A/N Hi guys and welcome to chapter 8.
Ironjaw: Really glad to see your review and that you liked the chapter. I thought the slaver's reaction worked well. Pleased that you agree. Nat will be keeping her vampirism as close a secret as she can. Getting hunted all across Omega? No thanks. Enjoy the next chapter.
Pyrovortex: I think a character that's too paragon gets boring to write. Bizarrely enough when I played the game I almost always chose the Paragon or Paragade route, not sure what if anything that says about me! Glad you liked it. Enjoy.
ElDani: Appreciate your comments, please keep them coming. Nat isn't an uber super trooper with skills that put SEALs or the SAS to shame, she needs tech and hopefully I'll do a decent job with it. I'm really not sure what happened about the paragraphs. The version that is on does differ with the spacing etc from what I had written but I don't know why. More frustrating was every time I tried to fix it it wouldn't accept the changes. I hope this chapter comes out better, but I will be previewing it to hopefully deal with any issues. Enjoy chapter 8.
dragonlorerd6: Yay! Another fan, welcome, welcome please keep the reviews coming.
KhazintheDark: Sorry...Mary Sue refers to RPG characters that are grossly overpowered, and therefore almost indestructible. Don't know who came up with the term Mary Sue. LOL loving your enthusiasm, thank you for the continuing reviews. Serah will no doubt be helping more with biotics. I did think about having her absorb genetic memories but decided that she would then be too similar to Ardat Yakshi. After all to Asari feeding on blood might not seem so bad, compared to devouring minds and souls. I wanted to make them distinct, to Humans vampires are terrible, to Asari...hmmm not so much. It was tempting but she would get too powerful too fast. Can you imagine Morinth with the strength and regeneration of a Krogan? Nasty. Enjoy chapter 8.
GreenRena: I appreciate your reviews. You may not believe you can write but practice makes it better. Plus I guarantee you can write better in English than I write in German. Frankly I tend to be in awe of European multilingual skills, you put us Brits to shame. Nat definitely has a thing for Asari...and it gives me so many options but I haven't really made a decision on romance partners yet. Plus not sure I could write it well either.
Subsider34: Thanks for the feedback. I worry about Nat feeding if she's desperate...too hungry to care, but otherwise feeding and killing should pretty much be a choice for her. Throws up some moral conundrums for her. As she becomes more used to seeing sentient beings as food will she become less squeamish and more ready to kill. Would that be a parallel to soldiers in intense warfare becoming more ready and able to kill, quicker to employ overwhelming force? Who knows where that might go. Thanks again, enjoy chapter8.
Drake Blak: Thanks for telling me you love the fic. Enjoy the next bit.
Kreidian: Yes you're not alone, I am at least as desperate for feedback as anyone else! I totally agree with anyone who thinks feedback matters. I think I would still write without it, but I wouldn't enjoy it as much, and I get so much encouragement from people taking the time to tell me what they think, even if I don't agree. Every opinion is valid, and I appreciate people sharing them with me. Glad you're still enjoying. No idea who shepherd will be chasing yet...long way to go to get there. Wonder how many chapters that would be?
Thanks everyone for reviewing. All feedback or Pms are welcomed and I'll try and respond promptly. On with the Story...What to do with the slaves? This chapter grew and grew, hope you enjoy it.
Hacking the lock to the warehouse went fine, and now I'm looking at a control terminal in the middle of the central aisle that runs down the warehouse. There's light spilling in from the open door but it's not going to be enough to deal with a load of imprisoned slaves. I haven't really thought about what to do with a load of slaves. I mean I'm totally going to free them, but pointless being here otherwise but to be honest I have no idea about what I do after that. Aria wanted the slavers taken care of, but I doubt she gives a shit about the slaves themselves. For her, slavery is a necessary part of business in the Terminus Systems. I wonder how much time I have before more slavers arrive to investigate, someone in the area will let them know about my attack if no one has already. Scanning the control panel I see a whole series of control switches labelled 'Collars' and 'Gates' as well as environmental controls. The overhead lighting blazes into life and I get a good look around the warehouse, lines of prison cells with simple brutal bars and heavy metal gates. The cells are roughly 5m square and basically bare, the slavers obviously don't give a shit about the comfort of their prisoners. In the sudden light I see women and children blinking and shielding their eyes as they huddle together. Crap, how many people are there here?
I check over the system and there's an inventory screen. 117 Humans 22 Asari, and 15 Batarians are kept in here. Almost all women and young kids, with a handful of teenage males. Glancing in the nearest cell which has Humans in it I realise all of the prisoners are naked. The bastard slavers haven't even left them underclothes, they've done their best to strip the prisoners of any dignity or modesty, no doubt to help keep control of the prisoners and also to give the rapist bastards easy access when they wanted. How the hell am I going to get these people out of here with no clothes? Shit. I step closer to the bars of the nearest cell to see what kind of condition the prisoners are in. The young woman closest to the bars sees me coming and with a whimper flinches back to try and get further into the huddled group. Oh Gods they're totally traumatized. I stop and step back to try and ease her stress a little, then reach up and remove my helmet, thankful I took the time to wipe my mouth after feeding, and wishing I had a mirror handy to make sure I wasn't showing a tell tale blood stain. Crap now I'm hoping they're freaked enough they won't notice anything unusual if I have been a messy eater. Placing my helmet on the panel I hold my hands up to show I'm peacable.
"Hey it's all right, I'm not one of them...the guards are all dead, I want to get you out of here."
There's a long pause before the girl, she can't be more than 15, looks up at me, measuring, assessing in a cynical jaded way that speaks volume for what she has gone through already in her life. I try again.
"Are you alone? I mean, is your Mom here as well?"
Her eyes well up with tears and I know that was a bad choice of question. Surprisingly she wipes them away and whispers to a woman behind her who I can't see properly. After a short exchange an older woman slowly raises her head.
"We heard fighting, was that you?"
"Yes, I have a job to deal with the slavers, and I want to free you as well."
"You're a mercenary? You're not here for us?" The woman's eyes are experienced, shrewd, but not actually judgemental, more a case of weighing the situation. I pause for a second. Am I a mercenary?
"I guess you could say that, and no I'm not explicitly required to free you, but I'm here, I want to help, and I don't think staying here for more slavers to arrive makes much sense, do you?"
"Do you have a plan?"
I scratch my head in bemusement, and a little irritation. I mean really?
"Honestly I didn't know any of you were here, so no I have no freaking idea what to do with you. I could just open the gates and get the collars to release but I'm hoping I can do a bit more than that as I don't want to leave 150 or so women and kids for more rape, torture, getting sold, the whole slave thing. So do you want out or not?" I ask a little exasperated. Bizarrely enough the woman gives me a lopsided grin.
"I'm cautious not stupid girl, hell yes we want out but I need to look out for these kids as best I can. I've been looking out for them since those bastard took up from Lincoln about 3 months ago. We can't just run, no clothes, no money and I guess we're on Omega. I take these girls away, what if we get taken by someone worse then the slavers?"
I look closer at the prisoners and realise they are mostly kids with 3 adults. I quickly check the neighbouring cells, they're full of adults who shy away from the bars like it's a well taught reaction, and realise this woman has taken looking after the youngest on herself sparking a grim admiration.
Back at the panel I push the master controls for the collars and gates. For a moment there's silence followed by a cacophony of metal slamming against metal as the heavy gates slam back, and the loud beeping of electrified slave collars as they deactivate and unlock before falling off the prisoners. I head back to the first cell.
"Look I can't promise you will all get free, but isn't some chance better than none?"
"Yes...you're right." The woman looked down at the ground then back at me. "If you can get these kids somewhere safe...well that's all I want." The young woman who I had scared whispered furiously at her but the older woman gave her kind, tired smile, and told her to shush.
"You've been protecting all these kids...umm trading for them?" I try to phrase the question delicately.
"It was all I could do."
"I know...you're a brave woman, and I'm not leaving you behind either. I need you to rouse the other cells, let them know what's going on and get them ready to move. I need to try and find some transport for you. What's your name?"
"Margaret, Maggie to my friends."
"Well Maggie, can you do that?" I ask as I think furiously.
"Yes, I will. If there's room for more...well speak to the Asari please, they're down the corridor, and they have younglings as well. There are Batarians as well but...well they won't go no matter what you say."
"What? Why?"
"Slave caste, born that way. It's all they know, and they won't change." Maggie's tone carried both sadness and a trace of contempt. I nod my understanding and trot down the corridor to the far end, yelling a couple of times that they are all free, go run. By the time I stop in front of the cell with Asari in it, some of the women are cautiously stepping from the cells, but I'm short on time and can't stop for them.
"Stop there Human." The Asari stands in the gate of their cell. She's a matron and has an Asari child clutching her leg.
"I'm here to help...I'm going to go for transport and take as many of the Human women and children away from here before more slavers show up. The rest will have to fend for themselves."
"You are harsh Human." She frowns at me.
"Not harsh enough, I could have just killed the slavers and left you with no chance of escape." I retort, irritated and worried about time. The Asari looks at me, before nodding tiredly her shoulders slumping slightly.
"You speak the truth, I apologise for my words, they were ill chosen but..."
"It's all right, I understand. I doubt I will be able to get enough transport for many adults but if I have space...do you want me to take the children and try and get them safe? I cannot promise I will succeed but I will promise to try if there's room."
She looks at me for a moment, then down at the youngster who is very obviously her daughter from the resemblance.
"Please...find transport, then return. I will talk to them."
"Okay... Are you from Lincoln like some of the Humans?" The Asari cocks her head quizzically before replying.
"No...we are from a small colony called Lessus. Slavers raided and captured us. Why?"
"I'm going to try and get more help, knowing where you're from may help. I'll be back as soon as I can."
I leave the Asari and trot back down the corridor, sticking my helmet back on and heading for the exit. A few of the ex slaves are crowding at the door. I check with the VI that no one has turned up yet and it's still clear outside. I tell the small crowd that the other block is open, the guards are all dead and they might find clothing in the store room there, or they can try and escape as they are. Then I push through the crowd and run outside, heading for the garage block. If there's transport there I want it for the kids before anyone else has the same idea for themselves. As I run, I tell the VI to contact Pashya. I don't have a direct comm for Aria and right now really wish I did, I don't want to deal with Pashya right now but beggars can't be choosers right?
"Stern." Pashya's tone is venomous. Not surprising really considering how I humiliated her.
"Pashya, are you at Afterlife? Is Aria there? I need to speak to her or get a message to her." I try for polite but it's not easy while running, and scanning for hostiles.
"Oh so now you're polite. Bitch, you humiliate me, and expect me to be a messenger for you? Fuck you you piece of monkey offal." Pashya's tone is haughty, taunting, I guess she feels brave at the end of a comm call. My temper turns very cold.
"Pashya?" I stay polite.
"Yes Stern?" She replies with saccharine sweetness. I let my anger into my voice, icy cold.
"You will put Aria on now, or the next time I see you, I will break every bone in your body, one at a time, your hands first, then your feet, arms then legs then your torso until you beg me to let you die. I'll keep you alive and start removing pieces of you a joint at a time until your mind breaks completely, and then I'll let you live to enjoy your broken body for as long as you survive. I've already given you the only warning you're ever going to get now put Aria on the comm NOW."
Pashya's angry expression pales then looks first scared then horrified and lastly almost traumatized as I angrily deliver my promise. The view tilts crazily for a moment and Aria's face appears in the image. She looks coolly irritated, lips thinly pressed together.
"Stern, you're interrupting my evening's entertainment. Is there a reason you're scaring the crap out of Pashya?" Her tone is unimpressed but I catch a slight twitch at the corner of her mouth.
"Aria, if you don't already know, I've just dealt with the slavers at the level 23 auction block. 9 slavers, dead with extreme prejudice."
Aria turns away and asks a question off screen that Pashya's omnitool mic doesn't pick up.
"Word has just reached me of a disturbance there yes. I don't want a play by plat Stern, I told you I just want my money and the little fucker's head." The next question was going to be a risk, I didn't know what her answer would be.
"Yeah I know, I wanted to know if you're able to help with the 117 Humans I found in the slave pens?"
Aria looked at me for a second and snorted. "Do I look like a charity to you Stern? What the fuck do I care about a few Human slaves? Thousands move through Omega every month. The slavers give me my cut and otherwise I don't give a shit. They can fucking run off into the streets for all I care, or just wait there for the slavers to pick them up again."
"I figured. I released their collars and the cell doors so they can do what they want. It's all women and kids, mostly from a Human colony called Lincoln. Do you happen to know anywhere on Omega they would be safe, or anyone else who could get them off this rock?"
Aria looks at me mockingly.
"Why Stern, I didn't realise you had such a sentimental streak. I might know someone who might help, but no guarantees. You know that information is power Stern, why should I give you this, what's in it for me?"
"Other than the satisfaction of knowing you've done your good deed for the day?" I grin crookedly back at her.
"Yes Stern, that is really going to be of major importance for me." Aria snarls sarcastically, looking at me intensely before continuing flatly. "Where are you going with this Stern? Stop wasting my time before I lose my sense of humour."
"I also found another 22 prisoners. 15 adults 7 kids. Asari." I state bluntly. Aria blinks, I think I actually surprised her there.
"7 Asari children. I would not expect to find Asari children as slaves..."
"Well they looked about the same size as a Human kids from 3 to 16." Omega's Queen look pained for a moment and then intensely annoyed.
"You know I'm a mother don't you Stern?"
"I'd heard that yes."
"My daughter Liselle is on Omega, she works for me, you will have to meet her some time." Aria comments distractedly. "Did they say where they are from?"
"A small colony that was raided...Lessus I think."
Aria dips her head in thought for a moment.
"Okay Stern, well bargained and done. If you can keep the prisoners safe until help arrives, and specifically the Asari I will ensure they are taken safely off Omega through the Relay to the Citadel. Alliance reps there will be able to deal with them after that. I will send you 2 comm codes. The 1st is mine, don't give it out, and use it sparingly but I'd prefer to have Pashya whole for now. The 2nd code is for your help. I have no guarantee that he can or will help, and if he can't it's up to you to extract as many as you can, and the Asari kids have priority understood?"
"Crystal clear Aria. Thanks. Who's the contact?"
"He's a royal pain in the ass who's pissing off the merc gangs all over Omega but this should appeal to him and you can tell him I would appreciate it."
"Sounds like a character."
"Oh he is. He's called Archangel."
"Archangel?" I don't hide my surprise, and Aria laughs briefly.
"Yeah that sound's like you heard of him. Don't let me down Stern." Aria signs off closing the comm channel. Seconds later I receive the 2 comm codes, as I reach the garage block. I bypass the lock and duck inside, lights switching on automatically. The double block was big enough for several vehicles but there was only one inside, a medium sized cargo skimmer. I've never driven anything remotely like this but how hard can it be? Worry about that in a minute first comm Garrus. Crap better not make that mistake or I'll be in a world of hurt. I punch in the code and seconds later the battle scarred image of Archangel's armor appears on my HUD.
"Who are you Human, how did you get this number and what do you want?" An electronically disguised voice demands.
"Name's Stern, Aria gave me the number and told me to phone and I've just taken down the slavers at the level 23 holding facility. 9 dead slavers, and 154 unexpected prisoners, including Asari kids. Aria wants me to keep them alive, in exchange for getting any other prisoners also alive off Omega. The slavers have been dead...just over 14 minutes, and I don't know how long til their friends arrive to investigate. Aria's heard about it so the slavers will have. She said you might be able and willing to support, and that she would appreciate it."
There's a pause for a few seconds as Archangel processes the information.
"How many of you are there?"
"Just me."
"That was dumb." I wince at his blunt assessment. I've had the same thought myself.
"Yeah I learned that already but shit happens. Can you help?"
"If this is a setup you know I'm going to kill you right?"
"Fucking hell Archangel, I only got your comm code about 2 minutes ago from Aria herself, but by all means come loaded for bear and ready to wage a war, I'm expecting company soon anyway." I snarl back at him. The modulated voice gives a harsh chuckle before speaking again.
"Yeah I'll bet you are. Okay I'm in. My team is moving out, eta 28 minutes. Do you have any transport Stern?"
"I was on foot, but I have found a...Akoss Systems medium hauler, I might be able to cram 25 or 30 in that." I know I sound doubtful but this is yet another thing I have no experience with.
"Negative, they're slow and have no armour, it would be a death trap. Hole up in the warehouse, it's single access, and the structure will be reinforced. Fry the locking system, that will buy you a bit more time and if you have any spare weapons get the Asari using them, almost certainly some of them will have some combat experience, better than nothing even without armor."
"Shit, I almost forgot. No armor, and no clothes, I've got a whole load of naked women and kids here Archangel."
"Yeah that sounds about right for those fuckers, okay we'll provide reinforcements, and I can call in a favour for transport and clothing. Get bunkered down, you don't have much time. Good luck Stern."
Archangel signs off with a casual and I stop for a second to try and think. Okay bunker down I can do, I can strip weapons off the dead guards for more firepower. The cargo hauler is no good, is there anything else in here I can use? Looking around the garage I spot an aid station with a first aid kit which I grab, but unfortunately the slavers keep the place pretty clean and I don't see anything else useful.
"VI is it still clear outside?"
"No external activity." An idea occurs to me as I look at the cargo hauler.
"VI could the mass effect core of that hauler be made to detonate?"
"Analysing vehicle." The suit's scanners go active for a second, before specs of the vehicle flash before my eyes.
"Critical damage rupturing vehicle core has a probability of causing a detonation of 97.45%"
"Can one of my grenades cause critical damage."
The VI works for a couple of seconds before confirming that yes I can turn the hauler into a bomb.
"How big a detonation?"
"Approximately equivalent to 3kg of C9 explosive." That sounds like plenty to me. I hop into the hauler and punch the buttons that open the garage doors and power up the vehicle. Then I unsteadily pilot the hauler across the facility and park it 5m inside the gates. I take one of my last 2 grenades and fix it against the hauler's mass effect core before setting it for remote detonation then before run back across the parking strip to the bodies of the 3 slavers. Their armor is trashed beyond use but I recover their weapons head back to the warehouse.
"VI alert me if anyone approaches within 5m of the hauler, anyone approaching the gate and anyone breaching the perimeter and show me the surveillance feed."
"Alert parameters modified."
I run back in the warehouse scaring screams from the frightened women inside before they recognise me. They're all still naked and I realise these women are seriously traumatised, as my VI confirms none of them have left the warehouse.
"MAGGIE!" I yell for the kid's self appointed guardian.
The older woman pushes through to me as I try and get the crowd to back away from the door.
"I have help coming to get you all out but it will be maybe 20 minutes, we're going to lock the warehouse and short the lock to buy us some time and I've rigged a nasty surprise for any slavers who turn up before then, you understand?"
"Yes..yes I understand, what do you want me to do?"
"I need you to get the women and kids in the cells on this side of the corridor, as far down the corridor as you can. Hurry we don't have much time."
Maggie starts chivvying and ordering the scared women to head down the corridor, which provokes a storm of indignation from some and bickering breaks out. I look at them in angry disbelief, then pull my Brawler and fire 2 shots into the air. Screams and whimpers all around before I yell out.
"SILENCE! MOVE DOWN THE FUCKING CORRIDOR NOW! THAT'S AN ORDER."
Finally the crowd of prisoners moves where Maggie directs them while I close the warehouse door and lock it then I shoot out the locking system controls. Hopefully that should fuck up any attempt to get in easily. I turn and run easily up the corridor towards the cell holding the Asari. Several of the blue women are waiting outside the cell, looking tense and I guess they darted out after the gunshots. The Asari I had spoken to before I is waiting, and she steps forward.
"We have spoken, and wish to accept your offer..."
I hurriedly interrupt.
"The situation has changed. Friends are coming to relieve our position here, and they will get us all out, so none of you will have to leave your daughters. The slavers are coming though and we need to defend this warehouse. Which of you now how to use these weapons?"
I hold out the salvaged firepower and several of the Asari move to get them.
"Wait! Are any of the children yours?"
One of the Asari holds up her hand, then points to a girl the size of a Human 4 year old. "Yes Human, my daughter is there. What of it?"
"We have no armour for any of you and the only cover will be the walls of the cells. I know you want to fight but can you stay at distance and stay safe for your daughter? Perhaps use your biotics?"
"They took our amps so our biotics are barely worth anything, but I will not do nothing while others fight for me." She's determined to fight and I almost pass her on of the guns when I have a better idea. Reaching behind me I pull out the Mantis, and a spare clip, passing them across.
"Here can you use this?"
"With consummate ease Human."
"Good the you will be the last point of defence for all of the young, Human and Asari."
She looks at me, then nods briskly. I call Maggie across and explain I want all the Human and Asari kids to take refuge in the last cell, then leave her and the Asari with my Mantis to deal with that. I pass out the rest of the weapons to the other Asari, keeping only my Claymore for myself, then quickly explained where I want the to take positions, using the reinforced cell walls as cover on both sides of the corridor. 8 weapons. Well at least we have some firepower anyway. As the women start moving, the VI suddenly chirps in my ear, and displays camera footage on my HUD. Shit.
"Hostile forces detected approaching gatehouse. 22..24...27 targets." Aw crap the slavers brought a lot of firepower. I spin round and yell down the corridor.
"Take cover! There's gonna be a bloody big bang."
Women scatter out of the main corridor, our armed defenders into cover and the majority into hiding at the back of the cells I'd pointed out to Maggie. I ignore them now running for the door and pulling out my last grenade as I watch the slavers stacking up to rush the gatehouse and compound. I set the grenade for remote detonation and fix it to the wall below the destroyed lock plate then run for my own cover. The HUD display changes as VI swaps camera and I see the slavers start their assault. 4 teams of 6 slavers each charge through the gates heading for various locations, all still within metres of each other as most run past the hauler, one team stopping to search the vehicle. I almost don't say the word, it's going to be carnage.
"Detonate."
There is a fraction of a second pause before the camera shows the grenade go off in the hauler's power system, inflicting critical damage on the vehicle. It seems like slow motion as all around the parking area slavers either turn to the noise, or start diving for cover. Then a second later the cargo hauler's power core detonates in an explosion that shakes the warehouse. The image I'm watching last a fraction of time before a shock wave pounds the gatehouse's camera to dust. The boom rings the warehouse like a bell, dust on the floor bouncing into the air as the floor almost seems to ripple under me. Holy shit that was a bang.
"VI get me a working camera image of the explosion."
My HUD flicks through a dozen images that are just static before the VI finds a working camera and pans it around. The camera must be mounted on the garage block. The auction arena is half collapsed towards the camera, the wreckage hiding the hauler. All I can see beyond the wrecked arena is a cloud of smoke boiling up like a miniature mushroom cloud, and debris raining down across the area. Holy fuck, what did I do? I'm trying to concentrate on my display, and the warehouse entrance. Dust is still settling down in the warehouse. I'm just relieved the damn roof or wall didn't collapse. How many slavers are still left? How good are their shields and armour? Fuck they're gonna be pissed. I comm Archangel. The armoured image shows on my display.
"What's your eta? You need to hurry."
"12 minutes. Sitrep?"
"Umm hard to say. Slavers arrived, 27. I don't know how many are left, too much smoke and most of the camera system is offline."
"What happened?"
"Err, I parked the hauler near the gates and used it as a bomb. Made the mass effect core detonate with a grenade."
There's a moment silence as the Turian's armoured head tilts sideways.
"Vicious, and inventive. You Humans never fail to surprise me. Hold on we're coming as fast as we can. Archangel out."
Hold on he says. Yeah like the slavers are gonna be willing to talk after that. How many are left?
I have the VI flick through more camera view, looking for a better view but the garage camera is as good as I have for now. The dust cloud is finally settling and on the left side of the wrecked arena I see half a dozen slavers stumbling around, bloodied and battered. What's left of 2 or 3 slavers is lying near the gate. I can see a wounded slaver screaming, he's lost an arm at the shoulder, and has a jagged shard of the hauler sticking from his torso. I can't hear him at all the warehouse is thick enough to keep the screams out. The gatehouse is just...gone like it was never there. On the right of the arena I see another 4 bodies. The buildings are peppered with debris. Damn. I watch the slavers yelling at each other as they reorganise, some looking after the wounded as those still combat effective headed for their objectives. How many will come for the warehouse? I see 8 men running past the arena heading for the accommodation block or the garage, but I can't see the warehouse door.
Someone kicks the warehouse door and sparks jump out of the ruined lock. I guess they just tried to unlock it. Quickly I yell to the defenders that I'll detonate the grenade remotely, and they all must stay completely in cover until the grenade goes off. The Asari call back their understanding, and duck back deeper into cover. I do the same as I swap my HUD image to the warehouse's internal camera and have VI rotate the camera down to cover the door way so I can watch their entry from cover. No point in taking a grenade blast when I can avoid it. Minutes later, after several more bursts of sparks, and far sooner than I hoped I watch a cherry red spot appear on the door. The red goes yellow then white hot in seconds and then the metal dissolves in a shower of sparks as a plasma torch begins cutting through the metal like it was nothing. It's not going to take them long to cut their way in. Damn, 40 seconds is all it took. Glowing embers of metal litter the floor and the stream of sparks stops as the plasma cutter finishes its job. A large slab of the metal falls inwards with a deafening crash as I watch my HUD. Gun barrels poke in from outside and fire long deafening bursts into the warehouse. Everyone is safe behind cover but it proves the slavers are not worried about damaging their merchandise. I guess their casualties means they're past that. The 1st slaver darts in and right, the 2nd in and left, both are checking their corners as the 3rd comes in.
"Detonate."
The grenades goes off right behind the 2nd slaver. I see his shields flash as the explosion pounds it before the explosion destroys the overhead camera. The blast wave thuds along the corridor and as soon as the bang has finished I swing around the wall with the Claymore ready. It takes half a seond to process the sight. The grenade caught the 2nd and 3rd perfectly. Their shields took a lot of the damage but so close the pressure wave was enough to blow them to pieces. Bits of charred flesh and armor are all that's left. The 1st slaver was shielded by the 3rd's body and got away with being blown sideways by the pressure wave. His shields are down and his armor looks burned to hell but he's only got a few minor wounds. He's picking up his weapon off the floor as I catch sight of him. Before I can fire the rest of my group open up and he basically dissolves in the hail of mass accelerated pellets. There's movement at the hole and I open fire with the Claymore taking down another slaver's shields. The slaver dives to his left taking him out of my line of fire and starts to return fire before I hear the loud crack of my Mantis to the rear. I move further out of cover, in time to see his headless corpse slump to it's knees. Don't need to worry about that one.
"Whoever the fuck you are you're fucking dead!" A voice shouts from outside, before it starts yelling orders at someone else. I don't bother replying, glancing across the corridor to check the Asari opposite. She gives me a feral grin, a woman enjoying her payback, a little blue blood running down her cheek where a something ripped past her face. Way too lucky.
Okay 4 more slavers down...stay here or advance? I don't have any more grenades to slow them down only my flashbangs. How long till Archangel's squad arrives? I check the timer VI has been running. 4 minutes...that's a long time to survive naked.
"Stay there! None of you move until our back up arrives."
The Asari starts to protest but she stops in surprise as I bring up my biotic shield, and run for the door. I fling a pair of flashbangs out through the hole, then dive through it after the twin flashes and deadening cracks of sound. I turn my dive into a roll and twist to bring the Claymore on target. There are only 2, both recovering fast. One carries an AR the other is holding a heavy pistol out in front of him as he stumbles around. A Claymore shot wipes away his remaining shields and before he can react I pick him up with my biotics and throw him straight up. My last Claymore shot on this heatsink misses as the last slaver dives to the side and returns my fire. Blue sparkles cover my shield but I ignore them and swap out my heatsink before firing again. The Claymore's thunderous echo is given a gruesome counterpoint as the slaver I threw returns to ground in a big messy way. He doesn't move again. The last slaver's shields are down as I advance, but he keeps firing desperately and behind him I spot some of the group I watched on camera. Not good. I fire twice more and most of his torso vanishes in a bloody mess. Another one down. I throw myself into cover behind a big chunk of debris from the destroyed hauler and swap heatsinks again.
The group of slavers are out of effective range for the Claymore, and the rest of my weapons are still in the warehouse. Crap. That was a mistake. Then it dawns on me that I just freed up some weapons right behind me, and I want to facepalm. I spin round and yank my last target's weapon into my hands with my biotics. It slaps into my palms and I immediately aim around my cover and fire a burst at the group who've begun advancing. At this range I'm just pointing in the general direction and letting fly, but the slavers dive for cover and that's all I care about. I duck back into cover and watch my HUD display of the camera image. Positioned perhaps 15m behind the group I have a great view of what they're doing. As a slaver readies himself to dart out of cover again, I fire another burst and he flinches back down. Smirking to myself as I fire another burst I check the timer. 1 minute 40 seconds. Come on, come on.
One of the slavers has a grenade launcher slung under his weapon and he slams a grenade in. I lean out of cover and sight on his cover. The scope image jumps into focus and I see the grenadier pop up to fire. I start firing, trying to keep my aim on target as the AR bucks with recoil. My biotics starts flashing as weapons fire riddles the area around me. They're getting smarter, the whole group is bathing my cover in suppressing fire as the grenadier takes aim. That much fire is significantly draining my biotics shielding. Crap this is not good, the grenadier is accepting my fire to take the shot. I spin and start to dive away from my cover back to wards the warehouse. My cover explodes into a thousand metal shards as a High Ex Grenade blows it away, and the blast catches me in mid air, flipping me over as my biotics collapse and my suit's shield glow brightly as it takes the strain. I land with a thud on my back and my suit shields are down to 15%. My head aches a little from the grenade bringing down by biotic shield but I manage to throw it up again as I roll to my feet, and start firing through the smoke and dust towards the group I can see running forward on my HUD. My fire sparks off the shields of the slavers and the 2 I hit go to ground to avoid my fire, but the rest just keep coming, spreading a little wider and returning fire through the clearing smoke, my biotic shield absorbing more fire. Fuck, I'm outnumbered, out gunned and my suit shields are still fucked, though they're starting to recharge. Come on Archangel...get here.
I prime and throw my last 2 flashbangs and back up towards the warehouse, crouched down and firing burst from the AR steadily in an arc to try and suppress the slavers. No chance when I'm outnumbered 8 to 1. The flashbangs go off and stun the slavers long enough for me to get a couple of bursts on target on the damn Grenadier. His shields collapse and he is punched backwards as I nail him in the shoulder and arm. Thank God that fucker is out of commission. I aim another burst to try and finish him off but my shields are almost down and they can clearly see me again. Shit, I dive back through the hole in the warehouse door as a storm of metal start chewing into the wall and door frame. I almost get shot by the Asari as well but thankfully they realise who I am before they open up. Backed up against the door frame I poke the AR out and pull the trigger but my heatsink is out. I'm getting practised at this now and slap in another, and fire bursts out the hole to deter the slavers.
The sound of weapons fire suddenly gets much louder, but the rounds hitting my cover is dropping off. A glance at the camera footage shows the remaining slavers are firing up at something off screen, and ignoring the warehouse completely. Huh. Archangel? I swing back outside hugging the wall and opening up on the nearest slaver. There's an immense crack of noise, and 6 standing slavers is reduced to 5 in an instant as the immense round from a Widow Rifle punches a gaping hole clean through shields, armor and man, back out and into the ground. Overhead a large custom combat skimmer holds position over the ruined arena its side doors open and a barrage of fire coming down from the sky. I see the distinctive figure of Archangel crouching in the door reloading the huge rifle, as 3 others of his team continue firing. The skimmer's shields are shaking off the panicked slaver's fire with utter disdain. Their lifespans are measured in seconds now and they know it, they break and run. It's a turkey shoot. I pick off another with my next burst, his shields already down. A slaver dies as another thunderous boom rolls from the Widow rifle, and the last 3 are down less than 15 seconds later. One of Archangel's team moves a weapon to cover me but the armored Turian moves his arm and the Salarian stands down. The skimmer moves position to clear ground away from the wrecked hauler and descends to a couple of metres allowing the troopers to jump down to the ground, moving quickly to ensure the compound is secure. I stay where I am by the warehouse entrance, as Archangel steps out as the skimmer settles to the ground, retracting the big Widow and holding an AR easily as he steps forward.
"Good timing Archangel, it was getting a little tight there."
"Glad to help, although I was hoping for a better count." Archangel looks back at the ruined hauler and then shakes he head. If a Turian in full battle armor can look disappointed he manages it.
"Sorry about that. If I'd known ahead of time I'd have planned things to give you a decent score."
He looks at me for a seconds and then laughs. "Plenty more slavers where they came from Stern. Always more next time. Okay I have several transports on their way, and some basic jumpsuits for the prisoners' modesty. I'll have my team take them in."
"No, just have them drop the clothes here and I'll take them in."
He looks at me for a moment then shrugs and agrees, and moments later 2 of the troopers have stowed their weapons and are unloading several hard cases from the skimmers interior, as Archangel directs half of his team to stand guard and the rest to clear the hauler's wreckage. I start ferrying the cases into the warehouse, briefly explaining to the Asari what's happening, before going back for more cases. As a carry the next load in, Maggie is waiting. I reassure her everything is fine and have her start distributing the clothing around the women and children, telling her to be quick as our transport is coming, no searching for right sizes, just get everyone clothed so we can all escape. Maggie nods her understanding and takes control of distributing the clothing, as I bring in the remaining cases of clothes.
25 minutes later and all the women and children are clothed, and I have confirmed arrangements with Archangel and Aria. The transports have arrived, 4 nondescript medium passenger skimmers. Most of his team will escort the Humans in 3 of the skimmers to a medium sized cargo vessel that Aria has already arranged as transport for them to the Citadel. The remainder will take the last skimmer to transfer the Asari to a property that Aria has until their transport home arrives, which apparently will be a few shifts. As the women and children board, Archangel's squad keep a close eye out for more trouble, but if more of the slavers are around it looks like they decided to accept defeat for today as no one else shows. Maggie breaks off from shepherding her charges onto a skimmer, coming to give me a long hug and thanks, before boarding the skimmer with a wave.
The Asari who helped me defend the warehouse, return my gear to me and I get several more hugs good bye as they board, and shy waves from the Asari kids. I look around the compound, I guess this qualifies as my first real combat. Archangel walks up beside me as I look around.
"You would have been in real trouble without using the hauler as a bomb Stern."
"Yeah I know it." I shake my head relieved that everything worked out.
"First time?"
"For what?" Standing beside me the Turian is almost a half metre taller than me, as he turns and looks down at me.
"All this Stern. Raiding a slaver compound on your own? Not clever, you won't live long like that."
"I know, talk about jumping in at the deep end huh?"
"What?" Huh, totally confused him.
"Um, it's a human phrase, about learning to swim, you should learn in shallow waters instead of jumping in at the deep end of the pool."
Archangel gives a little shudder. "Your phrases are almost as weird as your species Stern. You wouldn't get any Turian jumping in the deep end...we sink." The mental image makes me snort with laughter for a second.
"So did you learn much from this Stern?" Archangel enquires.
"Yeah, quite a lot I need to improve. Some equipment and software I need to acquire. Things to practice for next time."
"Next time?"
"Hell yes, my job isn't finished yet."
"So you're going to be raiding more slaver compounds soon then?"
"Yep."
"You realise that is going to be a lot more difficult now, they will be waiting for another attack."
"True. I did this alone to...well to be honest to prove that I could...next time I hope will be different."
"T'loak won't foot the bill for every slave you manage to free you know." Archangel says as we watch the first skimmer power up and lift off.
"Yeah I know. Any idea how much it costs for a one way trip to the Citadel?"
"Around 1200 credits. You're really going to do this again?"
"Yep."
"You're a rookie Stern, not trained for this." He sound's exasperated.
"I know, but I learn fast, I'll be okay."
"It's not you I'm worried about Human! I'm worried about the people you'll get killed when your raid goes bad."
"Look Archangel I have a job to do, and I really don't like slavers so I'm perfectly fine about killing them. I had no idea the slaves were there but at least I got them free! Would you rather I just left them there?"
He growls at me. "No Stern, I'd rather you let professionals do it, instead of getting yourself killed and a whole load of others with you."
"So when were you taking out this compound then?" I challenge him.
"Huh? I wasn't planning anything here. My team are supposed to be prepping for another operation at the moment.
"Right...so the great Archangel can't be everywhere then." I sneer at him.
"That's not the point Human!" he retorts angrily.
"It is the point Turian! You can't solve every problem on Omega on your own. Sure I made mistakes but today was a success, that would not have happened otherwise. Fuck it. Next time if I know there's a load of slaves to free I'll call you and you can extract them! Hell I'll even give you a head's up so you can plan it to perfection if you want."
Archangel snorts in frustration.
"That's not quite the result I wanted from this conversation Stern but I'll take it. Let me know when you're active and I'll try and assist if there are more slaves to extract. Hell if I can shake the resources loose I might even help, just try and avoid having to use haulers as IEDs again okay?"
"Got it, not planning on having to do that again myself. Too close." The big Turian sighs beside me.
"Actually Stern you did okay. You got lucky sure, but I know plenty of experienced mercs who wouldn't have thought to overload its core. Don't beat yourself up too much, just try and plan for contingencies better, and for Palaven's sake don't go it alone again. Come on, let's get out of here, I'll give drop you off at Afterlife, I know T'loak wants an update, best not to keep the bitch waiting."
Garrus Vakarian, Omega's Archangel, climbs back into the combat skimmer and I climb in, as the last transport heads away with its cargo of Asari. Grabbing a seat opposite as the hatches close and the skimmer powers away from the wreckage and corpses. What a night.