The Song of The Red Eagle

by KanisRussell

Mads Aleksandrovich Romanov was nothing but a soldier serving a cause of which he could not understand when the unforeseen happened. He was declared dead, but secretly admitted to a project that would send him long into the future. Now his life seems more like a sci fi movie. The story takes place over all three games. (Early chapters under going re-write)

23. Chapter 22: Stone cold

20/5 2183.

SSV Normandy, on route to Noviera.

They were going to Noveria. A place that'd been mentioned by Udina at the very start of their campaign. They should've come here earlier, but the Alliance had sidetracked them many times over the last month. Now, they were finally on their way. Anderson and Udina had spoken of Geth sightings there, but nothing had been confirmed, so they wouldn't have any details until they had boots on the ground.

Noviera… Mads' company had established an office there years before, but he had never personally been to the planet. In staying true to his words, Mads had messaged Harold with the details of their meeting. He wondered what he needed this time. Harold had spent so much time with this Andromeda project. He was even the one to be commissioned to design 'The Nexus' as they called it. Mads wasn't sure if he could help him out with another loan, the board would have to approve it.

In those turns, he had called a big shot meeting as well. All the big dick swingers would be coming there, so they could discuss the future of the company. He had been too busy to do it for the last year or so. So, it was high time. But It did mean that there was little time to stop and enjoy the scenery on Noveria.

But for now, he would entertain himself with a little bedtime reading. He had been meaning to finish 'The Hunt for the Red October' for ages now. It was such a good story, and yet he often found himself just staring at the same page for twenty minutes or more. Just soaking it in. He preferred reading this way, on actual paper. Reading on a data pad seemed to numb him down and give him headaches in the long run.

After an hour or so of reading, and progressing no more than 10 pages, he put in his mark on the book and put it back on the bed stand. He tried to get comfortable on the bed, but even with this being the Captain's quarters, it was still anything but soft. Still, he managed to fall asleep after a while of shifting around in his bed.

---

21/5/ 2183.

SSV Normandy.

Mads groaned loudly as he walked out of his quarters. It was early in the morning, but even if he wanted to, he couldn't sleep any longer than this. His mind forcing him back to reality some way or another. It was quiet in the mass area, not many people were up eating breakfast yet. Which suited him just nicely. Two people were there, however. Kaiden and Ashley. Chatting away and seemed to be having a good time while enjoying breakfast together.

Mads went straight for the coffee maker and eagerly waited for it to finish pouring his coffee. That hot drink was well needed for him to wake up and get ready with the day. Today, they would arrive at Noveria. Mads kept theorizing on what might happen on that frozen planet. He grabbed the protein bars that the Alliance kept insisting was real breakfast.

"Good morning, Commander." Kaiden smiled. He was sure in a cheery mood. Mads sat down next to them and quickly took another sip of his coffee.

"Morning." Mads greeted back, his voice still hoarse from just waking up. He opened the protein bar and began to take a few bites of it.

"What have you been up to?" Ashley asked curiously.

"Writing reports, sleeping… You know, the like. I also caught up on some reading." Mads answered as he took another sip of his coffee.

"What reading?" She asked further.

"'The Hunt for the Red October'. It's a good book, but I have been struggling to finish for at least a year now. I recommend if you like military thrillers. The author is really talented." Mads said.

"Maybe I will." Ashley replied.

They continued talking back and forth for a while. At least until the first other crew members began showing up for their breakfast. Kaiden asked about the mission at hand, Mads relayed what he could to him. The mission was mostly unknown. Noveria didn't like anyone poking around in their dirty laundry, so everything was very hush-hush.

"I also have a meeting to attend to while there. So there will be a chance for some shore leave. But, I implore you. Do not, I repeat, do NOT sign anything. Keep to yourself and you'll be fine." Mads advised them.

"Meeting? With who?" Kaiden asked confused.

"Business partners and a few family members. You know the routine." Mads answered.

"Business partners? What do you mean?" Ashley inquired.

"Hmmm?" Mads hummed. "Oh, I do some stock trading on the sides." He explained as he finally drank the last of his coffee. It had almost gone cold, that was how long they had been chatting. Mads got up to go and wash the used cup. He reminded to stay ready for when they got to Noveria. As soon, he would go around and have a nice chat with his crew before they got there.

The Normandy was operating as it always did. There wasn't anything to report yet. And even if there was something to report, it was relatively minor. It was nice to know, even though the Normandy was still experimental, it was not full of errors and short comings. He spoke with Wrex first, and they had quite a lengthy talk. Wrex, once again, expressed his gratitude for getting the armor back for him. He assured Mads that he would stay loyal to him, no matter what. It made Mads smile, but he wasn't sure if anyone could promise something like that. But it was nice to know that things were well between them.

As their conversation came to an end, Mads went to see Garrus. Still making himself busy with doing calibrations on the Mako. It was rare to find the Turian any other place than by the Mako's side. They were inseparable. They talked as well, threw a few jokes at each other to brighten the mood. Garrus was good at that, but even he had his doubts about what they were facing.

"I think… Maybe… When we catch Saren… We should kill him. You know? Be done with it. I don't trust him to accept any conviction from the Council." Garrus suddenly admitted. Mads looked over at him with a different look in his eyes.

"I think you're right, Garrus. Even if I bring in Saren in cuffs, I don't expect justice can be served, and I wouldn't trust that fucker to die, let alone serve out his sentence. If I find him-"

"When you find him." Garrus corrected him, and it made Mads smile. He was glad Garrus saw him as competent in that regard.

"Right, when I find him. I shall either bring him home in a body bag or bury him where he fell." Mads replied.

"I'll help you dig the hole." Garrus promised. "You know Commander… You have really opened my eyes. I used to think that the entire galaxy was just doomed to be unfair. That no justice, true justice, could ever be served. But then I met you… And now I have hope again." Garrus said, in a surprising moment of clarity, or sincerity. Whichever it was, Mads wasn't sure.

"I know life is unfair. It always has been, and it always will be. But it's up to us to make a change in this cursed wretch of a Galaxy. We alone stand against injustice. Even if we must abandon certain principles along the way." Mads almost preached, and it felt weird. But that was how it always was for him. That's what he was trained to believe. The Alliance taught its soldiers that everyone should be treated fairly, that missions should always be by the books. Spetsnaz wasn't like that… Oh no. They would eliminate the threat, no matter the cost. That was both what he liked and disliked about it.

"It all puts it in perspective… When this is over, I think I'll reapply for Spectre training."

"Spectre training?" Mads asked. He was confused. He had been told that Spectres were chosen, not trained.

"I was selected as a possible candidate many years ago. Out of several thousand recruits. Those who were chosen would receive special Spectre training. It wasn't a guarantee to become a Spectre, but it was a good way to prepare you for it… However, my father pulled me off it." Garrus explained.

"Your father pulled you out of it? Why in the hell did he do that?" Mads asked. He thought every Turian father would be delighted to see their sons get special training to maybe become a Spectre one day.

"My dad is a very by-the-books kind of guy. He is former C-Sec, and so he follows a philosophy of principle. You know, do things right or don't do them at all." Garrus replied. "I suppose I took in a lot of things he said. I figured he was right. So I joined C-Sec as well. He hates the Spectres with a passion, says that someone with unchecked authority and freedom will eventually lose sight of right and wrong… I don't really agree." Garrus added.

Mads hummed as he thought about it. "I guess it comes down to Security versus Freedom. You increase one, and the other go down. I have seen or heard about many guilty people walking free because something must be done a certain way. The Spectres are, if nothing else, a necessary evil. There is a saying I like: 'Evil triumphs when good men do nothing'. You can twist and turn that however you wish, but I think that if we allow ourselves to blindly follow a code of something… Bad people will prosper." Mads remarked.

"Exactly! Which is why I'm so glad I got the opportunity to be here. To watch you in action. It made me realize that this is what I have longed for. A chance to serve justice. Come to think of it… I think I might just rejoin that training program." Garrus replied with a hopeful expression.

"Well, if that's what you want to do, then I'm supporting you every step of the way. Despite everything, you have proven yourself a good soldier countless times. Not only that, but I sense leadership material in you, Garrus." Mads promised.

"Really?"

"Indeed. Your abilities to boost the morale of your fellow comrades, and your tactical know how provides you with the perfect mixture for a good officer. And your sniping and fighting skills are almost second-to-none. I think you can handle the responsibility of being a Spectre, no problem." Mads elaborated.

"I-… I-… Thank you, Commander." He replied, struggling to even find the words.

"You don't have to thank me Garrus. You have helped me at every turn, and as such, I'll help you however I can." Mads offered. If Garrus was serious about retrying the Spectre route, Mads would gladly help him along the way. Very few matched Garrus' qualifications. Only thing lacking was a record of experiences he could draw back to. Which he would hopefully gain on their mission. They talked a bit more and exchanged some other ideas with each other. Though, before long, Mads had to leave. There was still another crew member he wished to talk to.

Only a short walk later, and he was in the engineering department again. Adams had already poked fun at him for probably being the Captain in the Alliance who spent the most time in the Engineering department of his ship. Mads had no problem with it. It was quite fascinating to see them work. They knew what they were doing, and they helped each other every step of the way. It was nice to see it work flawlessly.

He walked over to Tali. She instantly turned around to greet him. She must have learned to pick up on the sound of hobnails treading carefully across the metal floor. "Hello Commander!" She greeted in a chipper mood.

"How is it going?" Mads asked as he crossed his arms and leaned back at bit.

"It's going alright. Although-..." It was clear she was trying to say something, but had trouble finding the right way to ask it.

"Although what?" Mads asked. He was worried that something bad might have happened.

"I wanted to ask something of you… Could we… Speak privately?" She requested. Mads nodded and turned over to Adams.

"Would you mind if I borrowed Tali for like ten minutes?" He asked.

"Not at all, Commander." Adams quickly replied. Mads gave an affirmative nod and gestured for Tali to follow him. She eagerly did. They took the elevator up to the crew deck and found their way into his cabin. Mads closed the door and turned to her.

"So, what's happening?" He asked, still a bit worried at what she might say.

"Well… It's just that-… Do you remember that Geth data you downloaded on Solcrum? The one that showed Geth evolution throughout their isolation? I would very much like.. Erh.. A copy of it… To bring back for my pilgrimage." She requested. She was hoping he would say yes, but she knew that he could very well deny it. It was, after all, very valuable data. Mads didn't say anything, and that made her even more nervous. She watched as he slowly walked over to his desk and fiddled around in one of the drawers until he pulled up a small data disk. He handed it to her, and she eagerly accepted it.

"I figured you wanted a copy. This information is worth a lot to the Quarian people, and they sure as hell deserve it. Consider it a gift from us, the alliance, for all you have done for us." Mads said as she took it.

"I-… I don't know what to-… Thank you. Thank you so much." She replied, dumbfounded as she stood with something that could, potentially turn the tide against the Geth for the Quarians, and he had just handed it to her. As a reward for the work she had done. Work she would have done free and willingly.

"No need to thank me. Just a head's up though. That is just a copy. I have sent the files to the Alliance as well. Just so you are aware." Mads informed her.

"I figured as much." Tali replied as she studied the disk for a moment.

"Though, I suppose this means you have everything you need to complete your pilgrimage?" Mads asked.

"Well… Yes. But, I won't leave you. Not until we are done with Saren. I need to finish this. And you have my promise and my loyalty until then. I can never repay my… My people's debt to you." She promised him, and he smiled.

"I never asked for anything more, Tali. Just keeping doing what you have been doing, and you and I will be even Steven." Mads answered. She smiled under her helmet, and she hoped he knew how much this meant to her. Time and time again, he proved himself to be a kind man, but she wasn't sure if he knew it himself. "By the way, we'll dock at Noveria in a few hours. I don't know what to expect there, but I want the entire team with me when I board." Mads informed her.

"Of course!" She replied happily.

"Well, with that settled… I'd say those 10 minutes are up." Mads remarked as he opened the door and she followed him out. He escorted her back to the engineering department where she could finish up the last of what she needed to do there. Mads decided to speak with the rest of his team before they got there.

---

3 hours later…

Noveria orbit.

They had finally arrived in orbit of Noveria. Now, the challenging task of getting permission to land would arise before them. These were business folks, and they believe in corporate secrets of the world. Mads knew the types well, he often socialized with them, and to a degree he was even a part of them. Mads silently waited behind Joker's seat and Joker brought them ever so closer to the frozen planet. That was until a voice came in over the comms.

"SSV Normandy, this is Noveria flight controls. We don't have you on the flight plan. State your intent or we will be forced to shoot you down." The air controller requested in a demanding, almost militaristic, voice.

"This is the SSV Normandy speaking. We are officially here on behalf of the Citadel Council. There is a Spectre onboard." Joker replied.

"Understood. Be aware: We can't let you land without proper authorization. Please stand by." The flight controller informed them.

"Son of a-" Before joker could finish his sentence, Mads took over for him.

"Economic insights. Authorization code: Alpha-Tango-Foxtrot-One-five-eight. Spectre and formal business." Mads said. There was a moment of silence on the other end, before the voice spoke again.

"Understood Mister Romanov. Welcome to Noveria. Please proceed to the nearest docking bay. But be aware: If confirmation of identity can't be established, your vessel will be subject to impounding by Security forces and heavy fines will be imposed." The Flight controller answered, with a very different tone this time around.

"Copy that." Mads replied and turned to Joker. "Bring her in." He ordered as he stepped back a few steps. Joker looked at him dumbfounded.

"I'm not even gonna ask where you got that from." He laughed as he did as he was told. He slowly brought the Normandy to the Frozen planet known as Noveria. The planet's tech was top-class, but it was privately funded, so that was to be expected. It seemed like everything was going as it should, he just hoped that no further incidents would occur, but that seemed unlikely.

The Normandy slowly docked in one of the ports. The whole team was waited for him by the airlock. None of them looked thrilled of the prospect of getting cold as soon as they stood outside. Mads tried to cheer them up as the airlock finished it's cycle. A few seconds later, the door opened, and they were greeted by the cold air. Most of them began shivering.

"This is nothing." Mads laughed as he went out. "Try central Siberia." Mads laughed further.

"Stop boasting about being Russian." Kaminski remarked as he tried to catch some warmth.

"I was once training in Central Siberia. Then sent us out there in the middle of January, with only seven slices of bread and an uncooked fish. If the cold didn't get you, starvation would." Mads said, just to spite Kaminski. But the story was true enough… Only it wasn't part of the N7 Program, but rather a part of the Spetsnaz training… And that had been the coldest he had ever been. Stuck in a hole he had dug for himself. His uniform doing nothing to shield him from the below freezing temperatures… And the worry of when he would have to try his luck and catch something in the river. Kaminski sighed loudly as they moved on. Mads suddenly spotted two familiar figures standing by the end of the catwalk.

His nephew, Joseph, and his assistant Shaun. They were packed in heavy winter coats, clearly waiting for him… And who knows how long they have been like that.

"Mr. Romanov. So good you could finally join us." There was a slight shiver in Shaun's voice as he spoke.

"Mr. Castillo. It's good to see you out of your element. I hope I haven't made you wait long." Mads replied.

"Any second longer than necessary is too long. Shall we go? They are waiting for you up there. And they are no more pleased than I am." Shaun said.

"How have you been Joe?" Mads turned and asked Joseph.

"Not too bad I suppose. But pops has been chewing my ear off about how fucked everything is… Also, why the hell did you bring like-" Joesph turned to count the squad mates. "-8 fucking squad mates with you. Are you planning on recreating the battle of Poltava in there?" Joseph asked.

"In my line of business, it's better to be prepared for the worse. There are rumors of Geth here on Noveria." Mads answered.

"On Noveria? That's troubling news." Shaun weighed in. He looked almost nervous now, silently gesturing for them to move on and get on with what they were supposed to do.

"Anyhow… What's the news with the board?" Mads asked as they began to walk towards the security checkpoint.

"They have been in constant session almost for the past week. Harold has been pushing for another big loan from the company. They are hesitant, since they won't really see any returns for it. He is hoping that you might come and clear it up." Joesph remarked.

"Another loan? Jesus fucking Christ…." Mads remarked. "It was hard enough to convince them the three other times… But another one? I'm not a miracle worker, you know." Mads replied as he began to wonder if maybe they should just abandon that God forsaken project.

"Jury is still out on that one." Garrus jokingly remarked as they came to the checkpoint. Shaun and Joseph passed through without any issues. Problems arose as soon as Mads, and his heavily armed group came close.

"Welcome to Noveria, Mr. Romanov. We hope you will enjoy your stay here. However, even as a representative of a major company here on Noveria, you are not allowed to carry arms within the compound. We ask that you leave your weapons here for safe keeping." The security Captain requested.

"That's false. I'm here as a Spectre. Noveria falls under council jurisdiction. I am therefore, by law, allowed to carry arms within these fine walls of yours." Mads replied.

"We have yet to confirm your identity. Sergeant Sterling, secure their weapons." The Captain ordered. Mads, and his entire team, drew their guns at the security personal. Who, in turn, did the same. Suddenly, this had turned into a tense standoff.

"Back down, Mr. Romanov. We are legally allowed to neutralize any and all threats." The Captain advised.

"That's Commander Romanov to you. And neither me, nor my team, will surrender our weapons. I strongly advise you put your guns down… And we can talk, like proper businessmen." Mads replied, trying the diplomatic approach for once. Bloodshed at the gates of Noveria didn't seem like the best plan in the book. Tension grew as they stared each other down. You could almost hear the sound of them tightening their grips on their guns, their fingers itching on the trigger.

"Captain Matuso, stand down! We have confirmed their identity. Spectres are authorized to carry arms here." A voice commanded over the comms to the security team. All of them instantly began to tense down. The Captain was the first to lower her weapon.

"You may proceed, Spectre. I hope the rest of your visit will be less… Confrontational." She said. They others lowered their weapons as well. A sign of goodwill, maybe.

"You and me both, Captain." Mads said as he, as the last one, holstered his Magnum back into his holster.

"Parasini-san will meet you up the stairs." Captain Matuso said as she gestured for them to head on inside.

"Behave yourself." Sergeant Sterling commanded them, though it sounded more like a threat than anything else.

They did as they were told and headed inside. Where the crew instantly let out a collective sigh of relief at the sudden warmth the heaters inside provided. Mads chuckled as they desperately clung to this warmth as if it was the light of God. As they walked up the stairs, they passed through a scanner, which went crazy with alarms due to their weapons. Mads could see the guards tense up again, but they were calmed down by Parasini-San.

"Don't mind the alarms! We aren't used to having armed guests." She clarified, almost nervously.

"Think nothing of it." Mads replied as he went over to the counter. She smiled at him, and he returned the gesture.

"I'm Gianna Parasini. Assistant to Administrator Anoleis. We apologize for the incident at the checkpoint. We have never been in that type of situation before. I hope that you understand that our security team were simply doing their job." Gianna explained.

"I understand. It's no worry." Mads reassured her.

"Thank you." She said, clearly relieved that there would be no further incident. "One of my main tasks here is the orientation of new arrivals. Do you have further questions?" She asked politely. Mads looked around a bit, and leaned in a bit further.

"Rumor has it, that Geth have been sighted here on Noveria. Can you confirm?" Mads asked, no much more than a whisper.

"Geth? No, at least I know of no such thing here on Noveria… Though you will be hard pressed to find anyone willing to share such information anyhow… people here aren't exactly trusting in nature." She advised him, and Mads silently cursed himself for thinking it would be that easy.

"Anything else… Out of the ordinary? Nothing that doesn't quite fit?" Mads asked, hoping to get a better result this time.

"Well… There was an Asari Matriarch passed through recently. She had a big team of security with her, and as well as a lot of cargo." Gianna informed him. It instantly clicked in Mads' brain. It had to be her.

"Would this happen to be a certain Matriarch Beneiza?" He asked hopeful.

"Why yes. That was her name." Gianna replied with a smile.

"Beneiza is here?" Liara came up and asked.

"That's right." Gianna smiled to Liara.

"It is vital that we speak to her as soon as possible. Where can I find her?" Mads asked, although it might have sounded more like a demand.

"She left for the Peak 15 complex a few days ago. Which is currently rented out by Binary Helix, To the best of my knowledge, she is still there. However, I'm afraid that getting there is close to impossible. Due to the snowstorm, the administrator is reluctant to allow anyone out of the port." Gianna answered.

"Then that's where I'm going. How do I get there?" Mads inquired.

"Like I said: Due to the blizzard, no one is leaving this port. You need a special pass to leave, which the administrator can manage." Gianna informed him, which meant he was forced to play nice to get any further.

"Okay, where can I find him?" Mads then asked.

"His office is on the main floor. Left at the top of the elevator." She said with a smile.

"Thank you." Mads said as he turned to his team. The one looking down was Doctor T'Soni, who seemed confused or maybe conflicted at what was going to happen. Mads pulled her to the side. She must have been in shock. "Are you alright?" Mads asked sincerely.

"I can't believe it. She is here… My own mother. Are you concerned about my loyalty, Commander?" She asked with sadness in her voice.

"Liara… You have proven yourself a valuable team member…. But I want you to know that there might be a very good chance that your mother leaves this planet in a body bag. Based on all we have seen so far, she is in deep with Saren. There is no telling what she might do. So I ask you Liara: Can I trust you to carry out the duty you have sworn to do?" Mads asked her.

"Yes Commander. I understand the situation fully." Liara answered with great pain, and it sounded truthful. Mads accepted her answer.

"Then you may come with us. Maybe seeing you will make her see the light again… Or maybe not." Mads theorized. "Anyhow, let's get on with this. Shall we?" Mads said as he gestured for the elevator.

"About time. You can't spare a minute with the board." Shaun advised Mads. He would have to take care of that first.

"So, tell me. What's going on?" Mads asked as they entered the elevator.

"It's all fucked. Between the mess with Mr. Hickey, and the uncertain of Harold intentions… We aren't quite so sure what's going to happen." Shaun explained as they rode the elevator up.

"I haven't had a chance to look at the numbers for Q1. How do they look?" Mads then asked.

"Numbers are looking good. And with the current business we are seeing right now, I'd reckon that Q2 is going to be good as well. If we keep this up, it might be another record year." Shaun said.

"Alright. I guess that's something at least." Mads replied.

---

About 10 minutes later, Mads had dismissed his crew to go about some shore leave while he took care of business with the board. They others eagerly took the chance to explore something that wasn't the Normandy, but Mads had reminded them to not get too friendly with the people in this port. Most of them would scam them out of the ballpark if given half the chance. He set a deadline for a few hours where they had to meet back in the main area. He felt like a grade school teacher giving his students a curfew as they left for the Zoo. But that was besides the point.

"What's all the trouble with Harold then? What's this loan really about?" Mads turned to ask Joseph as all the others had left.

"This isn't public knowledge but… The Andromeda project is rapidly running out of money. Even Jien Garson is running out of funds… And without another boost, it looks like it's all dead in the water." Joseph replied.

"I told you that fucking project was a bust from the beginning. You know, maybe this is a sign." Mads lectured him.

"Cut the fucking shit, Mads. I'm really not in the mood." Joseph replied as the continued towards the office of Economic insights. Shaun followed closely behind them. As soon as they entered the building, they were greeted by a rather nervous receptionist. Who hadn't be prepared for the meeting of all the top bosses within the company.

As soon as Mads entered the conference room, he heard nothing but silence. He could see on their faces that they had argued about something not twenty seconds prior. He sat down in the chair that sat at the head of the table. A fitting place for the owner. Harold was seated just at his right.

"Shaun. Would you mind getting me a cup of coffee?" Mads requested.

"Of course." Shaun replied as he headed out of the room.

"Mr. Romanov. I'm glad you could make it. We have been in almost constant session for the last week. We need your input on these subjects." A certain Mr. Wilson said. He was the Chief Operating Officer, or COO for short.

"Indeed. While things are looking good for the company, I'm afraid this issue raised by the CEO has caused quite a rift between us." Mr. Jacobs added. The main Secretary, and the one currently filling the shoes of Chief Financial Officer, or CFO.

"I am aware of the current situation, Gentlemen. Now, Harold, would you be so kind as to present your case?" Mads requested.

"Of course. As you all know: I am an active supporter of the Andromeda project. I have been a member of the board and chief engineer for almost six years now. Unfortunately, as fate will have it, we have hit a stream of bad luck lately… And we require more funding. I am therefore formally requesting a loan." Harold explained.

"How big is this loan?" Mads asked as he leaned back in his chair a bit.

"500 million credits, at least." Harold replied. There was silence among the board members. That was a big chunk, and Mads wasn't exactly sure if their equity could handle that.

"What do you say, Mr. Jacobs?" Mads turned to the Secretary.

"We can certainly do the loan, if you approve it. We have several billions stored away. But the trouble is…. This is not really a loan, is it?" Mr. Jacobs asked Harold.

"Well… I suppose that depends on how you look at it. If you're willingly to wait 600 years, then it will be a loan. Otherwise, well no… It's more of a donation." Harold admitted.

"So… This all depends on you." Mr. Wilson turned to Mads and said. "Though I'm not sure the investors will approve if told." Mr. Wilson warned.

"I know." Mads sighed as he thought about it. "This is a big fucking loan, Harold. You might be my brother, and there are very few things I won't do for you… But I'm not too sure about this one." Mads said, he still couldn't really make up his mind. If he did this, then he only really did it out of loyalty to his family.

"I know Mads… But… We need this. There might be some good PR involved if you do this through your investment in Exo-geni or any other exploration company we own stocks in." Harold suggested.

"Yeah, maybe… But I'll tell you what, Harold. This is the last loan you will ever get from me… Or this company. In fact, after you have received this loan… You're no longer going to be acting CEO of this company. That's the only way I can justify this. I'm afraid the favors end here." Mads said. He was willing to give the loan, and he could probably pay the loan off with the kickback he would get over the next two years… But he had to make sure that the rest of the board knew this would be the last.

"I… Understand…." Harold said. He hadn't expected this… or maybe he had, and was just not willing to accept it as a possibility. "I will take your deal." Harold informed him.

"Alright. Mr. Jacobs, you can prepare the paperwork. And I trust this is the last I'll hear about this for a while. As for the recently open position of CEO, I want a list of possible candidates by next week. Until then, Mr. Wilson will be acting CEO. Understood?" Mads asked.

"Yes sir." They all said.

"Good." Mads replied.

---

Three hours later, and he was finally free from that board room. They had discussed so many things, like the strategy for the remainder of Q2 and what to expect of Q3. Mads had also had a lengthy conversation with Harold afterwards. They had talked about everything, but Mads could see that Harold saw this as for the best in the end. He could focus on the Andromeda project this way. Mads had let his stance be known, and was not seen as a bad leader or owner in the eyes of the rest of the company. Joseph felt more betrayed than anyone. He saw this as a back stab almost… Not that he said so, but he was thinking it. Mads could see it. He tried to calm his mind, but he needed time to process what had happened here.

Before Mads would link back up with his crew, he wanted to see if he could get the Administrator to get him his pass for the Peak 15 facility. That was the sole reason they were here, after all. As he walked into the office of the administrator, he was once again greeted by Gianna. Who smiled at him and told him to head on inside. Anoleis was expecting him. Mads nodded and headed on inside. The administrator, who was a rather tall Salarian in an expensive suit. Did not even stand up to greet him.

"Administrator?" Mads asked.

"Yes. Make it quick. You'll excuse me if I don't stand up. I have little time nor love for those people from that Urban blight named Earth." That comment made Mads tense up. How dare he?

"Sure, I'll make it quick. You can use every second you can gain. Your life is short enough as it is." Two can play this game. Mads thought as he sat down in the chair in front of the administrator. He could see Anoleis get furious, but the Salarian tried to mask it. "A very interesting individual by the name of Benezia T'Soni has recently traveled to peak 15. It is of galactic importance that I speak with her at once. I therefore require a pass to leave this port and head to Peak 15." Mads requested, it was about as formal as he could make with the rage boiling inside of him.

"The only reason I'm even giving this meeting is to satisfy the law requirements. I'm only cooperating based on the Exutive board's guidelines. I will decline your request for two reasons. One: There is a blizzard raging currently, and the board has declared the roads: Not safe for travel. Second: We are not in the habit of violating our clients' privacy. It's poor business practice and will cost us far more than what it's worth." Anoleis explained, and he did it slowly. As if were he speaking to a five year old, telling them just why they couldn't have the candy they wanted.

"Then I can see this is fruitless. Be aware, this will not be forgotten by the council. Good day Mr. Anoleis." Mads replied as he all but stormed out of the office. Mads was angry, but he managed to keep it below boiling. His mind was racing with ideas on how to counter this move by Anoleis. It was clear that he wore the big boy pants here on Noveria… but there had to be someone who could counter it. Then Mads remember a contact he had.

"Anoleis isn't the only one with a pass to leave the port." Gianna pulled him out of his thoughts. Mads turned to her, confused as to if he heard her correctly.

"Come again?" Mads asked.

"Talk to Lorik Qui'in. He is probably sitting in the hotel bar. I can't really say much more this close to Anoleis." Gianna advised him, and the name clicked in Mads' memory. Lorik Qui'in… He knew that man. Done business with him several times over the years. Mads' company owned a few bit of stock in Synthetic Insights, which funnily enough was very similar in name to Mads' own company. It seemed perfect, Lorik probably had some few favors he owned to him anyway.

"Yes… Yes, that's perfect. Thank you, Gianna." Mads said as he nodded to her.

"You're welcome?" Gianna replied a bit confused. She had not expected this kind of response. Mads hurried out, he had just gotten his second chance, and he was not about to squander it. As he got out of the office, he saw Garrus standing there. He had been waiting patiently for him since he saw him enter the office.

"Any luck?" Garrus asked.

"No. Should have expected it to be honest. But I got another way off this station." Mads replied as Garrus began to follow Mads to the hotel.

"And what might that be?" Garrus asked curiously.

"It involves me pulling favors out of my ass. Lorik Qui'in is the name of the fella. Big boss for Synthetic insights here on Noveria. My company owns a rather large share in Synthetic insights, so I'm hoping for the best." Mads explained.

"Isn't it against Alliance regulations to own stocks or have obligations to a company?" Garrus asked, putting on that detective voice. Was he trying to grill Mads for some information?

"Don't ask, don't tell. Besides, the stocks are, per say, family owned. Meaning I don't have all the power over it. There is a family council that decides when to sell and when to buy, as does the board of the company." Mads reassured him.

Garrus hummed to signal he was content with the answer. They continued forward towards the elevator that would take them up to the hotel bar. Mads was unsure as to why Lorik Qui'in would be hanging out in the bar. He never struck Mads as the type of man who enjoyed drinking, but something else might have happened since they last met.

The bar was fairly empty, and most people sat alone at their respective tables. Silently pondering over the last deal they made while they enjoyed a glass of cognac. Mads spotted Lorik Qui'in quickly, he was rather hard to miss. He, like the others, sat alone. Enjoying a glass of… Well, whatever the Turians preferred to drink.

Mads sat down at the table, and Lorik seemed rather slow to notice him. Probably the alcohol that slowed him down. "Jesus Christ, Lorik. The clock isn't even three yet and you're already drinking?" Mads laughed, and it finally clicked in Lorik who was sitting in front of him.

"Ah, Mr. Romanov. I didn't… Expect to see you here. Sorry for the mess." Lorik replied, a bit slow but a clear tone.

"No worries about that. This is my partner, Garrus Vakerian. Garrus, this is Lorik. Lorik is regional manager on Noveria for Synthetic insights." Mads introduced the two of them. They both exchanged a nod to each other.

"What's up with the battle armor, Mr. Romanov? Expected to fight the Ninth Platoon?" Lorik asked with a laugh.

"No, rather the commandos of a certain Benezia T'Soni. She is holed up at Peak 15, and I need a pass to leave the port." Mads requested.

"Peak 15? That's binary helix's compound, isn't it?" Lorik asked and Mads nodded. "I heard they had some trouble up there. Nothing confirmed, but it sounded serious. Why are you after this… Benezia?" Lorik inquired.

"She is in bed with a known terrorist and outlaw, Saren Arterius. I don't know if you cared to listen in to the news lately, but I was given the role of Spectre not too long ago. And I aim to make Saren pay." Mads answered, he said Saren's name like it was a curse.

"Saren Arterius? I believe he is a major investor in Binary Helix. That explains it then…. So you need a pass to leave the port?" Mads nodded. "I got one, but I do need a small favor in return for it all." Lorik requested.

"I'm listening." Mads said. Lorik looked around for a second, before he leaned in closer to talk.

"Anoleis is keeping me out of my office at the moment. His security detail is up there right now, tearing the place apart. He insists that he is investigating me for possible corruption and misconduct… But I think the administrator is a very interesting individual. Ever since he came into office, his wealth has expanded greatly… Especially after having control of the rents." Lorik explained.

"I see… He did indeed strike me as the sort of feller to partake in the pastime of corruption." Mads remarked.

"I have evidence against him – damning evidence, should they ever see the light of day – and I would very much like it back. Trouble is: His hired thugs are ransacking my office looking for it. He is paying them under the table, so the captain is unaware of their current activities." Lorik informed him.

"I can deal with them if need be." Mads promised him.

"Good. Bring me back my evidence, and the pass – alongside some money- will be yours." Lorik replied. Mads nodded and stood up. He shook Lorik's hand.

"Goodbye Lorik. I'll be back with the evidence in no time." Mads promised as he left. Garrus followed closely behind him to the elevator. Where they once again rode it down. Mads turned to Garrus in the elevator.

"I want you to go and gather up the rest of the team. We need to finish this as soon as possible. We need that pass to proceed, so best be quick about it." Mads ordered. Garrus nodded.

"How much do you own in stocks anyway?" Garrus asked.

"Overall or just in Synthetic insights?"

"Synthetic insights." Garrus clarified.

"About 18 % through my company. If we are talking my wealth overall, then I have personally around 52 million credits sitting in bank accounts. Tied up with stocks, I have about… I think 800 million to about a billion personally tied in my name. The company has a lot more, as do our clients." Mads replied, Garrus looked at him dumbfounded.

"How come you never told us you were a millionaire?" He asked confused.

"You never asked." He cheekily replied.

"Yeah, true, but I would imagine that is still a nice conversation piece to have." Garrus remarked.

"I like having financial stability. Besides, I have a lot of it in the family fond. So yes, the Romanov family is quite loaded. It's nice knowing I won't have to rely on a normal Alliance pension." Mads said.

"Mind setting me up with some money? I don't exactly make a killing through this current endevour of ours. Erh… No offense." Garrus requested, almost awkwardly.

"I can teach you a few stock trading tricks if you'd like. Otherwise, you can throw some of your money into my company, and we'll sort you out with some idiot-proof stocks." Mads replied.

"Probably as good a deal as I'm gonna get…" Garrus remarked again. "Also, are we going into a firefight?" He asked.

"I'd say there is a 60 percent chance of it. If these dogs are there without permission, then we might be able to get them to look the other way. Maybe not. Either way, I think you and I can handle them if not." Mads answered as he gestured to the AK-15 that sat loyally on his back. Just begging to be used.

"Fair enough." Garrus said.

---

"Hey, who the fuck are you guys?" One of the guards asked as they stepped off another elevator. This was the office of Synthetic insights alright. These guards were dirty, but they still looked like rookies who had probably been subdued by the idea of making some extra money on the side lines.

"I'm more concerned about who YOU are. What are you doing here? Isn't this Synthetic insights' private property?" Mads asked back.

"We are here under orders from Administrator Anoleis!" The guard had tried to sound tough, but their voice betrayed them and showed a more nervous nature.

"Does the Captain know you are here? Operating with pay under the table?" Mads tried to push the right buttons. "There would be little backlash against me if I cleaned house." Mads informed them.

"Hold on-… Just hold on!" The guard said, trying to defuse the situation. "Listen: Anoleis got a varren up his ass about this guy. The money was good, but shit, not good enough to die for. Look, we'll leave and we'll pretend we never saw each other. That sound good?" The guard suggested.

"Seems fair enough. Now up on your bike and fuck off." Mads ordered, and they quickly did as such. Brushing past him and Garrus to the elevator. Mads gave a small nod to Garrus, signaling that they might as move on more. They made up a flight of stairs, but they stopped a few steps short of the top. Mads pulled out his AK. He could clearly hear more guards roaming around, tearing the place apart. He peeked his head up to get a better look. By his headcount, there were maybe five or six guards still there. Probably those highly loyal to the Administrator, or at least to his wallet. Mads gestured to Garrus to get out his weapon as well.

On the count of three, they took the guards by surprise. It was nice to know the other guards hadn't ratted out their co-workers, so they were confused, and maybe even rattled when they were shot at. With this initial advantage, they got the upper hand within no time and close the gap in numbers. The roar of the AK deafened it all, even the screams of those who did not die instantly. After no more than a few minutes, the guards were dead. Some of them never even managed to draw their gun before meeting their demise.

"Let's make this quick. Lorik said his data was in his office. I'll go search for it. You'll stay here and keep guard." Mads ordered as he holstered his AK over his back and began to walk towards the office.

"Why do I have to stand guard?" Garrus asked. Mads wasn't sure if he was joking or actually serious in that moment. The sounded so much like a child that didn't get what they wanted.

"You're always going on about how good your sniping skills are." Mads replied.

"Not sure if you noticed, but we are not actually in an environment that is suited for sniping. In fact, a handgun could achieve the same thing here." Garrus lectured him.

"Then use a handgun if you so fancy." Mads said as he turned to the office and headed inside, but not before he heard an audible sigh from Garrus. Mads quickly ran through the office, looking at every corner and every drawer. Of course, Lorik hadn't told them where it was in the office. Figures this wouldn't be as easy as a walk in the park. Luckily, Mads accidentally knocked over something from the desk, and while he kneeling down to pick it up again, he noticed a safe hidden away under the desk. "You sneaky bastard." Mads remarked almost silently as he cracked open the safe.

Sure enough, inside was the Data that could get them further in their mission. Now it was just a matter of getting out again without more bloodshed, or at least that had been the idea. "We got company!" Garrus yelled to him. Mads stormed outside to see what new forces had arrived. It was more security personal, but they were accompanied by none other than the friendly Sergeant they had meet at the gates of the port. Mads and Garrus took cover.

"Commander Romanov. I don't believe you are supposed to be here." Sergeant Sterling observed.

"I think that makes two of us, Sergeant. How about we go our separate ways and forget about all this." Mads suggested.

"No can do pal. I need that data. Now, you can either hand it over peacefully. Or we can have a fire fight and I pry it from your lifeless hands." Sergeant Sterling offered, as if either scenario was supposed to be tempting in the least. Mads opted not to respond to her request, he would instead show his decision. Mads gestured to Garrus to shoot on his mark, and on the countdown of three, they both peaked from cover.

Sergeant Sterling had shown up with more six or seven more guards by her side, but it was nothing compared to the dangers that Garrus and Mads had already faced in their quest. And, these guards were inexperienced. They were only used to escorting or arresting drunken and disarmed guest around. Her men panicked, and were mowed down quickly under a hail of bullets. Mads had to give credit was it was due though, the Sergeant put up an admirable fight, he hadn't expected such combat skills from her. But, he was not about to take pity on her for it.

Barely ten minutes had passed, everything was quiet again. This office had turned into a bloodbath, with at least a dozen guards dead. Which was their Que to leave. Staying here a second more than what was needed was sure to get them behind bars.

"Are we sure we are in right about this?" Garrus asked as they headed for the elevator.

"A bit too late to back out now, Garrus. And besides, history is written by the victor. If we can get Anoleis out of office, the new administrator would probably look fondly back on this." Mads tried to put Garrus' mind at ease. He wasn't sure if it worked or not, but Garrus did not ask any more questions on their way to the bar.

---

As soon as they got off the elevator, they were greeted by Gianna. She smiled at them as they came out, and it caught Mads off guard. He hadn't expected for anyone to be waiting for them here. Especially not her.

"There are rumors of a bloody battle happening in the Synthetic insights' office, just up that elevator where you guys came from. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?" She asked, all smug. Like she knew everything she asked already, which she probably did.

"Oh, that a fact? Because I heard some nasty rumors that your boss was paying some guards a little extra to rattle around in the offices up there." Mads replied wittingly.

"Oh, you're a smart ass then? Fine, I can work with that. How about you come see me before you meet up with Lorik. I have something you might be interested in. I'll have a table for us at the bar." Gianna suggested.

"I just might." Mads said as he watched her walk off.

"I'm not sure I like this." Garrus remarked.

"That your C-Sec genes at work?" Mads asked as they began to move towards the bar.

"Maybe. But Anoleis' assistant coming to us with suggestions? Doesn't look good." Garrus answered.

"True. Let's just see what she has to offer. Maybe it will be okay." Mads said as they entered another elevator that would take them to the bar. "What do you reckon the others are up to?"

"I think most of them headed back to the ship. Though I believe Kaminski managed to convince Kaiden and Ashley that they should have a drink at the bar." Garrus answered as Mads pushed the button that would take them up.

"Figures." Mads replied.

As soon as the elevator reached the top level, Mads saw instantly where Gianna had set up shop. She had even taken the liberty of ordering some drinks for them already. Mads nodded to Garrus, they might as well enjoy a drink while they were here.

"Didn't know what you guys liked, so I ordered a whiskey for the Commander, and a very nice Turian wine for his Turian comrade." Gianna said. Mads took a small sip of the glass and hummed in appreciation. It certainly wasn't the worst whiskey he had ever tasted. Garrus seemed equally pleased with his wine. "Let's get down to business. Let me re-introduce myself, Gianna Parasini, internal affairs of Noveria."

"Should have known." Mads laughed. Of course she wasn't who she said she was. "So, what's the deal? The inner circle wants me to do something so they can continue to circle jerk each other in peace?" Mads asked.

She sighed and rubbed her temples, clearly thinking that this was probably already costing way more than what it was worth. "The Board has known of Anoleis' corruption for years. But Anoleis is nothing if not careful with his schemes. We have had a hard time getting hold of the right evidence. I have been undercover for six months trying to get something…. So, I want you to convince Lorik to testify and present the evidence before the board. It's a win-win situation for all involved." She explained.

"And why should I care if Anoleis keeps his head or not? I mean, I don't like the man, but Lorik was very keen on my not giving this evidence to anyone but himself, and do I need that pass." Mads replied as he took another sip of whiskey.

"I can get you a pass, no problem. But you must understand that this is for the good of Noveria. With Anoleis gone, we can begin to actually start doing business as it supposed to be done." She suggested.

"She does have a point. Getting rid of Anoleis will most likely be a good solution in the long term for Noveria. And might be good for your company too." Garrus remarked.

"Look Commander. I don't like this either. Spectres play hard and loose with the rules, and that's not good for Noveria." She added.

"Fucking fine! I'll do it. Hope it doesn't put too much of a strain on my relations with the company." Mads finally accepted. She smiled, probably content with getting her will.

"Great! If you get Lorik to cooperate, then come find me at my desk by Anoleis' office." She bid farewell and left promptly. Mads drank the last of his whiskey, slammed the glass back on the table and decided now was as good a time as any to convince Lorik.

When they arrived at Lorik's table, they both saw that Lorik must have gotten liberal with his bar privileges. He looked a lot more drunk than before, and he had switched from using a glass to drinking straight from the bottle. Must be a sorry sight for Turians, falling like he has.

"Ah, Mr. Romanov. Didn't see you there… Did you look into the thing I asked you to?" Lorik asked, fumbling around with his words. Mads lit up a cigarette and sat down in front of Lorik.

"I did. But, there is something we need to discuss." Mads answered. Lorik looked at him confused. "The administrator's corrupt nature is a threat to all of the companies here on Noveria, mine and yours included. I need you to testify against him." Mads explained, and that changed Lorik in some way. Like he changed from a drunken slumber to a blinding rage.

"First you acquire my property, of which I tasked you with bringing back to me, and now you want to dictate how I should use it? What the hell are you thinking Romanov?" Lorik asked. His voice changed in a matter of seconds. From a calm and collected businessman, to a Turian drill instructor.

"Calm the fuck down Lorik. This is the best solution there is. What the fuck was your plan? Blackmail Anoleis? Look at what the man is willing to do. You can testify before the board, and then the very root of the problem will be gone. Do you understand that? Or do I need to cut it out into little pieces for you?" Mads asked, and his voice changed as well. From calm to confrontational. Perhaps Lorik hadn't expected that, or maybe he understood the situation.

"You're-… You're right, Romanov…. I was short sighted… Fine, have your contacts get in contact with me, and I'll testify." Lorik gave in.

"Good. You have done me a big favor, Lorik. If you ever need anything… You let me know." Mads offered. It was the least he could do. Lorik was, after all, putting his entire career on the line for this. If there were any setbacks, then Mads would personally take responsibility for it. Mads wasn't sure what Lorik thought when he left, was it relief? or despair? Turians were hard to read.

But within a few minutes, he was at Gianna's desk. Where she patiently had waited for them, though she looked almost surprised to see them so soon. Maybe she had underestimated them, or maybe it was something else entirely. She had been a good enough undercover agent that it had fooled Mads for the most part. Granted, now that he thought about it, it seemed a few things were off, but he had to give her credit for that part though.

"It's done. Lorik has agreed." Mads said.

"Excellent. Thank you, Commander. I do believe I owe you a beer. If I ever see you out and about in the galaxy, then I'll happily pay you for it." Gianna replied with a big smile. She was clearly happy with this outcome, and all for the prize of a beer and a pass? Seemed like the deal of the century right there. She called up some security goons, who came shortly after. Together, they marched into Anoleis' office and arrested him on the spot. Mads had to admit, there was nothing sweeter than seeing him being escorting out in handcuffs. Mads mocked a farewell to the Salarian as he was dragged off.

And within the hour, Mads' pass was transferred to his omni-tool. It was nice to know that Gianna could be trusted in that regard, that his work had not be for nought… Though he had sized her up to be a woman of her word, when she gave it truthfully at least.

That meant that the second part of their mission here could begin. The confrontation of Benezia. Garrus even remarked on the events that had unfolded that day.

"You show up in the morning, and by late afternoon, you have already killed a dozen guards and basically ousted the main power on Noveria. I must ask, how the fuck do you do it Romanov?" He had asked as they went off to fetch the rest of them.

"Well Garrus. It's probably the Vodka." Mads had laughed, and he had laughed with him. It was moments like this where he could relax. When he was with good friends. Mads wasn't sure when he had started to refer to Garrus as his friend, but at this point they were almost like best buddies. Always cracking jokes and trading insults, but also eager to protect each other. Willing to talk and see.

---

After an hour or so later, they stood at the main transport area. They had just defeated a large portion of Geth, and according to the security captain, they had no idea they were there. Mads had been just as surprised to find Geth as early as this, but he was almost sure that Benezia had planted them there as a rear guard in case he showed up. They were easily defeated, since they were no more tough that what they'd encountered so far. None of team suffered any injures, he liked to think that it stemmed from their good teamwork together. Kaminski, Riesman and Kaiden kept on insisting that it was from his good leadership. Mads often shrug off whatever compliments where thrown his way. He felt as though he did not deserve them, and maybe if they knew of his past… They would agree. But sometimes, it felt as though they gave a lot more credit that what he deserved, especially Tali. That woman loved throwing compliments his way, and whenever she did, he returned them quickly.

Liara was visibly nervous on their ride to Peak 15. Maybe it could be chalked up to the Geth outposts they encountered on the way, but Mads believed it had to do with the person they were about to confront. Her very own mother. It must've taken a toll on the young Asari. Mads couldn't even begin to comprehend it. He couldn't imagine fighting someone of his family, must less his own Mother, Father or siblings. He had loved them to death, quite literally. He knew she must be conflicted, and he hoped that Liara wouldn't defect to the other side when they confronted her. Perhaps he wouldn't fault her if she did.

The road was filled with Geth on their way to Peak 15. Mads wondered just how so many Geth platforms could make it through customs without them noticing? It seemed strange. Maybe Anoleis had taken some dirty money from Saren and looked the other way, or maybe the security system on Noveria could do with an upgrade. Either option sounded possible. But, they drove hard, and with Garrus shooting and Tali's quick reactions with hacking, they made it through quite unharmed. The journey wasn't long, but they had to fight to get there.

There was no evidence to indicate that fighting inside of the compound would be any easier. The place was likely to be packed with Geth. So, they decided to get on with it. And true enough, in the very garage, they got the rich opportunity to fight not only Geth, but Krogan warlords as well… Mads began to wonder how Saren got so many Krogan on his side. Perhaps money was that big of a motivator for the Krogan warlords. Those warlords pack a mean punch too, Garrus got knocked on his ass by one and was about to be gifted with a face full of lead, he trained his AK and managed to put the Krogan down before Garrus bit the dust.

However, as they fought deeper into the base, they realized that the Geth began to thin out. Maybe Benezia had taken a huge part with her to the core of the compound, or maybe they had already killed most of them. There was no real way of saying. But soon enough, they would encounter another enemy, one even more unknown, but not entirely foreign. Mads thought he had seen the last of the Rachni on that Cerberus base, but clearly he was wrong. Because the creature in front of him was a Rachni soldier. It launched at him, and he had to count on himself. His teammates were too busy fighting other Rachni. It almost seemed like they were separated, even though they were no more than eight to ten feet apart from each other. His focus was solely on the blood thirsty creature in front of him.

He had defeated one of his brethren before, not even a few weeks ago. He was not about to die to an oversized lobster. In cooking, the most humane to kill a lobster, or so people say, is to smash a knife through the skull and let it bleed out. It would be dead in a matter of seconds. Want to make it even more humane? Cool them down first, numbs them and they are pretty much docile. Noveria provided the cold, Mads provided the knife.

But even with all this covered, they were fast as hell. The Rachni soldier jumped him, knocked the rifle out of his hand and threatened to rip out his throat. The only weapon available in this situation was his trusted knife. Cold hard steel. It's just a matter of stabbing it until it is dead. Shock or blood loss would kill it. He stabbed it like there was no tomorrow while avoiding its attempts to rip him apart. And sure enough, after maybe two dozen stabs, it collapsed on top of him, knocking all the wind out of his lungs.

Mads struggled to get it off. These Rachni soldiers weighed a hell of a lot more than they looked. He wasn't free until Kaminski came running and helped pulling the creature off him. "Jesus Christ. Are you alright, Commander?" Kaminski asked as he quickly checked Mads for any injures.

"I'm good, thanks." Mads replied as he struggled to catch his breath. Luckily, the Rachni hadn't done any harm to him, at least not that he could feel or see right now.

"You know you are one lucky son of a bitch?" Kaminski shook his head. "I don't even know how you manage to stab a fucking Rachni to death and come out in one piece."

"Why the hell are they here anyway?" Kaminski wondered. He was confused. Most of them were, not all them had even seen a Rachni before. A few of them had, those of them that had been with him to that Cerberus lab.

"Maybe Cerberus got a finger in Saren's pie, or maybe Saren is trying to create an army of Rachni… Or maybe something else entirely. I don't know. Not sure what is worse to be honest." Mads replied as he took Kaminski hand to help him up. "We have better get going before more show up. Though I doubt that is the last we'll see of them." Mads ordered.

They all agreed with him, and they ventured deeper into the facility. The entire place seemed to be in disorder. It was almost falling apart by the seams. The Rachni drones made free use of the ventilation system in the compound. Probably made for easy travel. The System VI had shut everything off and would not let them proceed until it was fixed. What the hell had happened here? It all seemed so surreal… If only these walls could talk.

But while the walls couldn't talk, the logs made by the employees could. They didn't paint the entire picture, Mads reasoned he had to grill Benezia for that. But they made hints. As best as Mads could understand, they had done some sort of science experiment here, and it had gone horrible wrong. Just what experiment, they didn't say. But it was bad enough that in their final moments, they prayed hard for forgiveness.

They were hindered once again, though this time it was the VI stopping their process. The whole facility was on lock down, and the VI refused to open before they had restored some of the basic functions that was needed. So, to save time, Mads spilt up his forces to go do the things that were required. Himself, Kaminski and Wrex would go and get the generator back online. Tali, Garrus and Riesman would stay and fix up the central processor for the VI. Kaiden, Ashley and Liara would go and get the Landline back online.

Each of them had a tough time getting the whole thing back up and running. Besides the technical stuff, they had both Geth and Rachni gunning for them the whole time. But after half an hour, must problems had been solved. They had killed an army of Geth and Rachni by this point, yet they kept on coming. Made Mads wondered how big their fights in the future would be. If they had even thinned Saren's army out a bit yet.

---

They took the tram line not long after that. It was a nice break from the constant fighting they had endured so far. The others took a nice, well deserved rest on the seats as they simply waited for the tram to get them where they were supposed to go. So far, all evidence pointed to Beneiza being in there somewhere. Mads silently watched out the window of the tram as he smoked a cigarette. He could still sense Liara's nervous posture. He wondered what would happen when they find Benezia…

Things seemed so awfully… Quiet on this part of the station. Like the warfare hadn't completely engulfed it yet. Though they didn't let their senses down. They knew that the Rachni or the Geth could be already every corner. Just waiting for the perfect moment to strike. So they were quite surprised when they ran into Captain Ventralis and a group of survivors pointing guns at them behind makeshift barricaes.

"Stand down." Mads ordered to his team. These people didn't look like threats, at least not to them. The Captain gave a similar order to his men. He looked tired, like he had been up for 72 hours by this point. That was probably the case too. "You guys part of the security team?" Mads asked as he holstered his AK over his back.

"Used to be. We were crisis response from Binary Helix to what happened here… Christ, none of us knew what we were walking into… Who are you?" The Captain asked back.

"Commander Romanov. With the Systems Alliance, and a Citadel Spectre. Came here after I heard what was going on." Mads replied, and it was only half true. He was here for Benezia, but he wasn't sure if they were loyal to her or not.

"Well, it's good to see a friendly face for a change… The Aliens overran the labs last week. We have been doing double shifts since then. I lost a lot of good men holding this place..." Captain Ventralis said. It hurt him to think about the ones he had lost, Mads could see that.

"You haven't done too bad. Fighting off an unknown enemy while protecting those in need? That earns a mark in my book." Mads tried to reassure him.

"It doesn't feel good… Feels hard." He said and Mads understood him. He was thinking about those he lost, those he could not save… That's an easy rabbit hole to fall into. "Anyhow… I thought the board had already sent someone to come fix this mess… An Asari. She came here a couple of days ago, went to the hot labs I think." The Captain informed him.

"Then that's where I'm going. Do you need any further assistance here?" Mads asked, just to be sure.

"No, if you can clean this up and distract them a bit elsewhere… Then I think we can hold out here." The Captain replied, and Mads nodded. That afforded him more manpower to his fight. Now laid the way to the labs where Benezia was. It was only a matter of getting there. They walked on through the camp, to simply check if everything was alright there. The refugees from the labs where gathered up here. Herded like cattle together, assuming that the security team would protect them. They were anything but fine. They were scared and confused.

"Kaminski and Riesman. Help out where you can. Looks like these fellers need it." Mads ordered, and they obliged. They knew it was needed. Kaminski went to help with the wounded as best he could, while Riesman tried to help with technical stuff. Mads decided he needed the rest of his team for the upcoming fight with Benezia. "Keep in radio contact." Mads added, and they both nodded. Something was not right… Not right at all here.

Turns out that there were Rachni in the research labs, but there was also a possibility of removing them from there as well. It was kept vague, but Mads would look into it once Benezia and her guard were dealt with. He couldn't afford to stall much longer. They made their way through the backrooms and down the narrow corridors. The way to the hot labs wasn't easy, that's for sure.

---

Perhaps ten minutes or so later, they reached the doorstep of the hot labs. They all entered with their guns drawn. They had searched up and down the corridors. If Benezia was indeed at Peak 15, this was where she would be. They all rushed inside, securing the perimeter. They were shocked at what greeted them.

Inside a large containment tank, stood none other than a Rachni queen. Huge like an elephant… Or maybe even bigger. Outside the tank, on the catwalk, stood Benezia. She had her arms stretched out, like a preacher. Her posture changed in a matter of seconds as she noticed their arrival, and she turned her attention to them.

"You don't know the privilege of being a mother! There is power in creation. To shape a life and guide it. To turn it towards happiness or despair. Her children were to be raised as ours, made to hunt Saren's enemies! I will not be moved by sympathy, no matter who you bring into this confrontation." Benezia's eyes turned to her very own daughter. Her expression was cold and distant, as if she had lost all sense of goodness and self within her.

"Mother! Please! Don't do this!" Liara pleaded, but there was no change in Beneiza's expression. She remained as cold and distant as before. As that hurt Liara more than anything else. Not just that her actions were fruitless, but the fact her own mother didn't' even bat an eye at her begging.

"Benezia T'Soni! You're under arrest for violation of Citadel law. Your actions against the galactic community by aiding a known outlaw has finally caught up with you. Please, step forward and keep your hands where I can see them." Mads demanded, but it seemed that his request was just as much ignored as Liara's.

"Have you ever faced an Asari commando unit before? Very few humans have." Benezia threatened.

"I will not ask you again. Step forward and keep your hands where I can see them!" Mads tried again, once again to no avail. Though Mads could clearly see that Benezia was not patient. She cried out an order for her forces to storm the room and kill them. "The time for talk has passed… The Lord's work must be done." Mads muttered as he watched the room get flooded with not just Asari Commandos, but Geth troopers as well. "Spread out and focus fire!" Mads ordered as they sort of split up.

Mads had never faced an Asari commando unit before, at least not in formal combat like this. The Alliance did war games with Both the Turians and the Asari at times, but he had never actually fought them before. They were tough, and their biotic abilities were to be applauded. It brought a deadly edge to the combat. The Geth, of course, were as they had always been.

The Commandos were immensely dangerous, easily blowing out his shields and pumping him full of rounds, knocking the wind out of him. Liara helped through off their aim with a storm of biotics, throwing some Commandos across the room and allowing him to recover his breath and shields. He was grateful that his armour held and wasn't compromised.

They were struggling with the new sort of enemy. Luckily, they weren't at much more than a dozen strength. Which made it a little easier. Mads also realized that his AK worked wonders against the Asari. Shattered their shields and tore through them like a hot knife through butter. They were pinned down by the massive force that Beneiza had summoned into the room. Beneiza also did her part in the matter, trying to throw rather large objects at them with her biotics. Mads got tired of it, and fired a stray bullet her way, which must have hit her in the leg. She yelped as she fell to the ground.

While Benezia was trying to apply medi-gel to her wound, they cleared out most of the other forces. They turned the tide and managed to almost annihilate the enemy force. A few stragglers remained, one of whom tried to sneak up on Mads. This day was fast proving itself to be a montage of new experiences. Not only did he fight Asari in firefights, but now he was struggling for dominance in hand-to-hand combat with one. She was small, and that worked to her advantage. Mads was, after all, a pretty tall man. Standing at 6'5 feet. She could move in ways he could not.

He grew frustrated with her petty attacks. While her movement allowed for a good advantage, she couldn't really properly use her knowledge. Mads managed to kick her, straight in the chest. Sending her flying back on the hard metal floor. Mads placed his boot right on her throat, and then twisted quick and hard. Breaking her neck. She was dead, no doubt about it.

That left only Benezia. She was barely standing when they came up to her, but she still held her gun pointed at them. Ready to pull the trigger at any moment. Mads didn't know why he tried to diplomatic approach again. It clearly didn't work on her last time… but something within felt compelled to do it.

"Drop the gun Benezia. This is over!" Mads ordered.

"This isn't over!" She fired back. "My mind is filled with Saren's light. It's all clear!" Benezia was clearly struck over heels for Saren. She sounded like a fanatical follower of a cult. Though this was probably due to what Shiala described. That Saren had mastered indoctrination of other beings. This was even more troubling to see it in action.

"Stop the bullshit, Benezia! The Rachni queen didn't agree with you, and neither will I. You had your chance, and now you must live with the consequences." Mads said. They were in a tense standoff with each other.

"I will not betray him… I will not-…." Something happened in that moment. Benezia changed, her expression suddenly become more… Alive, as if her thoughts were calm and collected again. Her eyes grew wild and searched for something. "You-… You must listen, Romanov… Saren still whispers in my mind…. I can fight his compulsions for now… But only briefly… The indoctrination is strong..." She pleaded. Mads looked at her confused. She had gone from one person to another in the span of a second.

"So, all of a sudden you're free?" Mads asked. He hadn't lowered his gun yet. He couldn't trust if she was speaking the truth… Or if she was one of the best liars he had ever met.

"I sealed part of my mind away. Keeping it safe from indoctrination… Hoping to use it to help destroy him… But it will not last long..." She explained.

"So, you will turn on me again?" Mads asked. His grip on the gun had loosened up a bit. Her words sounded sincere.

"I will… But it will not be my choice…" She replied, and Mads could see no lies in her eyes. Shiala had said that Benezia had joined Saren to help guide him down a better path. Her calm and peaceful nature still dwelled within her… Somewhere deep inside at least. "People are not themselves around Saren… You come to idolize him. Worship him. You can and want to do everything for him. The key is his ship… Sovereign. His flagship. A dreadnought of incredible size and strength. Its power is extraordinary…." She informed him.

"I have seen the ship… It doesn't look like anything else I have ever seen… How did he get it? Did the Geth build it?" Mads questioned. He needed to know. That ship seemed like his strength, and it dwarfed anything the Alliance had.

"All I know is that the Geth didn't build it. I can't say who build it…. The longer you stay on board, the more you begin to accept Saren's will and his truth. You sit at his feet and smile as his words pour into you. It's subtle at first… I thought I was strong enough to resist… Instead I became his tool, eager to serve… That's why I'm here… He sent me here to find the Mu Relay… Its position was lost generations ago..." Benezia told him. She was trying to give him as much information as possible, and Mads began to accept that she was telling the truth. If not, she was playing 4D chess, messing with him. She sounded truthfully, she looked truthful. Not that it adsorbed her of her sins, but it would be the first step towards atonement.

"So that's why you needed the Rachni queen..." Mads remarked as he switched his attention from Benezia to the giant bug stuck within the cage.

"Yes… They share memories across generations… I-… I was not gentle in taking the information from her." Her expression carried more guilt that he thought she was capable of. Maybe now she was realizing what she had done.

"I need that location as well, Benezia." Mads demanded.

"Yes… Of course." She complied. She handed him a small data disk, which presumably held the location of the Mu Relay within it.

"Knowing the Mu Relay is only half the battle. Do you know where he planned to go from there?" Liara stepped in and asked. It was surprising. She had been completely silent during their talk.

"He never told me… I'm sorry." Benezia answered, and like all the other things she had said, it seemed to be God's honest truth. She hung her head a bit low, perhaps in shame.

But, then there was a shift in Benezia again. Her body twitching a bit, her eyes going haywire again. She was slipping back into Saren's fold, and they were powerless to stop it. All they could do was stand there and watch.

"Mother! Don't leave! You can fight him!" Liara fought desperately the save her mother. The very same person whom she just a few hours ago swore she would fight against. But it was family, and Mads could respect that.

"You have always made me proud, Liara…." Benezia smiled, and that was the last bit of rationality she had left speaking. Her transformation continued, and within a few seconds, her old self had died down again. "DIE!" She demanded.

The fight was over before it really ever began. Mads already had his gun in his hand, and he put a single round into her chest. It was enough to throw her backwards and slam against the glass wall of the cage. She clutched her wound tightly, fruitlessly trying to stop the bleeding.

"I-..." She had trouble speaking, the pain was taking its toll on Benezia. "I can't stop him, Romanov… I-… You have to-… You have to stop him." She looked utterly defeated, and ready to accept her fate.

"I'm sorry… For what it's worth." Mads said, and it was true. It was a damn shame she had fallen under Saren's spell. In her few moments of clarity, she seemed like a good person… But all that was lost in this conflict.

"I know… Please… Take care of my daughter..." She requested, and it would probably be her last request.

"I will…" Mads promised, and it was a promise he would try and keep.

"Mother!" Liara cried as she rushed to her side. She sobbed like Mads had never seen her before. Tears rolling down her cheeks, as she tried to save her mother once more.

"Goodnight little wing… I'll see you again with the dawn…." Benezia comforted her daughter as she died. Liara was still holding her mother's lifeless body in her hand, crying like there was no tomorrow. Tali attempt to comfort Liara and help her. Mads had two things to do in that moment. He needed to get a status update on Riesman and Kaminski, and he needed to deal with the Rachni queen.

"Hotel-Bravo-3-6. This is Big Duke 6 speaking. What's your situation? Over." Mads asked into his earpiece, but there was no response after he waited a few seconds. He repeated the question one more time, but he received only static from the channel. "Ashley, Kaiden and Wrex. Go up and check on them." Mads ordered, and they did as much. He assumed it was nothing more than a bad transmission signal. They were deep underground after all. As they left, and Tali was still busy trying to comfort Liara. Mads and Garrus went to take a closer look at the Rachni queen.

She was bloody huge. It was weird to think these creatures had been extinct until just a few weeks ago. That the galaxy had fought them, and fought them hard. Despite her massive size, the creature didn't look too threatening. It remained calm as they came closer to the glass to inspect it.

"I think those controls will end her. Hit those, and the tank fills with toxic gas." Garrus said.

"That's what you think we should do?" Mads asked as he pondered over the situation.

"Yes. The Rachni were trouble in the past, so much so, that we needed to uplift the Krogan just to beat them. I'd say better safe than sorry." Garrus weighed in, and it was probably a reasonable opinion to have. All history points to them being dangerous… But it felt wrong to just doom an entire species to death just because of past sins… Where would humanity be if someone did that to us?

Within a few seconds, an Asari slumbered her way in front of them. They both had their guns drawn at the Asari, but she seemed…Well, something was not right with her. Mads was even sure this was the very same one he had broken the neck of just a ten minutes ago.

"What the fuck is going on?" Mads asked. Garrus shrugged his shoulders, he was just as confused as he was.

Then, the Asari introduced herself as none other than the Queen. And then it clicked. The queen was speaking through the dead Asari, like a puppet. It was sick, but it was the only for them to communicate with the Queen. She tried to explain her actions, but she was surprisingly willing to accept her fate if Mads chose to… Lead them to darkness, as the queen put it. Actually speaking with the Queen made it even harder to push the button to kill her. She was different, she seemed willing to exile herself and her children if he let her live.

"I'm releasing her." Mads said.

"What? Why?" Garrus asked confused as he followed Mads to the console.

"I will not doom them… If she goes into exile with her children, then it's fine by me… I'll take responsibility." Mads replied. The Queen was joyful at his decision, and promised to honor their agreement. Even go so far as to say they would sing of his merciful nature to their children. Garrus backed off, but Mads was sure they wouldn't agree now… Or for the foreseeable future.

He released the queen, and at no point did he regret doing so. Watching her walk free… The last of her race, walking to a new tomorrow.

---

Sometime later, they came back to check on the rest of the team… And things were far from good. Wrex, Kaiden and Ashley were in a standoff with the Captain and his security team. Mads and the others joined the standoff.

"What's going on here?" Mads demanded to know.

"Sorry, Commander. We got new orders from Benezia just as you left. I'm afraid we can't let you leave this facility." The Captain replied.

"You mean this Benezia?" Mads pointed to the body bag that Garrus and Tali had been carrying. They even opened it up to allow the Captain a closer look.

"But-… But this can't be! You're under arrest, Commander!" The Captain stated, clearly confused and a bit afraid.

"Where are my men?" Mads demanded to know. If that Captain had hurt them in any way… He would be the one who would never leave this facility alive.

"They are downstairs. We arrested them as soon as we got the orders… And you're going to join them soon enough."

Maybe Mads just had enough. This day had been so tiring, it was almost unbelievable. So, he drew his magnum almost right after the captain finished speaking. He killed the Captain and two of his guards in a matter of seconds. So fast that they barely had time to react. His team finished the rest. "Go find Riesman and Kaminski!" Mads ordered. They began to move forward into the base.

They killed all those who stood in their way. No one fucked with him or his crew, especially now. He would show them what it meant to stand in the way of a Spectre. They spared the civilians… They couldn't be blamed for this. Someone else would handle that. But he could blame the security personal as much as he wanted.

They found both Riesman and Kaminski in the med lab. They had been locked in there with a dead doctor and an Asari scientist. They were pretty beat up. Seemed like the guards had been extra rough with them… Probably orders from Saren and Benezia. Mads assured them that they would get out of here safely. The threat was pretty much gone.

Kaminski explained that he had helped with making a cure for some of the sick. But he and Riesman had been ambushed by the Asari, who was acting as an agent for Benezia. They had killed her, but she had managed to kill the doctor. Mads tried to tell that they did all they could… But they didn't seem to believe that. They were shameful for being caught by the security team… For not putting up a better fight.

Mads ordered Liara, Tali, Garrus and Kaiden to escort them and Benezia's body back to the Mako. He, Wrex and Ashley would finish off the remaining Rachni. As they left, Mads and the others headed for the last lab. When they got there, they were greeted by another scientist… Who seemed defeated and meek. Most of all, he appeared ashamed of what he had helped create.

He told Mads how to kill the last of the Rachni workers, and Mad gladly took his password to the VI, but a Rachni sneaked up on the scientists and managed to kill him before they could even do anything… Such a sad fate, but maybe he believe it was what he deserved… Killed by the very thing he helped create.

They did what they were there to do. They inputted the controls for the VI to kill the remaining Rachni. Even the Queen knew that this had to be done… So they did it. It only left them about a minute to rush back to the elevator. They heard the blast as they rode the elevator back up, it even shook the elevator violently. But it seemed to be confirmation that the Rachni problem at peak 15 was no more…

Now, the way to Saren was just a bit clearer. They had a lead… They just needed that final piece of the puzzle to finish it all. Mads hoped that the Council would have that piece of information he needed… That ace in the hole.

But, that wasn't the only issue that needed tending to. Liara needed to be helped through this hard time, and Riesman and Kaminski needed to rest up before they would be ready for service again. He would learn more when he returned to the Normandy.