Ronin viewed the footage of the embassy, using a hacking code to trace the girl's destination. She went to the Aroch ward. One of the lower parts of the station.
Not exactly kid-friendly either. Zakera or Kithoi Ward would've been better, C-sec heavy and full of more concerned citizens.
He'll take the cab to the port and see if anyone noticed her.
The markets were full of people buying many wares and, of course, personal arms. Since all that happened during the Reaper war years ago, many wards have been given clearance for small arms. Most of the sections of the stations even petitioned and won the right to form a neighborhood militia.
Ronin admires the reality, but it doesn't mean someone won't get stupid and triggered. C-sec has had a lot to deal with lately. Having them keep the search for the upper wards will quiet any complaints.
Satima will appreciate his personal attention on this. She deserves that much and more. His nightmares had gone away since she returned, but her words on what the Argos was, haunted him.
It bothered everyone. The humans had come so far, only to be swallowed up by a dead man's evil desire. Being spectre allowed him that much information.
Outside the landing zone, Ronin spotted a few asari cornering an open food stand. Maybe they were here when Natalie came through? As he walked behind them, their complaining was loudly heard.
"Ugh, Taliera. Did you see that girl's face? So rude.", she took a sip from a noodle cup.
The other, a more sky blue toned asari, pushed aside her dish in disgust. "I asked for mild sauce. Unbelievable. And yes, Tal, I did. She just pushed right into us! Completely rude."
"Can you believe how humans just let their children run around unaccompanied?" The first asari complained.
Ronin cleared his throat behind them as they turned in surprise. "Spectre Naramis. I have a few questions."
...
Natalie ran down the path to the markets, straight into a couple of asari. They scoffed, calling her rude before continuing their trek. She looked everywhere for another cab port that wasn't hounded by a few marines.
Some of them wore deeper navy-colored armor, while a few had bright blue. Was there a difference?
She doesn't know much about the alliance. Only what she heard on the extranet or on the news. Natalie tried to remember where she used to live two years ago.
She had just turned nine when the monster machines came. Thinking about it made her begin to cry. But Natalie shook her head and harshly wiped away the tears. She is a Shepard now!
Shepards don't cry.
It had to be a couple hours since she ran, her stomach started to rumble loudly, and she was awfully thirsty. Walking up to a lift, the young girl read the destinations on a holographic interface.
The presidium is where she lives now, but her home was full of those bad strangers.
She didn't know how to contact any other family members. Both human and turian. If she tried to speak to c-sec, maybe they could keep her safe from the marines. But, unfortunately, they might put her in the embassy.
Which is precisely where they wanted her.
Why? To put her away in some scary, weird place? She shivered.
Natalie felt like she walked for miles in the lower wards. Wandering around aimlessly. People ignored her, and no one asked who she was or where her parents were.
Depressed, she sat on a bench next to a loud building. Laughter and shouts faded behind the music that vibrated the floors and walls around her. Neon signs flashed on a back wall with images of strange drinks and dancing women; mostly asari.
Natalie blushed. This is definitely a place neither of her parents would be happy about. She thought about going in and seeing what it was.
Lately, whole wards have been putting up signs and posters of a celebration. She asked about it before, but everyone at home was too busy shouting or leaving.
Timidly, Natalie brought herself to the doors. The music had gotten louder the closer she got. Her hand was on the panel before someone from behind shouted toward her.
Natalie bolted from the area. Two marines were hot on her heels, pushing people out of the way. One of them almost touched Natalie's shoulder as she ducked underneath an asari's skirt.
Running full speed, Natalie made it to a small walkway that divided a long stretch of station paths. The keepers often used it for themselves. She was just the right size to try.
Carefully, she stepped on, using the rails for stability.
The marines came to the walkway, watching her quickly slide and hop around the keepers. Next to her, the skyway was filled with many cars. All zooming by fast as she perilously came close to losing her grip.
Strong winds from the open traffic path dangled the rest of the catwalk. Ahead was a tunnel. She didn't know where it would lead, but it was better if those creeps couldn't follow.
"Dammit! She's going into a keeper tunnel.", one of them shouted into their comms.
A keeper started pushing Natalie forward rather quickly. "Not so fast! I'll fall!" She yelled.
It didn't stop until she lost a grip over the left rail sidestepping as the creature skittered past. Natalie slipped her footing, falling to one knee.
"Tell Kester our location!" The other roared.
The air blew stronger from the chasm-like skyway, pulling her down from her position until she slid right off the metal floor. Natalie dangled with both hands to the catwalk flooring. Her tiny fingers dug into the open holes.
Screaming, tears falling in huge droplets down her cheeks, Natalie shouted for help. Skycars started to sideswipe each other as the drivers took notice of the human girl child. Holding on for life.
Groups of citizens crowded the area, pointing and yelling at one another. The marines were being pushed back now, unable to keep the area to themselves. Someone shouted for help.
A salarian began pointing underneath her. Then, she heard the loud whining sound of a skycar engine. Carefully turning herself, Natalie spotted a car opening its side door. A voice yelled for her to let go.
No way! If she lets go, she'll fall. But Natalie was already slipping, unable to hold on anymore. Another keeper skittered by, glancing at her. She tried grabbing one of its legs.
The creature pulled back so the girl couldn't grip. Natalie used all her strength to attempt it, only to lose her remaining hold. The whining noise got louder, closer, as she slipped off the metal floor.
A sudden scream of terror drowned out her own wails when she fell. People scrambled to look over the walkway and view the little girl's body on the ward floor below.
Instead, they were met with a skycar hovering upwards to land on the ward. Then, with a heavy thump, the vehicle's engines whined down as Ronin stepped out, with Natalie sitting on the floor of the car.
He leaned to one knee in front of her to meet the girl's gaze. Her frightened demeanor kept her hostage to that floor. "It's okay, Natalie. I'm a friend. I know you're scared."
She didn't budge, only shaking and holding on to the seat. Her little fingers dug into the upholstery as hands grasped for life. Wide, terrified eyes stared ahead.
Ronin reached in to touch her hand, lifting it to grip his. "Take my... hand. ", he attempted, not wanting to linger on the fact. "Squeeze it as hard as you can. Then, you can step out, and we get back to your family. I promise." Spirits, if he can find them.
Natalie squeezed his taloned hand but didn't look at him. Her petite frame was still huddled in the vehicle. He tried again. "Look at me."
She slowly changed her gaze to his, a watery expression of anxiety. Finally, Ronin nodded to her, "It's okay. You can come out. I won't let anyone hurt you."
The marines watched in curiosity but did not engage. Instead, they stood at the back of the crowd before disappearing altogether.
Natalie searched the area, seeing all the faces of regular people. No armor, no suits. But she was still too scared.
Hesitantly, she made her way forward, nearly tripping over her own shaky steps.
He caught her from falling to her death, so he couldn't be lying about knowing her family?
Carefully, she began to step out, half-crawling and half-walking. Until she fully darted into his arms. It surprised Ronin. He held her close, sitting up to stand. There was clapping around him.
Natalie gripped him tightly as he walked away from the crowd. "Can you travel with me back to the embassy? Or do you need medical attention first? You lead." Ronin tried a turian smile which is hard to impress on most humans.
Something in Natalie caused her to panic. When he mentioned the embassy, she jolted back from the turian, trying to squirm from his arms. "No! I'm not going! That's where they were trying to take me." Natalie almost bit him!
Ronin set her down, holding on to her arm. "Who?"
She kicked him, running again. The turian followed behind frantically. "Kid! Wait!"
He pushed by oncoming citizens, falling over a cart meant for the market ward. Ronin shot up quickly, shouting for Natalie to stop.
She didn't listen, finding another keeper tunnel that opened with the creatures' own command. He quickly realized her thoughts. "Natalie, don't!"
She dashed inside with the keeper as the tunnel entrance closed. Ronin hit the wall. "Shit! SHIT!" He cursed aloud.
He doesn't know where it leads. Satima will never forgive him if Natalie ends up in the protein vats or spaced or anything else that could be fatal. So the spectre comms Khalee, informing her of how he found Natalie, only losing her to a keeper tunnel.
The human councilor was more than peeved. She yelled over comms before apologizing.
Ronin ran to a cab, taking him straight to Zakera. The academy should have archives of the tunnels in each ward. Even though the truth is that the keepers themselves change them yearly if not weekly.
Spirits watch over that kid. And anyone else who's listening. Not like they heard before when the reapers came.
...
Shepard waited as the loop of Garrus's screams came through again on the intercom. She shut her eyes tight. It must be a fake. They made it up to break her.
But there's nothing left to break. She's lost everything. Her family, her friends, and her career-her future.
A few minutes of this is nothing compared to the nightmares on the Normandy. The little boy burning in front of her. His husk body reached for her, mouth open with nothing but the cries of a million people dying.
That's actual pain. That horror the reapers inflicted on her. But to hear a fabricated recording of her husband's agony. Was just cruel.
Her ass had gotten numb from sitting for so long as her legs underneath were becoming sore and stinging. She started to stand, feeling the blood flow back into her muscles. Another ping blared.
This time an open side to the door revealed an armored hand pushing a pad through; she reached down to pick it up. Tapping the screen, Shepard witnessed something that brought her heart low to the gut.
Satima was clamped to a chair and beaten bloody. There were other visible wounds. The image swerved to the side, revealing Garrus in a likewise position.
This can't be happening... is this real?
Shepard dropped the datapad, swiftly approaching the door. She beat on the metal, hitting as hard as she could with her bare fist. Screaming and cursing. It's not right to do this to them. Why not her? She's the guilty one, not them.
A voice came over the comms. "You will understand my pain, Shepard. Soon it will be over with."
Grey.
The captain sat at the foot of the door, panting from the sores on her fists. Shepard stared ahead, contemplating how she would kill that woman, only to shake her head against it. Garrus would be disappointed in her, and so would half the galaxy. But, if Grey and Ruth have taken what mattered most to her, then there's no reason to hold back anymore.
...
Chief Admiral Marsden waited on the docks. She received the reports of the breach from Harkin right before the slimy bastard disappeared. Marines were sent to rectify the situation. It will come to her door.
The turian hierarchy will bury the alliance in galactic bureaucratic law. As a result, all their joint military contracts are broken, and her own career is destroyed. But it had to be done.
With the hybrid dead and the mother locked away, the galaxy can finally be free of the Shepards and their Reaper ties.
When everyone sees the bigger picture, they will forget the collateral mistake against the turian. No one else died. No one else suffered. Three lives for the billions of others.
A marine stood behind her on the docking platform. Ruth stared ahead out to the nebula beyond the ward's buildings and traffic. "Yes, Lieutenant?"
"Ma'am," the woman began. "I have received an express command by Kester. We are to no longer follow your orders. You are under arrest by order of alliance command..."
Her words died off as Ruth gestured in quiet. "I know all of this well, Lieutenant. What's done is done. See that Shepard is well guarded. I have already made sure she understands the consequences of her actions."
The marine nodded, leaving to the freighter. Ruth continued to stare. One Shepard left is better than two. "I did not want the hybrid dead, originally. But, going behind my back was… ill-advised."
Grey waited behind her, a cane in one hand as she limped to the side of the Chief Admiral. "Shepard won't have a reason to fight anymore.", she narrowed an upset gaze. "I didn't order for the turian to be held captive and almost killed. I told you Harkin cannot be trusted."
Ruth sighed. "We completed part of our mission. My brother has been avenged, and the galaxy is safe. The hybrid can no longer pose a threat to us."
"I wouldn't say that."
Ruth turned to find herself being flung backward across the platform. She leaned on all fours, blood smeared on a facial wound. Grey was being handled by the throat.
Red eyes.
Comms came through suddenly.
"We got dead marines here! What's going on?"
"Sir, there's a turian barely alive in here. He's badly injured and two more dead marines."
The Chief Admiral stood shocked. Her gaze widened in terror. "They said you were dead?"
Grey was nearly choked out when Satima let go. The woman fell to the docking floor, gasping and coughing.
The hybrid glared in rage at Ruth, body shaking with an abnormal amount of red biotic power. It looked too much for her, but she did not waver.
It would be useless to call for help or even use her comms. So, she stood her ground and welcomed whatever end this creature had in store. "Do what you will, hybrid. I know someday, someone or maybe something will finally put an end to you."
Satima gave a cocky grin. With each step, blood dripped in splotches on the grey metal floor. She dragged her right leg, deep ruddy liquid scraping the surface like it was painted.
A pained wince gave away the ordeal it began costing her. But even though the hybrid kept her stare, something was off. Her gait seemed to hold back long before she attempted to get closer.
Ruth is now face to face with the abomination. Those crimson eyes glowed stronger with the dark sclera drowning her reflection in anger.
Satima's breathing strained, but she pushed her gaze onto the alliance woman. "Should I waste my time on you?" A smile took hold, but it didn't seem to be a regular feature for the girl.
The revulsion of the injuries inflicted on this thing imprinted on Ruth's mind.
She reached up with a bloody hand, taking a finger to rub the cool sweat from the alliance woman's brow. Satima licked her finger, grinning. "The taste of fear."
That sudden moment of intended violence became shaded over by a different stance. Satima stepped back, lowering her glare to reflect. She held her head with both hands, face contorted in anguish. A loud buzzing sound pierced her thoughts. She couldn't concentrate.
Ruth noticed Grey getting up with a pistol in her hand. She had aimed it unsteadily towards them. The Chief Admiral tried to warn her, but it was no good.
The shot fired and echoed loudly on the docks. Satima reopened her crimson gaze to deflect the bullet with biotics. Before she could retaliate, a small squad of marines showed on the platform with rifles aimed and primed. One of them shouted for everyone to drop their weapons.
Ruth shook her head in irritation. "She is the weapon, you fools!"
It did no good here, either. The hybrid attacked them, following the squad out of the docks and into another ward stairwell.
Grey collapsed, unable to comprehend what had transpired. The Chief Admiral stood. Solid as a stone statue. And that was all she could find the courage to do.
...
An alliance starship docked to everyone's surprise. Khalee was informed immediately. Together with an assistant and a squad of C-sec, the councilor prepared for whatever fresh hell was being brought to her door.
The presidium upper docks were teaming with many delegates for the celebrations. Wealthy participants agreed to throw galas and games, collecting a charity for the outer worlds still in a rebuilding phase after the war.
But this wasn't for the celebrations or any other kind of event. Instead, this was an unofficial visit by the top command itself. Chief of Command Darwin Kester. The young new blood that lived and breathed alliance. Or so she was told.
Two rows of marines in light blue armor piled out with him in the middle. His uniform tightly hugged the muscular frame of his body. Kester had a relaxed gaze full of coppery beauty.
Bronzed skin showed no visible blemish while he stepped in stride under the bright lights of the docking area. Khalee envisioned a young Anderson. All those painful years ago. No more regrets.
Stopping short of her person, Kester offered a handshake. Khalee accepted, and the two of them began a return to her offices. "It's a pleasure, Kester. But I must know why you're here."
He waited for her to step inside the lift first, only allowing her assistant and a small group of his marines inside. As the door closed over the second glass case, he faced her with a troubled expression. "One of my admirals has gone against my command and came here to take the Shepards. I'm afraid she's been successful."
Khalee's heart pumped a little faster. "That would explain the recent events. "
Kester had his hands behind the back but released them to settle in his stance. "Tell me everything."
Khalee barely began when her assistant finished a comm call from C-sec. Her alarmed gaze sent a chill down the councilor's spine. "Maria, what is it?"
"Ma'am. The girl... that hybrid, you've been talking about? She's at C-sec academy. She's attacking everyone. There are reports of dead marines on the lower wards. And it's awful."
Khalee exchanged glances with Kester. "Oh, my God.", she said.
...
Ronin hopped out of the cab below the stairs of the academy entrance. He had only exited to hear gunshots and yelling. Bringing out his pistol, the spectre roamed forward through the door. The long white hall was full of injured C-sec. One Alliance marine lay dead.
Where did he come from?
More shouts brought his attention to the entrance. Ronin ran through it, around the lift's back, and up more stairs to the lobby. C-sec men and women were holding off someone. A few marines stayed behind them, offering support.
Gunfire echoed out, pinging off walls and glass windows. More C-sec had appeared from the other lift across the room while bringing the bigger guns. Ronin tried darting between the gunfire, getting to the first barricade.
He happened on a small squad with a turian female reloading guns. "Hey, what's going on? Who's attacking C-sec?"
She handed a freshly loaded pistol to her partner before replying. "That damn thing! She came through the far end, blasting her way with some kind of biotics. Chasing the alliance! Get down!"
Pulling Ronin to the floor, part of a hulled wall had been ripped and thrown at them. They both slowly rose up to stare at the debris. "See what I mean!" She said.
Ronin looked up and over the barricade to his own shock. "Spirits, no.", he muttered.
Is she looking for Natalie? Why attack the alliance and those marines?
He dashed out from the barricade as the squad shouted at him to remain in cover. Ronin can reach her. Somehow.
Standing to the side of the pissed-off hybrid, the spectre yelled with taloned hands cupped around his mandibled mouth. "Satima!"
She stopped her assault briefly as crimson eyes stared at him. The hybrid had a bloody wound on her right temple and inflicted bruises. There was a wound oozing red from her right leg, causing her to drag rather than walk as she attacked C-sec with her unknown biotics. "Spirits, Satima. What happened?"
Her gaze narrowed in upset, pointing to the marines behind the barricade. "Them!" She used more of her strange biotics to fling pieces of walls and doors at the squad. "Those bastards killed him! They killed my father!"
Her defiant stance convinced him, as well as those wounds. Someone did this to her. "Vakarian is dead? Are you sure?" He questioned.
Satima hastily walked to him, Ronin standing his ground in case she went out of control. Her watery stare was no longer frightening but sad. "I failed him. I was ready to die, but they came through... they wanted us both dead..."
One of the marines shouted from the barricade. "We didn't do anything!"
Ronin ignored him, grabbing her hands. They were sticky and stained red. "Satima, you have to stop this. Killing innocent people will not solve what happened."
She pulled away from him viciously. "You don't care what happens to my family! You only care about her!"
The spectre tried to stop her, "No, Satima. Don't!"
The hybrid turned her gaze on the squad, flinging more debris at them. She had enough of their weak attempts to hold her off. Satima pulled the barricade out from under them with all her strength.
One of the marines was dragged to her by biotics. Satima held a pistol to the helmet, emotional pain whirling in rage. "Why did you do this? WHY?!"
The marine couldn't speak from the fact that the hybrid's own uncontrolled abilities were hemorrhaging her mind. "I... I didn't attack you. We were sent... sent by Kester. A different…different squad!"
She let the marine go, lowering her pistol. "Who is Kester?"
Standing with a massive headache, the female held her hand out to the others to stay back. She lifted off her helmet as a tawny gaze searched the hybrid, "I'm Lieutenant Commander Jesse Cox. Chief of Command Darwin Kester has sent us to apprehend Chief Admiral Marsden and Admiral Grey."
The hybrid calmed her biotics. She could feel a difference in emotions fading out as if something had lost a connection to her, leaving a sharp pang in her head as blood trickled down her left nostril and ear. It was a slight that no one noticed. Satima took a dazed step back. "You weren't a part of them?"
Cox held her helmet close under her left arm, nodding with a lowered stare. "No."
Satima searched through the crowd of fearful faces. All still aiming at her, hiding behind barricades. She looked around the lobby, viewing the destruction her own emotions caused. Then, dropping to her knees and letting go of the pistol, the hybrid sat in shock at her actions. "Kin sha… What have I done?" She glanced at Ronin.
He didn't understand what had happened.
Ronin took over as spectre, using his authority to clear the area and bring a medic for Satima. No one really wanted to touch her, let alone be in the same room as her.
C-sec officers began moving the debris, counting the dead alliance marines in the hall.
Cox called it in, receiving a hasty response from Kester himself. He had just found Shepard. There's a lot to discuss. So many wrongs that may never be right. But at least for now, the present danger is contained.
It's just unfortunate it had to be Satima.
