was however told to expect the unexpected, whatever that meant.
"Entering Hanger Bay now." The pilot announces.
"Get ready!" John orders his squad of Marine Raiders.
As the hatch slides open his squad rush out, two other Kodiaks are in the Hanger Bay depositing the Marine Force Recon and Marine Combat Intelligence squads.
Looking around the Hanger Bay it is devoid of life but not corpses, about twenty dead Batarians are spread throughout the bay, all killed with headshots, a single dull purple needle sticking out of each head.
"Spread out and secure the area." John orders.
A chorus of yes sir reply.
John takes his squad and secures the area adjacent to the Hanger Bay and is met with more dead Batarians, these ones killed in hand-to-hand combat, limbs detached from their body or at angles no limb or bone should ever be at.
"What the hell happen here cap?" One of John's Raiders asks.
"I have no idea; I've never seen anything like it." John replies as he bends down to a Asari with two of those purple needle things in her head.
"Raiders lets secure the slaves, Recon secure the Control Room, Intelligence do your thing." John orders as he stands.
Making their way deeper into the base they come across a Mess Hall or what use to be a Mess Hall, tables flipped over and destroyed, chairs discarded, some of the Batarians look as if their bodies exploded, missing heads or chests, in some cases both. Another group was killed with hand-to-hand combat. John walks over to a Batarian near the door they entered from, he is still clutching his, the blood coming from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth have dried and a large pool of blood is under his head.
"Captain, come check this out." A Raider calls out.
Walking over to the other door in the room is a pill of shell-casings, picking one up and looking at the base he sees in English, Misriah Armory 7.62x51mm FMJ around the base of the casing.
"Who uses ballistic ammo anymore?" The Raider asks.
A pair of Raiders enter from the door. "Nothing this way sir, just an airlock, storage rooms and some of them are filled with dead bodies, but other wise it's a dead end."
"How were they killed?" John asks curious.
"Knife to their throats." She replies.
Pocketing the spent casing John orders his Raiders to backtrack and continue their search for the slaves, he is starting to doubt if they will find them alive.
John glances through into the Control Room as they pass, if it can be called a Control Room, most of the consoles have been destroyed and it has been shot up, the far end looks like a shredder went through it.
As the get deeper into the facility they start to hear muffled voices and John immediately signals for his Raiders to be on guard and advanced carefully, no telling if the things that did this are still around.
As he peaks a corner with his M-96 Mattock he sees a short corridor, at the end is door like all the others in this facility except that a Batarian is hanging off the door with the strange purple needle having shot him through the throat and wedged itself into the door.
Moving forward closely followed by his Raiders he notices a small crack in the door which the muffled voices are coming through. Grabbing the Batarian by the shoulder he pulls him off the door and lets him fall to the ground, at this the voices stop.
They are able to open the door and they rush in and search the room when they do but only see the facilities Slaves all grouped to together scared and hoping they aren't about to die.
"Stand down." John orders and activates his Omni-Tool. "SSV Rome this is Captain Shepard, we have found the Slaves and no hostile contacts, send medical our way.
"Copy that captain, sending medical your way, Captain Anderson wants you to stay put and keep them secure.
"Understood." John replies and deactivates his Omni-Tool.
"Who.. who are you?" A man asks looking up at John.
Kneeling down John replies. "I'm Captain John Shepard of the Systems Alliance Marine Corps, we're here to take you home."
"This is my home." He replies. "I must serve the Masters."
"Their gone." John simply states.
Over the next several hours John and his Marine Raiders watch over the Slaves and Medical Personal from the Rome, during this time he would often lean against the wall leaning into the room and examine the spent casing trying to understand why anybody would be using such outdated technology. He also pulls the purple needle out of the door and examines it wondering just what the hell it is.
Location: Dirada System – SSV Rome – Conference Room
Date: July 21st, 2180
Time: 1600hrs Local Time
When Jane woke up she was in the Rome's Infirmary with a throbbing headache, she doesn't remember much after Toni was injured, only flashes but she knew what happened, the same thing that always happens when Batarians hurt or kill people she cares about. Having spent the next couple of hours in the Infirmary she went over and checked on Toni, relieved that she is going to be fine after some bed rest with a repaired and fully functional lung. They would have spent their time talking and enjoying their time if it wasn't for the fact the Jane was ordered back to her medical bed without a chance to object. Then the announcement came that Jane was to report to the Conference Room for a debrief, shooting Toni an amused looked to which she replies with by mouthing fuck you.
Walking up to the door leading into the Conference Room Jane bumps into her brother.
"John? What are you doing here?" Jane asks surprised.
"Jane? I could ask you the same. Last I heard you were on the Kilimanjaro." John replies equally surprised they have been assigned to the same ship.
"Yeah, I got transferred, barely had time to pack a toothbrush." Jane replies as they enter the Conference Room.
"I got you beat; I didn't have time to pack a toothbrush." John replies.
The room is sparsely furnished with a circle of chairs all but two are currently occupied and a holo-emitter in the center of the circle currently showing John's Helmet-Cam footage of the Mess Hall turned hellscape.
Out of respect for Staff Commander Sidney Welborne the siblings stop their banter from going any further as they quietly take the two empty seats, Captain Anderson giving each of them a nod.
"…thus, it is our belief that the attacking force went through the airlock, located beyond the Mess Hall, and moved towards it, they eliminated any threats they came across quickly and with practiced and honed skilled, then they reached the Mess Hall and were forced to go loud. We have found evidence of both advanced possibly plasma-based and laser-based hand-held ranged and melee weaponry as well as primitive ballistic based weaponry. We also believe some sort of plasma based explosive was used within the Mess Hall and a primitive explosive device was used to breach the door. While the Batarians were prepared they didn't stand against a well-trained and determined force which evidence would suggest that it was a team of four or five." Sidney finishes giving her assessment on the Mess Hall.
"Captain Shepard, your Raiders were the first to arrive, what would describe the scene as when you first saw it?" Rome's XO Commander Vardan Lunt asks.
"I've seen the end result of many room breaches and participated in many myself, but this…" John points at the holo-still of when he first entered the Mess Hall. "…is unlike anything I have seen, baring the unique weapons used, it looks like they used shock and awe tactics not caring for their own safety but wanting to get within the Batarian's positions as fast as possible and engage them in melee combat." John replies.
"Welborne?" David asks from seat at the head of the circle opposite the entrance.
"I concur sir." She replies.
"The Control Room is similar to that of the Mess Hall, it was heavily fortified with a large number of Batarians and defensive positions, it also looks like the same team hit the Control Room. Whoever they are they did not care for collateral damage or salvaging any of the information from the Control Room. They went in and killed and destroyed everything." Captain Viktor Somers of the 4th Marine Force Recon reports.
Sidney changes the holo-still to show Viktor's view of the Control Room from the second story walkway area. Much like the Mess Hall the Control Room has been devastated from the attacker's assault, dead Batarian's many missing body parts or simply missing their body, it also looks like several grenades of different types went off.
"We have found small amounts of human blood on the second story walkway, we believe it is from one of the attackers, we have also found fragments of a ceramic-titanium material most likely part of their armor which fragmented off when their Kinetic Barriers were overwhelmed. We are running the blood through the Alliance Database but nothing so far." Special Agent in Charge Jena Castle of the Naval Crime Investigative Service reports.
"After there assault on the Control Room we believe they went to the Hanger Bay for extraction, either one of them stayed behind or they came back later to kill the rest of the stations personal with some sort of weapon that fires a purple needle of some kind. They were ruthless and thorough, killing everyone that wasn't a slave." Sidney finishes.
"There is also the case of two Batarian Frigates blowing up when we entered system and it definitely wasn't us that did it, could it have been the same people that attacked the facility, that sent us the Lock-Out Burst Transmission?" Vardan asks.
"The After Action Report of the Sensor Officer mentioned that he detected unknown radiation at the edge of the system, what could that be about?" Sidney asks thinking the unknowns that destroyed the Frigates are the same that produced the radiation.
"The fact is we have a lot of unknowns and not enough evidence to answer them, we can speculate all we want but the truth is we simply don't know. How did we even know about this base?" Jena asks.
Everyone turns to Captain Anderson who has been quiet and making notes in his Omni-Tool as the debrief was given. He looks up and looks at each member in the room in their eyes before speaking.
"What do people know of the Intai'sei Raid a little over a week ago?" David asks.
Everyone expect Jane Shepard gives a response along the lines of nothing because of the communications blackout, Jena goes so far as saying as it is strange for such a blackout to be in effect after a raid.
"They were attacked by Batarian Slavers but an unknown faction intervened and protected the colony, they call themselves the UNSC or XCOM. Ok two unknown factions intervened. According to survivors they used unknown and unique technology ranging from drop pods from orbit to heavily armored tanks to ballistic and plasma-based weaponry." Jane replies, everyone listening intently as she speaks.
"You were there?" Her brother asks concerned.
"No but I was apart of the first wave of reinforcements." Jane replies.
"The events of Intai'sei have been classified for the time being and the survivors are focused on their wounded, dead and rebuilding then they are on telling the galaxy what happened there, but it won't stay like that, the galaxy will learn what happened at Intai'sei eventually. Several days after the Fifth Fleet arrived the SSV Tokyo was given falsified orders for Leave on Earth, the Tokyo was the only ship in the fleet to contain the information of the location of the Slave Base, the Tokyo was then hacked and the spokesperson of the UNSC-XCOM made contact with me and locked out the location with an extremely advanced code. I was given command of the SSV Rome and she underwent massive personal change. Command wants answers on what this UNSC-XCOM is before they divulge what happened at Intai'sei so we are on an unofficial timetable to find them and make contact but they aren't making it easy." David explains.
"Do we have any idea where to find them?" Jena asks.
"The Lock-Out Burst Transmission, but I had a look at the code used and it is lightyears ahead of us." Sidney replies.
"We have the Rome's best hackers working on it but most likely we will have to wait for the timer to run out, continue you investigation of the Slave Base and see if they left any information on the systems or anywhere else. Welborne and Shepard stay behind, everyone else is dismissed." David says motioning that he meant Jane Shepard.
"Sir?" Jane asks.
"Chances are they will keep sending us Lock-Out Transmissions and we need to find a way to break their code, Welborne you will compile a list of the best hackers in the galaxy then give them to Shepard, you will take four N7s track whoever is on that list and get them to cooperate. Admiral Hackett has authorized the use of Alliance Credits so take this Credit Chip and get it done. The only people that are to know of this mission is the three of us and the four other N7s you choice, no one else even the rest of Omega." David orders.
"Yes sir." They both reply.
Location: Serpent Nebula – Citadel Alliance Dock Yards
Date: July 26th, 2180
Time: 0840hrs Local Time
Staff Commander Jane Shepard and her N7 team, Staff Lieutenant Susan Rizzi an Adept, First Lieutenant Garner Mosely an Infiltrator, Second Lieutenant Sherlock Headley a Heavy Weapons Specialist and Operations Chief Toni Paskey a Vanguard were picked up an Alliance Patrol in the Caleston Rift and under orders of Admiral Hackett diverted and transported the N7s to the Citadel. Not that the captain of Nile-Class Battlecruiser was happy about that, but orders were orders. Now she was stepping out of a Kodiak with the small patrol fleet in the distance as they prepare to go back to their patrol.
As the N7s make their way into the elevator several Alliance personal give them a nod of respect which they return.
"Our first target on the Citadel is in the Kithoi Ward, a Salarian by the name of Hawar Delan." Jane reports reading off her Omni-Tool.
"Chatty bunch those Frog Horns." Toni comments and the others of what is known as Omega 2 chuckle.
"How do you want to do this?" The quiet Infiltrator asks.
"Garner will set up in an overwatch, Sherlock you will be in the crowd looking for anyone making there way to the Frog Horn and stop them while Toni and I got have a chat and see if he can hack the code." Jane replies.
They wait for what seems like a long time for the slow elevator to reach its destination before they pile into an Aircar and head for the Kithoi Ward.
After half an hour of mostly sitting in traffic they land at a Transit Station and disembark before making their way to a warehouse near next to a Skyscraper.
"Remember, everything we do will reflect on the Alliance so let's be subtle about this." Jane comments.
Garner takes up position in an abandoned building across the street and Sherlock walks over to a nearby group of Turians and humans making it known that he sees them and to stay away with a simply change of body stance. As if to spite Jane for her comment the front entrance explodes outwards, Jane and Toni use their Biotics to push the door to the side before it can hit them.
"Sherlock make your way around the back; Garner keep us covered we're going in." Jane says over the radio.
As Jane and Toni rush into the warehouse the envelop themselves in a biotic field, looking around the warehouse is sparsely packed with the odd crate here and there, but behind each crate is two Blue Suns Mercenaries and on the second-floor catwalk are another fifteen Blue Suns, a mix of Humans, Turians and Batarians.
"Toni take high, I got low." Jane shouts and the two N7s charge forward.
Jane hears her friend shout as she uses her biotics to propel herself to the second-floor catwalk, Jane herself sends out a Lift and a Stasis hitting two different Blue Suns Mercs, as she rolls into cover she hits the flying merc with an Overload and fires into him with her M-5 Phalanx putting two rounds in his head. As the merc fire starts to hit her crate her Kinetic Barriers flare from the rounds that pass through the weak material it is made off.
Enveloping herself in a Biotic Barrier she takes a page out off the UNSC-XCOM Playbook and charges the closest mercs, hitting them with Throws, Warps, Overloads and Cryo Blasts, as she enters melee range she envelops her right hand with biotic energy and hit the closest merc sending him flying back and engages the others in hand-to-hand combat using her Biotics and Tech Abilities to win the fight.
Before Sherlock can follow through with his orders the ten Turians and Humans in Blue Suns Armor all go for cover and pull out their weapons and fire on the N7. Rushing into a door leading into the skyscraper he quickly realized it was a bad idea as a dozen more Blue Suns come running towards him weapons raised. Shouldering his Typhoon LMH and firing the blast shield on the Typhoon stops any rounds from hitting him in the head as his Kinetic Barriers flare.
"Sherlock, I'll handle the mercs outside." Garner says over Squad Comms, the loud bang of his M-98 Widow Anti-Material Sniper Rifle sounding.
"Copy." Sherlock replies as he runs to a reception desk and dives over it for cover, his Kinetic Barriers failing from the combined fire.
As he throws an Inferno Grenade over the desk he notices a Asari cowering under the desk.
"Fuck." Sherlock yells as he now has to protect the civilian. "Jane, I can't get around the back, I have engaged Blue Suns on the first floor of the Skyscraper and have civilians in the line of fire." Sherlock says over Squad Comms as his Kinetic Barriers recharge.
Putting his Typhoon on his back and shouldering his Piranha Automatic Shotgun he charges and fires at a merc as he rounds the corner of the desk. The merc dies from the three shotgun blasts fired at him and Sherlock uses the dead body as mobile cover as he runs towards the stairs, the eleven remaining mercs following him. Dropping the body, he uses the stairs as cover as he fires his shotgun six times before it overloads killing two more mercs. He switches to his Typhoon and fires at the mercs dropping four more before it overheats and switching back to his Piranha and repeating the process until all twelve mercs are dead. A Blue Suns Merc runs into through the front door of the skyscraper but his head disappears from Garner's Widow shot.
"Clear outside." Garner announces.
"Clear inside." Sherlock replies.
"Target building clear." Toni says.
"Package acquired but his is a little shaken up." Jane reports.
"Jane, we got C-Sec Special Response landing outside."
Five C-Sec Officers in heavy armor rush into where Sherlock is helping the Asari and order him to get on his knees, to which he is forced to comply with by Jane's order.
Location: Serpent Nebula – Citadel Systems Alliance Embassy
Date: July 26th, 2180
Time: 1215hrs Local Time
The four N7s are leaning against the railing on the balcony taking a moment to relax after having been yelled at by Ambassador Udina for thirty minutes for the diplomatic incident they caused for getting into a firefight on the Citadel.
Executor Pallin walks over the N7s. "Let me make myself clear, you are not above the law."
"We never said we were and we never intended to engage in an open fire either." Jane replies defensively.
Pallin sighs his mandibles twitching in frustration. "Thank you, we would have lost some good officers if you weren't there." He says annoyed.
"Don't suppose we can get some time with Hawar Delan?" Jane asks.
"Ha!" Pallin laughs and walks off.
Udina and Rear Admiral Macy Wicks walk over to the N7s after Pallin leaves the embassy, the N7s give a salute which Macy returns.
"So, are you?" Macy asks.
"N7s ma'am, Omega Squad." Jane replies and Macy visibly flinches.
"As in the Death Squad?" Udina asks and the four N7s nod their heads.
"What in the blazes are you doing on the Citadel?" Macy asks.
"That's classified ma'am, you will have to contact Admiral Hackett of the Fifth Fleet and get him to contact Captain Anderson of the SSV Rome to be read into our operations." Jane replies.
"And what does a known criminal hacker have to do with the Death Squad?" Udina asks annoyed.
"We didn't know he was a criminal sir; it looks like our intel was out of date." Jane replies starting to get annoyed with Udina.
"No shit." Macy replies and her Aid walks up to her and shows her a message on her Omni-Tool. "You're free to go."
"What!" Udina yells outraged.
"C-Sec isn't pressing charges for interfering with their investigation and they need to return to their mission." Macy replies.
"Which is?" Udina asks pissed.
"I'm about to find out." Macy replies and turns around but catches the look of surprise on the N7's faces.
Before the Ambassador can say anything Omega Squad make their exit to track down their second hacker a young Quarian on his Pilgrimage by the name of Fetor'Hara nar Rayya.
Location: Serpent Nebula – Citadel Systems Zakera Ward
Date: October 6th 2552
Time: 1334hrs Military Standard Time
Captain Miranda Keyes provided a list of preferable qualities for people they wish to include some of these being people that won't be missed and people with expert knowledge in Mass Effect Technology. Not knowing when the Operations Fleet will return to Reach, Rear Admiral Murphy authorizes the deployment of the UNSC Trailblazer to the Citadel to learn about it, find a suitable person or people to recruit and to acquire Mass Effect Based Technology. The mission is lead by Captain Keyes with support the infiltration and extraction element consisting of Stash, a team of ODSTs and a fragment of Agiad.
For the last six hours the modified Gladius-Class Heavy Corvette floated into the Widow System making sure to not alert anyone to their presence.
Currently in the Holo-Room is Captain Keyes, Master Sergeant Ela Foster, and the members of a specialized ODST unit Alpha-Nine.
"This is our target." Agiad begins and shows an image of a Quarian. "His name is Fetor'Hara nar Rayya and he is currently on his Pilgrimage."
"Who will we find him?" Buck asks.
"We will sneak onto the Citadel with the Stealth Pelican and I will be uploaded into the mainframe, I may only be a fragment but I am more than capable of finding someone and staying hidden." Agiad replies.
"Once on board we will acquire some local clothes and move deeper into the Zakera Ward while the Pelican remains hidden. Do not engage local forces unless it is absolutely necessary and Comms are on a strict blackout unless the situation is critical." Miranda finishes the short brief.
Over the next three hours the six ODSTs of Alpha-Nine, Captain Keyes and Master Sergeant Foster make their way slowly towards the Citadel. Ela is still unable to speak due to her throat injury, she was told that she may be mute for the rest of her life, which Stash took in stride having seen worse injuries inflicted by the Ethereals. Instead of her usual XCOM W.A.R. Armor Stash is wearing ODST/HVY BDUs, Miranda is wearing ODST/TAC BDUs and all members have made their armor Vacuum-Sealed.
"Thirty seconds." The ONI Pilot announces.
The members of Alpha-Nine, the one member of NOBLE Team and Captain Keyes prepare to disembark. As the ramp lowers Stash is already moving before it fully retracts, shouldering her silenced BR55 she scans the area for anyone watching as the others make the small jump to the Citadel.
"Agiad, what do you need." Miranda asks shouldering her own silenced MA5D Assault Rifle.
"A C-Sec Access Terminal, I can infiltrate C-Sec now but I run the risk of being tracked down, if we do it from a C-Sec Terminal I can breach their firewalls without being discovered." Agiad replies.
"Alpha-Nine on me, NOBLE Three find us a clothing store or C-Sec Station." Miranda orders.
Stash nods at the captain and makes her way into the shadows.
It isn't long until Stash comes across the first citizens of the Citadel, this part of the Zakera Ward appears to be some sort of residential slums.
There are to many to bypass safety. Ela thinks to herself.
She spots several people disappearing into the shadows and follows them making sure not to be discovered. Glazing behind her she can see Alpha-Nine holding back in the cover of darkness waiting for NOBLE Five to advance.
Stash follows the four Citadel Citizens, one human, one Turian and two Asari until they pass a small C-Sec Outpost and she waves Alpha-Nine over and points at the station.
"Ok there is our target, any suggestions?" Miranda asks over Squad Comms.
Taking out her Personal Tablet Ela writes down that she will make a diversion and to be ready with Agiad.
Moving off she catches up to the four people walking by and runs up to the Turian pushing him in the head and knocking him to the ground with blood splattering out. The human screams in shock and horror along with one of the Asari, the other envelopes herself in a Biotic Field but Stash's Adrenaline Surge Gene Mod activates and gives her the split-second needed to pivot forward and elbow the Asari in the face knocking her back.
"Help!" The human screams at the top of his lungs.
Sidestepping closer to the second Asari as she starts to run Ela kicks her leg out sweeping the Asari and making her fall face first, the human punches Ela but recoils in pain as he hits the ceramic-titanium ODST/HVY Helmet.
Six C-Sec Officers come running out of the C-Sec Station M-8 Avenger Assault Rifles in hand.
"Stop!" A human officer orders.
Ela turns around and runs into an alley way leading away from Alpha-Nine, four of the officers follow her as the other two check on the wounded civilians. The first to round the corner Ela is using as cover is a human officer, she pushes his rifle to the side catching him by surprise and quickly follows up with a knee to the stomach and elbow to the side of the head. The three other officers open fire the rounds the rounds pinging into her armor, she feels a shot of pain in her left shoulder as a round penetrates her armor but with the armor and her Iron Skin the round doesn't do any real damage.
Using her superior speed and strength Ela is quickly able to non-lethally take down the C-Sec Officers, the other two come running towards her one of them talking into an orange holographic display on their wrist. Turing around Ela runs into the dead-end alley way and with the power of her Muscle-Fiber Density Gene Mod is able to jump the up to the roof of the two-story building. Looking down she sees the two C-Sec Officers utterly confused as to where she went and she sneaks off to regroup with Alpha-Nine as they make their way out of the C-Sec Station.
Private First-Class Aslaug Svensdottir snaps her M45 Tactical Shotgun up as Ela appears out of the shadows.
"Agiad is in the system, and he is tracking down Fetor, we need to move before reinforcements arrive." Miranda says and Ela nods back.
It takes Agiad thirty minutes to locate Fetor while Alpha-Nine and company avoid C-Sec Patrols and make their way out of the slums of the Zakera Ward.
"Fetor is located in the Dark Star Lounge on Level 28 of the Mid-Ward District, setting waypoint now." Agiad says as he notices someone else gain his location. "Captain, someone else is after our guy."
"Who?" Miranda asks as they sneak into a clothes store – ALL YOU CAN WEAR – in bright but fading colors.
"Staff Commander Jane Shepard of the Systems Alliance Navy, she is an N7 assigned to the SSV Rome, a Mumbai-Class Battlecruiser." Agiad replies.
"Keep track of her." Miranda orders as Ela knocks out the store clerk.
Location: Serpent Nebula – Citadel Dark Star Lounge
Date: July 26th, 2180
Time: 1230hrs Local Time
Fetor'Hara nar Rayya is having a bad day, ever since he made his way to the Citadel at the start of his Pilgrimage six years ago he has been stuck here and treated like the scum of the galaxy and today he just got fired from his job as a hacker. Ever since he was a child and got his first Omni-Tool Fetor has been a good hacker even becoming one of the best but nobody wanted to hire him for one simple and undeniable fact, he was a Quarian.
He was about to start on his first drink of many for the night when his Omni-Tool activated, looking at it a message is displayed. 'Your life is endanger; we can help you.'
'Who are you?' Fetor types and a reply comes before he sends the message.
'I am Agiad, you need to move if you want to live."
Getting up he forgets to grab his credit chip as he leaves out the door.
'We are coming to you but it will take time you need to hide.'
And so, over the next five hours Fetor played cat and mouse with people trying to kill him, a few times he was almost caught but whoever this Agiad is, is a really good hacker to be able to hack into anything to help him escape. As he makes his way along on of the many walls of the Citadel near the Zakera Ward Warehouse District he gets a new message. 'We are here, turning the corner now.'
Right on cue eight figures in a mismatch of strange armor and worn-down clothes and wielding strange weapons approach him.
"Fetor'Hara nar Rayya." One of them says, not as a question but a statement.
"Who are you?" Fetor asks curious.
"I'm Captain Miranda Keyes of the United Nations Space Command and we are here to recruit you." Miranda states.
"Recruit me for what?" Fetor asks defensively.
"Nothing dangerous or criminal, we just need your expertise on Mass Effect Technology, you won't be harmed and you will be rewarded with whatever you want, within reason of course." Miranda replies.
"Captain we need to move, their here." Another one states.
"Yes or no?" Miranda asks.
"Yes." Fetor replies immediately.
"Stash, keep them occupied but don't kill any of them. Give us ten minutes then make your way to extraction." Miranda orders and a third nods her head.
Making her way over to a nearby terminal Miranda holds a strange looking and advanced chip to it and the center of it lights up with activity.
"What is that?" Fetor asks but is ushered forward.
After running for sixty seconds weapons fire comes from the direction they just came, it is different to the sound of Mass Effect Weapons it as more bang to it. Moments later Mass Effect Weapons can be heard. They quickly make their way to a sky car and they override the VI with something and they take off and fly very quickly to the edge of the Zakera Ward. When they arrive at their destination a strange looking drop ship that looks like it isn't based off Mass Effect Technology picks them up.
"Captain, Stash requires a pickup." Someone says, he isn't sure who.
Location: Serpent Nebula – Citadel Zakera Ward Warehouse District
Date: July 26th, 2180
Time: 1730hrs Local Time
Something scared the Quarian Omega Squad was after resulting in a five-hour long chase, although if Jane was thinking in his shows and I got told the Alliance's Death Squad was coming after me, I would run too, but it doesn't mean Jane has to like the situation. They now have him cornered in the Warehouse District.
"C-Sec reports he is one-hundred meters away." Garner reports over Squad Comms. "Eight people are with him, they have strange weapons and armor."
"Strange how?" Jane asks as she leads the three other members of Omega Squad to Fetor.
"They almost look like ballistic weaponry, they got magazines and everything." Garner replies.
"Could it be them, this UNSC-XCOM we are after." Susan asks.
Before anyone can answer Susan was dropped to the floor with a yelp of pain, towards their target someone is aiming a weapons at them and Sherlock opens fire as Jane pulls Susan to her with Biotics and applies some Medigel.
"The fucker's relocating." Sherlock announces.
"I don't have a sight line." Garner reports. "Changing position."
Jane activates her Omni-Tool and contacts to Rear Admiral Wicks.
"Staff Commander?" She asks the Holo-Image of Admiral Hackett in the background.
"Ma'am we are under fire and have a man down, requesting Medivac in the Warehouse District of the Zakera Wards." Jane replies.
"Understood, I'll alert Alliance Medical and C-Sec, stay put." Macy orders.
"Negative we need to move." Jane replies.
"He's retreating!" Sherlock shouts.
"Go Jane, it's just a flesh wound and you patched it with Medigel." Susan says in clear pain.
"Toni stay with her, Garner go after the Quarian, Sherlock on me we are going after the shooter." Jane orders, making sure to keep the line to the rear admiral open.
The next forty minutes Omega Squad engages the unknown shooter and runs after them when they disengage, using clear as day delaying tactics to give the rest of their team time to get away. As Omega pins their target at the end of the Warehouse District they are about to go in for the kill when a loud whirring appears and moments later loud weapons fire followed by Omega being surpassed as the strange drop ship comes in and picks up their final member before flying away from the Citadel.