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Nox was off the ship. Shepard still neglected her, despite her experience and power. At least her boots were on the ground and off the ship. Which was something. Nox realized she hadn't really gone out of her way to try and earn his trust. Stuffy honor-bound types like him always needed that for some reason. Their brief conversation on the bridge did prove useful. Shepard had heard of the strange things she had done. He was curious about her powers. She told him she going to leave the ship and find something to do if she wasnt going to be apart of the team.
Of course, while the Commander took the Turian and the quarian to kill the Geth in the Exogeni tower, there was nothing really to do. So she went below the colony to preform what where essentially errands. It reminded her of the old days when she would land on a new world and do all manner of side jobs for credits. Things did get interesting when she ran into the geth. They even had some bizarre krogan with them. They looked like clones if the scale tone and eyes were any indication. Did this primitive galaxy have better cloning than her own? Where the kark did the Saren get these krogan?
Killing geth was easy, the life following through the krogan clones though dulled, made groups hidden throughout the ruins easy to find. Even if those stupid jumpy geth that stuck to roofs and walls had almost got her once or twice. The Sith found her hatred for the geth increase so much that she eventually just holstered her lightsaber and just flung lightning at the mechanical menaces. Watching the machines sputter and explode was very satisfying. She finally got to some sort of digging equipment like they were trying to dig below the colony in the bowels of Zhu's hope. She ripped the equipment apart in anger. She threw pieces around like a large alpha takata flinging an unlucky academy acolyte in its mouth to break the unlucky students spine.
Nox felt a smile form on her lips as she found herself remembering how the boy screamed in pain trying to crawl away on his useless legs. Tukata like to play with there meals on occasion. Nox felt lucky to witness it. She had killed everyone of the students who looked down on her and picked on her for being a slave. They all paid one by one.
She had to look for water pumps to fix or something. The colonists mentioned something about an alpha varren as well. The colonist were more than happy to dump busy work on her when they found out she was going to into the lower levels. None of it was really a priority, at least not to her. This colony was doomed from the start. Nox could feel it something was here. Below. She wanted to investigate, but the colonists were always watching. Even when one colonist broke line of sight another always quickly made to watch her. It was almost like they were connected, and coordinating to keep the crew Shepard bought with him in their sights at all times. Their presence in the Force was strange. Tiny little tendrils connected them all. She couldn't pin down whether it was a Force connection or biological, maybe both.
It was a feeling that gnawed at her even down in these gizka traps. The yellowish cement structure was very bland and she again wondered why anyone set up shop in an old ruin even if it had stood for fifty thousand years. Then again, the Alliance was always eager to take the Council's scraps. No doubt all the species of the big three passed this world on down the chain.
The Sith stopped when she heard a low growl. She turned around to see a scaled blur leaping toward her. The Dark Lord held up her hand casually and the lizard-like creature stopped mild flight not a foot from her neck. Its long fangs were bared as it eyes stared at her in confusion. She smiled, it was a rather large specimen with scars across its red and black scaled hide. Another reason she came down here alone. In this way, she got to use her power more freely. A tactical choice, Nox employed to not give potential enemies time to counter. Cerberus came to mind if they had a way to capture her, they would be studying her. When they were ready they would not be so easy to place. Nox smiled.
She pulled a small blade from the sheathe in her belt and held it to the beast's throat. Nox was ready to end the beast, but instead she hesitated as feeling washed over her. The Force showed her vague visions of dead bodies. The colonists to be exact. Her smile turned feral as she recalled the knife and lowered the Alpha Varren to the ground.
With a baby voice, she reached down and patted the creature on the head.
"No sense in killing you if your meat will just end up spoiling." She released her Force grip on the animal made a shooing motion with her hands. "Go on now." The Varren sought to not test its luck against the apex predator in its mist again and retreated into the bowels of the tower.
With a smile, Nox continued along the corridor with a skip to her step, passing the last pump with not a care. It was pointless now anyway. Then she heard a quiet muttering voice.
"No, No, I will not listen." The voice was quiet, but desperate. She followed the sound until she found a man huddled in a corner. He was dirty and smelled like he had been down here for quite some time. He had a mad glint in his eyes while he stared straight ahead. Nox bent over and waved her hand in front of the man's vison only to see no response.
"No, No, I will not listen," he whispered once again and repeated the mantra.
"Listen to what?" Nox bent down next to him. He turned to stare at her, seemingly looking right though her.
"The Thor-" he tried to say only to grab his temples and scream. He gritted his teeth before trying to answer again. "The Th-!" Only his eyes rolled back and Nox felt a chill run down her back as her Force senses went haywire. She felt something like little tendril that connected the colonists' minds to the presence under the colony being yanked away with the man's own mind along with it. She couldn't pin down how the presencif it was a Force connection or biological, maybe both. She stared wide eyed at the drooling husk of the man. It was all that was left so she drew her blade once more, and sliced the man's throat ending whatever pitiful existence was left in there.
She felt the curious presence of the Varren alpha nearby in her senses and smirked.
"At least your meat will not go to waste." She flicked the blood off the small blade and sheathed it.
Then Nox felt the Being if only for a moment. Its presence was large yet, strong in its power, more than any of the other beings in this reality. More than enough to cause trouble for her at least. It had noticed her presence. Which was not much of a feat considering she never really hid her force presence all that much since she discovered she was the only force-sensitvie in this galaxy. Though if there were more beings like the one under the colony, perhaps she should not broadcast so openly in the field anymore. Nox mentally cursed herself for believing she was the only being strong with the Force in this reality.
When she turned to head back to the colony, a slimy green manlike creature climbed over the railing on to the walkway. It turned his head revealing fangs and glowing green eyes. Nox studied the grotesque creature before it let out a long moan and charged. She flung it away with a wave of her hand smashing it to a gooey substance against the wall.
Her feeling of satisfaction was short lived as one more pair of claws grabbed the railing soon to be joined by several others. Nox raised an eyebrow and shook her head in amusement. The railing began to fill with them. She felt a wave of anger cascade throughout the Force, and she sensed the creature's thoughts. They were very clear. She was target Alpha. It had sent most of its minions to eliminate her. Nox couldn't help but grin. This is going to be far better than fixing water pumps. She held out her hand and her lightsaber unclipped it itself and flew into her hand. She ignited the violet blade and charged.
The comm in her ear buzzed and relayed a message. Nox was surprised the signal could pierce down here. "Commander Shepard to all personal. Do not attack the colonists. I repeat, do not attack the colonists. They are being mind controlled by what is called the Thorian. I have grenades that will disable them. I am on route to Zhu's hope just half a klick out."
Nox shrugged after hearing the message and shocked three creepers with a blast of lightning turning them into smelly goo. She proceeded on her course toward the surface and killed anything in between her and the exit, the Spectre's orders be damned. For all their numbers. The creepers were not much of threat. Nox had to merely send out a wave of the force and they would disintegrate into a pile of steaming goo. A little lightning here, and slash of her lightsaber there. Nox realized that if she ever did return back to her reality, her skills would be dulled due not having a worthy opponent to ply them to.
Nox despite the mass of green, the Sith found herself practicing various forms of lightsaber techniques. Focusing her lightning more, to see if she could built charge faster to unleash more significant Lightning attacks. She was suscessful and it wasn't like she was running out of fodder to test it on. Before long she was in the colony again. Many of the colonists fired upon her. Some even had to those annoying older style weapon as Nox could hear the pops when she deflected the rounds. The whole reason she gave this reality blaster tech to begin with was so she could deflect the bolts back at any attackers with her lightsaber. It gave her a quick ranged counter.
She took particular delight sending extra powerful jolt of lightning with her right hand at the woman who asked her to fix water pumps. Nox smirked and dispatched the rest of the colony, going room to room and killing anything alive. The leader, what was his name? Nox didn't care. He tried to make a valiant stand killing himself instead of doing the Thorian's bidding. Nox had little patience for this and tossed him aside like a ragdoll. She heard the man's body crack in many places as it smashed into a nearby console which sparked and caused the body to twitch. She smiled in satisfaction and chuckled.
She moved looked around for the entrance to the Thorian's lair. She sensed out the entrance, only to find that one of the living unit was parked on top of it. She frowned and looked to see it was connected to a loader. She never cared to notice it the first time through the colony. So turned around scanning for a console.
"Ah, kark," the Sith shook her head seeing the colony leader's body tangled in the broken lifter console. She felt her anger boil in her veins how dare this man defy her even after death. She turned and ripped at the living unit with the force. It creaked and moaned as the steel and plastic crunched. With a growl the living unit was lifted and thrown aside crashing loudly against the rubble surrounding the colony. The entrance lay in front of her. She was done playing games with this creature. She descended into the ancient tower. Creepers tried to assault and were thrown away. Then came the naked green asari clones. Nox didn't bother with lightning or her saber. she used waves of the force to toss the fragile creepers around and gave a quick neck snap to any asari clones.
She arrived in the anti-chamber were the Thorian was suspended above a hole. A ugly mass of puke-green and a sickly yellow. The plant-like being was surrounded by creepers. As Nox approached it birthed green Asari right in front of her. Nox stopped and stared at the asari. This being was different than the others. More brain function for one. Enough for a dialogue. Nox decided that she would humor the monstrosity. She felt it had something of use to offer. This being was force-sensitive whether it knew so or not.
"You scurriers. You come and you take. The other warned more would come."
The Thorian must have been talking about Saren.
"Whatever you gave to him to will give to me." Nox's demand earned a growl from the mass of biomass.
"No you will pay for destroying the scurrier thralls." The asari lifted her arm and lauched a throw at Nox. Nox dissipated the blast using the Force to disperse the energy.
Nox shook her head and lifted her had and swatted the creeper's to either side of her away by moving her arm back and forth. She pulled the asari drone to her and bisected her in down the middle with her blade. The Thorian screamed out in rage and a powerful Force repulse shot out from her body. Nox quickly pretected herself and the repulse pased harmlessly by her. She smirked sensing the being's confusion. It didn't know it had this power. This creature lived so long and yet now at the end it only just discovers its power. Nox pitied the creature for but a moment.
She reached out sensing out the tenclicles suspending itself above the ravine. She felt it struggle. Nox had to admit, it put up a great fight, but despite its power, she was stronger and she ripped the tendrils from the walls. Nox felt the Thorian in vain to suspend itself using its new power. Nox squeezed her fist together and the beast was pushed down into the hole. It made a thundering shudder ring throughout the building as Nox felt the life snuff out of the beast. With the creature's death any creepers or asari clones collasped and began breaking down. Nox felt a presence nearby. Nox looked to see some sort of sack on the wall. She walked over and the used the Force to burst the sack. A asari in commando leathers fell out. She let out a desperate breath. The asari was unconscious. Nox debated leaving her there, but felt a connection between this alien and Shepard. Nox frowned and used the force to lift the woman up and let her hover in the air as Nox left the Thorian's lair.
The grenade detonated and the green gas filled the air killing many of the grotesque plant creatures. Shepard popped out to fire on many of the creatures, his auto rifle barked as it mowed down the nearest of the plant zombies that weren't caught in the cloud. Garrus was to his right and the turian had his own assault rifle out laying down fire against the wave of creepers. Tali focused on throwing grenades at the thicker groups but the garage was very large and the herbicide clouds only covered a small area upon detonation.
They moved in farther step by step, bullet by bullet. The waves seemed to be never ending for a long time. Then they just stopped. The creepers just collapsed and returned to there base elements.
He worried for the civilians still here. He gave orders to the Normandy not to engage the ones banging on the hull. The Thorian had their minds, so he would endeavor to kill the beast when he had what Saren and now he, himself, needed from the Thorian. The colonists would soon be free of its will.
When they reached the colony, they encountered no civilians. Shepard saw many smoking puddles of what once were creepers as he walked through the modular houses that made up the colony. It was among these streets that he came upon the first of the dead civvies. The body smoked from the long slicing wound that cut the man open, and another body not far off with the same cause of death only the woman was missing an arm. The smell of burnt flesh hung in the air. He looked ahead to see Fai Dan, the colony's leader shoved into a console. above him the loader twisted and mangled loader arms. Jon looked to see one of the house where gone.
"Keelah," Tali pointed in the direction where the modualr house was buried into the rubble.
"Keep alert, the Thorian might still be around. We have no idea what this thing is capable of or what it looks like." Shepard searched looking for any sign of the beast.
"Think Nox made it," Garrus was moving his assault rifle opposite to Shepard. "She was only one outside of the Normandy."
Shepard radioed Joker. "Joker, did Nox make it back to the bridge?"
"No, I don' think she made it. Haven't heard form her."
Shepard nodded. The strange woman had been distant from most the crew, but perhaps she would have found her place in time.
Tali leaned down, "I don't think the Thorian killed these colonists. This was done by a precision weapon. Like a omni-blade or sword." Tali's head lifted in realization. "An energy blade. Like the one Nox has. She killed the colonists." Tali stood and hefted her shotgun.
"If she was in the middle of things when the creepers showed up and the Thorian burst through the tunnel. She might not have had a choice." Garrus remarked.
"She had plenty of choices." Three guns swiveled in the direction of the stairs. "They were in my way." Shepard noticed an Asari commando float up behind the woman. The unseen force that held her set her down on the concrete. "The Thorian is dead. I found this refuse down there as well. She looks like one of Benezia's personal guard. I believe she is in possession of valuable intel in your hunt for Saren." With a flick of her wrist, Nox sent the woman skidding over.
Shepard bent down. Garrus did so as well and pulled out a small med kit.
"Are you all right ma'am?" Shepard picked her up. "Tali radio the Normandy and escort Chakwa's back. She is fading fast!" Tali didn't hesitate and ran to the docking bay. Her omni-tool to her lips as she radioed ahead.
"Barely," came a whisper from the Asari. She looked at Shepard with sorrow in her eyes. "My Mistress gave me to Saren and he gave me to the Thorian. It gave me the cypher to decypher the broken beacon. I gave it to Saren and I was left here." Shepard barely could react before the Asari grabbed him and forced a meld. He saw the vision. It was clearer than before. things that were of no sense before, now felt closer to understanding. Everything else felt jumbled. When Shepard came back to reality, the asari was still in his arms. Her body had become limp but she still drew breath. He set the unconscious Asari down gently.
He looked up at Garrus who shook his head and the turian moved to administer basic first aid. Shepard looked to where the Consultant stood. He looked around at the carnage she caused. This was caused by no beast. Not a conventional one anyway. He felt his blood boil, he had the means to save the colonists. He gave orders for the civilians to be left alone. She killed them.
"Nox!" he stomped to the Consultant. "I gave orders not to harm the civilians." He forced his voice to be calm while he gritted his teeth as he waited for her response. Nox glanced up at him casually. Her mask hid her face, but her body posture indicated she was not really concerned about his anger.
"Orders that conflicted with my personal well-being. The colonists were not worth the effort to save anyway." Nox turned and walked back toward the Normandy leaving Shepard stewing in his anger. Shepard looked back to the dead Asari. He turned back to look at the Consultant. Her armor was spotless. Looking back around. How did she manage to survive all this. Garrus stood and walked over.
"This warzone was anything but." Garrus pointed out. "You okay?"
Shepard sighed with a growl, "No."
"She reminds of a few criminals I tracked down at C-sec."
"Keep an eye on her." Shepard said and strode toward the Normandy. "I need to speak with Dr. T'soni." Garrus nodded once and fell in behind him. They left the massacred colony behind them.
The humming and clicks of computer equipment were the only company Lana had while she worked. Collating and collecting data from her agents in Imperial Intelligence. Each one was vetted more thoroughly since the Ziost incident. She had more time nowadays and had thrown herself into her work ever since Ixati… She stopped those thoughts and continued examining the data. Looking for the strings connecting the big picture to the happenings of the galaxy. The data confirmed what she knew. The Emperor was not dead. All the work to find him was a wild bantha chase. The worst part was Lana knew what the purpose of the Emperor's fade was. He wanted Nox gone. It proved that Ixati's powers were a threat to him. This gave them a possible weapon to use against Vitiate, but an extremely rare one. It was unlikely they could find another Forcewalker in their lifetimes or ever.
"Still working?" She heard a low baritone Imperial accented voice.
"There is too much at stake not to be." She replied as a tall and muscular red-skinned Sith pureblood came up and stood beside her.
"True, but if you don't rest, you'll never be properly ready for what is coming. A warrior must be both rested and ready at all times." Megor reached out and used the force to power down Lana's console. Lana clenched her fists, seething at the parental way upon which he treated her. He may have had a point though. In the screen's reflection, she looked haggard. The bags under her eyes were more pronounced than usual. Her golden iris's bloodshot.
"You may be right, but I am so close to finding him. So close to making him pay for taking her away." Lana, in anger and frustration crushed a nearby chair with the force. Megor remained calm.
"Yes, her loss is the Empire's loss. However, finding the Emperor and making him pay are two very different things. In your state, your lack of control and the self-discipline. The Emperor wouldn't even have to lift a finger to end you. I wouldn't have to work too hard to kill you if I desired either."
"I know!" her voice held venom and lacked any poise she was known for carrying. She leaned forward on the console, bowing hear head. She breathed heavy, and forced herself to keep calm. "I know," this time her voice held a measure of control. "I just don't want Ixati's sacrifice to be for nothing."
Megor nodded his head. Ixati wasn't a friend to him, though she was a highly-respected ally and adversary at times. He and Darth Marr had a much harder time finding support on the Dark Council without her. Many Dark Council Member's wanted to forget about the Emperor and his power. Like the Republic, they wanted to live in their own little world until the gundark fell on them from above.
He reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. She seemed stunned by the contact. "Go, get some rest. The data will still be here when you return." She nodded and reluctantly left her office She noticed that Megor walking to her side.
"Why did you come here anyway?" She asked.
"You are the Minister of Sith Intelligence. You must be at your best." That didn't explain why he was here, she thought.
"Are you working for the Dark Council now?" she asked, but suspected what he would say.
Megor's face grew dark. "I am not at their beck and call. No, with the Emperor's deception, my position has become irrelevant, so I am redefining myself as the Empire's Wrath now. I look into matters that benefit the empire by curbing the infighting amongst the Sith. I keep them in check now."
"I find that a rather interesting use of your time. It does seem redundant however. We already have Sith intelligence."
Megor snorted, "Yes, but your lot should be able to focus more on our enemies than our own. As a Sith I can more easily challenge other Sith. We will speak more on this later." Megor turned and walked down a different passage. Lana shook her head, annoyed by the warrior. He was essentially taking over her job. And his fearsome reputation would no doubt add more to the mess that was currently Sith Intelligence.
Megor was right in one thing this day, and she decided to get at least six hours of sleep before returning to work. She would also have to requisition another chair or perhaps a standing workstation would be better from now on. She sighed desperately thinking about anything but the one thing that she had thrown herself into her work to stop thinking of. It wasn't easily done, she thought as she jumped into her speeder.