AN: For once on time here comes the next chapter. There won't be another for two weeks or so (at least till after the 19th of April as I will be on vacation) but Chapter 11 is already written and just undergoing edits. That chapter will be the last Aratoht chapter, and Chapter 12's interlude will be the last before we hit ME:WoE's version of the ME timeline. This chapter is shorter but to make up for it the next chapter is going to be the longest in a while. As always like, love, see an error or something you want to point out? Leave a Review! I read them all.
Disclaimer: Don't own Mass Effect, Space Battleship Yamato, or any other things I may reference knowingly or unknowingly in this story.
High In the Sky: Above Aratoht
"Batarian bunker line, four hundred meters at seven degrees, Pilot Moreau." A mechanical, feminine, voice droned in French through the cockpit. "Anti-aircraft sites are targeting us."
"I can see that EDI!" Shouted the pilot in the same language. Rolling the large, not quite spacecraft, not quite aircraft to avoid a burst of heavy mass effect rounds that cut through the air. "Albin, hit that nest."
"Working on it." Came a voice over the intercom a moment before Pilot Moreau, AKA, "Plaisantin," AKA, "Joker," heard the whirring of one of the 40mm MEA Gatling Cannons revving up and spraying the position ahead of them. Dust and debris filled the air as the rounds struck home.
"120mm firing." Came another voice, one of Joker's other gunners. The whole craft shaking around him as it started to belt out round after round. Explosions engulfed the bunkers and hid the line from sight.
Not from EDI though.
"I am lighting up targets on your heads up displays." The AI replied and the remaining bunkers appeared in red outlines before Joker's vision.
"We can remember where the things are just fine, rustbucket." Joker grumbled.
"That is statistically unlikely Pilot Moreau. You and the gunners have had less than ten seconds of view on the bunkers."
"What have I told you about using statistics EDI?"
"Your belief that statistics do not apply to you is poorly founded, Pilot Moreau."
"Yeah, and so are you."
"I do not have foundations, Pilot Moreau."
"Would you two shut up already?" Albin's voice came over the intercom again. "I can barely hear my own gun firing."
"That is physically-" EDI started.
"EDI, combat data only." Joker cut the AI off. The predetermined command shutting the robot up other then to point out targets. He had the distinct feeling the glowing and blinking symbol, a circle with a double line running through it, on a nearby monitor was mad at him.
"Got to love a pilot that loses an argument with his own ship." Another of his gunners, a man named Claude grumbled. "Still, looks like that's the last of the bunkers. Let's get to the next LZ."
"Yeah yeah, hold your horses. I figured these Batarians would put up a bit more resistance in the air then this though. They certainly seem to be giving those ground pounders a lot of work." Geoffrey said as he revved up the engines again and launched them forward.
The Bombardier class, all two of them, were odd ducks. Most in the pilot corp joked it was just a really big and heavily armed shuttle, and they weren't exactly wrong. It certainly was big and averted the typical human spacecraft appearance. Instead it bore more of a resemblance to a mono-wing plane. A noticeably long wingspan and a fat belly, gave room for the many turrets it bore. The bloated thing would have been a complete sitting duck if it wasn't for the shield generators. The generators and capable pilots.
For the ability to deliver heavy firepower with pinpoint precision there really was little better though. Gunships were even more useful when there was infantry nearby that made orbital bombardments difficult.
"We have incoming." Donatien, the rear gunner declared, "Three Batarian interceptors. Look lively gunners."
Joker glanced at the screen showing the rear gunner's view, seeing the three craft. Ugly looking things, even in comparison to the Bombardier. He didn't care for the looks but he saw the missiles lining their wings.
"Missile lock." EDI's voice intoned. "Three launches."
"Right, get working guys." Joker immediately threw the large craft into evasive maneuvers. The mass effect engine inside the semi-spacecraft allowing maneuvers a normal attacker couldn't. The multiple defensive gun turrets, gyroscopically stabilized, began pouring out a steady stream of fire toward the interceptors.
The missiles closed in, even as one of the Batarian craft went down in a ball of fire. Joker waited for the last moment before throwing another hard maneuver and slammed back the throttle. The missiles passed just under the craft and rocketed ahead, where they detonated.
"Two more launches." EDI continued. "Four more launches. All missiles are in the air."
Six missiles chasing after him. "Well, he thought, "if anything, that just made this easier."
A smile came to his face as Joker calmly stated, "Hold on to your hats this is going to get testy."
He felt his flight suit inflate as he pulled the plane into a hard climb and loop. Blood trying to rush to his feet only to be held in place, his bones creaking at the sensations as the missiles followed him up.
"Missile one lost. Missile two through six impact in ten seconds."
"They're getting real close back here!" Donatien's voice filled with worry, born of being the closest to the incoming death.
"Come on you rustbucket. EDI, war emergency power!" The controls felt lighter and the engine sparked brighter as the core was pushed beyond 100%. The craft rolled over and dived back toward the ground right past the two interceptor craft.
Which put them between the Bombardier and the missiles.
"Missiles impacted on enemy fighters." EDI chimed.
"Damn good work Joker!" Albin and the rest of the crew cheered.
EDI cut into the cheers. "The 7th Canadian are requesting fire support. They have breached one of the Batarian fortress cities.
Joker frowned as he pulled the craft around to the new heading. "Spoiling my moment of glory, you uppity computer."
"It is part of my programming to ensure my pilot does not get too full of themself." The machine replied.
Joker was about to reply, when he heard every single one of his gunners give a very telling 'cough' into the intercom near simultaneously. "Traitors, all of them," He muttered.
As they approached the fort, the anti-air fire started to intensify. Shells filled the air and sparking off the Bombardier's shields.
"Merde! What kind of hot zone are they calling us into?" Joker groused, trying to avoid the incoming fire.
EDI's avatar lit up. "Heavy SAM batteries preparing to fire."
"Targeting." Came the voice of his 120mm gunner. Launched down the cannon's barrel by a half-half mix of chemical propellant, accelerated by Mass Effect enhanced magnetic rails, the large high-explosive shells impacted among the enemies Surface-to-Air-Missile defenses. The very expensive and complicated missile turrets were, in the space of a very few seconds, separated into many small pieces of wreckage and shrapnel, spread out over a very large area.
"Multiple targets. Ground forces are also using beacons to light up hotspots." EDI started marking targets throughout the city below. Tanks, infantry, fortified houses, all of them lighting up for the gunners. "Avoid any fire toward these locations. It is believed they may contain slave holding pens." Other areas appeared on-screen, marked blue on all their HUDs.
"Fire at will boys! I'll keep us airborne." Joker grinned as he threw the craft away from another burst of anti-air fire.
-WoE-
In Orbit above Aratoht
The FS Bombardier latched to its docking bay aboard the French Assault Carrier FS Joan of Arc. The magnetic clamps held it in place as the doors to the bay sealed and it were re-pressurized.
Joker leaned back in his chair as the craft shut down around him. "And there we go. Another flight where we all get back alive. Let's make sure we get the maintenance boys to paint on some kill markers."
"That's three so far, don't get cocky." Donatein said, the sounds of the old man shuffling out of his gunner seat audible through the intercom. "But good work anyways, boy."
"Heh you're welcome old man. Now get out of here before you get too stiff to move." Joker checked over the screens. The pilot calmy watched, as the rest of the crew left.
"Pilot Moreau you should consider leaving the flightcraft as well. The crew cafeteria is serving cordon bleu." EDI's avatar popped up onto his main screen. The bisected circle glowing a pale blue as a small wave passed around its edges.
"Yeah yeah, thanks mom." Joker chuckled to himself. "Just giving my tired bones a chance to get back into place first."
"I have warned you during past interactions about excessive maneuvering Pilot Moreau."
"Again, thanks mom." Joker scoffed. "If I hadn't done that, there's a high chance we'd currently be scattered halfway across the planet."
"Judging by the size and payload of those missiles, anything short of a drive core explosion is highly unlikely-"
"EDI."
The AI went quiet for a minute. Joker raising an eyebrow at actually managing to get EDI to stop talking for a few minutes. He wondered if he really had pissed it off this time.
Finally EDI broke the silence. "Do you require assistance to enter your wheelchair, Pilot Moreau?"
"Yeah I don't think I'm getting up myself today." Geoffrey sighed, half in relief, the rest out of exhaustion.
"Then please remain still." A number of robotic arms unfolded from the piloting seat. The man's wheelchair was pulled from where it was secured on the wall. A few deft movements later, the pilot was in his wheelchair.
"Please do not unduly stress yourself Pilot Moreau. We have further missions tomorrow." EDI said her parting comment as Joker rolled his way out of the ship and onto the carrier.
-WoE-
Pilot's Mess, FS Joan of Arc
Joker rolled into the rather bustling mess hall. An assault carrier like the Joan carried an extensive complement of ground attack bombers and fighters. This one also carried two heavy support vessels. One was his Bombardier and the other was it's sister ship FS Grenadier.
The result was that the two gunship pilots stood out like a sore thumb from the dozens of others. Add into that Joker's Vrolik Syndrome and his charming personality and he stuck out even more. Glares from a few bomber pilots came his way. The fighter pilots were ambivalent to him.
Wheeling up to the serving line he got his food and started to eat. He didn't intend to hang around long. The bomber pilots saw the gunship pilots as both glory hogs and people without enough balls and skill to make it flying one of the smaller craft. As far as Geoffrey was concerned the bomber pilots were people with absolutely no career path. Not that he really cared about career. At least his job though would let him move up to a frigate later.
The food was good at least. It was one of the real advantages of piloting. The food and that he could do it all from a chair. His large ship position and physical situation had gotten him one other advantage though. Himself and the Bombardier were a prototyping platform for AI assisted piloting. The gunship was one of three ships in the French Navy undergoing the secret testing.
Too bad that had gotten him EDI. The rudimentary AI was stifling at times, but he couldn't argue it wasn't useful. Now if only it had an actual personality. Apparently the eggheads were working on that one still.
He half wondered how any of those Commonwealth Quarians would react if they figured they were doing this. Not that the French government cared. The Citadel had banned AI but humanity wasn't going to let a little thing like their neighbours being scared of something stop them.
That and from what he heard the Quarians really reacted poorly to the idea of AI having sentience. He didn't really get why they cared so much about it. EDI hadn't asked anything like that yet but he figured it'd be a matter of time.
He was brought out of his musing when he realized his plate was empty. Blinking to wake himself up a bit he pushed off from the table. Leaving his plate in the cleaning bin he'd head out into the hall again.
Letting out a yawn the pilot wheeled himself back to his ship. He could have gone to the pilot barracks but honestly his chair was comfier.
"Welcome back Pilot Moreau, I hope you've satisfied your required calorie intake." EDI greeted him as he came aboard.
Joker scoffed. "Of course I did. Now help me back into my chair. I'm going to sleep here for the night."
"Sleeping in a chair is shown to have negative health effects Pilot Moreau."
"And falling off my bed when I wake up is going to have even more."
The AI paused for a minute "...That is a statistical probability."
"Hah, pulled one over on the AI. Doubt any of the gunners will believe me." Joker chuckled to himself as the AI helped him back into his piloting chair. Slipping on a pair of headphones the pilot put on some music before drifting off to sleep.
-WoE-
Unknown Location, 10 days after Aratoht Landing
Wrex had been expecting something else when he had decided to hitch a ride into human space and offer his services. The old warrior had expected he'd end up on a battlefield somewhere. He didn't expect he'd end up in a lab.
He wasn't under the needle himself so it wasn't all bad. It was just boring. Extremely, extremely boring. Except for one thing.
"Haven't seen a recovery like that in a long time." Wrex's voice came like stones scraping together. "Good even for a krogan."
"Well your contribution to the project certainly helped. Your kinds DNA is fascinating." The black haired woman beside him said as she looked at the reports. "We've modified her with the healing properties of a krogan and a few other things. Between that and her new skeleton she should be waking up shortly."
"Tough one. I'm amazed she survived all that you did to her. Even before that injection. I look forward to getting to fight with her."
"We would like to give her a day to adjust, but the Batarians are putting up more resistance than expected ground side. You'll get your chance." Came a third voice. The oily one with the wrong eyes. The head of this little project. "Now let's see how our marine feels. Wake her up."
"Yes sir." The black haired woman replied. Waking Shepard up now wouldn't make much of a difference. Moving over to a console she started typing commands.
Wrex watched as the redheaded woman jumped awake. The woman rocketing to a seated position. "What, where?"
"Welcome back to the land of the living Private Shepard," The oily one said. "Please if you would come with me and my assistant. We have many things to discuss."
The woman blinked, and then frowned. "What do you mean? And what happened to my squad? And why is there a Krogan here."
"All in good time Shepard. Just know for now you have been selected for a top secret U.S. project. Please try standing up." The man said again.
Shepard didn't seem convinced, but shifted off the medical chair. "I don't feel right."
"I will explain that to you in the briefing room. Please it will save us significant amounts of time if you hold your questions till then."
The woman paused again, before nodding. The human having to walk past Wrex on the way. The krogan decided to have a bit of...fun. He knew how to be imposing, centuries of practice helped. He put it all into his stance as Shepard walked by, and the human just glared back at him with eyes like sharpened steel.
Then she was past and the three humans left the room. The krogan laughed, the short noises echoing through the room. "Yes this will certainly be worth a story."
STG Retrieved Data Archive Excerpts: Projet Merlin
Note: Translated from Metropolitan French 2092, actual date most likely multiple periods over 2084
Professor Page: I am pleased to report that Project Merlin is coming along better then expected. E.D.I. and C.D.C. are coming along rapidly. S.L.D. is taking more time then expected but is also improving. Morality lessons have begun for the former. We believe the lessons should be completed by next year. All three have shown excellent abilities in their fields. We have also begun Linked Pilot selection from all candidates both recruits and seasoned.
-STG-
Professor Page: Linked Pilot selection has been completed. E.D.I. has selected Pilot Moreau (Note: Relatively new pilot, assigned to Gunship Bombardier in 2083), C.D.C. selected Admiral Pierre(Note: Flagship in 2083 was FS Alsace), S.L.D. picked Navigator Charbonneau (Note: Unknown person, no records of either the rank 'Navigator' or anyone of that name in the French Navy at the time. Possible Civilian Vessel operator). We have begun integration with their respective vessels with the intention of starting trials early next year.
-STG-
Professor Page: Trials have begun, E.D.I. and C.D.C. have settled in well. S.L.D. and Navigator Charbonneau had some initial troubles but appear to have worked beyond them. Pilot Moreau both reports E.D.I. is 'annoying' but did not appear to mean it seriously. I posit there is a possibility that E.D.I. may be deliberately antagonizing him to an extent. S.L.D. also appears to be developing a proper personality faster then expected as well. It is truly exciting.