Hey guys, hope you enjoy this chapter! Btw, I wonder how many of you caught the foreshadowing I've been doing it for forever, that'll become prevalent in this chapter.
When Aedon was taken everything felt wrong. He was a good kid and someone I trusted and respected; no matter how much of an idiot he was in the field. Little shit liked being in the med bay too much, I think he did it just to annoy me sometimes. The rest of the crew were similarly affected; Shepard, Garrus, Jack, Grunt and most of all Tali were negatively affected.
Shepard went into Crusade mode, you were lucky to get more than five words out of Garrus, Grunt didn't speak, Jack reverted to the insufferable woman she had been, and Tali… She's the only one I've ever met to match Aedon in rage and determination. She cried the whole first day back on the ship but afterwards, a woman possessed. It was during the time he was taken that she had her breakthrough. What it actually was is still hidden by the Quarians to this day but Aedon definitely was the first to get it.
Still, when we did find him no one knows what he experienced and found that sent him over the edge. He's never shown any person that data besides the Asari Councillor; Liara told me. When we asked about it you saw the 1000 yard stare out of him. Of all people he was not someone I would expect for that to happen too; he always seemed invulnerable to it.
However, when we found the recordings of the facility before we got there I was silently happy we didn't show up during it… What we saw on those tapes was every nightmare Mordin, myself and Miss Chambers had regarding Aedon.
A complete and total Psychotic Episode.
Excerpt from The Chronicles of the Normandy, Guest Author Dr. Karin Chakwas
POV: Aedobearer
When I passed out last night I didn't think I was that tired. Waking up around noon the next day instead of the usual 0530 quickly dashed that notion. I wasn't happy about it and wasn't happy that no one woke me up to train. Still, when I did wake up I got myself some food, stretched for a bit and then went to the gym.
It wasn't the best gym in the world, barely had anything to be honest. But it had enough for me to a half way decent work out in. After the workout I went to the sparring area and worked the bag for a good half an hour and then finished up on the range. I ran into a couple of the ground team while doing this but they all left me alone for the most part.
There was no reason to really get involved with me at that point, especially when I was working out. Though when I passed Miranda after I finished up on the bag she gave me a curious look. I couldn't really pin what the look meant but it looked to be some aspect of respect. Maybe doing the mission with Jack yesterday earned me a couple of points there. It wasn't my job to know at this point.
Still as the day went on and I finished up everything that I wanted to do I got some more food and went over my hacking programs on my omni-tool. Thing was integrated into my arm so all the better I guess. Made the processing power a little better; not superpowered mind you and the battery wouldn't run out unless I died.
The arm was connected to my nervous system through a lot of electrical probes in what had been my stump. Dr. Chakwas had been the architect of that decision and thus allowed the arm to function as close to a real hand as it could. It wasn't as flexible as a real hand but it was definitely more durable and when I hit someone with it they tended to stay down.
Moving past that I finished up working on my hacking programs before going to find Garrus. In his usual spot near the guns I brought a couple beers. He gave me a nod of thanks and we hung out together. No talking, no bullshit, just relaxing in the presence of the other. I'm very thankful he knew the value of silence.
We stayed like that for maybe an hour before I gave him one final toast and left the room in silence. I found Tali and Kasumi in the bar having a couple of drinks between each other. I said hi to Kasumi and gave Tali a hug from behind. Mentioning that I was going to bed she gave me a nod and I left.
Making my way back to my room I took a shower and jumped in bed. I was asleep almost immediately and slept like a baby. Only waking briefly when Tali climbed into the bed. Even though I recognized her it didn't stop me from pulling my pistol from under my pillow on pure reflex. She gave a squeak of surprise and I pulled the gun back sliding it back under the pillow mumbling that I was sorry.
I still wasn't happy about what had happened the first morning after. With everything about it. The trust that had been hard as diamonds was shaken by that and it was going to take a bit to get it back there. Still, I would keep my trust in her for a number of reasons but mostly because she had shown how sorry she was. Various ways and I was a sucker; I do not like admitting that.
The next morning I woke up at my regular time and went about my day. Breakfast, workout, and finally the range. Though I didn't get to finish my workout and instead I got to hear Joker's voice blare over the PA system.
"All ground team members to the briefing room. All ground team members to the briefing room," sighing at that I reracked the weights and put everything I was using away. After finishing that I left the gym and made my way to the briefing room. I was the last one to arrive this time around. Shepard gave me a nod as I entered and took my usual spot.
"Alright, Illium. Not the nicest place, not the worst. We'll be picking up two more people on this and both are on a timetable so we'll be splitting up. I will lead team one with Jack, Miranda, Grunt, Jacob and Mordin. Aedon will lead team two with Garrus, Zaeed, Kasumi and Tali.
Problem is we don't know where our recruits are exactly so we'll be making a stop at Liara's. She's an information broker now and should be able to point us in the right direction for their locations."
"Who are the recruits?" Garrus asked voicing the question on everyone's mind.
"First one in Thane Krios, Drell assassin with a knack subtlety and biotics. Both are something we could use as we aren't very subtle and more biotics are always welcome. Second one is Justicar Samara. She's on Illium right now hunting an Asari smuggler who apparently fucked with the Justicar's; I don't know the details but she's made contact and has stated that in exchange for helping he get the smuggler she'll work with us," I didn't like it. I didn't like it at all, this stunk to high heaven for me.
"We don't have the best record with her sir," I spoke gesturing to both Garrus and myself. I also noticed Garrus' nodded along with me at that.
"I know the history. That's why I want you two to help her. Clear up some of the bad blood so we can actually work together as a team," I saw the logic but still didn't like it. I would go along with it for now; if Samara wanted to help I would welcome it. We weren't on the best terms but she is a frighteningly powerful biotic, if it helps the chances of getting everyone home I'm for it.
"I don't like this sir," Garrus stated folding his arms over his chest and stared at Shepard. It was the first time I've ever seen him ever question Shepard.
"Neither do I Garrus; from what I know I wouldn't doubt this is a play to do something but we need to take that chance. Samara is a extremely powerful biotic and what we're going to face we could use someone like her," Shepard rebuttled and left it closed. It was clear to see that the conversation was over. At least he gave me the best tech guys, a lot of dampenings if anything goes wrong.
"Moving on as for picking up the recruits be smart. We're still technically in the Terminous Sector so my Spectre status won't be able to get you out immediately if you break the law; it'll be a long and convoluted process. That being said Aedon and Jack, you both have several warrants for you arrest on Illium. You'll be taking a shuttle down instead of landing with us on the Normandy. Liara has already set up the location for your drop off and you'll meet us at her office. Good?" Jack and I both responded with silent nods. "Any questions?" when he got no answer he continued.
"Jack, Aedon, shuttle leaves in two hours for you two. For the rest of you we'll be landing on Illium in about three or so hours. Otherwise, you're all dismissed."
Jack and I exchanged nods and left the room with the rest. I made my way to my room and geared up checking and double checking everything just to make sure. First aid kit, det cord, Mattock, pistol, ax, knife and helmet. All in working order and stocked for anything that could happen.
That being said as I was getting ready my paranoia was singing. I knew something was shifty with the Justicar, there just had to be. I may have game knowledge but at this point I only remembered the big important bits. Most of it has been forgotten in the four plus years I've been in this universe but my paranoia has never let me down. I needed to be prepared for this fight. Something was going to happen.
Once all my gear was ready I went down to the shuttle and just waited sitting on one of the chairs. Feeling a little extra paranoid I stopped at the Armory first and grabbed an extra omni-tool sliding it onto my augmetic. Just in case.
Tali found me in the shuttle after a couple of minutes and sat with me in silence. It was a comfortable silence at the moment and she held out her hand to me. I grabbed it with my real hand and held it tight. When Jack showed up Tali got up and left stopping at the door of the shuttle.
"Be safe, I don't like this," she got out looking at me with concern in her eyes.
"Neither do I. I'll be safe though, I promise," She gave me a small smile behind her mask. She stayed in the doorway of the shuttle for a moment apprehensive before she came back over to me and put where her forehead would be against mine behind my helmet. We were silent letting the moment wash over us before she stood back up and left.
Once she was gone Jack and I sat next to each other in silence as we waited for the shuttle pilot. All we did was check over our weapons and make sure our gear was ready. As if we hadn't done it numerous times already but at this point it was just to pass the time.
When the pilot arrived we both stopped what we were doing and relaxed in our seats. A couple of minutes later we were out the back of the Normandy and on our way down to Illium. The whole way down my paranoia was getting louder and louder and for the first time in a long time I could feel my rosary starting to burn on my chest. Thumbing it I quietly said a prayer and prepared for the worst, I didn't want to get shot down. If I go out I'd rather go out fighting instead of crashing where I could do nothing to change the outcome.
Still, as we flew down nothing happened and it was a quick and quiet ride. Nothing serious at all but my paranoia continued to get louder nonetheless. Passing by a lot of ports as we made our way down towards the planet I recognized the area that we were going to. It was a little smugglers area out of the way; only knew of it because one of the food trucks I frequented was close by.
As soon as we landed and I opened the doors I knew something was wrong, it was completely deserted. Even if Liara had cleaned everyone out to get us a safe landing there would still be someone here. A homeless person walking around, some smuggler checking his good, people playing dominnos in the street, something. We were definitely walking into a trap. Fantastic.
"We're walking into a trap Jack. Be ready," I stated in my radio as I stepped out of the shuttle.
"You sure, Liara seemed okay from what I've been told."
"We're definitely walking into a trap. Who's though I don't know."
That was the whole problem, who? The Shadow Broker maybe but he would've been more bold, and his people would've attacked as soon as the door was open plus they wouldn't have cared for casualties. Batarians would've been shooting at us as we landed. Cerberus maybe but even with us publicly dismissing them we still flew their colors and were bringing them good press, why change anything? Aria maybe? But she would've tried something underhanded…
It was at this moment in the two seconds my mind went over the possibilities of who could be here that I realized the shuttle hadn't taken off yet. Whirling around with my gun up the position of my augmentic on my gun saved myself from something going into my neck and instead it ricocheted off of it. Going straight into the side of Jack's neck as she spun with me; she dropped immediately.
Steeling myself I was already firing at the shuttle pilot who held what looked like a dart gun. I got him with three in the chest and one to the head but as I did so he was able to get off another shot and at this close of a distance my shields wouldn't stop the shot. As the man flopped back into the shuttle dead I looked down at my leg and saw that there was a dart sticking into the side of my right knee… That wasn't his dar though, the one in Jack is different.
Ripping out the dart I was already starting to feel the affects of whatever I had been shot with. Still, I had a couple seconds before it fully set in and threw the dart as far as I could into into an alley and fired a couple of shots that way while pulling a grenade and tossing it the opposite direction. Maybe Garrus could find it if whoever shot me couldn't. The shots and grenade should attract someone hopefully eliminating clean up time for whoever did this.
Again though, who and why? Nothing came to me and looking around I couldn't spot the shooter. Even if Aria seemed the most likely this wasn't her. Couldn't be, she wouldn't go after me… or at least while I wasn't on Omega. And the shuttle guy, why would he? This… didn't…
I collapsed on the ground breathing shallow, face up and I couldn't move. My body refused to follow my instructions and I was completely helpless on the ground. Great this is how I die, helpless.
As my consciousness began to fade I heard a few footsteps running to us. The last thing I saw was an Asari, or what I assumed to be one looking down over me. My vision was already fading by the time they were looking down at me. It all faded to black after that.
POV: Jack
Waking up on the ground was not the best experience. Pushing myself up I collapsed the first time, onto a soft blanket, my body was still weak from whatever the fuck happened. A couple of fucking tries later I was able to put myself onto a knee with the support of my shotgun. As soon as I was up I started looking around trying to assess the situation; that wasn't my fucking forte. Point me at a target, don't ask me to analyze shit.
Still, it didn't take long to find the biggest problem. There was a fucking dart in the side of my neck, ripping it out I pocketed in for Mordin to analyze. As I did so I saw the shuttle a good bit away from where I was; it had been torched, inside was completely blackened and out pilots body was sizzling. Scratch that, he wasn't sizzling; the fucker was melting. What the fuck could do that to a body and fuck up an entire shuttle. Wait… where's Aedon?
Looking around frantically I couldn't find him anywhere. He was gone, fucking gone; fuck. Pushing myself up to my feet I stumbled forward but someone caught me. Looking at whoever it was that caught me it was a homeless man. Could tell from how ratty his entire set up was and the, I think it was a shopping cart behind him.
"You okay there girlie?" I couldn't place the accent but it didn't matter at the moment.
"When the fuck did you get here?" I growled out pushing myself off of him and stumbling but I kept my balance this time.
"Couple minutes ago. Some Asari paid me and mine to scram."
"Did you see anything?" I growled looking at him, my biotics sparking around me.
"N-N-No. I didn't see anything," he put his hands up in a surrendering position before backing away back to his cart and leaving. I watched him the whole way before I was alone again… Alone again. Great. Fuck.
Opening the radio I tried to get a connection with anyone but no luck. I was in a dead zone, I needed to find someplace to get a fucking signal. So with nothing else to do I started walking periodically calling into the radio for anyone. I was at some food truck when I finally got a signal.
"Can anyone fucking hear me?!" I shouted into the radio.
"Jack!? Where the fuck are you and Wynne!" came Shepard over the radio. I breathed out a sigh of relief at that.
"I don't fucking know Shepard. I got hit by a fucking dart from the fucking shuttle pilot. The shuttle's been torched and I… I think Aedon's been taken," silence reigned on the radio. There was almost a full minute of silence before I finally got a response.
"Do you have the dart?"
"Of course I fucking do. I'm not a fucking idiot."
"Okay… Okay. Stay where you are, we have a ping on your position. I'm sending Garrus and Mordin."
I didn't respond to that and sat down on the nearest banch lying my shotgun across my lap. A few people were giving some weird looks but I didn't give a fuck at the moment. My head was fucking pounding and whatever I had been hit with still hadn't worn off. It was like my whole mind was in a fog. Like I was drunk or high, fucking hell maybe crossed.
Either way Garrus and Mordin showed up a few minutes later. Garrus marched right up to me and threw a silent question my way. Knowing what it was I pointed to where we hand landed and where the shuttle was. He gave a nod and stalked off. Mordin began looking over me and held his out for the dart. I silently gave it to him.
From there it was a mundane check up and he gave me a couple of pills. Swallowing them I started to feel a lot better. Still wasn't back to 100% but it was better than nothing at the moment. Garrus still wasn't back either.
POV: Garrus Vakarian.
Checking out the shuttle showed me a few things that made me concerned. For one the pilot was extremely dead and the shuttle was done for, nothing could save it. Stepping around the shuttle though and examining the burn marks and melted bits a very concerning thought came to mind. If I was right then White Phosphorus had done this, a highly illegal substance. I know black ops squads use it but that was it, not even pirates or the best of Omega had access to it.
That narrowed down the potential to just a few groups; all the Councillors special forces and the Spectres. Still, it just didn't make sense. Who of them would take him now and why? They all knew what we were doing and they know its importance. With that too this had to be a kidnapping.
This whole area was a snipers paradise, multiple places to hide and not been seen. Next to no legitimate cover for Jack or Aedon. This was a killbox through and through, if they wanted them dead there wasn't much Jack and Aedon would've been able to do. Knowing them they would've gotten through it but not without a scratch.
Examining the area more thoroughly near the shuttle I noticed four distinct scorch marks. This was a hot extract, those are from a shuttle. But with a dart in Jack why would it have been hot. They probably got Aedon from behind if Jack was correct in remembering she turned and saw the shuttle pilot firing at them. Why the quick exit though, they should've had time. Aedon did something to cut their time in half… What though?
Walking around more I came upon what looked like the center of a grenade going off. If there was a fight there would've been more evidence of it so Aedon must've made as much noise as he could before he passed out from the dart.
Bringing out my sniper rifle I started looking through my scope around the surrounding area. Looking at the walls for anything that could be a bullet hole. There were plenty of them in all honesty but only a controlled group of four that stood out. Near the entrance of an alley behind the shuttle. All four shots were grouped together and took off a bit more of the wall than the rest, a bigger bullet. A Mattock.
Going to the alley there must've been a reason for why he did that. I activated my omni-tool and began scanning*. A couple minutes later I found what I was looking for, a dart in a pile of trash. Pushing the trash out of the way and grabbed the dart raising it up to my face. Seeing it prickles something in the back of my mind and then I recognized why that was. I recognized it.
A few of these were in the evidence locker back on the Citadel. From a bunch of cold cases, some nearly 300 years old. What the fuck was it doing on Illium though? What the hell is going on?
POV: Aedon Wynne
*Warning: Extremely Graphic depictions of both psychological and physical torture.* Like seriously, be careful my dudes. I did not pull any punches here.*
"... What do … gear?"
"... …. ….. Armory. Will need…. he turns." armory, gear. Good, still close… maybe.
"Shit. He's waking up."
I tried to move. Tried to do anything but I could barely move, my movements were slow, sluggish and weak. It was far to easy for them to pin me down and stick another needle in my neck. Again blackness.
I woke up again blinking the bleariness out of my eyes I tried to move but realized I couldn't. Looking around I was strapped lying down face up on was I believed to be a wired bed frame, great. I did this a couple times when I freelanced for the Cartel. An attitude adjustment.
Lifting my head up to get a better look at the room it was perfect for a torture chamber. Steel and stone everywhere, easy to wash, and if I had to guess underground somewhere too. A single door with no windows and no observable camera's in here. Perfect for isolation; you could play mindgames with yourself with cameras or windows to keep your mind. Play out scenarios, not when there was nothing though. At least I should be able to take advantage of it but would be a long while.
The chains strapping me down were of a high quality material. Burying themselves into my skin and rough and cold, some type of metal; probably iron. But a little pressure over time should be able to weaken them enough. The blood, sweat, and errosion from my strain on them should get them breakable in a couple of weeks. That is if they don't change them. They will though, I'll just need a little luck and good timing.
The door opened a couple of Asari in lab coats walked in along with one who was definitely going to be my torcherer. Sleek black jumpsuit and the same eyes I had, cold and unfeeling. Our gave met and she gave a small smile; she knew she'd get to have a lot of fun. Behind them someone wheeled in a cart with an assortment of materials on it. From a car battery to several different types of knives and a hammer.
"My lovely sisters will begin their experimentation on you. Once they are done it will be my turn," my interrogator said in an almost loving voice. The glint in her eyes and bloodthirsty smile told me it was anything but.
Still, at her words the Asari in lab coats started ot poke and prode me with needles and weren't gentle about it. The first was a simple drawing of blood but it got a little bit worse after that. The next one she stabbed me with a needle in my thigh and I think too measurements of how quick I was bleeding.
The next took a toenail, don't know why but it hurt; I didn't make a noise. After that one of them took a scalpel and a square piece of skin near my augmetic before ripping it off. The last one of those Asari's took a long needle and plunged it into my hip with no numbing agent. I could feel it all the way into my hip, were they getting bone marrow.
Still, through the entire process I didn't make a sound or wince. I couldn't, wouldn't. I don't know what the fuck or why this is happening but they'll get nothing from me.
Once the lab Asari's had everything they gave a nod to my torturer and left. She talked to me but I didn't pay attention, didn't want to. Just went to my own little world. Still didn't stop her from getting on top of me and pummeling my ribs with brass knuckles until at least half were broke. Still I made no noise beyond grunts.
With her satisfied with her work on my rips she stepped off me and grabbed the hammer. Holding the blunt side downwards she gave me a sadistic grin before flipping it over to the pronged side and slamming it into my left peck. Not hard enough to make it past my ribs or to my lungs but more then enough to puncture the muscle. Violently ripping it out she repeated the process on my right peck.
Smiling at me sweetly she left the hammer in my right peck before hooking up the jumper cables from the car battery. She didn't waste any time and turned it on. Still, I did not scream. I held it in biting the inside of my mouth so hard I was gushing blood. I swalloed it not to allow her the satisfaction of seeing it.
Three more instances of the electrocution before she finally stopped. I'm pretty sure I bit off a chunk of my cheek through the process but I kept swallowing the blood. She would not get the satisfaction out of me.
She let me breath for a minute as she went over all of her devices. She returned to my side with a wicked looking jagged knife. Again with a smile on her face she put it on my left collarbone and dragged it slowly across my entire chest and stomach all the way to my right hip. Leaving a long, but shallow, cut the whole way; shallow didn't mean it didn't hurt though.
She followed that up with the same thing but from the other side. Right collar bone to the left hip, making an 'X' on my chest. Seemingly happy with her work she put down the knife and grabbed a smaller one and connected the top right and bottom right of the X with another long cut before doing the same to the other side. I still didn't let anything out besides a grunt.
When she was done with that she stabbed the smaller knife into my left peck the same way she had done with the hammer on my right peck. Giving a small smile at that she went over to the cart and bent over to reach something below what I could see. Pulling it up it was a little hanger for blood. She built it in a minute before bending down again and grabbing a blood bag, she wasted no time in hooking it up to my arm. Guess they wanted this to last.
"That's all for today honey," she sing songed to me before dragging a hand under my chin. "That picture does you no justice, you are quite the handsome man. I look forward to hearing you scream."
"You may test that assumption at your convenience," I regretted saying anything as soon as the words were out of my mouth. The look and smile she gave me told me instantly that she was a sadist and most definitely got off to this. Continuing to smile at me she brought out a strap and put it around my forehead and the bed frame I was on before tightening it to the point I wouldn't be able to move my head. After that she gave me a small little wave and sauntered out of the room.
A couple minutes after she left water started dripping from the ceiling right onto my nose. Every 15 seconds like clockwork for almost a full hour before it wasn't joined, it got worse. Russian techno, the one that has a singular beat the whole time, started playing. Another hour later it got far worse. The oxygen let the room and just as I was about to pass out the oxygen came back and I was able to breath again.
Fuck.
I don't know how long it's been. Sometimes they would do two sessions a day, sometimes up to six with consistent breaks. The woman kept up that same cheery attitude the whole time as she cut me up. Some days she just reopen all the old cuts methodically without making any new ones and put salt in them before cleaning them out. Other days she take a knife and has her way.
The arousal in her eyes and body was almost palpable on those days. I could see her playing with herself sometimes. She loved it and at this point most of my body was covered in wounds that would definitely result in scars. Her favorite choice of instrument so far was definitely the smaller knife she stuck in my chest the first day. Don't know why but I think she liked the precision it gave.
They've even gone after my face… Shaved my beard too, the bastards, to get to it. I know had several new scars lining my face. One from my left temple over my left eyelid, that had just healed, under my nose and all the way to my chin. Then another one across the whole length of my forehead and finally one that went from the right side of my forehead all the way down to my chin. Crossing both of the other cuts.
That's not to mention that the whole time I've barely gotten any sleep with the combination of Russian techno, the water drops and the lack of oxygen when she leaves. If anything those three were far worse than anything that she could do to me.
Still, I haven't screamed; I haven't given them any satisfaction and today that all seemed to be coming to a head. The door burst open and she jumped in with a giant smile on her face. Walking over to me slowly she dragged her left hand all the way up my leg opening several cuts along the way before the stopped at my balls and grabbed them in her hand but softly.
I was afraid that this day was going to come along sooner or later. I did not want to become a dickless or ballsless person but when I looked at her to see the sadistic glee I was surprised. Instead of that sadistic glee and arousal there was only pure arousal. Slowly, sultrily, she took off her jumpsuit and let it fall to the ground becoming completely naked in front of me.
"They finally gave me permission," she spoke leaning down to my ear as she spoke. Biting my ear she pulled away and got onto the bed standing over me.
Bending down she slowly began to play with my cock and balls. Against my mind and against everything I wanted I got hard after only a couple minutes of the Asari playing with me. From there you get the idea, she raped me and I took it because it was all I could do. I wasn't in a position to fight. And if it was between being raped and losing my dick I choose my dick.
Still, that didn't make it any less degrading. Especially when she started whispering about Tali. About how she was better than Tali, how she would make me feel better than she ever could. How she wasn't worth anything and I should have better than her. That she was worthless and I was meant for something far better than a dirty suit rat.
I just closed my eyes and tried to ignore it. I don't know how long it took but when it was done and we both finished she gave me a grateful smile before kissing my cheek and leaving. I've never felt more dirty in my entire life than I did in that moment. I think I may have to change my answer, I'd rather be castrated than go through that again.
She continued to rape me. Ever day and every session after that she would rape me. Always whispering into my ear the whole time about how Tali wasn't worth it. How the Asari were simply better and I was needed by them. To make the galaxy a better place.
At one point I could feel myself start to believe but I brought it back. I kept thinking about who I am, not who I was, not who I could be. Who. I. Am. I am Aedon Wynne, I am Torchbearer, I am Red Eyes. And if they believe that this will break me than they have another thing coming. It will not happen. Ever. I will not break.
That being said she started ramping it. The torturing got longer, the water got quicker, the music louder, the amount of oxygen I got smaller. All compounded by the fact that she ramped up her raping me. She would forcibly meld with me even though I would resist. I've been able to repel her every time but do you know how it feels to get your mind raped over and over. It isn't fun, I'll tell you that.
Still, I never screamed. Not once. I continued to refuse to give them the satisfaction. I would not give them anything.
As for how long I've been here I still have no idea. It's been over a month I think but it I don't know for sure. It was nothing, I was still holding strong. I tried using the program to call for help that Ceelo had told me but it was either not working or this place was an absolute deadzone. Plus it needed to piggyback off someones omni-tool, couldn't really do that without getting close to someone with one.
The door opened and I could hear whimpering from the door as several pairs of footsteps came into the room. I was then unceremoniously shoved upwards and instead of lying down I was standing up still strapped down. The gravity from the position opening some of my wounds.
In front of me was my torturer and three children. Children. All crying with their mouths gagged and arms bound. They looked at me pleading with their eyes to do whatever she said. My torturer just smiled and raised her gun and fired three shots. All three kids dropped with bullet holes through their head.
"My sisters are getting impatient," she sing songed as she strutted up to me. As she got in my face though her face morphed into a snarl. "Submit to us. There is no escape, we are superior and you will submit. Do it before more have to die."\
*Save Yourself by My Darkest Days*
I said nothing. I am a monster but I am a monster of myself. If I became a monster on a leash, someone elses besides mine. The damage I could do would be incredible and very few would be able to stop me. I couldn't submit. I… couldn't. So I watched. I. watched. I watched… she brought in 15 more kids and killed them all in front of me.
All of them crying as they were marched into the room by the Asari in labcoats. The only thing I could focus on though was the faces of the kids, teary eyes and pleading with me to submit to save them but… I couldn't. I watched kids, innocent kids who I should've sacrificed everything to protect, I watched them be killed in front of me and I didn't do anything.
Who am I? Who can watch this and do nothing? Who! Who! WHO! I am not nothing! I am not a bystander! But you're chained. FUCK THE CHAINS! They changed them weeks ago… we have a shot… We can do it.
In the back of my mind I registered that the woman had closed the door and thrown me back to the ground mounting me again. Already raping me… with the children's bodies still in the room.
We have an opportunity here. She's distracted. We can do it. Just one big push. I need more. We need more power. We won't last but this will not stand. She has the power, we take it from her! Fuck the chains! Fuck this place! We will rip and tear this place down brick by brick if need be! We will not be stopped and this cannot be contained. WE ARE RED EYES!
Eyes dimming in rage I felt the same as I had when I repulsed those husks on Horizon. But there was no pounding head, there was no dimming vision. I just felt the power, I felt it calling, singing for bloodshed. And WE weren't about to let it go to waste.
Pulling with all my strength the chain on my augmetic it snapped and the Asari had just enough time to look shocked before my fist hit her stomach and she was sent crashing into the wall. Leaning over I ripped off the chain on my right arm before ripping off both chains around my feet. Standing up was wobbly but we managed and righted ourselves to walk over to the Asari just now starting to push herself up.
Grabbing her by the neck I lifted her and slammed her once into the wall dazing her before I started to drain her. It felt amazing but halfway through we stopped. We wanted her to know our pain. Know what she has unleashed. KNOW who we are.
Dragging her farther up the wall we drained her again before lifting her up and slamming her into what had been our prison. She coughed and spluttered but stayed conscious with a manic grin plastered on her face. We had to make sure she doesn't keep it but how? Looking at her neck we knew what to do.
Jostling her head to side exposing her neck but not enough where she couldn't see us we gave her a great big smile. Knowing she was too weak from the drains to do anything we opened our mouth and lunged for her neck. Biting deep into her neck and carotid artery tasting the blood before shaking our head as we pulled back ripping bits of her neck and artery out, the whole way blood spewing everywhere.
We didn't care though. We just smiled down at the woman, horror etched across her face as she saw us. Lifting our head to the ceiling we swallowed her thanking her for the meal. If it was possible she became more horrified as the life started to leave her but it was still there. Just long enough to show her how badly they had fucked up.
"You wanted to hear us scream? Okay."
We released our grip on her breathing in deep before looking down at her and screaming. The biotic power that filled us came out with the scream slamming into her. It broke the bed, slamming her into the ground shattering the ground. Before long as we continued to scream the she was nothing but a squished mess and the steel floor was shredded.*
Looking away from the broken woman we went to the kids bodies and set them gently to the side. Layed their bodies down away from the door in a neat pattern. Hoping to make them look as peaceful as possible. When that was done we looked back to the door and inhaled once more before screaming again and the door flew off its hinges.
Bright. Was wrong about underground, above ground.
Stepping outside the door there was an Asari in a lab coat looking shocked and terrified as she looked from the door to me. Smiling, we stalked up to her and she was frozen in fear. Grabbing her face with my augmetic we drained her. Letting going of her body she flopped to the ground and seeing what was on her wrist we smiled. We hacked into her omni-tool and used it as a bounce-off point to call for help; may be needed. Still, we had work to do before they came.
Time to show them who we are.
POV: Garrus Vakarian.
Six weeks. It's been six weeks since we lost Aedon. It hasn't been pretty at all. Most everyone is at each other's throats and tensions are continuing to rise within all of us. Shepard has been the only thing keeping us together but I don't think it'll last if this continues. He may be a good man but he didn't have the ability to put the fear of God into you if you stepped out of line. That was all Aedon and like it or not but he kept us together with that attitude.
Other than that whole debacle Shepard's been in crusade mode. Helping me pull on every string we could find to find out who the hell took Aedon. It's amounted to absolutely nothing. No leads at all and everyone that we got close to was either dead by the time we arrived or wouldn't see us and would be dead within a couple days. We knew something was going on that we had no idea about; they were behind the Iron Curtain as humans would say.
Still, we had no idea about it and Liara had absolutely nothing for us either. Jack wasn't a help at all even though she knew plenty in the underground who might know something she didn't help us. She turned back into the insufferable woman she was before. Cunt.
Everyone else was in various levels of pissed off and aggrevated. Miranda looked to be on the edge of fighting Jack to the death and the feeling was mutual. Mordin has continued on as if everything was normal but you could tell he was sad, the same went with Dr. Chackwas. Jacob just seemed disappointed at the atmosphere but Jack took pleasure in pissing him off so he wasn't in the best of moods ever. Kasumi had disappeared, I'm sure she's still on the Normandy but I haven't seen her in at least a week. Grunt wanted to fight literally everyone but that might just be a Krogan thing. Zaeed was the least affected but with how everyone was around him even he was having trouble with us.
Thane was acclimating decenetly well though so there's that. Shepard even helped him with his son on the Citadel in the past six weeks. Jacob too but with his father on some far off planet. I was there when we dealt with him, I don't think anyone has ever deserved to die more than that man.
Bringing up Thane when we went to check out the Justicar she wasn't there. Completely vanished and that led us to their sanctuaries. He wasn't there and even after beating down more than our fair share of Justicars there was nothing for us to find. They had nothing for us and even after 'interviewing' a few they had nothing. Most didn't even know that Aedon was missing at that point.
After helping with Jacob and Thane and raiding the Sanctuaries we boarded the Collector Vessel. That was not a fun trip, almost died about three times and found ourselves really missing Aedon in that fight. Still, we made it out of there alive and got some info if nothing else really. For one the Collectors were taking thousands and thousands of humans and two the Collectors were once Protheans. Did not see that coming.
All that being said for what we had been doing after six weeks everyone in the galaxy knew the Torchbearer had been taken. He had vanished without a trace and had been taken and the result was something I never expected. Probably a third of the galaxy was up in arms about him being taken, reports were flooding in on possible leads on who could've taken him or where he was taken. People wanted him back in the fight. They felt safer with him in the fight; that he wasn't controlled by anyone, that he fought for the person who couldn't fight themselves. They viewed him as a genuine hero. And the ones who he fought breathed a giant sigh of relief while he was gone.
As I sat looking at my coffee in the morning Tali came storming out of her and Aedon's room. She hadn't left there in the past week demanding to be left alone because she was close to a breakthrough. In what I didn't know but just from the way she was walking I knew she wasn't only getting some rations for herself. She was pissed… well, far more pissed than she had been lately.
"Shepard," she shouted out as she walked up to the man a couple tables away from me. "We need to go to the Valhallan Threshold. I'm being accused of treason." There was a shocked silence for a couple of moments before he gave a barely perceptable nod and opened his omni-tool to signal Joker.
From what I know the Veil wasn't all that far away, maybe a half day journey. The closest Relay was only a couple of hours away. We were currently in the Pylos Nebula after checking out some small weather anomaly for the Alliance, ended up being nothing.
So the next couple of hours as we headed to the Relay all we did was sit around and avoid each other as usual. As we neared the Relay though I joined Shepard and Tali in the cockpit of the Normandy. Tali said that once we get to the Threshold the Fleet should be pretty close by.
Just after we hit the Relay and appeared in the Threshold and we could see the Fleet all of omni-tools lit up with a message. Opening it we silently read it.
SOS… SOS… Eagle Nebula, Imir System, Korlus planet, N 43.53.2 E 20.94.1
The message repeated itself and continued to.
"Joker."
"Already on it Commander. EDI, disable safeties on the engines we're going to see what she's made of today."
"Jeff -"
"Do it EDI," Joker snapped before he whipped the Normandy around and shot us back through the Relay looking back at us as he did so. "He's lucky it's in the same system as the Relay, it'll take two hours to get there but the ride will probably be bumpy, make sure everything is strapped."
We nodded and went about telling everyone we could as Joker announced it over the intercom. Regardless we all went and got our gear, Jack and Grunt were already geared up and at the shuttle by the time we got there. Pacing impatiently as the Normandy shuddered from how hard Joker was pushing her. Hold on Aedon. Hold on.
How'd y'all like that huh? Sorry about the torture scenes but it was needed to show how Aedon broke. Who caught the foreshadowing by the way? Special mention next week if you message me and correctly guess it.
*1: The same scanning function from Andromeda
*2: Canary Cry from Black Canary (DC)
***Doom music fades into the background.