Me: So, I'm back with another chapter. In this one we make it to Omega and start recruiting people. I'm gonna do my best with depicting the others and their personalities so, wish me luck and give advice at the end. I can only get better if I know what ails me.
Delta Effect: A Change in plans
"Well thanks for the help, I thought you might be too busy just to help me practice my gun skills"
"I don't like that you're coming along but I will not allow you to drag us down."
Well, Miranda I tried being polite but now you're just being a bitch. Besides, how the hell am I dragging you down when all you use for practically the first half of the game is two pistols and some weak biotics. You don't even have armor or anything, I bet if everyone wasn't gunning for Shepard you would've been dropped like a ton of bricks.
"I understand you don't like the idea of a sudden unknown variable in your equation, but that does not warrant the attitude." This is not going to help but seriously, you'd think that with her being around twice my age she'd be the mature one. My poker face remains intact but her glare is starting to scare and irritate me at the same time. We stand like this Miranda glaring at me from sidelong glances and me focusing on that wonderfully dull discoloration in the elevator door. Finally we arrive on the CIC and step off heading towards the airlock. Jacob is there already, so I guess Shepard's not going to limit herself to three man teams. Good, because it would be highly impractical since regular squads are teams of five or more, and Shepard is anything but regular, or ordinary. After all the Collectors successfully killed her after Saren, Benezia, Asari commandos, the Geth heretics and Sovereign too, and now she's back, black and pissed the fuck off. It'll only show when we get to the base and she's ready to plant the bomb and fight the baby Reaper but yeah, she's still pissed about dying.
So we go through the airlock, see Jaruut and Faroth, Aria's expecting us, blah blah blah, walk along the hallway watch Zaeed beat a batarian, blah, blah-
Wait, what?
Oh, Zaeed, Zaeed Massani, the DLC Character, Mr. badass mercenary second to Shepard and in the online world, Mass Effect's Most Interesting Man in the galaxy. So if the DLC is here then is all the DLC stuff here or just some. If so, which ones, hopefully Kasumi, the Hammerhead and Lair of the Shadow broker is available. Those are my favorites by far especially with Lair of the Shadow Broker including all those funny videos of different people.
"Cerberus tell you about our agreement?"
Oops. Blanked out for too long. I mean, I know what's basically going to happen or be discussed but still, what if someone catches me blanking out and then I behave as if I heard everything, even if technically I did, but then that would raise suspicion and I need to have no suspicions placed on my person. I should probably work up friendships with everybody before I tell anyone my origins, if I ever do.
"Alright, we'll see if we can get to it." Aw shit I did it again.
The batarian prisoner runs and Zaeed calmly shoots him in the leg, causing him to fall forward.
"I better take this in before it starts to stink. I'll see you on the ship" with this Zaeed walks away at Shepard's nod and Shepard leads us out the door. We walk forward a few steps towards Afterlife, then I hear someone say 'Psst'. I can think of only one person who does that here and if I'm correct then he'll also say-"Psst, Jacob, Miranda, over here"- that. I turn to the sound and see him. Ish, the salarian info broker who sold Jacob information on where he needs to go but never warned him of the ambushes and enemies he'd face that Ish knew before hand was there. I turn my head and watch Jacob march right up to Ish with Shepard soon following and Miranda strutting beside her. I dash over as well cuz I can feel a moment coming on. I get there with Miranda and Shepard and see Jacob getting in Ish's face. Ish is seemingly calm but his voice shakes a bit, and his buddy has backed off slightly. Hmm, Jacob is a lot angrier in real life, so I grab his shoulder and pull him away a bit to try and help him calm down.
"Jacob, calm down, look away, and calm down." He looks angrier than me that time one dude hit my mom's car. I had just cleaned it too and then some jackass drives down the street and shears off part of the freaking door, tearing the paint and shit all along the right side. I felt about ready to chase that guy down and pull his ass out and beat him.
Where was I?
Oh yeah, stopping Jacob from doing something stupid. He seems to have calmed down now but we should probably head over to Afterlife and wait for Shepard to get the drop sites from Ish. Well we turned towards Afterlife and Shepard appears beside us glances at Jacob as I take my hand off his shoulder and Miranda is behind us while we walk towards Afterlife. It's surprisingly active, one of likely many things that will be different from my memories of the game, though it smells just how I expect it from what the game showed too. Didn't show all the trash and random fluid stains on the ground though, jeez its bad. Not like skid row yet, but bad. So we enter Afterlife, Jacob and Miranda move to flank Shepard and I'm on her far left side. As we walk, I tilt my head to the left a bit when I catch sight of a group of three batarians. The leader is sitting in a chair while his two lackeys are flanking him on both sides. The leader stands up and steps toward me his eyes setting into a glare.
Wait, isn't this-?
"You wanna say something human?" the batarian asks this as he draws his pistol and points it towards my legs, while his buddies pull out their guns too. Damn obscure batarian customs, I can't remember if it's tilting the head right or left that is offensive. Aw well whatever, the whole culture is basically pricks to humans anyways. I pull out my predator in my left hand and my Shuriken machine pistol in my right. I figure I might as well try to intimidate him too, though not sure how well my aim will be with both guns. Miranda has me shooting a little straighter but I'm still not accurate enough to not write off that rocket shot as a fluke. As I draw my guns I see Jacob step to my side with his shotgun out and leaning against his shoulder. The batarians are slightly surprised and the intimidation factor has risen a good amount, what with my dual wielding, Jacobs shotgun, then Shepard apparently noticed us because she then steps up to the batarian leader with her pistol drawn and pointing up.
"Do you really wanna mess with us?" The dude is about to start shaking in his boots.
"F-Fine, I'll let you go. This time." He pockets his pistol and walks away, with probably only his batarian pride and local rep keeping him from hauling ass. Shepard walks back over to the door where she left Miranda, me and Jacob following and fistbumping along the way. I ignore the techno music as well as I can while we walk over to Aria's VIP room, glancing at the bar and wondering if I can get a drink. I sneak over to ask as Shepard, Jacob and Miranda go up to Aria to ask about Mordin and Garrus. At the bar I look around quicky before grabbing the salarian bartender's attention.
"How old do you have to be to drink?"
"Do you have money?"
Thankfully, I was given a chit with 5,000 credits on it from Miranda. Someone might think I'd be exaggerating if I said she was treating me like an irresponsible child, but I don't think it's that far of a stretch when she didn't give me the chit until after I knew what any rapid transit terminal would look like, or how to read docking signs. So anyway…
"Yes I do."
"Then no one will care kid."
"On Omega yeah, but I'm in a group and we'll be traveling all over the galaxy."
"The average drinking age is 17, now are you going to order something or not."
Eh why not, "What beers do you have?"
THANK YOU GOD! I am so happy in my mind as I walk up the steps for Aria's spot, not even Miranda can wipe off my smile. I reach Aria's VIP room and see Shepard sitting down. I step up next to Jacob still grinning obviously, carrying my source of joy in my right hand, with a follow-up in my armored pocket.
"I always liked Mordin, he was as likely to kill you as he was to help you." I chuckle at Aria's comment. "You can get to the quarantine zone by following the top left path, from there a turians guarding the entrance."
"Thanks for your help Aria" says Shepard as she gets up from her seat. She walks over to us and we follow her as she heads down the stairs to the left of Aria's room towards a small room with a batarian in blue suns armor standing guard. Huh, this is the freelancer sign-in, so I guess we're doing Garrus first. Oh joy, a loyal friend for Shepard. He is being besieged by the merc groups, so its best if we help him before he's overwhelmed. Or unless that gunship drops by early. Wait, that's right, this is real life, so that gunship could go early, or we might not make it in time. The game pauses everyone's schedule at points so Shepard always comes in the nick of time. Merda, I need to find a way to stop that gunship, or maybe watch Garrus so he's not besieged by it. Think, Think!
"Wrong room honey, stripper quarters are that way" All thoughts cease at this comment. I step forward and come beside Shepard but she raises her arm to stop me. With a small smirk she steps forward to grab the batarians attention before pulling out her assault rifle.
"Do I look like a stripper?"
"Nope I guess not. Here to sign up for Archangel?"
"Yeah we're looking for him."
"Alright then. You need to provide your own weapons and armor, it seems you've already handled that. You pay an entrance fee and you get reimbursed with additional payment upon mission completion. If you die neither your friends or family can pick up your paycheck and you're only working as a freelancer, so no this does not make you part of the Eclipse, Blood Pack, or the Blue Suns. You got all that."
"Here," Shepard hands him a credit chit, probably with all the credits for our admittance, "Now where do we go?"
"Head outside to the transit center. We have a driver there to take you to our base."
At this we turn and go out the door when a dude pushes past us and asks "Is this where freelancers sign up?"
Shepard immediately turns around and asks "Aren't you a little young to be freelancing alone?"
The guy turns around and walks up to us. "I'm old enough besides, you got that kid with you so don't say anything to me." At this he points at me and everyone looks at me. Miranda is watching and probably plotting to use this to get me ousted from the crew. Gotta think fast, I know!
"So, I have guns and armor, what about you?" I say, in a slightly taunting manner.
"I just got this recently, been waitin to use it." Great, he took the bait and is now waving his gun around. I lift my hand but Shepard shoots hers out, yanking it from his grasp. She hands it to me with a look, and yes Shepard, I know what to do. So I grab the gun from her and swing it with all my might at the corner wall beside me, bashing it against the metal and no doubt destroying the reload chamber and firing mechanisms in the depths of the small weapon.
"Hey I just spent all my money on that!" he says as he steps forward. Shepard stops him by grabbing his collar and pulling him to her face.
"Trust me, you'll thank me for it." With this she pushes him back slightly and we follow her out as the guy stares at us confusedly. Soon we are at the base after I mentally skipped past the ride and conversation with the driver. Now we're here, Shepard's being told to see Sergeant Cathka and we are walking again. I wonder…
"Hey Shepard, can we see if there's anything useful in the shops after this mission?
"I suppose so, it would be good to have some specialized armor parts for different missions."
"Awesome," I like my ODST looking armor, but I would appreciate having the Stimulator conduits in my leg pieces, or the Off-hand ammo pack arm piece. Now what do we get here with Garrus' recruitment mission? I remember there is probably some heavy weapons ammo around here somewhere but then again don't we, ah yes I remember now, we get the vindicator battle rifle. I liked that rifle, precise and effective three round bursts. The only one better is the Mattock. Boy did that make the Shadow broker battle easy as pie. I only like vanilla oreo cake so I'm not as picky with pie, just as long as its not sweet potato or pecan pie I'm usually good. If it's pumpkin pie though, stay the hell away. Especially if its pumpkin pie from Urth café because oh my GOD theirs is beyond awesome, and even more awesome with whipped cream too. I wonder if sex is as good as that pie cuz then I would understand why so many people enjoy fucking like rabbits. I'm like Shepard with that pie cuz if I have it and you take some, then whatever does not kill me better run damn fast. I wonder if Roscoe's is still open on earth. That'd be great for a celebration, goin to 'Scoes. But then again Garrus and Tali are dextro amino so they wouldn't be able to-
"DELTA!"
"I DIDN'T DO IT!" oh, wait, maybe I did. I look around and notice that I'm in the Eclipse meeting room, right by Jaron or whatever his name is, the Salarian leader. Jaroth! That's his name, Jaroth! I look over at the door and see Shepard there, frowning at me, and Jacob raising his eyebrow while Miranda just looks plain exasperated. Get used to it Miri, this is how I am. I shrink myself in supposed embarrassment before activating my tactical cloak. I go out the door, tapping Shepard and Jacob on their shoulders as I pass. My cloak fizzles out and I stand off to the side.
"Come on." Shepard grits out as she walks into the mech room. She messes with the friend or foe identifiers on the YMIR mech as I open the cases containing resources and hack datapads for extra credits. Shepard gets more than I do when she does the same and even gets some research data for upgrades. Yay. After this we leave and head to Cathka and his gunship. As soon as I see it I internally panic, I still don't have a plan on how to deal with it when Tarik decides to fly it.
"Cathka?" Shepard asks a group of- hey, it's the freelancers. They split apart with the darker, gruffer one jabbing a thumb over his shoulder. We step forward to the batarian fixing the gunship as he steps back and regards us.
"You the group Salkie mentioned?" Ah so that was the name of the guy outside the car thing. He moves over to his desk and lays down that charge-fuser fork thing. Ooh renegade temptation. I start inching around towards the fork thing as Shepard steps up to him, waving away the smoke from his cigarette. Seriously, it's the 22nd century and people still smoke those cancer sticks? Well he'll be smoking himself in a bit anyway, why not let him have his cigarette, ehehehe. I wonder, can I snag the gunship? That'd be crazy and everything but seriously though, if I had the Gunship, then the main threat to Garrus' facial integrity is eradicated. Unless I fuck up epically, but I doubt that'd happen. I'll ask Shepard after we deal with Cathka.
"That's the signal, bravo squad, go, go, go!" He says this excitedly but the freelancers all walk out as if they're 5 years old headed to middle school. Sad, scared, knowing they'll be eaten alive most likely but determined for some reason to get through it.
"Well I better get back to work, Tarik wants this thing at 100 percent."
I step up to Shepard with the fork thing in my hand, and a pleading expression on my face. Shepard considers it for a second but nods in agreement. I grin and step up behind Cathka, smirking devilishly. He turns to look at me with a questioning glance, half hidden by his visor.
"You work too hard" I say as I lodge the fork charger in the back of his armor. He convulses and jerks around as the electricity courses through his body. I leave him to die in his spasms and Shepard turns her back as well. Jacob looks at me and asks "Do you think Tarik will mind if the gunships only at 80%?"
"No, no I don't, especially if he doesn't use it. Shepard, what if I stayed back a bit, out of sight. Then I could take out the gunship and help you guys out if you get into trouble."
"What makes you think I'll let you do that?"
"Shepard, I plan on staying undetected until the gunship is about to be used. Then I kill Tarik and whoever else comes to use the gunship, take it for myself, blow up a few mercs along the way and maybe provide flying evac for you guys, if it gets that bad. Best-case scenario, I take the gunship blow up all opposition and fly us out safe and sound. Worst-case scenario, I have to blow the gunship before it's used."
"…and you know how to pilot a gunship?"
"I've driven enough vehicles to know the universal basics and telltales. If not, I've learned the extranet is very effective for accurate research."
"I feel like I'm going to regret this, but go ahead. Stay out of sight of the mercs and Archangel too, if you don't come with us he might tag you as an enemy."
"Ok, maybe if you tell him the guy in black and red striped armor is a friend that might help my chances."
Shepard shakes her head as she turns to walk away across the bridge. Miranda follows, not even looking back and perhaps hoping I get caught and killed, we really haven't been on the best of terms lately. Maybe the universe will give me a freebie and I have to save her life. Nah, lets just fistbump Jacob goodbye and get to hiding shall we? Ok, the group is off across the bridge, gunning down the mercs Archangel misses. Heh, Garrus, missing a sniper shot, like that'll happen. Anyway, I find a nice scrap pile close by the entrance to the hangar bay for the Gunship so I hide behind it, making a little gap in the pile to see through. I wait a while, watching mercs fall on the bridge getting pushed and pulled by either Jacob or Miranda, flying off the bridge or smashing into poles, aside from the usual bullet piercing bodies killing methods. I watch this for a while before hearing my radio crackle to life.
"Shepard, good job with the shutters, but I need you to hurry back up here, blood pack just came in from the back."
Huh, so they've already killed Jaroth? I guess now it's Garms turn to try. Funny the salarian was stupid for trying to get across the bridge that was being held better than the Spartans at Thermopylae, and it's the Krogan who is smart by circumnavigating to the back of the warehouse. Stupid salarian, smart krogan, go figure. I continue thinking, eventually reaching the genophage conflict and start considering how to handle things on Tuchanka for Mordin. Also the geth and the Quarians. Peace is possible but apparently for the quarians the biggest hurdle is themselves. I'm glad I have time to think on this, since we ahvent even gotten close to recruiting Tali and Legion. When is Tarik gonna get here dammit, I want to hijack that gunship already- there he is.
Tarik comes into the room making a beeline for the gunship as he shouts orders for his blue suns to carry out while he hurries to his gunship to join the fight. I activate my tactical cloak quickly as he steps into the gunship, with me not too far behind. I slide in just before the door closes. Tarik gives his orders through the radio to expect the gunship and he pulls it up using a holo wheel. Wow this is rather easy actually. Oh well, time to eliminate my backseat driver. I pull my gun out and Tarik turns in surprise as he hears it unfolds and freezes when I jam it between his four eyes. Hah, his eyes look funny in a four way cross, hehe, now cool one liner, cool one liner.
"…(frown) Fuck it" I pull the trigger sending a bullet through his head. Okay, as soon as this is over, I am going to make a plan for every possible beneficial change I can, and think of one liners for as many situations and people I can think of, so I don't have to steal Shepard's, or be caught in this situation again. Speaking of which, I better grab hold of the wheel. I shove Tarik's lifeless corpse out of the seat and grab the controls of the gunship, turning it away from the warehouse and towards the merc base.
"Did you get the gunship Delta?" Ah Shepard.
"Ma'am yes ma'am I have eliminated Tarik and acquired the gunship. Shall I just start shooting or will you paint targets?"
"Nope just shoot any that come out, then we'll evac"
"Excellent" I reply. I check the guns and rockets, looking at my stock and then looking at the base some mercs are gathered for a no doubt last ditch attempt to take out Garrus. I smirk as I release a few rockets. They tear through the garrisons and I open fire with the guns, killing a few mercs immediately and cutting through the others quickly. I lower the ship as they flee, slightly disappointed at the small fight. I guess with Tarik dead they figure we're too tough. I open the gunship door as Shepard steps inside with Jacob and Miranda. Shepard walks up to me holding out a new gun, the Vindicator.
I grab it saying, "Thanks" before turning back and flying us out of the area. We contact Aria and she tells us to dock in a hangar bay close by our own, so we do that and leave the gunship with quite a bit of credits rolling into my account for bringing it in. Well, that was nice, we got Garrus, he's not in a critical state of health, no cybernetics needed, and I got some money. Now its time to get back to the ship.
Me: ...
Delta: you looking at he mental rant too?
Me: Yeah there's not enough connectives, makes it a confusing random, not comical.
Delta: Sorry, the connectives in my mind pass pretty quietly until a tangible thought makes itself heard.
Me: i know rite? Anyway, sorry about this chapter, i didn't realize my computer made two files under the same name with one incomplete. 'Til next time.