Leaf Ranger: *stares at the devastation that is the Mass Effect section of the Ranger Lair*…what happened?
Alicia: *Is nursing her head* Partying with a krogan. *Groans from hangover*
LR: *Facepalms* Seriously? I asked you all not to trash my lair and you do something that all but guarantees that?!
Wrex: Heh, it's not a real party till someone puts a few dozen shotgun blasts into the wall!
Diehard ShepTali Leaf Ranger: Yeah, you should know that by now! All the times you've done the Citadel DLC!
LR: That doesn't mean I want that to happen in my own home, you idiots. *Slowly runs hand down my face* At least it was only one krogan and not two.
Diehard FemShepLiara Leaf Ranger: Ooohhh, just wait till Grunt hears about this place.
LR: …shoot me. Shoot me now. *goes to take out more krogan insurance on the Ranger Lair*
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Mass Effect. They are the property of Masashi Kishimoto and BioWare respectively. This is a nonprofit work of fan made fiction. Please support the official releases.
Chapter 18
Feros Aftermath
Naruto slowly made his way towards the Captain's Quarters on the Normandy, grimacing a bit as he still felt soreness in his muscles. It had been over a day since the battle with the Thorian and even with his advanced regenerative abilities he was still feeling some soreness from the near non-stop fighting, especially from being thrown around by the asari clones the Thorian had been spewing out.
Reaching the door to his sister and commanding officer's quarters, he activated the door chime. After a couple of moments the door slid open, allowing him entrance. He stepped into the room, stopping when he saw his sister was seated at her work desk with the computer displaying Admiral Hackett on the screen. He stood at attention, waiting patiently for her to finish her conversation.
"I have to say Commander, it sounds like it was a real shit storm down there," Hackett stated, having been going over the mission report Alicia had filed with the Alliance.
"You don't know the half of it sir," Alicia responded, grimacing as she shifted and her shoulder throbbed, reminding her of the blow she took from the geth Prime's cannon. "I'll send along a second report to you and the Council after I've managed to question the asari we found, since apparently she's one of Matriarch Benezia's personal commandoes. She should hopefully be able to give us insight into what Saren was after."
"Understood Commander. The SSV Ontario and McHenry will be there within eighteen hours to take over recovery efforts. In the mean time, hold position and await further orders. Hackett out," the admiral said, ending the transmission.
Alicia let out a soft groan, leaning back in her chair and slowly grabbing a mug of coffee from the desk. She took a sip before turning to Naruto, who saluted once she acknowledged his presence. She returned the salute, gritting her teeth slightly as she stood up. "At ease, Captain. What have you got for me?" She asked.
Naruto dropped the salute, holding up a data pad. "Situation report on the ship, crew, and colony. Lieutenant Allen and Corporal Holligan both were transferred to the Barton for medical care," he said, referring to the SSV Clara Barton, a Nightingale-class medical ship that had arrived a few hours after they had sent their initial report back to Alliance. The personnel onboard the Barton had been busy tending to the colonists as well as the two injured marines from the Normandy's complement. "The Normandy was undamaged by the colonists attacks, and we'll be ready to depart as soon as you give the order. As for the colony, the scientists and civilians in the residential area have already begun work rebuilding. Ethan Jeong and the team connected to the Thorian have been detained pending criminal charges, though Miss Baynham is being held as a witness. The infected colonists all are expected to make a full recovery," he said, before lowering the report, smiling at his sister. "I'd say we got a win here."
Alicia gave a tired grin as she leaned against the dining table in the middle of her quarters. "Good. Hate to think we went through all that for nothing," she said, before frowning slightly. "Though we still don't know what information Saren was able to get form the Thorian. I really hope that asari…Shiala? That she can enlighten us. What's her situation?"
Naruto shrugged, becoming more informal as he saw Alicia was forgoing formalities. "I'm not sure. Last I saw she was still asleep. Doctor Chakwas told me she should wake up soon, though she seems to have a hard time convincing Liara of that. She's been hovering around Shiala's bed since Chakwas finally let her back into the Infirmary," he said.
Alicia nodded thoughtfully at that. "Liara did say Shiala watched over her when she was a kid. She probably looks up to her," she said, before finishing her coffee. "How's the rest of the ground team?"
"Good to go, other than soreness and exhaustion. You and I got the worst of it apparently, thanks to the asari clones," he said, causing Alicia to chuckle softly.
"Remind me next time to keep Wrex around when we face off against a crazed asari clone," she said, only to see Naruto grimace a bit at the mention of Wrex. Frowning at his reaction, she straightened up. "What is it?" She asked him.
Naruto took a deep breath, before speaking. "It's Wrex. He and I had a bit of a confrontation in the tunnels under Zhu's Hope," he said, explaining the situation to her. When he finished, Alicia shook her head quietly.
"He's becoming a problem. He's definitely good to have in a fight, but if we don't get a handle on him he's likely to disrupt the team. Or leave. And while that would solve our problem, it would also significantly weaken us," she said quietly.
Naruto nodded in agreement. "With some of the shit the geth and Saren have thrown at us so far, I'd say we need a heavy hitter like him."
Alicia turned back to her work console. "I'll speak to him, try to find a way to get him to follow orders better, or at least trust us more. In the meantime, have the crew make preparations for departure. As soon as the relief ships arrive, we'll either have new orders or be left to our own devices."
Naruto responded by coming to attention and saluting, recognizing her order as a dismissal. He turned and headed out, leaving Alicia to settle back into her chair as she thought over how she could handle the krogan on her ship.
Naruto, after contacting Pressly and reporting Alicia's orders, smiled as he saw Tali sitting in the mess area, attaching a tube to the mouth port of her helmet. The crew had learned that this was the standard practice for food consumption amongst quarians, even on their own ships, due to the requirement of staying in their suits to prevent infections and illnesses. Their diet consisted of mostly fruits and vegetables, these being more logistically and hygienically feasible onboard the ships of the Migrant Fleet then raising livestock to be slaughtered, though Tali had told them how the quarians, like most species in the galaxy, were omnivores. Indeed, she had shared with them the tales of seeing other quarians practically gorge themselves on meat whenever they put into port and were able to buy up crates of meat based nutritional paste. Here on the Normandy, Tali herself was able to enjoy a more steady supply of meat paste, though after an initial craze she did her best to moderate her consumption. Naruto had honestly found it adorable, seeing her excitement and enjoyment after her first couple of meals.
Still smiling, he decided to sit down opposite of her, causing her to start in surprise as she had been focused on a data pad in front of her. "Enjoying a snack?" He asked her with a smile.
"I actually hadn't eater yet today," she said, sounding slightly embarrassed as she glanced back down. "I was so busy making sure some improvements to the power distribution grid were functioning properly that I forgot to grab breakfast."
Naruto chuckled softly at that. "You know Adams won't kick you out of engineering if you give him just a hundred percent, right? You don't have to dazzle him every day," he told her teasingly. In fact, the chief engineer had nothing but praise for Tali's efforts, commending her punctuality, diligence, and willingness to volunteer or even go beyond what was expected of her. He had even implemented a few suggestions she had for improving systems around the ship, leading to increased performances across the board. Though he had shot a couple of ideas down that apparently would bypass safety protocols, something that was common on the Migrant Fleet to keep aging vessels working at acceptable standards.
"I just want to make sure I'm doing all I can for the mission," Tali said, looking up at him. "You and the Commander saved my life twice, and even now she's actually trying to help my people," she said, indicating the data pad. "This is all data gathered so far both by Alliance soldiers fighting the geth, and researchers studying the technology they've been able to salvage. While some of it was redacted to protect the Alliance's secret and interests, she still received permission to give me a copy to send to my people. This intel could prove invaluable to my people in better understanding the geth, and maybe even one day reclaiming our home world," she said, gratitude in her voice. "I want to repay that kindness by doing all I can to help out."
The vulzan just smiled at her, nodding in understanding. "I understand. And believe me; we appreciate all you're doing. Just don't over exert yourself. You're already doing a fantastic job," he said, causing her to duck her head. Though he wouldn't have been able to see it through her helmet, she was blushing at his words and smile.
At that moment, Alicia came out of her quarters, immediately spying Naruto and signaling to him. Naruto just sighed a bit before standing up. "Looks liked duty calls. Enjoy your food," he said to Tali, who nodded as she went back to reading the data pad. He quickly moved to join Alicia, unaware of the quarian giving him a glance over her shoulder, watching him for a few moments before going back to her pad with a small smile around her lips.
Naruto joined Alicia as she neared the medical bay, the red haired vanguard giving him a nod. "Chakwas contacted me. Our guest is awake," she said, causing Naruto to nod in understanding as he followed her inside.
The duo quickly spotted the asari lying quietly in bed as Chakwas was checking her vitals, ensuring there were no abnormalities, all while Liara watched nearby, tense and wringing her hands slightly. Alicia moved next to her, causing the archeologist to look up at her with slight surprise as Alicia focused on her ship's doctor. "How is she doing?"
Chakwas gave a final scan before nodding quietly. "Other than a few minor abnormalities, she appears to be stable. With some rest and a few supplements she should be back on her feet in no time," the doctor stated, moving away. "I do want to try and pinpoint these abnormalities, but I don't think there is anything to worry about."
Alicia nodded at that, hearing Liara let out a soft sigh of relief next to her. The human Spectre moved forward to Shiala, who looked up at her. "I'm Commander Shepard, commanding officer of the Normandy. How are you feeling?" She asked the asari.
"Better, Commander. Thank you," Shiala said, her voice sounding tired. "I am Shiala, a commando in service of House T'Soni. And I wish to thank you for rescuing me from the Thorian. I…I was certain I would be trapped forever as a thrall to it."
Alicia nodded in understanding. "You're welcome. If I may ask though, you seem rather calm considering you're onboard a ship that is in pursuit of two people whom you've been working for," she said. There was no blame or accusatory tone in her statement, merely an honest question.
"It is a…complicated situation, Commander. I will be happy to explain it to you, but rest assured, I have no loyalty to Saren. And my loyalty to Lady Benezia is…in limbo at the moment," Shiala explained softly. "But Mistress Liara trusts you, and as such, I will do what I can to help you."
"I'd appreciate that. I'll wait till you're recovered though, as mostly I need information at the moment. We'll speak again in a few hours," Alicia told her.
Shiala nodded quietly as Alicia turned, moving to Chakwas and beckoning Naruto over to her too. "Please keep an eye on her doc. Liara trusts her and I'd like to believe her words, but we can't be too sure."
Chakwas nodded in understanding as Naruto glanced slightly at Shiala, who was talking quietly with Liara. "I'll post a guard outside the Infirmary, just in case," he said, focusing on them again. Chakwas meanwhile was checking that her personal sidearm, a security precaution in case of boarders or unruly patients or prisoners needing medical care.
Alicia glanced back at the two asari. "We'll need to be careful. Liara seems close to her, and Shiala might try to use that against us if she proves hostile. Make sure a Zapper is handy if need be," she said, before leaving the medical bay, Naruto following after her.
Alicia started to head towards the CIC deck with Naruto in tow, already contacting one of the on-duty marines to take up a guard position outside of the med bay. With that done he focused on his sister as they reached the first deck of the ship. "Any word from the Council yet?" He asked her.
"Beyond them breathing down my neck for a more in-depth report on what Saren wanted here? No," Alicia stated, moving her way up to the bow of the ship. "There's been no sighting of him or his ship since Eden Prime and the hearing at the Citadel. All we've got so far are the geth. Some of their ships have been seen skirting our borders, and of course the assault force that popped up the same time Feros went quiet. But Saren himself? He could be halfway across the galaxy for all we know," she said, passing a few crewmembers and reaching the helm. "Joker, I need your after-action report for our battle with the geth cruiser."
The pilot, sitting in his chair and running a few diagnostics while eating lunch, groaned as he slumped back into his chair. "Awwww, c'mon Commander, don't torture me with that. You know how hard it is to write one of those up?" He asked her.
Alicia gave him a deadpan stare. "…Joker…I have to write a report each time I shoot at someone, am shot at, when I get hit by a bullet, as well as a report on how our current mission went, and what information we gathered. And now that I'm a Spectre, I have to write TWO of each of those reports for the Alliance and the Council respectively. Not to mention reviewing every report on the ship's status from each department head. Now which of us do you think has it rougher?" She asked him.
The bearded pilot stared at her for a few moments, before turning back to this screens. "Jeez, remind me never to get promoted. Takes all the fun out of life," he said, grabbing a datapad. "I'll have the report to you by seventeen-hundred hours."
"Good boy," Alicia said, turning away and hearing Joker mutter 'thanks mom' under his breath as she moved away. She just grinned for a moment, before letting out a sigh as she looked at Naruto, remembering their discussion. "Since we don't have any leads at the moment, we'll wait for orders from Hackett. I'm hoping he'll let us head back to the Citadel, get a little rest time. And I want you to request replacements for Allen and Holligan. We need every gun we can get onboard," she ordered.
"Yes ma'am," Naruto said, saluting her and moving off when she returned the salute. Alicia let out another sigh, doing her best not to allow the exhaustion she was still feeling, both physically and mentally, show to the crew. The crew needed to have confidence that their commanding officer was alert, confident, and ready to handle whatever situation they found themselves in. Squaring her shoulders, she headed back towards the main command section of the CIC, to go over a couple more reports with Pressly.
Empty Space, Terminus Systems
Benezia quietly moved through the hallways of the massive dreadnaught Saren now commanded, passing by several geth. Stopping outside Saren's quarters, she quietly straightened a couple of wrinkles from her dress before entering.
Inside, Saren was seated quietly, eyes closed and his head tilted back. She moved silently to a spot in the room and waited patiently for him to acknowledge her presence. She wouldn't have to wait long as a few moments later he opened his eyes, his face morphing into one of frustration. "What is it?" He snapped at her.
"Is something amiss, my lord?" She asked, given the annoyance he had on his face. He snarled as he stood up, moving to where a cabinet of refreshments were kept on hand for his personal use.
"Despite the insight I gained from the Thorian, I am little closer to understanding this vision then I was before dealing with that abomination," he said, pouring himself a drink. "It would seem I'll need to return to our installation on Virmire ahead of schedule. Now did you have a reason for bothering me?" He demanded, turning back to her.
Benezia waited a moment for him to drain some of his drink before speaking. "We received word concerning Feros. The forces you sent to destroy the colony and the Thorian were defeated. Commander Shepard reportedly saved the colony and killed the Thorian," she reported to him.
He snarled as he threw the glass he was holding into a wall, turning and slamming his fists down on the cabinet. "Damn that human bitch! How does she manage to thwart my plans yet again?! Eden Prime, revealing my treachery to the Council, and now this?!" He shouted, before calming down somewhat. "…it doesn't matter. Even if she saved the colony, the fact that she slew the Thorian must mean she was unable to obtain the Cipher from it. She will never be able to understand the vision now," he said, before turning back to Benezia. "Is that all?"
"Unfortunately no, my lord. It is confirmed that we have lost all contact with our researchers on Noveria. Even the agents I inserted have gone silent now. I believe some type of disaster has struck our interests there," she said calmly.
Saren snarled softly before pointing to her. "Ready your commandoes. I want you to travel to Noveria, assess the situation, and get our project running again if it has been stopped. We need the information there if we are to achieve our goal."
"I understand, my lord," she said, bowing her head, before turning to go. Saren growled softly in annoyance as he moved away from the partially damaged refreshment cabinet, mulling over these new ill tidings.
Citadel, Lower Wards
Commodore Kahoku, commanding officer of the 72nd Scout Flotilla, Alliance 5th Fleet, could only watch as the progress bar for the data packet he was transmitting neared completion. At his side he gripped his personal sidearm, looking from the terminal towards the door of the single room he currently was hiding in. He knew they were coming for him, that any moment they would burst through that door.
After he had received the report on the Centaur, he had begun both an official and unofficial investigation into the loss of the ship and her men. The official investigation turned up little, beyond noting the beacon had been designed to also emit a very short range frequency that they theorized could repel thresher maws. The range would be little more than a few feet, most likely to ensure the maw didn't destroy the beacon. The only other thing to note was that it was made of components and alloys most frequently associated with human constructions, though this meant little as anyone could purchase those alloys and components.
His unofficial investigation tuned out a different result. Jiraiya, the retired Alliance admiral who still maintained an unofficial intelligence network, had discretely sent him some information he had been able to dig up, which led Kahoku to contact the Shadow Broker, the mysterious information broker who seemingly knew everything in the galaxy. One of the Broker's agents had worked out a deal with him, supplying him with information in exchange for the promise of any new information he might turn up. Kahoku had readily agreed, eager to avenge the death of his men.
Sadly, the group responsible had apparently been keeping tabs on him. Not even four hours after he had received the information from the Shadow Broker, he had been attacked suddenly by four armed assailants while returning from inspecting his flagship, the SSV Shiroyama. (1)
Kahoku had been shocked to see one of them was a crew member from his ship, while the other three weren't recognizable to him. He barely managed to escape them, suffering a gunshot wound in the left shoulder before he could evade capture and disappear into the Wards. That had been twelve hours ago, and he had two more encounters with assailants, narrowly escaping both times. He knew though that he most likely would not escape a fourth time. Unable to trust anyone on the Citadel and with nowhere else to, go he had taken the only action left open to him.
Seeing the progress bar finish, he nodded grimly as the data packet containing everything he learned, as well as a message for the recipient, was transmitted away. He closed down the terminal and wiped it, just as he heard movement in the hall outside. Raising the pistol towards the door, he waited grimly for the first of them to come through.
He had no warning save for the shattering of glass, as the attack came not from the door, but from behind. He turned in time to see the armored figure straighten up, their fist glowing before a biotic throw slammed him into a wall. The pistol was thrown from his hand as he hit it, slumping to the ground as he frantically tried to draw in air that had been driven from his lungs by the impact. Before he could react the figure was on him, injecting something into his neck. He struggled weakly against his assailant, feeling his limbs growing heavy and exhaustion seeping over him as darkness clouded his vision.
The door opened, allowing two more figures to enter as the first one stood up, turning away from the tranquilized Kahoku. The first figure pointed to one of the two new ones. "Search that terminal for any information. And you, start searching the room," he ordered the second one, as the first one moved to the terminal. The leader activated his comm unit, looking to the window. "Land the car on the roof. We need to get out of here as quickly as possible.
"Understood Operative Uchiha," spoke an unknown fourth accomplice, as Sasuke Uchiha looked down to the tranquilized commodore, crouching next to him to begin searching him for any sign of the information they knew the man had. Finding none, he shook his head in disgust, looking to the other two who both shook their heads as well.
"Move out," he ordered tersely, grabbing Kahoku and lifting him up easily. The trio of Cerberus operatives quickly left the room behind, the only indication of their presence being the broken glass of the window.
SSV Normandy
Wrex grunted softly to himself as he inspected his shotgun, rechecking for the third time that day that everything was in working order. He was a practiced hand at this, and bitter experience in his youth had taught him the importance of keeping his weapons maintained, as well as double, triple, and even quadruple checking them to make sure everything was functioning.
He continued his inspection even as he heard the approaching footsteps of boots on the deck, not bothering to look up as they stopped near him. "Shepard," he said, still looking over the shotgun.
Alicia watched him quietly for a few moments, before finally speaking. "We need to talk Wrex," she said, her voice indicating this wasn't a request.
Wrex let out a rumbling sigh as he put aside the shotgun, leaning forward on his bunk. "About what?" He asked, staring at her intently with his red reptilian eyes.
Alicia crossed her arms, staring right back at him. "About the recurring problem you seem to have with following orders," She said, seeing him roll his eyes and scoff a bit. "I'm not expecting discipline or blind obedience, but when you damn near start a confrontation with others in the team in the middle of a war zone, we've got problems."
"I'm not one of your toy soldiers, Shepard. I didn't sign up to be part of your little army and protect humanity. I'm here cuz you wanted some muscle. I'll fight for you, but I ain't interested in dying for you or anyone else," Wrex said, standing up. His form now towered over her, but she didn't flinch, didn't shift or give any sign she was intimidated.
"I'm not asking you to die out there for us Wrex, I'm asking you to just, for once, actually try to work with the team. To trust us out there, and act in a way where we know we can trust you to have our backs," she said, only for him to scoff.
"Trust is bullshit, Shepard. The only person you can trust in this entire galaxy is yourself. Trying to believe others will have your back is just asking for them to put a knife there instead," Wrex said, turning away to grab his shotgun and stow it.
"You sound awfully certain of that. Speaking form experience?" Alicia shot at him, making Wrex stiffen slightly, turning enough to eye her with one eye.
"…drop it, human. You're not getting some sob story out of me. Bug the quarian if you want one of those," he said, before turning away from her, his stance indicating he had no interest in talking.
Alicia just looked at him, sensing she had struck a nerve. She shook her head, turning away and heading towards the elevator as she thought over his reaction. Clearly she had found a sore spot with him, which meant she was on the right path. Someone had betrayed him, someone he trusted in some way. She would just need to find out more.
On the crew deck, she turned and started making her way towards the infirmary. It had been a few hours since she had talked with Shiala, and she was hopeful the asari would be ready to talk now.
Entering, she paused for a moment as she saw Liara and Shiala talking, both of them smiling about something. Alicia felt a small flash of guilt at the idea of interrupting their moment, but she knew she needed to try and speak to the asari commando. Slowly moving forward, she soon had their attention. Another flash of guilt hit her at the sight of the smiles fading.
"I'm sorry to bother you both, but I was hoping we could have that conversation now, if you don't mind?" Alicia asked Shiala, who quietly nodded.
"Shepard, perhaps you should-," Liara started to say, only for Shiala to interrupt her.
"It will be fine, Mistress Liara," she assured the younger asari, before turning to Alicia. "Please, ask your questions."
Alicia nodded as she sat down, setting her omni-tool to record. "Can you start by what you meant about your loyalties to Saren and Benezia? Please?"
Shiala took a deep breath, before starting her narrative. "It began a few months ago. Lady Benezia was invited by the Spectre Saren to speak with him on a matter of 'galactic security'. My lady agreed to his discussion aboard his ship. I do not know what they discussed, but when she returned, Lady Benezia told us that Saren was on a dangerous mission that could determine the fate of the galaxy, but could lead to the deaths of millions if his actions were not tempered or checked by a guiding hand. As he had invited her to aid him, recognizing the advantages of having a powerful and influential asari matriarch helping him, she had decided that she would use this position he had offered her to try and guide him to a safer, less violent path. She told us this would be a dangerous mission, and she wanted only those who were willing to volunteer to accompany her. Myself and fifteen of the commandos joined her, with the rest remaining on Thessia," Shiala said, before let out a sad chuckle. "They were the smart ones."
At the questioning looks from Alicia and Liara, Shiala explained. "Saren has a ship. A very powerful dreadnaught, that he calls Sovereign. It is far larger than any I've seen before, with weaponry and defenses to match. But there is more to it than that. His ship it…it somehow is able to influence how people thinks. It alters them, so they become more receptive to others ideals."
"What do you mean? Mind control?" Alicia asked her, as Liara gasped, her eyes widening at the implication.
"In a way. It was subtle at first. We did not sense it, did not even notice it. The more time we spent on the ship, the more that Saren's ideals, his plans, his words, they all seemed to be more and more correct to us. Even Lady Benezia soon found herself agreeing fully with Saren's plans, fully supporting his every endeavor. By the time I realized what was happening, it was too late. I was almost like a prisoner inside my own mind and body, watching as some…thing seemed to posses me, to act out its will. I spoke words I did not truly believe, and performed actions I would not agree with. Saren dispatched me and two other commandoes to retrieve a team of human mercenaries who had failed him. He ordered us to torture and mutilate them, as punishment. And…we did so. Gladly and willingly." Shiala shuddered at the memories, looking away and down, disgust and horror evident in her tense posture.
"M-My…my mother…she…she's controlled by him?" Liara asked, unable to comprehend it. Shiala simply nodded quietly, not looking at her.
"Yes. Even Lady Benezia, with all her power and wisdom, was unable to resist whatever power Saren's ship gives him. She is a puppet to him, as are the others. As I was," the asari commando said.
"But not anymore?" Alicia asked, concerned. She didn't see how Shiala could be free from Saren's control, and the last thing she wanted was a sleeper agent suddenly going off.
Shiala shook her head, looking up. "Not anymore. Saren traded me to the Thorian, in exchange for information. The Thorian also took control of my mind, its power being greater due to my proximity to it, being directly linked to the Thorian rather then it simply being some type of aura or presence. The Thorian freed me of Saren's control, and then you freed me from its control. I am my own person again…I think," Shiala said, her voice growing cautious at the end. "I do not hear the whispers from before, when I was on Saren's ship. But I do not truly understand what this power is he wields."
Alicia nodded at that, before slightly changing subjects. "You said Saren traded you to the Thorian?"
Shiala nodded at that, looking to Alicia. "Yes. He learned of the Thorian from an intercepted transmission to Exo-Geni. When he learned about how ancient the creature was from their reports, he knew it was possible it would have information regarding the Protheans. That perhaps that information could help him better understand the vision he received from the Beacon. He negotiated with the Thorian, offering me up in trade for what information it could provide. In return, it gave him the Cipher."
"The Cipher?" Liara asked, her voice trembling slightly from the shock and horror at hearing about what befell her mother, but the archeologist inside wanting to hear more about potential information on the Protheans.
"It is the most…apt name I can think for it. Essentially, it is a mental and emotional imprint of Protheans. How they think, how they feel, their culture, their society, everything that shaped who or what they were as a species. It was the clue to unraveling the code of the vision, to key to unlocking it and allowing one to see the vision clearly. The Protheans sent a message that only a Prothean mind could truly understand, and to even other organics it would simply be random images. But the Thorian had gained that knowledge, that imprint, from absorbing Prothean dead during their time on this planet. I melded with the Thorian, gaining the Cipher, before giving it to Saren," Shiala said, before looking to Alicia. "If you wish, Commander, I can also give the Cipher to you as well. The knowledge still resides within me."
Alicia stiffened slightly at that, her eyes wide in surprise. She had hoped to find out what Saren was after, but melding with an asari who had worked for him, could possibly still work for him, was dangerous. She was wary of potentially walking into a trap. At the same time though, that knowledge could prove to be useful to her in figuring out what Saren might be after, possibly even getting a jump on him. Not to mention that if it helped her better understand whatever these Reapers that Saren wanted to bring back were, it would be too good to pass up.
She looked to Liara, as if to get an answer from the younger asari. Liara noticed the human looking to her and for a moment she was surprised at seeing Alicia turning to her for advice or an answer. Feeling a slight warmth grow within her at that, she looked to Shiala. "Shiala…can you look me in the eyes, and tell me that you spoke the truth, about the Thorian and Saren? That you are free from their control?" She asked her.
Shiala looked to Liara, staring her in the eyes, and spoke. "I swear to you, Mistress Liara, that what I say is true. Neither one has influence on me now," she said with as much conviction and truth in her voice as she could muster.
Liara watched her, before nodding as she looked to Alicia, who took a step forward. "Can you pass me the Cipher now?" Alicia asked her, knowing it would be best to try and get this done as soon as possible. (2)
"Yes Commander. Please, sit next to me," Shiala said, as Alicia did so. Shiala slowly raised one hand up, touching the side of Alicia's face as she closed her eyes. When she opened them again, they were black orbs as she made the connection.
Alicia felt her mind connecting to Shiala, felt the asari's presence within her. Shiala's mind was largely a warm and comforting one, something she had most likely done to try and soothe Alicia, not expecting the human to already be used to this. Alicia mentally chuckled, thinking back to when Liara first melded with her.
Shiala, sensing Alicia's amusement, unwittingly saw the memory as Alicia thought about it. She let out a soft giggle as well, sensing also the flustered response Liara had in said memory. "Please relax Commander. This might be jarring," she said, as she began to transfer the Cipher to Alicia's mind.
Before the vanguard could respond she felt a sudden flood of knowledge, emotions, impressions, and many other things she couldn't describe. Gasping in surprise, she did her best to keep control herself, as this font of information settled into her mind. Unbidden, the vision came to the forefront of her mind, as if summoned by the addition of the Cipher. Yet now, she could see things somewhat more clearly.
She could see aliens clad in armor vainly trying to fight back a tidal wave of cyborg like monstrosities, their weapons blazing, cutting down hundreds, but to no avail as the numbers swarmed them, overwhelming them and ripping them to pieces.
A female alien screaming for help, begging for someone to save her before her voice was suddenly cut off by a metallic like shriek.
Hundreds of dead laying on the ground, as others are herded into large six legged ships, their hulls obviously some type of transport, as several large ships similar to Sovereign strut by on their tentacle like legs.
And then suddenly, a glimpse of a planet, brief and barely discernible, with a feeling of hope, more an emotional response then an actual word, before all was silent.
Alicia gasped, drawing in air as her eyes shot open, nearly falling back off of her seat as the meld ended. Panting she looked at Shiala in surprise and horror, as the asari glanced down a bit. "You carry a heavy burden, Commander Shepard. I am sorry I deepened it," she said softly, having seen the vision alongside of Alicia.
Liara looked worriedly between the two, moving to Alicia's side. "Are you alright? What happened?" She asked, concerned that something had gone wrong.
Alicia leaned forward, holding her face in her hands as she tried to deal with the surge of emotions she had felt from the vision. The Cipher had done more than simply allow her to more clearly see the vision. It had caused her to practically feel the emotions as well. Shuddering, she kept drawing in deep breaths, before speaking. "I-I'm alright Liara…nothing went wrong," she said, her voice shaky as she looked up at the younger asari. "Just…that definitely is not something I want to go through again."
"The vision did not just give Commander Shepard images. It gave her the emotions of those who sent it as well. The Protheans apparently communicated through more than just words and images, but emotions as well. It was…quite jarring," Shiala said, making Liara grip Alicia's shoulder, to try and comfort her.
Alicia smiled briefly at that, nodding in thanks and briefly touching the asari's hand, before slowly pushing herself up. "Thank you, Shiala. This…hopefully will be a big help for us."
Shiala nodded before speaking. "You should know, Commander, that I also saw the vision in Saren's head as well. I can say that his vision was the same as yours. The beacon you received this vision from must not have been able to give either of you the full vision," she said.
Alicia smiled a bit grimly at that. "Then at least we know he's as clueless as us for the moment," she said, before nodding to Shiala. "Thank you again. Please rest up," she said, turning to leave.
Shiala nodded as she leaned back in the bed, while Liara watched Alicia leave the medical bay. Her eyes lingered on the doorway, before turning as Shiala spoke up. "Mistress Liara…she will need your help," the asari commando said quietly.
"Shiala?" Liara asked questioningly, confused at her words.
"She will need your help, Mistress Liara. I sensed she has a strong bond with her brother, but even he cannot help her in ways you can. You will be able to see what she is experiencing, understand it, if you are willing to help her. That woman may be the only hope this galaxy has of surviving what is to come, because she is the only one who can see the danger that is looming over us all" Shiala said softly, closing her eyes.
Liara stood there, confused, stunned, and troubled by Shiala's words. She opened her mouth to try and get a clear answer from Shiala, but seeing how exhausted the asari looked she closed it, turning and slowly heading to the back room that served as her quarters. All the while lost in troubled thought.
Alicia, meanwhile, had headed up to the communications room, putting in a request to connect to the Council. It took only a few moments, before the three holographic images of the Councilors appeared. "Commander Shepard, do you have more to report?" Tevos asked.
"I do. I was able to question the asari, one of Benezia's commandoes named Shiala. She revealed to me exactly what it was Saren wanted from the Thorian," Alicia reported, before explaining to them everything Shiala had told her, as well as how after receiving the Cipher herself, her vision had become more comprehensible, though she had gleaned little information from it.
When she finished Sparatus frowned, his arms crossed. "If what this Shiala said is true, it would seem Saren is no better off than before he received this Cipher. The vision you described offers nothing except visions of what sounds like the fall of the Protheans. This whole endeavor to Feros seems to have been a…how do you humans put it? 'Feral avian chase'?" He asked, making air quotes.
"Wild goose chase, sir," Alicia said, frowning though. "And considering this colony was under attack and in danger of being wiped out, as well as finding out that a number of the colonists were being enslaved by an ancient plant life form, I'd hardly say it was pointless."
Valern stepped in, to prevent an argument from springing up. "Of course Shepard. Protecting innocent lives is one of the most imperative duties of the Spectre's. But Saren poses a risk to far more than just one colony," he reasoned.
"Still, this does provide us with some information. Saren was seeking a means with which to understand the vision he received. He has succeeded, but according to your report, it will still mean little to him. His next course of action most likely will involve finding some way to receive more of this 'message' the Protheans left behind," Tevos reasoned. "It is possible there may be more beacons out there, or other Prothean devices that could contain a more complete version of the vision within them. I believe this will be Saren's next objective."
Alicia nodded in agreement with her. "I agree. He mentioned he was looking for something called the Conduit, in that message Tali'Zorah recovered. Whatever it is, it is connected to the Protheans and most likely this vision is his way of finding it."
"Then we keep a close eye on known Porthean dig sites that he has not already visited," Sparatus stated. "In the mean time, our intelligence gathering units have managed to trace a few rumors of some installations that might belong to Saren or his geth. We'll be transmitting the supposed locations near or within Alliance space to you and the Alliance. The remainders are either in the Terminus Systems or our own space and the latter we shall investigate,"
Alicia nodded in understanding as Tevos spoke up. "Be careful Commander. Your actions on Feros might provoke Saren into responding against you."
"We'll be careful Councilor Tevos. Thank you," she said, before the three Councilors disappeared as the transmission ended. Alicia let out a sigh, slumping a bit and running a hand over her face, feeling exhausted. The vision, now clearer thanks to the Cipher, had left her mentally and emotionally drained, as she had not only seen the images but felt the emotions of those in the vision as well. It had been a very trying experiencing. Shaking her head she turned to head towards her quarters, deciding it'd be a good idea to try and sleep it off.
Normandy Hanger Deck
Garrus could only stare at the message on his omni-tool, having just finished reading it for the third time to make sure he had read it correctly. The message had arrived in his inbox during the middle of the mission, and he had only recently been able to sit down and finally read it.
The message had been from one of his 'contacts' he had developed working in C-Sec. During some of his investigations, when evidence and testimonies had come up short, Garrus had been able to find a few characters of only slightly questionable reputation who were willing to pass him information in exchange for some leniency or favors. They often came through in a pinch, providing him with solid leads and info that helped him put away criminals. And now one of them, a turian smuggler named Vetra Nyx, had just delivered big time for him. (3)
Saving and closing the message he looked up, only to be surprised to find Ashley standing there, looking slightly nervous and uncomfortable. "Williams? Do you need something?" He asked cautiously, remembering their last discussion and how it went.
Ashley took a deep breath, looking anywhere but at him. "Look I…thought we should talk…about our last…well talk," she said, trying to think of the right words to say.
"We don't need to. I know I said some things I shouldn't have and-." Garrus started to say, only for her to interrupt him.
"That's the thing. Look I…this is hard for me, alright? Because I've had all these ideas and preconceptions and beliefs I've built up and held onto, and now I'm trying to decide whether or not they're right. And it's…really confusing," Ashley confessed. "Look, you…you were partly right, alright? When you were talking about the Alliance going after my grandfather, you were right. I mean, he wouldn't have been in that situation if your people hadn't attacked us, but still, the Alliance…they're the ones who punished him. I just…my family have faithfully served the Alliance for a long time now. My great-grandmother, my grandfather, my dad, and now me. It's hard to…to look at something you've believed in, been loyal to, and see the flaws or faults in it. To realize they screwed up. It was so much easier to just put all the blame on your people."
Ashley took a deep breath, before finally looking at him. "What I'm trying to say basically is that…I didn't really have any right to snap at you. So I'm sorry for that."
Garrus stared at her, surprised, before nodding quietly. "Thank you, Williams. I really appreciate that. And I'm sorry too. I know I'm not exactly the easiest person to get along with either," he said ruefully. "Since I've joined this team, I've managed to piss off you, insult Tali, and generally be one step away from probably being beaten to a pulp by Wrex. I guess we've all got our preconceptions and beliefs about others we're struggling to overcome."
Ashley chuckled softly at that. "Tell me about it," she said, before holding out a hand to him. "So, let's try to start off fresh. Gunnery Sergeant Ashley Williams, Alliance Marines."
Garrus took her hand, shaking it. "Garrus Vakarian, suspended C-Sec officer," he said, causing her to snort in amusement at that.
"You might be better off, if they suspend officers for helping expose rogue Spectre agents," she said, before starting to move away.
Garrus watched her go, before looking back down at his omni-tool, surprised at the slight relief he felt over his interaction with Ashley there. He smiled softly, glad to know he was finally moving in the right direction with his teammates.
Unknown Location
She stood upon a hill, looking over a city that was burning. It was a massive metropolis, one that had thousands of buildings, some of which had seemingly stretched to the heavens themselves. Now many of the buildings were smoking ruins, as fires raged throughout large portions of the city. Massive metallic shapes walked through the wreckage, letting out terrifying, ground shaking horn like blares. Occasionally one would fire what appeared to be a beam of red energy down at the ground. Even from this distance she could hear the screams of those who still lived in the city, see the tiny beams of light indicating whoever lived there was still futilely resisting the invaders. Each time, another red beam would lance at the source of these insignificant attacks, ending them.
Suddenly she felt a shadow over her and she turned, seeing another of these mammoth metallic monstrosities appear above her. She could practically feel it looking at her, as the five massive tendrils it used to move on settled on the ground. Red energy began to coalesce around a cannon protruding between two of those tendrils. And before she could scream, a flash shot down towards her.
Alicia shot up out of bed with a cry, eyes snapping open as she frantically looked around. Disoriented and frightened, she clawed at the sheets that she had become entangled in, only to fall out of bed due to her wild movements. Feeling the hard deck beneath her she stopped struggling, panting heavily as she began to realize that she was onboard the Normandy, safe and sound.
Slowly pushing herself up, she covered her eyes with one hand, shaking as she felt the sweat covering her brow. She sat down on the bed, shuddering as she tried to calm herself, moving her hand away from her face and staring at the floor.
Since she had received the vision her nights had started to become fraught with nightmares and dark dreams. The blurry images of death and destruction had mingled with nightmares of her father dying, and being helpless to save her brother and mother from a similar fate. But they had never felt so real, so vivid before. This time, she could have sworn she was there, smelling the fires, hearing the screams and destruction.
She lowered her head, placing both hands on her face, as she struggled to come to grips with her emotions. When the shudders finally passed she slowly looked up, seeing the holographic clock telling her it was two in the morning, shipboard time. Only the night watch would be active at this point, everyone else fast asleep until their watch came around.
Shaking her head she slowly got up, knowing she wouldn't get back to sleep. Slipping on a pair of sweatpants and tugging down the tank top she wore for sleeping, she pulled on her boots before heading out to the mess hall to get some coffee and perhaps finish a couple of reports she had planned to push off to the next morning.
In the mess area she stopped, surprised to find she wasn't the only one present. Liara sat at a table, quietly sipping some tea while seemingly staring off into nothing. Alicia quietly poured herself some coffee before moving towards her. "Can't sleep either?" She asked the asari quietly.
Liara looked up at Alicia with a start, surprised by the sudden appearance of the human Spectre. "C-Commander! What are you doing here?" She asked as Alicia sat down opposite of her.
"Couldn't sleep," Alicia said, sipping her coffee. "And I thought I told you to call me Alicia?" She added with a slight grin.
"Y-You did, yes. I'm sorry Comm-I mean Alicia," Liara said, glancing down and blushing slightly, before looking back to Alicia with a hint of concern. "Is something wrong? You seem…pale," she asked quietly.
Alicia tried to wave off her concern. "It's nothing, just a little night terror is all," she said, trying to downplay the nightmare she had. Liara however still looked concerned.
"Does it concern the vision?" She asked Alicia. She had seen it herself but that was before the Cipher and if it really had made things clearer for Alicia, she could only imagine the death and destruction she had glimpsed was likely to now be more vivid and worse for Alicia.
The human vanguard let out a sigh and nodded quietly, deciding not to bullshit the asari archeologist. "It's gotten a bit worse, but I just need some time to adjust is all," Alicia told her, looking at her mug of coffee. "It's nothing I haven't been through already, I just need to get used to it."
Liara frowned at that, studying Alicia before speaking up. "You've been dealing with nightmares for some time?" She asked her.
"Yeah. I mean…every kid has nightmares when they're little but…I've had some really horrible ones ever since I was sixteen. My dad…he was a marine in the Alliance and…well…he…he…" Alicia struggled to finish her statement, her exhaustion and already disturbed emotions making it hard for her to deal with the memories of her father's death.
"He was killed during a raid by slavers on one of your colonies, yes?" Liara asked carefully, causing Alicia to look up at her in surprise. "I-I'm sorry, I hope you don't mind but when we were training at Pinnacle Station, I started looking up information on you and your brother. I wanted to know more about the two of you for...well obvious reasons," she said, looking down as she felt a flicker of shame at going behind their backs.
Alicia raised an eyebrow at that, studying the asari. "So you've read up on me, huh? Not sure if I should be flattered that you find me that interesting, or worried at what you've read," she said, slowly sipping her coffee. "But yes…Mindoir…my father was one of the marines killed there," she finished, her voice quieter.
Liara, looking back up, slowly placing a hand on one of Alicia's, to try and comfort her. Alicia glanced at it, then at Liara, a hint of a grateful smile on her lips before she continued. "It really shook me up there for a while. I had nightmares for months afterwards, and I still get them every now and then. But I've dealt with them and I'll be able to do the same with these too. I just need some time," she said.
Liara nodded at that, pulling her hand away as she turned back to her tea. Alicia looked at her for a few moments before speaking up. "So what has you up this late? It isn't work or research," she said, indicating the empty table before Liara.
The asari let out a tired sigh, closing her eyes. "I…am trying to comprehend what Shiala told us," she said quietly. "The idea that my mother is somehow…trapped inside her own mind, brainwashed into following Saren around…I'm struggling to come to grips with that. I can't imagine what force could be powerful to do that to her."
Alicia frowned softly as she listened to Liara. "What is she like, your mother?"
Liara slowly opened her eyes, looking at Alicia. "She…she's very wise. Not really surprising when you consider she's lived for many centuries. She has been a powerful voice among the Matriarchs who make up the leading members of our society. When I was little…I remember thinking how beautiful and kind she was. She seemed to love wearing yellow, and she would constantly take me out to parks and museums. It's thanks to her that I found my love for archeology. I used to dig up the gardens at parks we'd visit, confident that I would find some ancient bone or artifact left behind. It wasn't until I neared my first century that she tried to steer me away from archeology. I think she wanted to try and groom me to follow her into politics, to become her protégé. But that path…it never really interested me. When I continued to pursue my dreams, it led to us arguing, and eventually I broke off contact with her."
Liara hesitated at this point, looking down. "Maybe if…maybe if I hadn't…if I kept in contact with her…none of this…" she said, trailing off, only to look up as Alicia shook her head.
"You can't dwell on what-if's," she said. "You have no idea what would have happened if you stayed in contact. You both could have been under Saren's thrall now."
Liara nodded quietly at that, looking down into her tea. "I know but…I-I can't help but wonder," she said, her voice trembling a bit.
Alicia, deciding if might be a good idea to change the subject, spoke up. "What about your dad? You haven't mentioned him…or her," she asked.
Liara looked up at her, her voice growing steadier. "I do not know," she said, shrugging slightly. "My mother told me nothing about my father, except that it was another asari. I have never met them before, or know anything else about them. I believe my mother doesn't want me to be caught up in any more of a scandal."
Alicia frowned at that. "What do you mean? What scandal?" She asked.
Liara sipped her tea, to help calm herself further. "Well…ever since asari learned that they were capable of procreating with other species, it has become…rather rare for two asari to have a child. To have a 'pureblood' if you will. To most asari, such a relationship and child seems to be waste, because nothing is added to the genetic diversity of our race. Instead, by melding with other species and having children blessed with their genetics, we bring in new genetics to our race, expanding our knowledge and our species. Most asari have a somewhat lower opinion of asari who have a pureblood child. So it's possible that my father simply had no desire to be caught up in such a scandal. Or perhaps it was my mother who decided that. I do not know as she has never told me anything about them at all," Liara finished.
Alicia could only shake her head. "That seems really stupid to me, to be honest. You love who you love, and that should be it. So long as you don't go around forcing it onto other people or rubbing their faces in it, it shouldn't really matter," she stated.
Liara shrugged quietly. "It has not really affected me. While it is looked down upon, most asari are not interested in making a fuss about it," she said, sipping the last of her tea.
Alicia just nodded, not exactly being satisfied with that answer but accepting it. She finished off her coffee, before sitting back. "So…I am curious…what else have you read up about me?" She asked Liara with a bit of a smile.
Liara blinked at the change in topic, blushing slightly as she was reminded of her earlier confession. "W-Well...I know that you're a war hero, as is your brother. Your actions on Elysium…did your brother and you really stand alone against an overwhelming pirate force?" She asked.
Alicia chuckled softly as she nodded. "Yes we did. They had managed to break through a section of our defensive perimeter, so we went to plug it up. Thankfully it was a relatively narrow street so the two of us could channel them into a narrow front. We became the Blue and Red Maelstroms after that," she said, tapping the N7 tattoo on her arm. "Apparently, the enemy described us as a storm of red and blue biotic death, so the names stuck."
Liara could only giggle slightly at that. "It almost seems unbelievable. I thought such heroic tales only happened in story books."
Alicia grinned at her. "You mean like the hero coming to save the damsel in distress?" She said teasingly, causing Liara to blush as she looked down, remembering how she and Alicia met on Therum. "Of course, I don't remember any of them having the damsel save the hero shortly there afterwards."
Liara blushed even more, remembering how she had rushed forward to shield Alicia with her biotics. "Yes well…perhaps the damsel felt she owed the hero for saving her," she muttered bashfully.
Alicia just chuckled at Liara's blush, finding it adorable as she settled back into her chair, the fear and horror she felt at her nightmare momentarily forgotten as she watched Liara compose herself. For the moment, the darkness was gone, and she could smile and laugh, enjoying this moment before she had to lead her team back into the fray.
And done. I am so sorry this chapter took so long to get out. I don't really have much of an excuse, beyond helping my dad move stuff out of storage to our house here, but that only took two days.
Alicia: Yeah, not really much of an excuse, is it?
LR: The real problem was both me getting distracted by FFXIV, because it is addicting, but also me constantly rewriting parts of this chapter over and over again, trying to get it right. Something I'm not sure I did here still.
Wrex: Whatever, just hurry up to the part where we get to shoot more stuff. *drinking ryncol*
LR: Ummm…you took his weapons away before he started drinking, right?
Alicia: What, do you think we're stupid? You never take a krogan's weapons away from them!
Wrex: Time for some target practice! *Throws his bottle up and tries to drunkenly shoot it*
LR: HIT THE DECK!
Thanks to all of you who read this chapter, and I hope you enjoyed it. Unfortunately my beta a7xfanatic11 is really busy with college life, but my thanks go out to him for his help with ME lore and character interactions. If you spot mistakes in the chapter, I'd appreciate if you'd let me know so I can fix them, as I've beta'd this as best as I can.
1. Reference to the Battle of Shiroyama in the late 19th century. The final battle of the samurai warrior class.
2. Some of you might be thinking Alicia is being very trusting here, but to be fair, I did try to have her be more cautious then canon Shepard, who basically dove head first into melding with an asari who admitted to working with Shepard's enemies. But also, this is really their first introduction to the ideas of indoctrination, and they don't really know a whole lot more then what Shiala gave them here. Plus Alicia would know they really need that info, so she'd be willing to go on a leap of faith.
3. Yes, that is Vetra Nyx from Mass Effect: Andromeda. I will reference Mass Effect's rather infamous 4th installment, but beyond a couple references and maybe one character popping up, don't expect it to impact this fanfic.