Chapter 43: Joab
Shepard allowed the news to drone on in her cabin she had a couple of channels simulcast to see and hear what was going on within Council Space. One was the more entertainment news channels, not that she was in anyway interested in who held the top of the box-office hit list, which sim or vid-game was on the top of the charts or which celebrity married another and for how long it lasted or any of it, or charity trends started by asari pop stars. There was a few mentions of the Shepard the charity started by Conrad Verner and it was doing exceptionally well and lending a hand to the kids orphaned by the Taetrus war.
On the whole Shepard found that it was a good way to monitor what was on the lips and on the minds of the general populace. It was also a good way to see what TIMmy had set in motion concerning humanity's first Spectre.
Ash spoke about hearing rumors of Shepard's defection to Cerberus. It wouldn't be in TIMmy's best interests to have it widespread on the major networks. No - whispers served him best, undermining her fame and heroic efforts; it was more believable if it came from the shadows.
Other channels Shepard had running were HCC News, ANN, Battle Space and Citadel News Net. Desperate to see if any of the channels were picking up on what was happening to the human colonies if anything.
HCC News Poll Shows Support for War Against Diluvian Separatists
"As the air campaign rages on Taetrus, it is a lonely time to be a peace activist. A HCC News poll found that nearly 93% of respondents of all species said the colonial government had the right to go to war with the Diluvian separatists, and 54% said it would be reasonable for the Turian Hierarchy to use weapons of mass destruction in response, despite that action violating Citadel convention. Still, the turian embassy on the Citadel is surrounded by protesters who say the Hierarchy is doing is too much [sic]. "Practically every turian joins the military - it's mandatory," says protestor Sarai Bridei of Universe Without War. "There's no distinction to them between military and civilian targets. Hospitals, schools, houses of worship - they're all fair game, but they won't let you see it on camera"."
Sam hissed out a disgusted noise not in contempt per se but frustration. Of course the war with the turian separatists would take centre stage along with the comet that struck the hanar colony of Belen a few months back. Nothing on the missing human colonies. Shepard knew in her bones this time was precisely chosen by the Collectors to attack. No one was looking and those few that did cared little, not with a major offensive happening within the borders of Council Space, and the tragedy the comet left in its wake.
From the Battle Space Turian Hierarchy Criticized for Shifting Aid Efforts from Belan"Many citizens have returned to life as usual on Belan, but refugee camps are still filled to capacity by those left homeless by the Kingu comet. The Salarian Union has received much praise for their relief efforts, but Belanese government officials claim aid from the Turian Hierarchy has dropped sharply since fighting started on Taetrus. A Hierarchy spokesperson responded, "Our people have never set Belan aside. While some of our efforts shifted to Vallum after its attack, and needed to remain there in case of further attack, assisting in the rebuilding of Belan always was, and remains, a priority for Palaven.""
Citadel News Net:
"Umsung Holdings Completes Buyout of Sonax Industries"Umsung Holdings (CSE: UMH) announced today that it has completed the buyout of Sonax Industries in a friendly takeover. Umsung will provide approximately 119 billion credits in debt and equity financing for the purchase of the company and future funding commitments. The move is expected to significantly boost Sonax's share price, which has been falling precipitously after perceived missteps in the war on Garvug. Asked if new management will result in a change of direction on that planet, CEO Iseul Rhee replied, "We have conferred with Admiral Speight and see great potential in Garvug. The infrastructure of the occupied areas is unharmed and is beginning to turn a profit. The correct move is not to withdraw, but to commit fully to establishing a permanent peace zone on the planet.""
While uninteresting on the front the takeover nagged at Shepard. She couldn't help but wonder if the Umsung Holdings had ties to Cerberus or any of its subsidiaries. Sam would have to ask Liara to do a little digging on that. It was generally not a good idea to ignore those hindbrain tingles; especially when they concerned the enemy.
Shepard had the vid-systems VI redline anything with Spectres, Cerberus or missing human colonists. When and if such news came up the other channels were muted so she might hear everything relevant.
ANN:
Breakthrough in Ora Thubb Murder Case Announced"Law officers on Irune announced a breakthrough in the case of deceased inventor Ora Thubb today. Three Turian men - two dead and one alive - were dropped off at a police station along with personal digital assistants containing evidence about planning Thubb's murder. The police are crediting Spectre involvement with bringing the investigation so far forward. Major Loz Atad says two turian Spectres handed the alleged criminals in, making it clear they had been pulled off of Taetrus to solve this problem. "The message was unmistakable", he said. "Turians and volus are partners"
"In other news, more colonies go missing in the Terminus Systems. New Canton is the latest of the human colonies to have been raided, its entire populace abducted with no structural damage or signs of combat. This is the seventh in a series of colonial strikes. Such a strike on Horizon was interrupted mid-way by Spectre Samantha Shepard.
"Spectre Shepard has been investigating the disappearances of the human colonies since the incident on Freedom's Progress. The colony was also the site of an altercation between Cerberus and the quarians who apparently were there on a retrieval mission for one of their young Pilgrims. Cerberus was solely responsible for the death of the retrieval team and the brutal torture of the Veetor'Nara narNeema. The young man had gone to colony to secure a produce trade agreement as part of his pilgrimage—a Rite of Passage all young quarians endure before they become full crew members of the Migrant Fleet.
"The terrorist organization has been highly active in the Terminus Systems of late. It was widely believed that Cerberus was involved in the abductions of the human colonists. There are speculations that due to the withdrawal of support of the Council that Spectre Shepard has been forced to accept the organization's aid in what she believed to be the true perpetrators of the crime—the enigmatic beings known only as the Collectors.
"Evidence of Collector involvement has been proven but there many concerns with how deeply involved Cerberus is with these abductions and what is Spectre Shepard's connection to this criminal syndicate and to the Collectors. It has been documented that the Commander believes the Collectors and Reapers (the mythic construction of the Prothean age) of whom she claims Sovereign the flagship of Rogue Spectre Saren's geth armada was one of, are working together.
"This news program has contacted Second Lieutenant Ashley Williams who was present at the colony overseeing installation of AA towers in protection against Cerberus infiltration but she has declined to comment. When asked about her connection to the human Spectre's past, she declined to comment. Lt Williams also declined to comment if Spectre Shepard has gone rogue and joined the ranks of Cerberus. She gave no clarifications to whether or not Cerberus actually gave Shepard the Normandy SR2 as an incentive to join their ranks or she was simply 'allowed' to take it if Shepard had indeed liberated the ship as the Spectre made claims to the fact she had done so.
"Attempts were made to contact Spectre Shepard but it appears she was unavailable for comment.
"Fuck!" Shepard snapped at the screen. "Fuck her!" She kicked out at her chair and sent it clattering to the floor. "God damn it Ash what in the hell are you doing to me?"
The news continued
"Specialist Samantha Traynor of Alliance Research and Developmental and citizen of Horizon who was home on furlough had this to say:
"I don't know about Cerberus's involvement. What I do know was a swarm of massive insects came and injected us with some kind of paraplegic toxin rendering all victims frozen. That's when the Collectors came.
'We were all aware of what was happening to us. We could see and hear. Commander Shepard…um Spectre Shepard I saw her fighting them. See I fell going down the stairs of our home when I was stung and my Dad was trying to help me up when he got stung. Shepard moved past me in our frozen state, she made a promise to us but I don't think she knew we could hear. She vowed to stop them.
"And she did. She saved all those she could; if she and her team hadn't been there we would have all been taken. We all owe our lives to her. I owe my life to the Spectre. Commander Shepard is a hero.
"She got the tower working-I don't know how because we were having issues with aligning its power configuration to the generators and um… this is getting a bit technical. The point is that Shepard got the towers up and running. She chased off the Collectors. Yes Collectors! Nothing alleged about it! I saw some of the bodies that were left, and the stasis pods, we even found some of their weapons. Alliance R&D have them now.
I can say this; these weapons are like nothing I've ever seen. They are semi-organic - at least the casings are. So are the pods. They're a bit like sleeper pods in how they function but they are organic not manufactured. I don't know what the Collectors want with us but it isn't good. Commander Shepard needs all of our support to stop this. Whatever this is. My family lives because of her, and I know in my heart nothing will stop her from putting an end to the Collectors. And if these Collectors are working for the beings like Sovereign—the Reapers then we have to start making plans because they can wipe us all out before we even know it. Just like they're doing to the colonies now. Send in the seeker swarms them clean up. No more organics… We have to fight this. I'm going to fight.
"And Commander Shepard, if you're out there listening. Thank you. All of Horizon—what is left of us thanks you. If you hadn't come we would all have been taken. '
Faith started to slowly return. Yet Sam could not shake what Ash had said or rather what she didn't say so very loudly. Williams….so this was Project Caesar. Sam rubbed her forehead. And Ash is willingly playing the role of Brutus. Whoever this Samantha Traynor was not even her words of support would cover the damage Williams had just done without saying a bloody word.
Once the younger woman would have defended Shepard, rallied at her side. She was her goddamned Trusted! Maybe they were right, Liara, Shiara, Chakwas that Garrus should have taken the role, that it wasn't at all same as a Maid of Honor or Best Man. The Archangel would never have done to Sam what Ash had.
Sam's mind raced back when almost two years ago when she had first suspected Ash of betraying her to Udina in exchange for her grandfather's exoneration. The rage so thick the Spectre felt she was choking from it.
"I wonder if it is only shadow and thought."
"Skipper?"
"Oath keeping, loyalty, duty, dedication - are they meant only to be bits of heroic fictions, stories of old? It is a thing unheard of to rely on a krogan battle oath and know it true and unshakable and mistrust the heart of one called…friend." Shepard shook her head and walked back into the shadows of the room.
Udina's words came from the recorded message: 'I do not speak of treason my young Lieutenant. Simple common knowledge that only shipmates might know, might have heard. Gossip for your grandfather's exoneration, he will be raised up from the shadows of Shanxi for surrendering his garrison, to be recognized as a man who did the only thing he could to save countless lives. I will ensure that the public, the people that matter understand this. Exoneration for a few little words, what do you say? If I were you I would weigh in everything, your family, your legacy, consider the offer very carefully before you make a knee-jerk reaction you will regret if it isn't the one that benefits us both.'
"Get out." Shepard said slamming the computer off.
Ashley shook her head, "No Ma'am."
"I said get out." the Spectre hissed. She raised her hand as to wave off a fly and sent Ashley biotically slamming into the bulkhead near the door. There was grunt of pain, a woof of air and a thunk of a body tumbling to the floor. "If you don't leave… now… Williams…"
Ashley found her feet and managed to stand. Her voice shaken. "No. I won't leave. You have to know… I never betrayed you! I never…"
Again she was slammed into the wall with a mere wave of the hand. "Is this how you will exonerate the Williams' name by following the path of Arnold and Quisling? A path you said you would never let happen, that you'd never let the Williams name go down? I am sure your father will be happy to hear his beloved daughter fell to the siren's song where Ulysses did not. What's the matter didn't stop up your ears fast enough?" Shepard growled, advancing on her prey, her teeth locked together in a sneer.
"I said no! I told Udina no!" Ashley tried again. "I told him no."
Another wave and again Williams was picked up biotically and slammed once more against the bulkhead. Ashley struggled to catch her wind which was robbed from her lungs. Anger had taken her Commander but she knew she had to suffer it. She deserved it, they both did. The Spectre needed the release of her anger, her pain at the thoughts of betrayal. "Why couldn't you just have been having an affair with another officer? Why couldn't it be as easy as breaking regs and fraternizing? I made myself believe that's why you lied to me. I wanted to believe that was what it was. Why couldn't it have been that?
"I trusted you Ash! You were my fucking Trusted at my wedding. I trust you with Liara's life! I called you friend!"
'Maybe it isn't what it seems.' Sam tried to convince herself. 'Just like then, it wasn't what seemed. There must be something I'm not seeing. Maybe she's being watched. If she says something one way or the other…the enemy makes a move. Someone got to her, put her up against the wall—didn't give her a lot of breathing room. She couldn't warn me but didn't want to make a move against me not openly. It can't be what it seems. It just cannot. There must be a reason.'
"Fuck!" the commander snarled again. Puffing out a rather heavy sigh the disgruntled woman stooped and picked up the chair she had kicked over and closed her eyes tightly. "There's another reason. There's another reason. There must be." A hand scraped through unkempt dark locks, only now noticing that her forelock was falling over her right eye.
Her eyes closed tight. Tight against the burn, tight against the rage, tight against the sickness boiling in her belly, the rot of it. The divorce of a once tight and unyielding friendship could not be allowed to poison the heart.
"Get your head back in the game Sammy, just focus on the mission. And the next and the next after that until we finish the Collectors." she turned to a small noise coming from her nine o'clock. And smiled. "Is this your way of telling me this is going to come back and bite me in the ass, Little Guy?" she asked of her hamster. Her kicking of the chair must have disturbed the tiny space rodent.
The creature squeaked again.
"Yeah I know. Ignoring this thing with Ash won't make it go away. Right now it's not a priority. I can't let it be." she dribbled a few treats into the cage and made sure his bottle was filled with fresh water, The fuzzy creature came up to her hand for a small nuzzle which the Spectre obliged by scratching him behind the ears. "Sorry Little Guy no time for your little ball now, I got to go earn my paycheck."
"Squeak."
"Not the most loquacious of conversationalists, are you?"
"Squeak."
"Well no need to be snarky about it." Sam smirked. She gave him an extra scratch behind the right ear before closing the cage. "I promise I'll let you out to play once I get back, alright?"
"Squeak."
"Yeah, I thought you'd like that." Shepard smiled forgetting for a moment that she had been pissed. The small beast has a way of calming the nerves and lowering the blood pressure. In a way the hamster was rather therapeutic. "See now that's good parenting. You're good practice for me."
Before leaving the Spectre turned off her computer and its feed to the larger monitor in front of her model ships. The scene retracted once more leaving her proud display of ships. She smiled seeing them allowing a hindbrain thought to trickle through that she really should dust them some day. The collection definitely would not pass a white glove inspection. Sam could hear the disgusted noise her mother made at the disgrace of it all. Back in the day Sam had to dust their cabin once a week, her daily chores included of course sweeping the floors, yet another task Sam had let slip.
Of course isn't that why the goddess invented yeomen for? Kelly was already keeping tabs on Sam's fish although a moot chore considering the aquarium had a VI to do the job. The right turn of phrase would have Chambers scrambling up her to do the job herself with a bright smile on her face. A sly one slid across Shepard's.
ME~ ME~ ME~ ME~ ME~ ME~ ME~ ME
The mining outfit on Joab was nothing out of the ordinary, nothing remotely remarkable about it at least in its present day cycle that was not so in the past, once the two-mooned world suffered a mass extinction level event. Thousands of years ago it was home to a primate-like spacefaring civilization as well as abundant flora and fauna. Time capsules dug out of the ground well outside the habitations centers had been recovered by Dr Aluc'ard—Liara's protégé no doubt believed them to be an archeologists treasure trove of history. The planet had been targeted by a massive orbital bombardment that turned them to vapor. The resulting dust shroud killed all photosynthetic life and all fauna depending on it.
Shepard knew what the ELE was, what it could only be. Joab had fallen to the Reaper, its surface glassed. In its recent history the humans that had colonized it began terra-forming introducing cyanobacteria and heterotrophic bacteria, to bring suitable level of oxygen and nitrogen for respiration. Of course there were heavy travel advisories to the place anyone with upper respiratory infections, emphysema, cancer or a history of thoracic surgery was told to advise their physicians before traveling to Joab.
It was this warning that had Dr. Chakwas standing hands on hips before her now within the armory. "Doc, I'm fine. You said it yourself I'm in perfect health. I have to go down there and collect that artifact. If it is indeed Prothean I'm the only one that can activate it." Shepard was making a double check of her weapons before locking them in place on her hardsuits weapons rack.
"Activating another Prothean artifact? Do you actually think it's prudent? Not to mention the atmosphere of that place isn't kind to those who have had thoracic surgery, like you have or have you forgotten that part? You should know your limits."
"I'll take appropriate measures. And no I haven't forgotten. I see a clear reminder of it every time I look in the mirror." Shepard said ignoring the urge to touch the area of her chest that the Saran-husk had nearly vivisected. Instead she busied her hands with placing thermo clips into the utility belt. "A Spectre has no limits."
"Well you do." Chakwas was frowning watching the busy work. The disapproving look etching ever deeper into her furrowed brow-this was an old argument between patient and physician.
"I can't afford to know them." Shepard dismissed the concerns not as being as irrelevant as they were and she appreciated Chakwas looking out for her, but she couldn't allow those concerns to impede her mission.
"What happens on the day you find out?" the older woman countered.
"We all know how much you enjoy telling me: 'I told you so." Shepard flashed her infamous crooked smiled causing the white haired woman to shake her head yielding to an argument she knew she'd not win
"On that day Commander even I won't want to." The white haired woman looked at her CO with a valid quizzical expression. "Probably."
Chakwas watched with an unsettled mind, Sam Shepard had been pushing herself since she rose up from the hospital bed nearly two years ago. First with that damned Great Hunt that practically undid all of hers and the other doctors' fine work to restoring Shepard to life. The constant strain and drive to find a way drive back the Reapers, to stop them had caused to fall victim to Cyan Syndrome which lead directly to so many other disasters that stalked the commander and her lady wife.
'You're being overly cautious Karin. The hardsuit will take care of any respiratory issues, and the CS has been dealt with, she has those new amps installed. She'll be fine. It's just a routine mission. Of course you old fool Eden Prime had just been a routine mission too. And look how that turned out.'
Chakwas reminded herself that it was Liara that had sent Shepard on this task. And it wasn't as if the Spectre wasn't prepared for this the new biotic amps, the daily meditations all aided Shepard in keeping her abilities in check Whatever Prothean device was down there, Sam could cope with interacting with it.
ME~ ME~ ME~ ME~ ME~ ME~ ME~ ME
Almost as soon as boots hit dirt the team was off and running, storming the main mining facility. Zaeed, Kasumi and Grunt flanked Shepard, the males taking nine and three o'clock. While Kasumi did what she did best going dark and hitting the enemy with shadow strikes.
Even unprepared for the Spectre's strike force the Blue Suns maintained a fortified position in the upper level of the main living quarters. Yet fell all the same the rush of krogan charge, warps and singularities, headshots with incendiary rounds from a sniper rifle, shadow strikes and flash grandees, flares and shockwaves made short work of the opposition.
"They were weak." Grunt complained kicking the body of a batarian aside after looting its corpse of anything remotely valuable such as credit chits and thermo clips. The rifle might have been sold but it was no where near the quality of rifle Grunt carried. To the young male it was just junk like the rest of the crap here.
Still it was good to get out of the ship for a little exercise the boy thought. Ever since Horizon he'd been fix'in for a true battle again. Wanted to taste the blood and dust of battle in his mouth. Shepard was a good battlemaster. Far as he seen or those in the imprinted memories, none were her match, and like the Battlemasters of old like Shi'oger she waited for the best fights to come to her, she didn't go looking for them like a young warrior.
Grunt didn't have that sort of patience, the patients of a thresher maw; he was like a pit-varran straining at the collar. Grunt felt his blood boil and lungs ache for the kill, to crush his enemies underfoot and hear their death knells. Something woke within in on Horizon and it wasn't going to be stilled by little puissant skirmishes like these Blue Suns gave. He wanted…hell he didn't know what he wanted just that he wanted more…more…Something! He kicked out at the soft body of a turian and kept kicking his frustrations He must have kicking at for sometime because in the blood-haze he heard a very foggy-distant noise.
"Grunt! GRUNT!"
He spun around, growling. "What?"
"He's done, you're done. At this point you're making wine." Shepard said looking pointedly at the blue muck around his feet. Only then did he see the turian's body he had been kicking was utterly unrecognizable of what he had been.
"Ugh that just makes it worse." Kasumi wrinkled up her nose, gagging. She was doing her best not to vomit
"I was ….just making sure." the krogan whelp rumbled slightly embarrassed he allowed the red-haze to fall over him. Not that blood rage was shameful but generally the enemy is very much alive when it hits. Stomping an already dead enemy into the ground was…mindless and bestial, not the actions of a true warrior.
Shepard gave him an appraising look, her teeth set tight. "Right." she allowed it to slide. "Just don't make sure with the rest of them like that. If enemy needs to be put down you do it clean, understand me?"
"Yeah." he looked down at the splodges of blood on his once shining silver boots well he wasn't a 'shiny' anymore. He was battle-blooded. He was battle-blooded on Horizon.
Again Shepard let it drop but Grunt could see it in her blue eyes, there would be talking once they were back on the ship. Females did that. Talking and then more talking… like they preferred talking to the doing. He didn't really get Shepard, because she did the talking thing like a female krogan shaman and then she did the doing like a battlemaster and then were lots of death, explosions and blood…then back to the talking thing again.
He watched dispassionately as the two women headed off to one of the other alcoves, for a moment Shepard paused and tapped her radio. Sounded like she was talking to the Normandy." he heard her say. "Be careful Garrus. We've crossed too many false markers before not to be wary, but clearly we have to investigate nevertheless. Go in expecting a trap."
*With these things I always do.* The turian said in return. "We'll send the Normandy back for you ASAP. Archangel out.*
Shepardgave no visible sign she was perturbed by the news coming from the XO. But Grunt could almost smell the concern lingering in her sweat.
There was nothing in any of the imprints Okeer implanted that gave Grunt any sort of clue on how to deal with female battlemasters like Shepard. Part of him followed her out of respect. And another part of him needed to like…like she was his… his blue eyes blinked. Maybe that was it! Maybe that's why he was drawn to her like he was. Why she had the control over him as she did. He had imprinted on her. Shepard was more than a battlemaster. She was more than tank mother. But she was…
"Mother…" It was why he was so bound to her, compelled to heed her words even if he didn't like them.
"What you say?" Zaeed asked looking up from one of the human Suns he had been looting.
The old merc was the only one to have heard him as the two females moved off to another area of the mines. He was picking through the remains of the kills taking a few of the weapons if only to dismantle them for parts or the mods once he got back to the Normandy. Besides, Shepard had promised him the spoils of his kills just as she had with Wrex back in the day. She might not be a merc but she knew enough not to make an issue of battle spoils.
"Nothing that should matter to you." Grunt said only slightly embarrassed that he had spoke aloud what he thought had only been in his head. "I'm gonna see if Shepard needs any help with that Prothean toy we're here for."
"Can't say I'm not curious myself. Lead on MacDuff."
"Who in the hell is MacDuff? You get hit in the head or something? I'm Grunt. Not a hard name to forget, human."
"Nevermind." Zaeed shook his head. "The joke is lost if you have to explain it."
"Whatever." massive shoulders went up and down in an indifferent shrug. Of all the humans on the Normandy, Grunt related to Zaeed and Jack the most. Jack was almost krogan. He would have thought to ask to bed her if she wasn't so squishy and likely to hit him in the quads with a warp-field so powerful he'd be nothing but orange goo.
But sometimes what they said or did was lost on him as well. Not often though which was a good thing. Those two made things on the small ship feel like something like a krant. And every krant had a leader that was always going to be Shepard. Mother.
It was easy to find her even without sniffing her out, Shepard was in one of the smaller alcoves past the shitters staring at a computer terminal with a green gui interface. She smelled—hesitant, like she didn't want to do what she was here to do. Grunt didn't see the big deal. It was just a computer. Maybe it had something to the half unearthed pyramid in front of it that had Mother all spooked?
Why be afraid of some stone thing? But Mother was. Like she was expecting it to strike her down with one fucking headache or other kinda pain. Still Grunt watched his Battlemaster approach and toss her apprehension aside as if she was stepping in a giant muddle puddle fiddled it slime-do it, get it over, with and move on.
Whatever it was Grunt was expecting it wasn't to see his battle master lifted up into the air three meters above the earthen floor of the cavern or her blue eyes to glow a baleful green.
"What the hell!" he bellowed and moved for his mother, to save her.
"NO!" Kasumi grappled his hand. "She told me don't touch her. Just let it happen."
"She's floating in the god-damned air Goto!" Zaeed snapped.
"I know." The hooded woman said. "Shep said it was going to happen. And we can't touch her. Not 'til it lets her go."
So this was why Mother didn't want to touch the computer. It explained a lot. Grunt tried to understand the green energy swirling around the now seemly very small human woman. Why her eyes were darting back and forth as if she were dreaming even if she looked wide awake. What he understood was it was hurting her and he didn't like it.
It seemed to last forever but in truth the suspended state lasted only a minute at the most. Then the green energy dissipated and Shepard was dropped to the ground. No one moved, not a word was spoken for three heartbeats.
"You okay Shepard?" Grunt said trying to mask his worry.
"Small throbbing as always. Noting I can't handle." came the answer. Shepard pinched the bridge of her nose and inhaled deeply once, twice, thrice before squaring her shoulders.
"Was that like…you know Eden Prime?" Kasumi ventured for the rest of them.
"No." a small humorless smile. "Virmire maybe. Eden Prime knocked me out for fourteen hours. Damn thing exploded after Saren tampered with it." she drew in a long steady breath. "The images were the same. Machines tearing apart organics, turning the Protheans into something like the husks… I think I understand the clamping jaws now…they're the pods we saw on Horizon. And there's more. I saw the Collectors there. In the battlefield. Running from something or being hit by weapon's fire. I don't know." she shook her head. "Whatever it was, they were a part of it."
Silence.
"Whoa, whoa hang on the Protheans died out like when the Neanderthals were stomping around on Earth right? So what the Collectors were working for the Reapers even back then? They are that old!" Kasumi was aghast. So were the rest of them.
"Apparently so."
"This is big." the thief muttered. "Right? This is big. I mean really big! It has to mean something, doesn't it?"
"Means Collectors are and have been working for the Reapers since before God was born." Zaeed said. "And it means nothing if no one believes it."
Shepard nodded in consent. "Unfortunate but true."
"So it's easy just make those that don't believe you like those dumbass Councilors touch this thing and make them see it." Grunt concluded a rather logical standpoint.
Shepard smirked, there was warmth in the expression this time she clapped the large male on his back. "If it were only that easy. Tevos saw the images, not from the beacons mind you but she did see them from my mind. It was back when she and a few other matriarchs melded with me in order to let me go on the Great Hunt. Long story. Suffice it to say Councilor Tevos believes that I believe it thus the images are true for me. It doesn't necessarily mean they are true. Or so she says."
"Dumb bitch." Grunt harrumphed.
Another smile. More warmth. "Yeah pretty much." she looked over her shoulder to the beacon. "We got what we came for. Let's get this thing crated and ready to move. I believe I saw a ROSE or two back in the excavation sites. We'll power it up and use it to move the find to the shuttle and then to the cargo hold of the Normandy. Come we've got quite a bit of work to do and daylight hours are burning."
Crating up the beacon took far more time than it had to clear the mining tunnels of Blue Sun mercs. No one wanted to get close to the relic so it was up to Shepard to insure that it was properly protected while the others built the crate it was to go in. Again it was Shepard who secured the device in the crate before Zaeed moved it into to the shuttle with one the ROSEes. Not that the Spectre minded in fact she preferred she was the only one to get so very close to the thing. She had no desire to needlessly put her people at risk.
It was Kasumi's idea to plaster the crate with toxic hazard stickers in case someone got the bright idea to get to close to it before they shipped it to where ever they were shipping it to. No doubt to the Council, for whatever good that would do.
The pyramid was left with a marker for Liara's archeologist teams to come and excavate given Shepard's past experiences with them, the pyramids were as large as those of Gaza. If it was as large as the others it would take at least hundred experienced diggers and machinery to excavate it properly. Shepard would leave it for her bondmate to organize. At the very least the Spectre had collected the most significant of the discoveries the rest was up to the scholars.
"So this thing we found…proves the Reapers blasted this place off the face of the cosmos ehe?" Grunt asked during the return trip back to the Normandy.
"Yes. Just like they did on Eden Prime and Virmire and every other place beacons have been found. Or Prothean ruins for that matter. This world was glassed, which is why the atmo is like it is. It means the population here was far denser than say on Eden Prime."
"Is this what will happen to Earth if we don't stop them." Kasumi looked out the porthole at the planet that was rapidly becoming smaller and smaller."
"Yes." Shepard said deadpan and matter-of-factly. "Now you know why I fight so hard to find any means to stop them."
"Why you agreed to join Cerberus." Grunt reasoned.
"I will say this once. To you and everyone else, I did not join them. There is a very thin alliance but I will never join them. I don't care what you heard, it isn't true and anyone who says otherwise is lying through their bloody teeth. They are a tool, a useful one for the moment but once we go through the Omega Four Relay all bets are off, the alliance ends."
"Bet you didn't tell that to Lawson." Zaeed tossed out.
"Oh she knows. She knew first hand, it was part of the agreement for this alliance." Shepard shot back. "And what she knows TIMmy knows. Rest assured this arrangement—this understanding I have with Cerberus only goes so far as to putting an end to the abductions. And no further."
"Speaking of abductions and Cerberus you think they might be involved with this distress call EDI picked up?" Kasumi asked as the shuttle was entering the shuttle bay of the Normandy. "
"Hard to say." Shepard answered. "Back when we were chasing Saren we have a few false distress calls: some from the geth, some from Cerberus, so yeah it's a possibility it's faked. Liara has reason to believe that the Blue Suns are involved this time. They've been doing this before in another nebula. Considering the proximity to Joab it's a distinct possibility it's them, doing the same sort of operation out here. On the other hand it could be genuine. Which is why we're checking it out. It's why Garrus already took a team ahead of us to do so.
"We'll find out if it's true or not once we rendezvous with him and his team. He said he was taking Mordin, Samara along with Miranda with him to check it out."
"Smart. Leaving a little bitch like Jack alone with a Cerberus loyalist not a good mix if you know what I mean." Zaeed put in his two cents worth of thought. "And before you ask Boss, yeah the Suns will pull a stunt like this. It's classic. Pull in ships that respond to the S.O.S. and board them, kill or ransom or sell off the crew and seize the cargo. Done a few jobs like that myself. No one to really regulate raiders out here in the Terminus not like in the Attican Traverse and sure as hell not like Council Space."
"Good then you can repel any unwanted guests. You, Grunt, Jack and Kasumi will stay and hold a defensive line should it be needed."
"And if it's not?" Grunt rumbled,
"Then you'll pout and be terribly disappointed you didn't get to stomp anyone into wine." Shepard smirked. "For now check your gear, clean it and be ready for something that probally won't happen."
"And where will you be?" Zaeed asked boldly, more so than the others.
"The bridge to order Joker to take us back to Aeia. Then I hit the LZ alone and find the rest of my crew." She held up a hand. "I'm not entertaining questions right now. You have your orders." Briskly the Spectre headed for the elevator in full kit not looking behind her to see that her orders were carried out. She trusted her crew to know they would be.
ME~ ME~ ME~ ME~ ME~ ME~ ME~ ME
There were times when Joker was actually a smart man. Oh a brilliant pilot make no mistake but smart was something other than intelligence. He knew when he could get away with things, when definitely not to push Shepard's buttons. Thursdays not a good day for jokes. Blue Wednesdays Shepard was all smiles near the end of Thursdays the Spectre was down in the mouth on account her baby 'Blue' wasn't at her side. Tuesdays were okay because of the anticipation of Blue Wednesday. But Thursdays she was all snarls.
Anytime Shepard interacted with a Prothean device also not a good day to be a prat in the joke department. Because guaranteed those days followed a migraine, nightmares and a very bad day all-round.
Today was Thursdays and as it so happened Shepard had interacted with a Prothean device. Yeah not a good day to be 'Joker' if Jeff played the part of Flight Lieutenant Monroe however all things were peachy.
And thus when Shepard approached in full armour and weapons at the back of his seat, Joker was ready for her. "SitRpe!" she barked.
"At 1600 hours as soon as you touched down on Joab we picked up a faint transmission coming from within the Nebula. EDI was able to clear it up enough to recognize it was an automated call coming from the VI of the MSV Hugo Gernsback. It was reported gone missing for the last ten years.
"Strange thing is it got Miranda all a twitter-patted like she knew something about it. Garrus asked her and she said that a former colleague's father once served as its First Officer. The guy's pop isn't part of Cerberus or so she says. Garrus had to press her for details because she wasn't budging. But our man said he wasn't going to move the Normandy until she spilled the beans.
"Turns out this missing daddy, is the old man that popped his seed ..."
"Joker!" Shepard snarled. "I don't want a fracking soap opera I want a clean SitRep."
"Right, right. Sorry. Taylor. You know the guy who put the screws to that quarian kid from Freedom's Progress? Turns out his ol'man is down there. Our XO thinks finding this guy can put a bit of leverage on that fucker Jacob. That and well answering a distress call being a law and all. "
Indifferent to the name drop Shepard said: "Maybe. Regardless the people on that ship are not connected to what Jacob did; they may not even be connected to Cerberus. It's worth checking out. Garrus made the right call. Make the return jump to 2175 Aeia."
"Aye aye, Commander. Inputting jump coordinates now." Joker answered without a trace of levity. "Jump in three…two…one…"
In an instant the Normandy blue shifted out of the Enoch system into the system of Alpha Draconis. To Shepard it mattered not that a weapon against a traitor might be found, people needed to be rescued and that was that.