Jack smiled as she sent out a series of musical notes, the Antlions buzzing in reply as they all flew after the various Overwatch Grunts and Ordinals; the Xenian creatures ripping the Cyborgs to pieces.
The past two years had been a slow healing process of her ragged psychic wound left by the Combine and her actions. But to be among other sentient beings again was… liberating was the wrong word, and she couldn't really think of what else to say; but it was nice to actually talk with others rather than have only Antlions for company.
"Is it really necessary to kill them all?" Jack sighed and turned to the blue skinned-No, Liara. She reminded herself, and saw the Asari giving her a mildly disapproving look.
Jack just shrugged, her face shrouded in shadows to the point that only her emerald glowing eyes and the tip of her messy auburn haired ponytail were visible. Sitting down on a nearby rock, she crossed her legs and shifted her loincloth so that it better covered her groin while absently shifting the tattered remains of her poncho, which covered nothing except her head.
The Quarians and Humans seemed very uncomfortable, but Liara was the exception to Jack's amusement. After thinking of her answer for a moment, Jack just shook her head and played with the end of her greasy ponytail; "They're cyborgs with no mind or soul to speak of; all they know is how to conduct themselves in combat. Nothing is lost with their deaths." Jack finally said, brushing some dirt and mud off her breasts while smirking behind the shadows covering her face at how all the Quarian men blushed and looked away from her.
They are so easy to tease, maybe they would be good fun in bed as well. She mused.
She knew it was her psyche just trying to cope with all this sudden contact, but she didn't really care; she had lost modesty and shame long ago, and her ability to interact with others went with it. Frankly it was a miracle she wasn't trying to be more obvious; though she could tell Liara was trying to temper her more… wild desires so she could focus on the task at hand.
"Perhaps," the maiden directed her attention back to the fight at hand, "but we should aspire to set a nobler precedent than the rude beasts you command." She glanced at Jack. "You are human, after all." From anyone else, Jack might have suspected that as a challenge; but Liara had seen her soul, and had seen something redeemable even at Jack's most depraved moment.
"Alright, I'll tone it down for the kids." She frowned at the sense rippling back from the swarm. "Bear in mind, when the Swarm breaks loose from my control; and they will, then all that pent up aggression will come out at once."
The soldiers all shifted nervously while eyeing the Xenian 'shock-troops'.
"Then perhaps we should see about advancing on this Sea-Pea where that aggression will serve, rather than hinder us."
The Lambda Team and their Quarian support had just managed to clear out a rock pile called 'The Devil's Den', and were now at the base of a pair of hills that dominated the surrounding countryside. The Command Post was at the peak of one of the two hills that the locals called 'Big Round Top'. From what little anyone remembered, the entire plain they were on had been the site of a bloody battle in centuries past.
Now, it was one of the last remaining Redoubts for the late, unlamented Consul.
The difficulty was that the Combine forces had quite literally dug in, and the two hills were home to a pair of Shell Launchers, as well as a substantial Defense network of Suppression Devices and Warp Cannons.
Thankfully, the Combine had 'Dug In' in their usual way: Ant-Lions. When the local cell had informed Cold Mountain of their situation, Jack had all but jumped at the chance to spearhead the assault.
Jack whistled sharply. "Lassie!" A particularly sleek Antlion with a gold coloration scuttled up to Jack. The human rested her forehead on the arthropod's head. "Find the tunnel entrance; lead your sisters."
The Antlion chittered excitedly, and Jack smiled behind the shadows hiding her face as the Antlion controller scuttled away before taking off and flying towards the small hill nearby. Immediately, they began to burrow into the ground while the Combine forces desperately tried to funnel them away. Fortunately for Jack and her Antlions, and unfortunately for the Combine troops both brainwashed and otherwise; they had no Antlion Thumpers set up to scare the Xenian creatures away, meaning their entire defense in hiding away in a mountain served no purpose other than to give them a premade grave.
Jack sighed and leaned back onto the soft grass, which was much more comfortable than the rock and dirt she had slept on for months; even as a nice breeze tousled her hair. "Ahhhh… This is nice."
She heard the Quarian Sergeant in charge of this particular band of Coalition forces make a choking sound while Liara snorted loudly, and she opened one eye. The Quarian's face had turned a deep shade of violet, while Liara was glancing at the male; then at Jack with a disapproving look.
"What?" Jack demanded.
Liara just rolled her eyes and pointed, "Can you make an effort to wear something more… covering? I'm Asari, and we don't have a nudity taboo, but this is a bit much even for me." The alien woman grumbled half heartedly while rubbing her temples.
Jack glanced down, and shrugged, "Eh, I don't care; let 'em see it all for all I care. Makes no difference to me." She said flippantly, but she did reach down and adjusted her loincloth so that it actually covered her groin again.
Liara just groaned before turning her attention back to the Antlions still digging through the mountain top and dragging Combine soldiers out. Most were dead, but Liara blinked as the Antlions began dragging unarmed scientist looking types out. That in itself wasn't surprising, what was surprising was the fact that they were still alive.
"Um… Jack? Did you order your Antlions to take some of them alive?" She asked hesitantly.
"Of course, I told 'em to take any that surrendered peacefully and bring 'em here… hm, I could really use a bath; would you like to help me out there Mr. Muscles?" She asked, not really paying Liara much mind as she glanced at the Quarian, who looked like he wanted to be anywhere but there at that moment.
"Jack…" Liara started, glaring at the Vortal, who just rolled her eyes.
"Oh fine, yes I decided that at the very least they deserved to be tried for their crimes. I would be no better than they were if I simply killed them all indiscriminately." Jack replied as she removed her Poncho, immediately smacking it around to try and get some of the dirt off of it while all the males and some of the females alternated between staring at her exposed chest or averting their gazes.
She froze for a moment as Liara frowned and gave a faint, sickly purple glow.
"Into the rocks, now!" She leapt up and tackled 'Mr. Muscles' into the massive pile of boulders, while Liara and the rest of the troops and antlions scurried into the protection of the 'Devil's Den'.
Moments later, the area around the den flared a searing yellow as several Suppression Devices began raining dark-matter projectiles down around them. Several unlucky rebels and Marines were caught out in the open and were vaporized instantly along with a number of Antlions, but the majority managed to take cover in the rocks of the den even as the Combine Suppressor Devices continued to reign down dark matter around them; kicking up molten dirt and rocks as Liara and Jack quickly formed a barrier around the group.
Jack snarled and grabbed one of the captured scientists. "Those people didn't deserve to die, but you do!" She gave another sharp whistle and 'Lassie' latched her mandibles around the man's neck. "They were here to take out that base. You are either going to take their place, or join them." She began to give off a pale green halo, while sparks danced among the stones and her voice boomed unnaturally in the confined space. "Choose wisely!"
The man flailed and soiled himself while death rained outside. "Executive tunnel!"
"Where?!"
He flopped an arm towards one of the rocks with a broad, flat face. Mr. Muscles tapped the irritating device on his arm, and an orange ball appeared and began scanning the rock. His device chirped and he frowned before reaching towards, and then through the stone.
He looked back at Jack and Liara. "It's just a hologram and... something else."
Jack looked pointedly at the scientist, who whimpered. "It...it's a specialized suppression field: it dissuades anything with a brain from going near it. It's harmless, I swear it!"
Liara growled as she held her arms crossed over her head. "Whatever the fuck it is! Hurry up and open it up! I can't hold this for much longer." She snapped furiously.
Jack snorted and grabbed the Sergeant and pulled him towards the entrance. "C'mon Muscles, always wanted a threesome; and we can get one once Liara's all good and safe." The words and tone made her sound flippant, but it was obvious to everyone present that she was furious with the Combine loyalist. "If this is a trick, I'll kill you and use your blood as lube." She hissed at the Scientist as her hands sparked.
"I'm not! I swear!" The Scientist wailed, falling to his knees and begging.
Jack gave him a hard look, then nodded; "Fine... Come on Muscles, let's deal with this fuckin thing." She grunted, tossing her tattered poncho aside and tying her greasy main of auburn hair into a sloppy ponytail as she dragged the Quarian Sergeant through the rock face.
"My names Keenah'Breizh!" He protested weakly even as they vanished through the wall.
"That's nice, my name's Jack, no last name." She replied absently; adjusting her only remaining article of clothing, her loincloth, so it was more secure. "Now let's deal with this Suppressor device, eh?" She looked around the small chamber they were in and nodded before sticking her head back out of the 'mind-your-own-business' field. "It's clear. I'm sending Lassie and the swarm first, then everyone else. Leave the prisoners." Everyone looked at her oddly. "The Den should hold up while the Combine is bombarding, which'll keep 'em here until we're done. If not, oh well."
Everyone filed in after the swarm, with Liara coming in last. Jack tapped one of the drones on the antenna. "Stay, make sure nobody follows us in." She continued after the group as the Xenian sentry hissed at one of the prisoners trying to follow everyone in. They had followed the tunnel for a hundred yards before they heard the first screams and sounds of weapons fire. Jack flinched slightly but continued on.
Keenah came up beside her. "Do we even know where we're going?"
Jack continued marching without looking over. "No, but Lassie does. Antlions eat headcrabs, so the Shell Launcher magazine will call them to like an all-you-can-eat buffet."
By this point, they were directly under Little Round Top when all the antlions converged on a single blast door. Jack smirked and snapped her fingers as the Worker Antlions all began spitting their acid at the door; melting through the reinforced metal doors while Kheenah felt a bit of unease well up inside of him.
"So um… you control them?" He asked, immediately feeling stupid, "I mean… uh, do they understand you?"
"In a way… it's kind of like a Dog or a Wolf; they understand basic commands and when I'm sad, or happy, or angry, and try to adjust to my feelings as such. But they aren't sentient or anything like that." She replied, giving him a glance. "Why?" She asked, even as she absently wiped some blood off her breasts.
Keenah cleared his throat and looked at the swarm of enormous arthropods. "We, uh, don't have any animals in the Fleet; no resources to spare. We've encountered some trained beasts out in the galaxy, but that's almost exclusively Varren being used by Krogan, or Batarians, or Turians; basically anyone who's likely to be a pirate or a slaver."
"What, not the Asari? Don't they have attack Varren of their own?" Jack smirked at her friend's back.
Keenah huffed as he watched the swarm begin burrowing under the blast door. "Sure they do; they've got Krogan, and Batarians and Turians."
"Hmph, and the Shu'ulathoi have their Synths and Transhumans as theirs; at least for this universe."
"The… what?" Kheenah gave her a confused look at the unfamiliar word; and for the first time, Jack actually looked embarrassed.
"Oh, shit. Uh, that's supposed to be a secret." She admitted. "I think Liara might know about them when she entered my mind, but uh…" She stammered uncertainly as she tried to find a way to cover up her little verbal slip. "Um, well, uh, you think I'm pretty?" She smiled sweetly at the Quarian, who just stared at her and tried not to roll his eyes at the very blatant attempt to change the subject.
Kheenah snorted and grinned. "Pretty bad at lying for sure. We'll talk about it after; it looks like your friends are through." The sounds of shouting and weapons fire came from the shallow tunnel under the blast door, "And it sounds like they've made friends. Miss T'Soni," he glanced over at Liara, "that tunnel's going to be one hell of a choke point. Think you have another shield in you, at least until Jak, Mistress of Bugs and myself can secure the breach?"
Liara took a breath and glanced between the two of them, and nodded before propping herself against the wall; "Yes… I think I can manage it. Try and work fast, yeah?"
"No promises."
Kheenah yanked the charging handle on his CM-1 as he struggled to cycle the jammed round out of the breech. "Bosh'tet, why?!" He snarled. He'd been trained in how to operate the experimental firearm, but the whole concept of a weapon jamming was almost foriegn to him; since he'd never had to deal with that sort of thing with older ME weapons.
Jack pulled a few pebbles off the ground and flicked her fingers, sending the lot zipping through the air and into the Combine troopers skulls. One managed to get a pulse shot off, and the DE Bolt smacked Jack right in her shoulder. The Vortal snarled and backed up as her flesh sizzled slightly; some stray hairs having actually melted into the wound.
Kheenah cursed and popped out of cover and quickly shot the last remaining Combine trooper, an Ordinal by the looks of it; before turning his attention to Jack. "You alright?" He asked.
"Been better." She hissed as she held her hand over the wound, poking it to see if it would be better to leave it alone and deal with it later; or heal it now and not deal with the pain.
"You would be better off if you weren't going into a combat zone in the nude." Kheenah grumbled as he slowly pressed forward, sweeping his rifle around to make sure there weren't any Combine troopers playing dead; even though such a thing wasn't possible for the cyborgs to do so.
Jack was about to snark back when she cocked her head slightly. "They're feeding."
Kheenah kept his weapon front as they moved deeper into the heart of the Shell Launcher facility. "Your swarm? Plenty for them to eat, it looks like."
"No, this is nest-building. Xenian life can survive on an Earth based diet, but they can't really thrive." Jack frowned. "For that, they need to eat other Xenian life."
"Like?"
Jack lashed an arm out, spearing a bulbous mass with a bolt of green lightning. "Like Headcrab. Let the rest of the teams know the combine released the ammunition into the base!"
Kheenah had seen enough of the nightmare fate that was Headcrab possession in the campaign to be genuinely scared. He keyed his armor's mic. "All assault units, be advised the Combine has released headcrabs into the facility. Proceed with extreme caution."
Jack snarled as they moved through the base. "We can't let those things get loose into the countryside!"
"Well, we didn't plan on keeping the base; maybe we can seal all the tunnels, then rig the generators to level it." Kheenah suggested, shooting a headcrab as it peeked out from behind a small desk. "I know the locals were talking about how this region used to all be a National monument, and farm land before that; but it'll just be a dead-zone if these things get out anyway."
Jack seemed genuinely distraught for a moment. "I just told you: Lassie is Nesting! The swarm intends to set up a nest here!"
"And the local resistance cell was talking about turning this place into some kind of reclamation center. Our priority, my priority, is the safety and survival of my people and our allies; not your antlion colony."
Jack glared at him, then turned and screamed furiously at the ground before shooting off some lightning at a pair of headcrabs.
"Fine!" She snapped furiously, before placing her palms close together and began emitting some sparks that released a series of high pitched notes; which made Kheenah want to claw at his ears. "There, I sent Lassie and her brood away." Jack spat angrily, "I demand comfort after everything's done; and according to 'Yita, your kind pack it big, so it better be satisfying."
Kheenah could almost sense that she was joking and just venting; but he felt his face color slightly before shaking himself. "Blyat! Do you know where this thing is anyway?" He asked, trying to change the subject.
"That way," a blue arm crossed his line of sight, causing him to start. "I can feel the Dark energy of the reactor pulling at my Biotics."
"I thought you were with the rest of the platoon? In fact, I would prefer you to be with them sister; because this ain't gonna be safe." Jack grumbled unhappily, crossing her arms under her breasts and flipping her hair over her shoulder.
"Mister Embreer sent me to pass the word; the resistance disabled the Shell Launcher, and the main electrical hub for the fortress defenses. The rest of the forces are moving to seal all of the base exits, to try and keep the infestation contained. He didn't want the Combine to hear the orders over the radio." She glanced at the Quarian. "Your Marines are securing the Executive tunnel so we aren't trapped in here with these," she flicked a wrist, and a leaping headcrab vanished in a blink of Hawking Radiation, "-terrible things."
Jack ground her teeth for a moment, and Kheenah decided to break the tension. "What, you care about her enough to send her back; but not me?" He asked, injecting as much sarcasm into his voice as possible.
Jack snorted, "As a sex toy maybe. C'mon; let's get this over with." She grumbled, walking into the tunnel as she reached up and undid her ponytail to try and fix all the stray hairs irritating her shoulder wound; her loincloth flapping at the sudden breeze, giving Kheenah a full view, which caused him to choke and look away.
"Oh please!" Jack grumbled, before a smirk adorned her face. "If this thing bugs you so much-" She reached down and removed her loincloth and tossed it aside, "I'll just stop wearing it until it doesn't."
Liara rolled her eyes, even as Kheenah choked on his breath again. "Sister, I don't think that's how it works."
"It is now!" Jack strutted down the corridor leading to the base's power generators, with Liara and Kheenah following behind.
As they got closer, Jack began to slow down and tense up. "Something is wrong."
Kheenah sidled up beside her while keeping his weapon pointed to their rear. "Picking something up through the Swarm?"
Jack's whole body shivered. "No, it's just... something feels off, like," she came to a complete stop. "Like the first time Liara and I tangled."
Kheenah didn't know what to think, but was slightly concerned by the thoughtful look on Liara's face. "You have a theory?"
The maiden glanced at her two companions. "No one ever accounted for all the material from the Destiny Ascension's crash. This base was a part of the Consul's region of control, so it's possible they salvaged a secondary Mass Core generator."
Jack snarled and spat. "All the more reason to level the place." She sent a grudging look at Kheenah. "Let's hope that bastard kept this little secret to himself as well." Then she turned, and a mass of emerald sparks covered her body while spheres of crackling energy formed in her palms.
A feral grin crossed Jack's face, and she said, "Try to keep up." Before seemingly vanishing in a pink, auburn, and emerald blur. Kheenah blinked while Liara cursed, and both sprinted down the hall after the Vortal; coming upon the light at the end of the tunnel and pausing at what they saw.
It was almost Entirely Overwatch Elites that made up the defense inside, and all of them were firing at Jack with robotic precision.
While the sight of so many in one place was enough to give them pause, it was what they were utilizing that troubled the two. The majority wore what seemed to be semi-transparent blue shielding over their standard white armor; and these energy shields were a lot tougher than standard K-Barriers, as they seemed to dispel any attacks Jack sent their way as well as reflecting the projectiles she flung at them with her telekinesis.
Jack for her part was taking cover behind a massive slab of metal, at least a foot thick; but the Combine Overwatch Elite peppered her makeshift shield with their AR1's and AR2's, causing dents to appear in the metal.
Kheenah swore and fired his own AR1 at the closest Elite, and swore harder when the bolts of Dark Energy were absorbed into the energy plate; and he quickly dove to the right and took cover beside Jack, even as more dents were hammered into the sheet of metal. "You know, this was not how I saw my day going." He spat.
"Neither did I, I thought we'd get a little foreplay before you started getting close like this." In spite of her words, Jack was gritting her teeth and was fuming as the squad of Elites refused to let up. Then, one of the Overwatch Elites fired an Energy Ball from their AR2; and Jack saw her chance.
She caught the sphere of concentrated plasma and dark energy, and flung it right back at the Overwatch Elite that fired it, shattering its blue energy shield and vaporizing the transhuman cyborg. The Energy Ball ricochet off the Overwatch Elite and into his partner, accomplishing the same thing and shattering its shield before vaporizing it.
The third Overwatch Elite got lucky, as the ball stuck it in the chest and exploded; singing its armor and knocking it off its feet, but otherwise the Elite was unharmed by the now defunct Energy Ball.
Kheenah finished the third off with a well placed head shot. "What the hell are they even doing?!"
"Delaying us," Liara barked out as she launched a Warp at a nearby Elite. "I can feel the core being moved!"
"We can't let them leave with it!" Jack all but shrieked in frustration as she launched a green bolt at another Elite. "How am I not strong enough to break through these Tin-men?!"
Liara looked around and muttered, "Goddess help me. I'm going to try something; be ready to run."
Kheenah emptied an entire enhanced magazine into a barricade two Elites were using for cover. "Forward, or the hell away?"
Liara pulled a Dark Energy Plug from a nearby corpse, "Yes," before smashing it into the ground.
There was a short lived flare as the Plug ruptured, before the Asari absorbed the released Dark Energy. She glowed a blinding deep purple that almost sucked in all the light as she floated off the ground. All the Elites focused fire on her, but the shots impossibly slowed and curved randomly around her.
"BEGONE!"
A shockwave pulsed out of Liara, lifting every piece of Dark Energy enhanced equipment, including the Elites into the air before hurling it towards the far wall at supersonic speeds. She then blinked out and fell back to the earth.
Jack and Kheenah barely caught her, with Jack nearly panicking. "Girl, what the fuck was that?! What were you thinking?!"
Liara lay shaking in their arms. "Battlemaster Wrex... did something similar... a few years ago."
Kheenah barked a laugh. "I won't argue the results, but maybe don't take life choice advice from an unkillable war-god." Once she was back on her feet, Kheenah drew his only remaining weapons: the CM-1911 and Bayonet. "Let's finish this Vorcha-Family-Reunion and get the hell out of here."
Liara guided them to where several Grunts were hauling a scavenged and heavily modified Shuttle Mass Effect core, with a small collection of scientists and two Elites.
Jack wasted no time and immediately lashed outward with two bolts of lightning, and the bolts tore through the scientists, chaining as the scientists fell dead to the ground as one. The two Elites staggered slightly as their shields shattered, but they still remained standing and leveled their weapons and prepared to fire.
At least, they tried to, but Kheenah threw his bayonet into the left one's chest while tackling the other one to the ground; blasting the Elite point blank with his pistol on burst fire. The Elite with the Bayonet in its chest staggered slightly, and the Jack lashed another bolt into its chest; using the bayonet as a lightning rod, cooking the Elite from the inside out.
Liara tried to use her biotics, but simply dropped to the ground while holding her head; blood dripping out of her nose and mouth.
Jack glanced at her with worry, then a loud choking sound drew her attention back to Kheenah, and gave a horrified shriek as the Elite lifted Kheenah by the neck even as blood and other fluids began draining out of the transhuman cyborg's chest.
She lunged forward, ripping the saber-bayonet from the fried Elite and swiping it through the second's arm and head. "He is mine!"
As the last Elite fell dead, the three breathed a huge sigh of relief, until one of the screens blinked on. Kheenah, Jack, and Liara all turned, and Jack froze and began to breathe very rapidly; while Kheenah and Liara glanced at her in concern.
"AH!" Kheenah bit down a scream as his vision flashed red and an explosion of pain spiked into his brain and his eyes; and out of the corner of his eye he could see Liara doing the same while Jack remained frozen, staring at the screen.
Kheenah turned to look, and saw a flash of something grublike staring back at them through the screen; before the screen went dark, and the pain went away. He groaned, only just now realizing that he had fallen to his knees as he stood up. "What… Bosh'tet, what was that?" He wondered, but stopped when he noticed Jack.
She hadn't stopped shaking, and her eyes hadn't left the screen, "No… no-no-no-no-no. They can't be here, they can't be; they're still in stasis on the Citadel." she muttered, crossing her arms and hunching over as her eyes flared.
Liara and Kheenah both moved towards her, but the Maiden gently restrained the Marine. "Please prepare the core for detonation; I will tend to our friend." Kheenah reluctantly nodded, and set about rigging the nightmare amalgamation of Citadel and Combine technology to explode.
Liara knelt beside the distraught Vortal. "Jack, tell me what's wrong? What was that on the monitor?"
Jack leaned against Liara like a scared child. "A Shu'ulathoi… An Advisor."
Hau felt his eye twitch slightly as he flapped his wings out of the shootle, breathing in the air of his homeland. It felt… nice to finally be back home, to breathe the air of where he'd grown up; even if he had not been… aware of what had been going on around him beyond that which had been required for him to live.
He cocked his head as he heard an almost chorus. It was on the edge of his senses, but it was clear enough to tell it was from his people. A flock was nearby.
He turned to face the flightless ones who had brought him down; the Molting Queen's fledgling and his mate. -Caw!-
"I don't like it Cato; we're too close to Cumberland."
Hau felt the memories of Shadowed Talons, the fear and loss and pain rolled off of her like brown leaves in the cold season.
"Take it up with Knight Commander 'Mal; he's the one who insisted we come here."
Hau turned to look at the two and gave an irritated -Caw!- at their indecision and rapidly flapped his wings to get their attention before pointing with his wing towards what he had sensed; frustrated that he couldn't speak like they could to communicate.
"Well Hau seems pretty insistent we head to Cumberland. Maybe we'll find some clue about what happened to Mother." Shadowed Talon flinched as he spoke, and Hau felt fear and confusion and hope. He knew many injured had been brought back from the recent fights with the Dark Flock, including one that caused her great grief and joy.
Fledgling readied his talons, even as doubt and loss tugged at his mind. "I somehow doubt that, but anything beats lurking around the medical deck; let your dad and mom get reacquainted while taking care of Ori."
Shadowed Talon sighed and nodded, "I'd much rather see her myself but…" She said nothing else, but feelings of sorrow and grief seemed to pour off her in waves. She turned to Hau and tilted her head, "What do you want us to see Hau?"
He flapped his wings irritably, and flew in a circle around them; pointing with his wing again before flying towards the city where he had felt the presence, circling in the air as he waited for them to catch up. His vantage allowed him to see the layout. He had seen it before, when he had first met Molting Queen: a moderate sized flightless community nested between a river and a mountain ridge. He could see signs of destruction, but also activity as old nests were broken down to make new nests.
Hello, Far Traveler: the one who bears knowledge.
Hau squawked in alarm and settled in a tree. Not since the time in the land of flying rocks had any but the Molting Queen managed to speak to him. Still, there was a familiarity about the voice. "You are one of the fledglings who sheltered under the wings of The One who Sees All."
I am. Sister Ashley and I rested safe in the bosom of Mother Mary, and we have in turn built a refuge from the ravages of Satan's Army. I shall send my Flock to guide yours, that we may discuss his ineffable plan; or at least, what little of it has been revealed to us.
Ayita frowned as she walked up the street.
There was a distinct lack of Zombies of any kind in the area; and frankly it was unnerving her. Many of the old buildings were finally undergoing repairs, and many of the old traps had been deactivated. The corpses of the dead and the zombies had long since been removed from the old town; and the canal was actually filled with water, while the houses and apartments seemed to have actual electricity.
"How…" She murmured, "There were thousands of Zombies here, even when we last traveled through; and now…" It looked… It looked like it did before the Seven Hour War, with some new houses and apartments already under construction.
There were dozens of people in the streets, many of them happily cleaning or working on the buildings, and some had even set up shops. It was bizarre just how… normal, it looked.
"We did it through much effort and cooperation sister." Ayita jumped and spun around while Cato took a step backwards with wide eyes. Hau just gave an irritated -Caw- as he hopped off of Cato's head due to the sudden movement; flapping and circling for a moment before settling himself back onto Cato's head, pecking the Quarian for good measure to show his irritation.
Ayita opened and closed her mouth at the sight that greeted her.
When she had last seen 'Sister Ashley', she had been dirty, oddly dressed, and slightly insane looking. Now, she looked… normal as well. Her hair was washed and well trimmed, her clothes and body were clean and well maintained; and the insane look in her eye was gone, replaced by a sort of weariness.
It was like she was meeting an entirely new person.
Then Ayita got a look beside her legs, and blinked at the little Humrian that looked about Ori's age toddling next to Ashley; and what was even more surprising, was that she couldn't sense any Vortal energy from him. "Um…" She stammered, unsure of what to say.
Ashley smiled and picked the Humrian up, "Ever since all these cute little ones were released, they haven't really been picky about who they give them to. I was feeling a little lonely in spite of all the new company, so my brother encouraged me to take one in." She explained.
"Brother." Cato managed to get out.
"Kaiden." Ashley said simply, smirking lightly, "I never felt anything more than sisterly love for him; nothing romantic or anything like that, contrary to what most everyone who moved here seemed to think."
Shaking her head, she jerked her head while the little Humrian tilted his head at Cato and Ayita. "Anyway, Brother Kaiden is expecting you. We are about to hold Vespers, then take a meal in the Parish Hall where we can discuss what has brought you and so many others through the Valley and into Cumberland."
-Caw-
Hau flapped his wings and took off from Cato's head and started towards the church, and Ashley gestured with her free arm. "After you Madam 'Zorah, we grew up here after all."
Ayita flinched, "Wait… Ashley-Ashley-Ashley… Williams' Daughter?!" She exclaimed, looking the woman over again. Now that she knew what to look for, she wanted to smack herself in the head for missing all the signs.
They had never met, but her mother had babysitted on occasion; and after the fall, Williams had assumed that Ashley was dead along with his wife and had left for Texas to join up with Commander Jacksons unit. "You're still alive, after all this time." She muttered.
Ashley just rolled her eyes, "All according to God's intervention, C'mon, let's go; dinner will be beef stew, potatoes, corn, and carrots. You'll love it."
"So… the ones that set the demons upon this town are finally being driven away…"
Cato took a bite of his stew, and savored the taste while Brother Kaiden sat at the head of the table, wearing those priestly robes that he had worn when they had first met; although they looked much cleaner now than before. "Yeah, the Citadel's Dark Fusion Reactor is actually going critical at the moment. The resistance apparently has people going into that tower and trying to stop the reaction before it blows." He said, wincing internally as he recalled Joker's warning about the size of the explosion.
"If… or rather when that thing goes up; it will level that entire city and a healthy amount of the countryside surrounding it. And probably send out a healthy amount of explosive power into the atmosphere too, so we'll need to back the fleet off." The crippled pilot had warned.
Not a pleasant thought, especially with the Migrant Fleet Civilian fleet making its way towards Earth; already somewhere around 5,000 civilians and children had been chosen to make landfall in Cumberland once it had been secured, since the settlement was already pre established, and with the AGE they wouldn't have to worry about any potential allergic reactions.
"It is fitting that the works of the Dark One should also be their undoing," Ashley nodded sagely before sipping from her glass. "It means the good people of Cumberland can focus on clearing out the Combine Plantation west of the Gap."
Both Cato and Ayita winced at the memory of the night crossing through that blighted valley. Then Ayita frowned slightly. "You say 'the good people' as if you aren't going to be helping them."
Kaiden steepled his hands on the table and closed his eyes, then glowed faintly with Vortal power. "No we are not. Sister Ashley and I are called to a different purpose."
Cato was about to ask when Ashley spoke in a soft, droning voice, her eyes unfocused. "An ancient fire burns still in an ancient land. Mountains shelter secrets from the eyes of the Deceiver. The faithful heed the call to form a new Covenant." As she spoke, Hau and Kaiden's Ravens all cawed in chorus.
Kaiden opened his eyes. "I know not the exact location of Sister Ashley's vision, but God has revealed himself to me through her in the past. I have faith." He slumped slightly and looked at his two guests. "What I don't have, is any way to get to the place of her vision."
Ayita eyed the Vortal Priest. "And where would that be."
Ashley refocused on them. "Based on my research in the municipal library, as well as that of the Church itself, the Fire Temple of Chak-Chak in Yazd Province, Iran."
Ayita strained to remember where Iran was in relation to... anything. It was strange to think she knew her relative position in the wider galaxy, as well as several planets of strategic importance, but had to fight to remember a country from her own homeworld. She was startled from her ruminations as the little Humrian from before ran up to Ashley.
"Mamma!"
Ashley blinked, then smiled and looked down at her adopted son as he held out his empty bowl proudly. "Good job John, good job… Was the food good?" She asked, ruffling his black hair.
"Yes!" He replied with a grin.
"Now who do we thank?" She asked while raising an eyebrow.
He blinked, then smiled, "God and whoever made the food."
"That's right kiddo." She picked him up and set him on her lap, before she looked at Ayita and Cato. "You have any kids? He could use some interaction with someone around his age." Her smile faded slightly, "He… he lacks the gift my Brother and I have, it seems. And it saddens him I think."
Cato glanced down at the child in sympathy. "We have a daughter, though she is vortal. Still, her only other friend on the ship is Vestris, so I think she could use a friend as well."
Ashley smiled, "We'll be traveling a lot, but my home will always be open to you." She said, and Ayita smiled in kind.
I hope mother is doing well.
"PleAse leAve me Alone!" United Kingdom Army Major Doctor Karin Chakwas just stood back and gave the Cyborg in front of her an unimpressed glare, before turning said glare to Sergeant Major Shepard.
"Adrian… I can't do my job if you don't get her to calm down." She said dryly, ignoring the fact that Ayashe was gripping a scalpel in a death grip and pointing it at her. The whole thing had started because she had smashed up the Normandy's medbay, and Doctor Chambers had been too distraught over Miranda's condition to tolerate any problematic patients; which meant that she got to deal with the long thought dead Black Operator.
Shepard just gave a hollow chuckle, gripping his side; the bandages covering his chest and ribs hidden under his t-shirt. "Did she strip naked again?" He asked, wincing lightly as he stood up from where he was sitting.
"Yes, and then she threatened to lobotomize me with my own scalpel." Chakwas replied.
"You wiLl nOt touCh mE!" Ayashe snapped, backing up slightly and shuddering; hugging herself with her biological arm under her breasts while her mechanical arm remained steady. Her biological leg shook while her mechanical one also remained stiff as a board, and Chakwas pinched her nose as she caught sight of some crewmen passing by stop dead as they saw Ayashe standing naked in the middle of the med bay before hurrying away.
Ah… Bullocks this. "Ms. Kingfisher." A Robotic growl cut her off, and she quickly corrected herself; "Mrs. Shepard, if you want to see your Granddaughter, I must perform this physical to make sure you are in good health." Chakwas said, keeping her tone level and cool.
Ayashe tilted her head as her cybernetics flared, the glowing lines on her face and body looking like tear tracks. "ThIs unIt Is functIonINg wIthIn capaCIty." She mumbled. "But…" She tilted her head and her hair swung wildly, "Will Comply." She dropped the scalpel on the floor and glared at Chakwas.
Karen sighed. "Good. Please lay down on the bed here." She gestured to a simple table with an air mattress and a dropcloth. The cyborg climbed onto the table, which groaned slightly under her augmented weight. "Now, I am going to start with some non-invasive medical and bio-mechanical diagnostics." She tapped a control on her wrist, and a complex glowing orange structure sprang to life around her hand.
"DaRk EnerGy relEaSe dETected," Ayashe's cybernetic eye flared with its own scanning beam.
"Yes," Karin said as she passed the Omnitool over her patient, "these devices use a form of metastable Dark Matter to manipulate gravity in much the same way as the Combine used raw Dark Energy."
Ayashe seemed to calm considerably as Karin explained what was happening, as well as sharing her findings. Eventually, she finished her scan and uploaded the data to a terminal. "I'm sending this information to one of my colleagues onboard the Normandy. Adrian," she glanced over her shoulder, "how about you go and get your granddaughter while I handle Ayashe." Karin asked.
"Right." Adrian grunted, giving Ayashe a look of longing, before turning and walking out of the medbay. Karin noted how Ayashe didn't look away from him once as he walked away, and a pained expression crossed her face once Adrian was out of sight.
Karin reached into one of the crates and pulled out an old Urban BDU that she kept on hand in case patients needed their clothing replaced. Catching Ayashe's expression, she asked, "What's wrong, old friend?"
Ayashe blinked, "I knOw yoU?" She asked.
Karin gave her a small smile as she walked up with the old uniform in her arms, "Considering the fact that I was the midwife for your daughter, I'd say we know each other pretty well." She explained simply, before offering the Cyborg the uniform. "Here, Ori may be a toddler and not really understand the… meaning behind you wearing no clothing, but I think your cybernetics will be a little… frightening for her."
Ayashe gave her a look of confusion, but reluctantly pulled the pants and blouse on, staring at the zipper and buttons in confusion until Karin did them for her. "It's going to be tough… relearning everything."
"Don't cAre." Ayashe turned to Karin. "You… LookEd afTer hEr; whAt is She liKe nOw?" She asked, and Karin didn't have to ask what Ayashe meant by that.
Giving her a smile, Karin sat down and gestured for the cyborg to do the same; which she did so reluctantly. "She's… she's certainly a kind hearted woman, strong willed, and a good mother." She explained. "Very much like you, as a matter of fact; although she's certainly shy when it comes to meeting new people."
Ayashe blinked, and a very tiny and unsure smile crossed her face, "I… ThAt is gOod…"
Both women paused as they heard two sets of footsteps approaching, one long and slow and the other short and fast. After a second, there was a beep and the door to the medbay opened, revealing Adrian standing there; and Ayashe locked her gaze onto the little person standing at his knee.
Her face looked like a toddler version of Ayashe and Ayita, but her skin was Light Blue-Grey; and her hair was Midnight-blue, almost black, while her eye's flashed between glowing emerald and silver.
"Ori," Adrian smiled at Ayashe and the child, "this is your grandma Aya. Can you say hi to her?"
Ori smiled and nodded, then toddled over to the table Ayashe was sitting on. The cyborg was about to reach for Ori when the child sprung onto the air mattress in a single green tinged bound. She giggled as she bounced on the inflatable cushion. "Hi Gamma Aya! I'm Ori, and I'm thwee!" She proudly thrust out a tiny hand with all three of her fingers raised.
"HelLo," Ayashe balked for a moment at the grating modulation in her voice. "Iiii aammm Aaayyashe." A tear fell from her natural eye as she fought with the Consul's 'modifications'.
Ori cocked her head slightly. "You sound like mommy and Aunty Miri." She reached a dainty hand towards Ayashe's face. When the elder bent down towards the fearless child, a tiny green spark danced against her cybernetics, and she saw a graceful young woman with a lean blue-grey man, as well as the most human looking Assassin.
She also felt the difficulty both had when talking.
"Iii, Suppose I, do." It was strange, but breaking up her speech helped keep the vocal modulations under control. Another tear ran down her cheek as she smiled at Ori. "Can you, tell me about, yourself?"
Karin drew the privacy curtain closed as the Shepards began healing what Combine had tried so hard to destroy.
A/N: It's been a looooooong time.
How have y'all been? I've been pretty busy as of late; and I'll be honest, I've been burned out with writing for quite some time. But I recently have sort of gotten my inspiration back… somewhat… I can't guarantee a regular or even frequent upload schedule, but dammit; I'm going to try and finish this story.
Leave a review and let me know what y'all think.
A TV tropes page would be loved and appreciated.
And I will see ya when I see ya.