Here we go folks. Hope y'all enjoy and don't forget to review.
Doom Music fading in.
POV: Joker
As we approached the planet I was putting everything I could into the Normandy. Pushing her harder than she's ever been pushed before. I knew she could take it though, she was built for this. Everyone else just didn't want to push her to thislimit. I would though, I would.
We needed Wynne back. I never really talked to the man but I could see everything he's done and how he affects the others. It's a pilots duty to make sure the people he's taking care of are in good health. Without him we are a less effective unit; don't get me wrong we are extremely effective without him but with him we were other worldly. He is the linchpin that made us better than what we are. He elevates us from a great squad to something that can't be touched.
Wynne was everything that Shepard or any Commander desperately needed by their side. He was the CHIEF, the SNCO* that every great commander throughout history had. That was the best way I could describe him and seeing us without him it showed. God he was scary but we needed him.
Continuing to push the Normandy I was about to find her limits. What I was doing wasn't anything to her limits; I knew that she could do more. I just knew. I could feel it; she could do more than what she was giving us. She was that greatest thing this universe has ever constructed and she WILL not be punished for it. She will surpass everyone, with me at the helm because that is what I am meant for. Her and me; to the end.
All of a sudden as I'm approaching the planet there is an extra large shudder. We've been getting shudders since I started pushing her but this one was something else. Completely out of my depth. As I went to diagnostics for what happened EDI spoke.
"Biotic Anomaly detected."
We were still an hour away from the planet. What the fuck could be that powerful to get on her sensors. Just what in the hell were we flying into? You know what it doesn't matter. I'm the best god damn pilot in this galaxy and if anything happens I will show just how much better I am then everyone else. In atmo or not. I am better.
POV: Red Eyes
*The whole of the Doom 2016 soundtrack*
Stalking forward we stepped over the body of the Asari that had been drained. Uncaring of her or anything else as we hacked her omni-tool again and got the schematics for the base. We would need them for this fight and the first order of business was to eliminate the scientists in the room a few feet in front of me to the right.
They would be the first ones to raise the alarm if it wasn't already started. Still, there were no cameras visible for which didn't make much sense. Maybe for plausible deniability if this place was ever found. That being said it's been, checking our omni-tool, six weeks and two days since we were taken. This place has to be hidden well to survive that long with Shepard and Liara undoubtedly looking. Not many can pull that off.
Reaching the door with the scientists we looked through the glass window in the door and saw all of them wearing earphones while they did experiments. Most of those experiments being on material collected from my by body. Looking down at the door we realized that it needed a key card to open. Forgoing that we hacked it open, the door swinging open after a brief wait.
When the door did open the nearest Asari turned her head from her microscope and her face instantly went pale. Smiling at her, the blood aroud our mouth and in our teeth accentuating the smile. At it she took a step back and that's as far as she got before we took off at her. She enough to get off a scream before our augmetic connected with her face audibly breaking her jaw. With how violent her neck snapped to the side as well her neck was broken from the punch.
At the scream and sharp sound of the Asari's jaw breaking the other three Asari in the room all snapped their heads to look at me. The two closest to me took fearful steps backwards but we didn't move and neither did the one the farthest away. Instead we turned back to the door and hacked it closed so it wouldn't open without our consent.
Turning back to the Asari we stalked up to the closest one and instead of taking another step back she came at us with a scalpul. Brave and she wielded it with obvious knife experience but their fate was already decided. Countering her stab with my augmetic we grabbed her wrist and crushed it in our augmetic. She screamed in pain and we took the scalpel, prying it from her hands before slicing open a decent sized area right behind her collarbone.
Forcing the Asari to her knees we smiled down at her before plunging the fingers of our real and augmetic hand into the hole. From there her pulled and pulled our hands apart from each other until the tearing could be heard and her screams became shrieks. Then there was a pop and we separated her shoulder from her body ripping them apart*. Blood shooting like a geyser into the room covering the surrounding area as we took a step back from the dead Asari.
The two Asari remaining in the room each had the their mouths covered by their hands in absolute horror at what had just happened. Continuing to smile we looked to the next closest one, the other that had taken a step back initially. We stalked over to her smiling the whole way as we closed the distance.
She tried to turn to run, to where no one knows but to at least prolong the inevitable. Still, before she could even take a step we were upon her moving faster than we remember being able to. Grabbing her by the shoulder we whirled her around before plunging our thumbs into her eyes. Gouging them out as she screamed and screamed at the loss of her eyes, we did not do it quick either; we made sure it was slow.
We dropped her to the ground as she held her hands over where her eyes had once been. Turning to the last Asari in the room she was to far into shock to do anything but stare at her Asari sister split in half in absolute horror. Putting our hand on her shoulder almost caringly she slowly turned her head to see our smiling face and let out a scream. As soon as she did our real hand slammed into her throat.
She spluttered at the loss of oxygen as she tried to get anything back. Walking to the other side of her we grabbed the back of her head and slammed it into the counter. Letting her head bounce off the counter we caught her before she could fall back and pushed our hands into her mouth; augmetic on her lower jaw. Wrenching downwards we ripped her jaw off and it took most of her neck with it. She died a few seconds later.
With that done we stepped over the Asari writhing on the ground at the loss of her eyes and went to the terminal in the corner of the room. Hacking it open we started going through files. Most didn't make sense to us but there were bits and pieces that did. Mostly about biotic research and how it could be used for the future and how some races coupling with Asari improved Asari dominance and increased biotic potential.
As we continued to go through the files something started to become apparent to us. Some of these files were old… very old. The oldest one we found so far was 300 years old and they just seemed to be getting older. Older and older and most had the subjects age they were experimenting on. We were no longer anything that was describable with the mere words available in all of creation.
Almost 90% of the subjects we found to be experimented on her no older than 10 years old. The few that were older than that didn't get over the age of 15. From every race including humanity since their discovery. They were subjecating children to these horrors… CHILDREN. We were beyond anything; beyond rage, beyond fury, beyond wrath. They have awoken a beast but with it we focused into a cold sense of serenity. We knew what had to be done to these people.
We felt the power rising in us singing to be let out. To let it all out and bring the wrath of the heavens down upon them. We will be the Devil they forgot and Hell's coming with me to be unleashed upon them. Before it could be explosively released though a call was coming through; answering it we were greeted with a familiar face, Matriarch Raros.
Neither of us said anything but from the look on her face she had just witnessed everything that happened, and approved. There was an underlying respect amongst our hatred of each other at that moment but neither would back down. She knew as well as I that this was only the beginning. That I was now going to destroy the house of cards they had created.
"Wynne… It is out of respect for your ability and the fact that you saved my daughter that you are not currently swamped with every agent on the site. Can we come to an agreement before either of us lose anything more," I caught the underlying threat. Iris.
"Do that and all bets are off. It's just us now, let's keep it that way," she wasn't the only one with a daughter and she knew exactly what I was talking about.
"Come now. Let us not resort to our baser instincts."
I looked at her long and hard for a moment before I hung up and released my biotics like I had on Horizon. The entire lab was ripped to shreds as they were released and the shockwave even ripped through the wall shredding it. Leaving me an open concept lab; good thing I had downloaded the files.
Her appearance showed me one thing though. If a Matriarch of her status was involved in this than it's likely most of the Asari higher ups were. Not only that but they were embedded and had been at this for far longer than anyone else. If I was going to rip them apart then it couldn't be done as a beast. It must be done as a controlled monster and I felt the cloud that had been over my mind from before seeping away. The power, strength and brutality were still there but for now it was controlled.
Looking around I saw a glowing white metal in a shattered glass box that had once been covered by the wall. It wasn't anymore and I instantly recognized the metal as Eezo… could I? Might as well try.
Taking a deep breath I shoved my augmetic through the glass and grabbed the metal. Even though it was on my augmetic I could feel the heat from it but I pushed it out of my mind and drained the metal. I felt the Eezo and it's power flow into until the metal was black as coal and no heat came off it. The feeling it gave me was indescribable in both intensity and pleasurable, it blew Morinth's drain out of the water.
Before I could revel in the feeling the alarms started blaring. About damn time for a place of this stature. Still, I couldn't wait anymore and opened the bases schematics finding the armory before sprinting out of the room heading to the stairs. Reachig the door I screamed at it, it too flying off it's hinges like my prison door had.
Jumping down the stairs I landed at the midpoint only to have three Asari commandos in front of me. All of them reacted instantly but we were fast than they were. Slapping the gun out of the closest one I kicked the one behind her into the other before backhanding the one I had just slapped the gun out of into the wall. With the other two momentarily ineffective I plunged my augmetic into the small of her back gripping her spine before we ripped her spine, tailbone and skull out of her body.*
Whirling around with her skull and spine the skull slammed into the Asari's head I had kicked shattering and sending her to the floor. I then jumped up with the spine in hand and plunged the tailbone into the neck of the final Asari. She screamed in pain for a moment before we grabbed her head and slammed it into the wall until it was nothing but minced meat.
Turing to the Asari I had hit with the skull I raised my foot and slammed her head into the step effectively splitting her skull in two. With that done I jumped down the stairs again and screamed at the door making it fly off its hinges as well. Running into the hall I was greeted by about a dozen Asari all pointing their guns at me. None of them said anything as we stared down each other. Then they all fired.
Lifting my augmetic I willed my biotics forward and a wall came up in front of me catching every single one of their bullets. They continued to fire though and even threw in several Warps but everything was caught by the wall in front of me. Knowing I couldn't hold it forever I waited for a lull in their firing and as soon as I got it I sent everything I had caught back at them.*
The result was catastrophic. Multiple biotic explosions went off and all the Asari were shredded like ribbons. I couldn't help the chuckle that came out of my lips at the sight; it was awesome. Walking forward through the mass of shredded bodies my smile never wavered and I came upon a still breathing Asari.
She was feebly trying to go for her rifle a foot outside of her reach. She was in bad shape and had several bullet holes that would kill her, she wouldn't be getting up anytime soon. Still, I didn't want to prolong her suffering, just make it worse and quickly kill her. Going up to the Asari, my smile never wavering, I kneeled in front of her looking her in the eyes. She quickly grew resigned at what would happen.
That resignation quickly turned to horror as we slammed my fingers in between one of her tentacle things on her head and started to pull. She tried to fight us off but was already so weak she couldn't do anything but accept what was happening. It lasted for another couple of seconds before her skull finally gave out and I split it in two. Continuing to smile I got up and sprinted the rest of the way to the Armory.
Screaming down the door I could feel the pressure on my voice from the screaming but I couldn't be done yet. This was just beginning and no one was leaving if I could help it. Either way as I screamed down the door I was greeted with a couple of shots coming out the door. Quickly raising my hand I caught the bullets and sent them back instantly earning a meaty thunk as they hit the mark and the body fell over.
Entering the armory I hacked open the door and went into the back looking for my gear. It took me a couple minutes but with my rather unique gear set I quickly found them. Grabbing the box with my gear I took it all out and put it all on. Took me a couple of minutes but once I had everything back on I felt whole.
Welcome back Pilot.
"I missed you Sam. Activate a pulse, I want one every couple of seconds until I say we're done."
Of course Pilot.
Getting a pulse from Sam I got to see that outside of the armory were eight signatures. Four on each side of the door all waiting for me to leave. Smiling I couldn't have gotten a better present after I got my gear back. Grabbing my ax with my augmetic and the det cord off my leg with my right. Connecting the det cord to my omni-tool detonator I rushed out the door jumping the last few feet so I was airborn as I exited the door.
As soon as I was out the door I released my biotics. It wasn't as powerful as it usual was but with it so close to the Asari it knocked them backwards and with them stacked up they tripped over each other falling to the ground. Tossing the det cord at the group on the right it unfurled and covered them all. They flailed trying to get it away from them but it was already to late as I hit the detonator and they were all missing limbs or dead.
Turning to the group on the left I switched the ax to my right hand before falling on the closest Asari. Ax coming down in an overhand motion it went straight into and buried itself in her head. Deciding to leave it there I pulled my pistol and closed in on the distance on the farthest one who was pushing themselves up with a shotgun.
Going into a pop-up slide the last couple feet she was able to fire her shotgun at me but it was caught by my wall with my hand already up. Sending the shot back at her immediately it shredded her shields and shoulder as the force knocked her into the wall. Popping up with the slide I shoved my pistol down her mouth that had opened shouting in pain. She had enough time to look terrified with my pistol in her mouth before I pulled the trigger painting the wall with blood and brain matter.
Ripping my pistol out I spun and brought it down and across the face of the next Asari who was just now raising her rifle at me. She went sprawled out on the ground and had absolutely no defense when I raised my boot and brought it down on her head squishing it like a grape.
The final Asari was just pushing the limp body of her sister off her, the one with the ax in her head. She was desperately trying to get to her gun only a hairs breath out of her reach as she heard me approaching. Just as she was able to get it in her hand I kicked it out of her hands and she whimpered when it happened.
Grabbing her arm with my augmetic I launched her out from under her sister and at the wall. She plunked against the wall with a meaty whack and fell to the ground coughing and spluttering. Like hell she was going to recover.
Going over to her I kicked her in the ribs feeling at least a few break from the kick. Turning her over so she wasn't on her stomach anymore I put my hands on her throat and began to squeeze. You wanna take away MY oxygen I'll take away yours. I kept my hands there squeezing the life out of her until she was barely conscious and then released them.
She took massive gulps of air trying to do anything that would get her back in the fight. It wasn't about to happen and I kept doing it. And doing it. And doing it until she stopped fighting and just looked at me with pleading eyes. A small part of me recognized what I was doing but for the most part I couldn't care. They brought this on themselves.
PILOT! We need to move!
Snapping out of my haze at hearing Sam's voice I looked at the data. He had been trying to get my attention for almost a full minute now and in that time a sizable force was coming from all sides. It was a total of about 30 but at least we were in a small hallway, numbers wouldn't mean much hear. Still, it wasn't a good position and I had maybe another full minute before I was completely surrounded and they moved in.
Grabbnig the Asari's face with my augmetic I drained her before standing up and grabbing my ax. Seeing the next scan from Sam my options were gone; they had surrounded me. All around each of the three corners around me. Only one thing left to do.
Bringing it all in as I had on Horizon and as I had in the lab I let it flow. Let the wrath build; the determination rise; the beast out.
My head was pounding so hard the shouts from the Asari to get on the ground were nothing more than whispers. Forget about seeing either it was all blackness with a red haze. Then there was no shouting from the Asari and only gun fire. My shields held on for only a moment against 30 guns before they died and the felt the shots plunking off my armor but there was a few I could feel make it past my armor and rip into me.
When it all became unbearable I released it all. Expelling everything I had built there was a giant flash of purple and white and my sight came back along with the headache disappearing. Then I landed and fell onto the ground at the unexpected force of the fall. Standing up I looked around and I had a very feral smile on my face, it was well earned.
I was two floors down from where I had been and everywhere I looked was smoking and ashy. Not only that but I could see the sky, it was like the place had been hit with a heavy artillery shell. Place was completely and utterly fucked up, good.
Looking over to my left there was an Asari working on getting a shuttle up and running. We stared at each other in silence for a moment before I was running at her with my ax already in hand. She tried to send a Throw my way but I caught it with my augmetic before burying the ax into her collarbone. Raising my augmetic I punched the had sending it further into her splitting her shoulder from her chest and she screamed in pain for a moment before died.
Wrenching the ax out of her something hit me in the back of the head and I sumbled forward into the shuttle. Spinning around there was an Asari with a wrench in her hand looking terrified as she realized what she had just done. She dropped the wrench and held up hands up surrendering. Stalking up to her I grabbed her face.
"Who's in charge of this place?" I growled out at the Asari.
Before she could open her mouth the door in the corner of the hanger bay opened and a group of seven Asari walked in. Two obviously being of higher rank and the rest were garbed in traditional Commando gear but with swords on their backs. Again there was a pregnant pause as we all looked between each other only broken by the Asari in my grasp.
"Those two," she squeaked out. Silently thanking her I spun her around before palminng her face and wrenched it to the side sending her spinning with a broken neck.
Grabbing a grenade off my bandolier I tossed it inside of the shuttle and it exploded in the cockpit leaving the Asari without an escape. All of us silently looked between each other before the taller of the regal Asari gave a hand motion to the commandos. They all drew their swords and stalked forward towards me.
"You know, I once read a story similar to this," the head commando said as she held her sword low while the rest had theirs in a style you would see in kendo tournaments. I didn't answer the leader though. "It was about a Viking who stumbled over to Japan only to be killed by five Samarai. And here we are, history repeats itself; the Viking brute and the civilized samurai."
My only response to that was to bring out my knife as well. If they wanted it to be like this than why not. I was tired and running off of pure adrenaline right now; just like the Viking must've been.
The Asari slowly surrounded me and I stood there waiting for them to make a move. The two leaders in the background not moving an inch as they watched this unfold. Uninterested eyes as they watched; must have a backup plane for escape if they were willingly waiting. Probably another base nearby made specifically if this ever happened. Smart if paranoid; which made it even smarter.
The Asari on my right moved first raising her blade as she charged. I countered by raising my ax in a faint and took it away at the last moment deflecting the blade with my knife. It left her left side completely open and I buried my ax into her side all the way to her spine before wrenching it out spilling her guts everywhere.
Spinning around knowing I wasn't alone three of the other four were already on me. Blocking one blade with the ax I wrenched it to the side using the in-made hook all ax's had to do so sending her into her sister. It didn't do any damage but it gave me room to block the third sword with my knife and deflect it off course from my collarbone.
Jumping up I kicked off that Asar with my right foot giving me just enough space to stab at the Asari I had sent the other into with my knife. She didn't have enough time after her sister to get sturdy footing and my knife went straight into her neck. Blood spurting outwards as she dorpped leaving one Asari behind me and the other's sword completely in my control.
Twisting the ax while still in my control she released it and pulled a knife from her side getting to my side before I could react, exhaustion setting in. Stabbing at my side she hit her mark and the knife buried itself hilt deep into my side but it cost her. I brought my ax down to late to stop the stab but fast enough to bury itself into the crook of her neck.
Ripping the ax out of her I spun to see the last of the four Asari thrusting for my neck with her sword. I barely got my knife up in time for it to miss my neck but it still ripped through my trap. Again, it cost the Asari as she was to close to do anything now and my ax slammed into her knee.
She screamed out in pain as she dropped to a knee and ripped the sword out of my trap upwards leaving it a bleeding mess and debilitating but non lethal. Dropping my ax I grabbed her sword with my augmetic ripping it out of her hands before tossing it to the side and standing above the kneeling Asari. Leaving the blade in my side I grabbed the face of the Asari and drained her gaining a little of my stamina back in the process.
Reaching down ignoring the pain in my side I grabbed the handle of my ax and pulled it free turning back to the final Asari commando. Still with her sword in a lowered position as she watched me with respect emenating from her. The two leaders still in the background watching mostly impassively but the smaller of the two looked nervous.
"Amazing. You truly are like the Viking. So much ferocity and tenacity," the lead commando smiled out, I couldn't see her smile but I knew she was. I had enough of this and started stalking towards her. "And now you're approaching me; as bold as they were too. Or so the history books say."
"I can't kill you without getting closer," I growled out before taking off at the woman.
From there it was a dance. Sword and countless years of experience versus an ax, knife and anger. Sword met ax, ax met sword, sword met knife, knife met sword and by god was it exhilarating. A true one vs one duel versus a true master and she was definitely one. Fast as lightning and she didn't just use her sword, she would let go of it times and use her biotics to deflect either my knife or my ax. Still, as evenly as it appeared and with how hard we both fought we knew the inevitable outcome almost as soon as the fight started.
She went high with her sword and I went low with my knife raising my ax to catch the blade of her sword. Only for her knee to slam into my chin momentarily stunning me. I felt my ax catch her blade but she cracked me across the face making me stumble down to the ground. The result forcing the knife even deeper in my side.
Getting up quickly it wasn't quick enough as her foot connected with my side and jostled the knife inside me tearing me up. Again trying to get up I felt her stomp onto the back of my knee forcing me into a kneeing position. She then rested her sword on my neck and walked out in front of me.
"You fought brilliantly. Let me see your face, a warrior should face their killer with honor in the end," she demanded and I relented taking off my helmet and facing her. She kept the blade under my chin as she too took off her helmet.
About as old as I expected her to be, maybe 100 or 200 years older than Miss T'Kari, with red marking covering her eyesockets and extending all the way to her ears. Black markings coming down from each head tentacle and all the way down her face, giving the appearance of a helm. And two white dots on each of her cheeks.
"Now roar at me as a true Viking before their death."
So I did and let the scream come forth. She either didn't know about it or thought I would just roll over but it didn't matter. My biotic scream slammed into the unsuspecting Asari and violently threw her backwards. She bounced off the front of the shuttle before spinning end over end and slammed into the wall. I kept up the scream for a few moments before it ended and I ended up as a coughing mess on my hands and knees.
Slowly, agonizingly pushing myself up I turned to the two Asari leaders. The taller one looked shocked while the shorter one looked ready to bolt. Stalking towards them the taller one answered by bringing out a pistol and aiming it at me. She never got the chance to as a Concussive round slammed into her and sent her sprawling.
Snapping my head to where the shot had come from there was Legion standing there completely impassive. That's when the shorter one did bolt and took off in a way that after a brief look at the schematics of the base was the way to the main entrance of the base.
"Aedon Anomaly, you are hurt and require aid," Legion spoke to me cutting through the silence.
"Not yet geth. Watch her, I want her alive," I spoke to him as I sprinted after the other Asari.
Rounding the corner outside the door I saw her running down the hall. Dropping my knife and ax I grabbed my Mattock, took aim and fired. It hit the back of her knee and blew it out, she dropped to the ground screaming as she held her knee. I simply stalked forward aiming again as she got up on her other leg and blowing that one out as well with an easy shot.
Leaving her there I walked back to the hanger bay looking for something. Finding the plunger can* I hoped was there I walked back out to the Asari with a bloodthirsty smile on my face.
"Do you know what my name translates to, Asari?" I asked simply walking up to the woman. I could feel the knife biting deeper into my side with every step and the blood from all the torture taking its toll as well. The Asari didn't respond to my question though and just sent a horrified look my way.
"Aedon means 'fire'," I spoke as I carefully popped open the plunger can and spilled its contents all over the Asari. "And Wynne means 'friend', 'blessed' or 'holy'. So, be cleansed in HOLY FIRE"
I activated my torch construct and put the tip right on the Asari's leg. She lit up like a California bush fire screaming in agony for almost a minute writhing on the ground before it stopped. After that it was just crackling and the smell of burnt skin and popping bones. I didn't stay to watch until the fire ended and just walked away back to the hanger.
It was a struggle to get back the pain becoming overwhelming as the adrenaline faded. I was able to make it though and came upon Legion hog-tying the Asari he had hit with the concussive grenade. Looking over to where the Commando Commander's body should've been it was gone. I should be worried but I wasn't, not at this moment and after I grabbed my helmet and sent out a pulse showing she wasn't here she slipped my mind.
"Aedon Anomaly. You need immediate medical attention," Legion said as he walked up to me leaving the Asari hog tied on the ground. I couldn't get the words out and just opened up the schematics for the base on my omni-tool and showed them to Legion. There was a med bay here, thank god.
"We will need to carry you. Don't worry about your weapons, we will grab them when we come back for the Asari," I just nodded and let Legion scoop me up.
"I stand against the abyss of destiny. Serving alongside those who share the same fate," I whispered it out as I felt my consciousness fading and Legion just looked down at me curiously. "Remember it," and then I blacked out.
*POV: John Shepard
No one said a word. Not a damn word as we flew down in the shuttle, the Normandy taking the slow approach. Every single one of us was tense as well readying ourselves for the fight we could be walking into. As we descended though and I got a glimpse of the coordinates I didn't think we would getting a fight at all.
There in middle of a lake was a building. It may have once been a building that could've lasted against the test of time but not anymore. Place looked like someone had set off a bomb in the middle of the place. Parts of it looked collapsed as well; we needed to hurry. If Aedon was down there I didn't fancy his chances after six weeks of torture in that building. Especially if he was under the rubble; knowing him though he was the one that caused it.
"Commander; we can't land on the roof. Way too unstable," the pilot said through the radio. After what had happened with the last pilot Garrus went out and personally hired his best shuttle pilot from Omega to work with us. I was footing the bill but from what I've seen he was worth it, the shuttle version of Joker; called himself Pequod after the ship from Moby Dick
"Circle around, see if there's a hanger. If not just drop off at the front and we'll make an entrance," he gave me a thumbs up and we circled around. He spotted the hanger before I did and pointed it out. I patted his shoulder before going to the back where the others were.
I gave the 'get ready' signal with my hand and everyone was up off their seats. Jack, myself and Grunt at the front ready and as soon as we landed we were out the already opened doors. Only to find only four dead Asari. Mordin examined them as we made a makeshift perimeter.
"Aedon did this. Recently, less than hour," he spoke as soon as he was done with his quick assessment of the bodies.
I gave the signal to move and split the group up. At the exit of the hanger my group consisting of myself, Tali, Mordin, Jack and Garrus went right. Everyone else went left with Miranda in charge. We would check in every couple of minutes with each other to make sure comms were still working.
It took of all of 30 seconds to find more evidence of Aedon. An Asari body was literally burned alive with a discarded plunger can lying only a foot or two from her. Yeah, Aedon definitely did that. Not to mention that Mordin brought to light that she had a bullet hole in each knee. Definitely Aedon.
Moving on we continued on our way but for the next several minutes found nothing. Then we came across a mangled body of an Asari. She looked like she had been shot through several walls and looking up she definitely had been. There was a hole in the floor, several floors in fact. Jack took one look at her and said that she was probably at ground zero when he repeated what he did on Horizon. From this and how Jack talked about it, that was a scary fucking ability. We got two steps from the body before Miranda radio'd in.
"Commander we found the security recordi-" Grunts voice completely drowned her out.
"He is TRUE KROGAN. WE ARE UNWORTHY!"
"Grunt. Shut up," Miranda snapped and Grunt, surprisingly, complied. "Commander, be careful if you find him first. Whatever they put him through he definitely suffered a psychotic episode. If he's still kicking around here there might not be much of him left upstairs," the silence in our group was palpable.
"Acknowledged," was all I said in response.
We continued to move through the area. Room by room and for the most part all we found were dead Asari under the rubble. There wasn't much going on in the building; it was eerily silent until we reached the second floor.
When we did we heard the sound a machine working, a medical machine. I would recognize that sound anywhere after being subjected to so many in my life. Slowing the group down we stalked forward and stacked up on the door where the noise was the loudest. We stacked up on the door with me in front, Tali behind me, then Jack, Mordin and Garrus.
Peaking around the door the first thing I saw was an Asari, an obvious leader type, hogtied in the corner of the room. The next thing I noticed was Aedon on the medical bench as the machine worked on him. Then it stopped and I saw the machine pulled back. Looking at where his heartbeat should be on the machine it was steady, thank you lord.
My thanks were short lived though as I spotted the final thing in the room. A geth, a rather unique geth with an N7 plate over its breast, walking into my view as it started going over the machines results. Results that I couldn't see but if it was taking the time to do that it wanted him alive too. Why?
Deciding to go with the soldiers diplomatic approach I entered the room and raised my gun at the geth. It noticed me immediately and raised it's hands in surrender. Before I could open my mouth though it spoke. A fucking geth spoke.
"I stand at the abyss of destiny. Serving alongside those who share the same fate," what the fuck did that mean? I heard an incredibly loud hiss behind me as Tali stormed past me and put her gun against the chest of the geth.
"Where the fuck did you hear that," she hissed out. The geth simply pointed to Aedon on the medical bench.
"Anomaly Aedon told us. He is stable for now but requires real medical aid, this facility doesn't have the equipment to properly heal him," the geth said in a synthetic voice.
I know I didn't have the best history with geth and neither did Tali but whatever that phrase was it meant something. And with Aedon looking like absolute fucking hell on the table I was inclined to look past it for now because there's no way Aedon would have survived without the geth.
A scar across his forehead, from his temple all the way to the opposite chin and it went over his eyelid and one down the side cutting across both cuts. Not to mention his body; looked like someone tried to make a Jackson Pollock painting with his chest. Hell, the only place that didn't have marks or cuts that would turn into scars were his palms, crotch, soles of his feet, his neck and his mechanical hand. We needed to get him on the Normandy immediately.
"Jack," I started but she was already on it lifting Aedon up biotically. Mordin was downloading the data from the machine and quickly followed her once he had it.
"Who's the Asari?" Garrus asked looking at the geth.
"Head of the facility," was the simple reply and the wave of pure hatred that hit me from both Tali and Garrus barely registered with my own rage now directed at the Asari.
"Garrus," he gave me a grunt before walking over and grabbing the hogtied hand of the Asari dragging her out of the room intent on bouncing her off every surface he could find. Leaving just Tali, myself and the geth in the room. She unceremoniously raised her shotgun at the geth but I pulled it down. She looked completely betrayed but I held her stare not backing down.
"What did that phrase mean Tali?" she was reluctant to answer so I pushed. "What does it mean?" she sagged at my words.
"It's given to the select few who are allowed to visit the fleet freely. Aedon is one of those people."
"And he told the geth it knowing what it meant?" Tali nodded her head. "Then I'm going to trust Aedon on this. Geth," I spoke turning from Tali to look at the geth who just looked back impassively. "Are you willing to come with us."
"It is my mission. The geth seek to learn more and I was sent to find you or Anomaly Aedon to do so," okay. Fuck it, it's fine with me. EDI can combat him if it comes down to it.
"Then welcome aboard but you will relinquish all weapons to Tali here until further notice. Acceptable?"
"Acceptable. You will need to take Aedon Anomaly's weapons as well," he then gave Tali his Sniper rifle and heavy pistol while giving me all of Aedon's gear. With that done I radio'd Pequod.
"As soon as you have Aedon in take off and get back to the Normandy. He needs Dr. Chakwas immediately."
"Wilco Sir," was his only response and then I radio'd the Normandy the same thing. Telling them to get the med bay prepped and that Dr. Chakwas was going to have her hands full.
After that we walked back to the small hanger bay with the Geth staying in front of Tali and myself the whole time. I may be trusting Aedon on trusting this geth but I wasn't about to let him have my back. At least not until I know beyond a doubt that he can be trusted. On the way back I also radio'd Miranda and told her that we found Aedon and to make their way back to the hanger.
Getting there Garrus was sitting on the burnt out shuttle as he watched, the now awake, Asari struggle against her restraints. It was completely futile as we watched and I'd be lying if I didn't get some happiness out of seeing her struggle. If she was the head of the facility then she deserved this and far more.
When the others joined us and found out exactly who she was most just looked at her in disgust. Though Zaeed and Thane looked on impassively and Grunt looked like he wanted to eat her. I was sorely tempted to let him but she needed to be interrogated. Preferably by Aedon and maybe myself. Depending on how willing to share Aedon will be.
*POV: Tali'Zorah
As we waited for the shuttle to come back and pick us up I couldn't help the nervousness that filled me. When we had found Aedon he looked terrible. Exhausted, bleeding basically everywhere, clear signs of torture and generally just looked like shit. I wanted to be by his side right now, needed to be by his side.
So when the shuttle came back and picked us up I didn't bother sitting down and parked myself right in front of the door. No one said anything to me or tried to stop me the whole ride and when we landed back in the Normandy I was out the door and went straight to where the Med Bay was.
Arriving to the floor with only Shepard and Garrus in the elevator with me we were greeted to Jack swearing up a storm at the outside of the Med Bay. Dr. Chakwas was working on Aedon at the moment and Mordin was standing in front of Jack refusing to let her inside which was the cause of the swearing.
Shepard acted first and went forward picking Jack up from her waist and carrying her away from the door. Mordin gave him a thankful nod before he turned around and went to help Dr. Chakwas on Aedon. Shepard brought her over to one of the tables in the adjacent cafeteria with a view through the window. Both Garrus and I joined them at the table as we watched the doctors work.
"Let me fucking go you fucking boy scout!" Jack snarled as she continued to try and free herself from Shepard. She wasn't about to get out of that grip unless she used her biotics and she was smarter than that.
"Not until you calm down Jack. We need to let the doctors work; it's out of our hands now," Jack continued to try and break free for a few moments before she stopped and slumped down leaning her back against Shepard.
"He was the first person to believe I am better than what I was since I was born Shepard. That man is helping me recast the dye I thought solidified. He's my fucking mentor Shepard... please," her voice shuddered as she said those words. "I can't just watch this, I need to help him."
"He's helped me through Hell Jack... you aren't the only one that owes a lot to Aedon but we can't do anything but watch now," were Shepard's only words and I could see the remorse in admitting that as he said them. He didn't like this any more than any of us did. Garrus jumped onto that as well.
"We aren't versed in this arena Jack. All we can do is watch, don't worry about him. This won't stop him, I give it a day at most."
"If you're so sure than why are you watching with us?" she snapped at him.
"Because he's my friend and I'll be damned if I won't be here when he wakes up or when the docs say we can see him."
"... Fine. Just let me go so I can sit," she finally sighed out. Shepard let her go slowly as she sat down next to him and myself. Before we could fall into silence though her head snapped to me.
"And you. You better fucking apologize to him. I know what you did when you lied to him about that shit. And not a half-assed apology either or one through sex; a real fucking apology. You sit his ass down and you apologize; he fucking loves you and deserves better than what you fucking gave him."
We were stunned into silence at her words. Looking to both Shepard and Garrus they both seemed to be of the same mind as Jack. As my answer to her I just gave her a nod. I would apolagize, give him more than I already had. He deserved that much at the bare minimum and I am a terrible person for making it any differI know he's given me more.
After that we stayed in silence and just watched the doctors work. Only ever leaving our spots to either grab a bite to eat or coffee. Of course it wasn't human coffee for Garrus and myself but it served the same purpose. So we waited and about two hours in Grunt joined us opting to stand with his arms over his chest the rest of the time.
Six hours. It took them six hours to be done and when they were they came out the door and walked up to us. We all perked up at Dr. Chakwas approach and waited with baited breath for her diagnosis.
"He'll have scars. A lot of them and we won't know about his mental state until he wakes up but thankfully most of his wounds were superficial; a result of his torture. The real problem was the stab wound in his side, it was deep… but he'll make a full recovery. Also, they were feeding him a cocktail of drugs along with keeping his muscles massaged so he hasn't lost much muscle mass. Other than that I don't know when he'll wake up and I would highly suggest bed rest for at least a week but all of you are more than welcome to go in now."
We all said our thanks and walked into the med bay. He looked so peaceful on the bed but it was marred by all the bandages on him and the oxygen mask over his mouth. Still, he was a live and would recover, that's all that mattered at the moment. I grabbed a seat and parked myself right by his side and grabbed his hand. When I did his hand curled around mine and I released a choked sob. He'll be okay.
All of us stayed in the room for a few minutes until Shepard got called by Joker over the comm and went to talk to him. I still didn't move; I didn't want to and no one was going to move me. That being said I didn't until I heard the door to the med bay open and five pairs of footsteps walked in. Turning to look at who it could've been I saw his mentors standing there, all decked out in their armor and ready to go to war.
"Dr. Chakwas filled us in. We would've been too late to save him so… Thank all of you," Frank said softly to everyone in the room. We didn't respond verbally but just nodded our heads.
He then silently got up and sat at Aedon's other side. He leaned over and whispered words I couldn't hear into Aedon's ear and kissed his forehead before grabbing Aedon's helmet and bringing it over to Dr. Chakwas' terminal. She moved away from it for him and he hooked up the helmet to the terminal. Once he did he had all of our attention as video popped up on the screen and we watched. We hadn't seen the full recordings of what had happened yet but from how Miranda talked about them it couldn't have been all that good.
It started with him in the armory and we got to see everything we did after that. How he brutalized the Asari outside of the armory and even how he slowly choked the final one until she just gave up before draining her. Then the 30 or so Asari who surrounded him and fired into him until he did his repulse thing. It was catastrophic in all ways and we got to view it as it simulated a bomb in the middle of a building. It was frightening how much power he could muster.
Then the fight with the five sword weidling Asari but as soon as the Commander started to talk the tension in the room skyrocketed. T'Kari looked incredibly tense at the sound of the Asari's voice, Frank had his hand on his pistol, Veelo unslung his rifle and had it pointed at T'Kari, Ceelo had activated his omni-tool and I could see T'Kari's weapons give the telltale sign of being sabotaged. Even Dr. Chakwas now had a scalpel in her hand. The rest of us were tense having no idea what any of this meant.
The fight continued on as we watched and it physically hurt me to see Aedon get stabbed in the side. Then the fight with the commander after he had killed the other four. The fight was as brutal as it was quick and even though I don't know much about sword, ax or knife combat I could tell Aedon was losing and losing badly; she was toying with him. It only took, maybe, two minutes before the fight was over and the commander had her sword underneath Aedon's neck.
Taking off his helmet at the Asari's command we were still able to see the face of the Commander. I didn't recognize the woman but Aedon's mentors did, as did Dr. Chakwas. T'Kari let out a suffering sigh at seeing the woman but then Aedon literally screamed with biotic power sending the woman flying away. Seeing that he didn't put the helmet back on after another minute Frank stopped watching the video before turning to T'Kari.
"You told me she was dead."
"I kicked her off a cliff and saw her land. She should be dead."
"She obviously fucking isn't. And almost killed my boy," he snarled before turning to us. "Tell me you found the body?"
"We didn't," Shepard shook his head. At those words Frank sprung up from his chair and walked out of the room obviously furious. Volio, Ceelo and even Dr. Chakwas left with him, Dr. Chakwas grabbing a bottle of liquor from underneath her desk. The rest of us looked expectantly at T'Kari.
"Eshucivi Dashi. Easily the most effective and brutal Asari Commando ever and without a doubt the best swordsman ever produced by Asari. She could and did take on full squads of BlackWatch and STG operators by herself during black ops missions and won," at the woman's name Shepard stiffened, guess he knew about her; just not what she looked like.
"What happened?"
"She went rogue. Massacred Commando HQ by herself out of the blue almost a hundred years ago. Despite speculation, we still don't know why she did it. Since then she was the single best mercenary in the galaxy doing everything under the sun from child trafficking to slavery. Until 20 years ago when I thought I killed her. Before I go on you have to understand that nothing I say from now on goes outside of this room. The op to take her out was as Black as they come," we all gave her nods of assent.
"My Commando team as well as a team from BlackWatch, STG and the N7's were sent after her and both Frank and Volio's mercenary groups were hired as well; all on the authority of the Council. All of us were the best of the best in terms of special operators. And out of the 60-plus people who were sent six of us came home. She killed my entire team, all of BlackWatch, all of the STG, and everyone but Frank, Ceelo and Volio from the two mercenary groups. Of the N7s, only David Anderson and Dr. Chakwas were the only two alive and both barely survived thanks to Ceelo, Volio, Frank and myself. It's how we became a team actually..." she shook her head at the memories before continuing.
"We had her outmanned and outgunned and we ambushed her and she still tore us to shreds. We fucked her up though and I fought her alone next to a cliff and when I kicked her off I thought we had won. That she was finally dead, guess not."
"What else?" I heard my voice but it sounded nothing like me. Cold and distant; anger underlying my entire tone. This woman had almost killed MY man and I'll be damned if T'Kari held anything back that could help us.
"She is... was my mentor. And to this day I'm the only one ever to beat her in single combat and she was already extensively injured and exhausted," T'Kari got up and got up to leave the room but stopped at the door. "In other words, she's the Asari version of my son but with over 400 years of combat experience."
"You think of him that way?" Grunt's gruff voice finally entered the room.
"He is MY son," T'Kari growled with a voice so commanding in presence we had to agree. What surprised us all was Grunt's reaction to it. He walked up to her standing a good foot, at least, over her sniffing and growling at her before reaching out his arm.
"Then I greet you in respect Asari. I am Grunt of Nothing and though Shepard is my Warlord Aedon is MY Battlemaster," T'Kari stood there in silence for a second before grasping Grunt's hand.
"Well met, Grunt of Nothing. Become someone everyone can respect," were her only words and Grunt's reaction was to only nod. At that she left the room leaving us with a lot to think about.
And there we go folks. Hope y'all enjoyed. I know I did writing this :)
*1: SNCO: Senior Non Commissioned Officer. Typically anywhere from a Master Sergeant to a Chief Master Sergeant. The highest position you can get without being an officer.
*2: one of Kratos' finishing move from God of War 2018
*3: How the PREDATOR takes trophies.
*4: Titanfall ½ Vortex shield
*5: A Plunger Can is something used in areas where flammable materials can be spilled. It is used to clean up those spills and contain those flammable liquids.