Fact Finding Mission
Phoros, Asari Republics, Citadel space
From the office of General Carl L. Jenkins.
"Special Service Agent, Lieutenant Third Class, Lokia Tromblay. I have determined that of the candidates for this mission, you are the most well equipped mentally for this mission. The Citadel has their own version of, 'Space Magic' instead of the insanity the coven can reap. It appears to be linked to something called Element Zero, and can be used to create Biotics soldiers with the potential to rival the abilities of some of our most powerful psychics. I have arranged transport for you to one of the Asari home worlds, and a meeting with some of their lead scientists, you are to evaluate these Biotics, and determine if we can use them in our ongoing wars. While there, you are a representative of the Federation. So be on your best behavior, and do not reveal your capabilities, we would like to keep that to ourselves for the time being.
"What the hell does equipped mentally mean?" Lokia asked herself, puzzled. She had received these order about two weeks ago back on Earth, and since then had taken passage on half a dozen ships, and she learned one thing since her trip though Citadel space began... She wanted to go home.
For one thing the Federation gave you your own cabins, the Citadel just gave you a comfy chair like on an airplane. On the last ship she'd been on, her seat had been next to a group of Asari Commandos, or whatever they were called, and they had stared at her. To be fair she was the only Human this deep in Citadel space, and people had stared at her before. But those looks had been of unmentionable interest... the looks the Commandos had given her had reminded her of horny jocks.
When one of them actually proposition her to join their version of the mile high club, she was pretty sure she was not going to like the Asari, despite her own personal preference for the same sex. Maybe she did something to piss of General Jenkins and him knowing she was gay sent her to the planet of the green space babes.
Fucking prick if that was true.
Thankfully she didn't shoot the offending alien, she just said no. But she did punch one chick in the face when she got WAAAY too pushy, what else was she supposed to do, the blue skin had trapped her in the bathroom stall. Thankfully that seemed to be the end of it, though she could have sworn the blue chick watched her the rest of the trip.
Thankfully she had to crossover to another ship for the rest of the trip, and there had been nothing else.
An audible scuffle ahead, followed by an overwhelming wave of killing intent marked something serious was happening in the cabin ahead of hers. The last time she felt such an overwhelming aroma of battle lust she had been engaged in a several day skirmish with raiders.
She went into battle mode, ranging her mind outward, trying to get a lock on who was sending out the intent, but there were too many alien minds suddenly panicking for her to get a lock. So she did the first thing that came to mind.
She got up and stood in the walkway between the seats, letting dozens of concerned passengers stream past her as she advanced, pulling her reaper pistol free from its holster. She couldn't sense where her enemy was, but she knew they were getting ready to attack, the room was filling with foreboding that only a psychic could detect. She felt someone coming up behind her but she detected no battle lust, so she ignored them in favor of investigation.
In the first class section ahead of hers, gun fire started to scream aloud. Holding her pistol in both hands, she rushed toward the side of the cabin doorway, gently pushing aside those who got in her way, the presence following her took to the other side, holding a shotgun, and dressed in a bright blue pinstriped suit, with flexible combat armor underneath now that Lokia looked at the Asari. Gaze momentarily locked on the exposed cleavage before she snapped back to the door.
Peaking through the doorway, she could just see two commandos engaged in fierce melee combat with a couple four eyed aliens. The commandos were fast, but they were using knives against the Batarian's who had glowing blades forming from their omni-tools. The Asari were protecting the passengers who were streaming past them as they fell back to the rear of the ship. The few batarians further back were shooting everyone who they could, using some kind of stun pistol from the looks of it. She signaled the number to the Asari who peaked though and then nodded, racking her shotgun knowingly.
The Batarians pressed their number advantage, and managed to kill one of the commandos, but in doing so they left themselves open to a counter attack. She stepped through the doorway and fired a three shot burst into the closest Batarian. The first caused the shield to flare, the second broke it, and the third ensured he'd be called three eyed if he survived. She moved to cover as the Asari came though, blasting her shotgun into the closest Batarian, flaying him alive before getting in cover next to a commando, "Who the fuck are these bastards?" She yelled to the commando. Turning from cover, Lokia fired from an awkward angle at a visible Batarian, downing him with another burst.
"Long story, fight now, talk later!" The commando said, before the Asari who came through the door with Lokia put her shotgun to her head.
"Try again." the Asari relied in an annoyed tone.
"Okay! Okay! We're rival mercs. We screwed them on a deal a few weeks ago. They must have followed us."
"See not so long after all." The Asari said, then she yelled over to the Batarian "Batarian's, surrender now and I promise you'll get a fair trial!"
One the aliens yelled back, "You've spent too much time in the Republic's you bitch! We can kill you all then sell the passengers as slaves AND recover the goods they stole from us!" On reflection Lokia had to admit, they didn't really have much to lose continuing the fight, and if they surrendered they'd certainly get convicted of terrorism. Which in the Federation, that and piracy was considered a capital offense, they'd get the firing squad for sure even if they were the injured party.
The Asari looked worried so Lokia asked the commando "Wow, either they're assholes or you must have really screwed them over to get them this angry at you."
"Well they probably are, but the goods was some ancestral Batarian treasure. So yeah."
"Oh fantastic, now I'm fighting with graverobbers. How about we do it like this, when we're done here, we take ten minute shifts to beat the shit out of her?" She offered to the batarians much to the shocked looks of those around her. "Surrender now four eyes, and the worst you'll have to worry about is a quick death by my pistol!" She declared with serious intent in her voice.
"Fucking like to see you try Alien!" The Batarian sounded very amused, he would live to regret that.
Laughing darkly, Lokia's eyes metaphorically lit up, "Oh, this is going to be fun." Lokia called back, with a voice that made everyone within earshot uncomfortable. She reached out mentally, sensing the alien mind, she found the one she was looking for, their distinctive taste unique to their four dots on their heads. Releasing an unnatural banshee squeal, arms outstretched as the air rippled between her and her target, she stuck one of the Batarians' mind, his eyes exploded outwards at the sound, and his brain reduced to charred meat. His sickening psionic and physical screaming reverberated across the entire ship, and everyone on it could hear his psionically emitted torment, even after he had fallen to the ground and died, his screaming continued from his dead body. "I said, surrender, and you will only die by my pistol at worst."
The Batarians dropped their weapons in fear, and unsurprisingly surrendered.
Lokia moved forward and roughly arrested them all, pulling out plasticuffs and putting them in the seats they had just evacuated. She remembered a story on earth. When hijacking planes for terrorism became pretty profitable, one group tried it against the Jordanian government. The Jordanians captured all the terrorists on the airplane with only one injury, then they set them all in the first class seats, wrapped towels around their necks, and slit their throats. No one ever fucked with them again.
"How did you do that?" The asari asked.
Lokia looked over and ground her foot, "Do what? I'm not a xenobiologist, for all I know he had an allergic reaction."
The look of suspicious disbelief on the Asari's face made Lokia smile, "Anyways I'm going back to my seat.
The Asari looked displeased by Lokia's answer, "Ambassador Tevos asked me to keep an eye on you to make sure no trouble befell you. I'm Specter Lyerra Edaria."
Great... a tail. Lokia thought trying to hide her annoyance that she was going to need to be even more careful on this mission. "Well I'm Special Service Agent Lokia Tromblay."
Brunham 101-P 'Reaper' Pistol: Standard issue SICON service pistol, powerful, effective, and reliable, it's given upon request to any who ask. While no one expects it to take on a full sized warrior bug, it's more than capable of taking down human sized targets. Citadel interests have expressed a desire to compare it to their own ballistics weapons.
BloodRaven: Damnit L4! Its commando! Not commodes! The Asari aren't exposed to be shat on just yet :p We still got about 5 more books until then.
L4: i say your wrong :P
Lord Foul: I'm with raven here (I know shocking :P)
TFC: Mercenaries
East Federation, Shanxi, Shanxi Landing Port
"That vid your government released said you wanted mercenaries so we came all this way here, and now you're going to say we're not welcome?" Commando Janane Kyarev asked, pissed, glaring at the Terran Ensign behind the desk, who looked rather terrified.
"I'm sorry that this happened ma'am," the Terran squeaked out, "but that commercial was payed for by the colonies, and the Federal government didn't think anyone actually take them up on the offer."
The Asari shook her head in annoyance, "What kinda pessimist asks for help, yet expects none what so ever to appear? Was your government collectively dropped on its head when you were born, or are you just-"
"Janane stop!" Her second in command Grerloc Gox, a Krogan, warned. "Let me handle this. If you're going let your rage get the better of you, let me do the talking." He chided, and Janane just gave him a dirty look before taking a step back.
"Alright now Terran, explain why they thought no one would go to these colonies?" Gregloc asked, putting his weight on the desk and looming over the man, having a more menacing effect on the Terran.
"Those colonies are under threat by a force that uses mechanised forces en masse, in order for you to even have a fair chance you would need an army groups worth of vehicles, and I'm fairly sure your band doesn't number more than a few dozen with tech that doesn't work well against the foe." A male voice said from behind them.
The group turned to see a male Human in a soldier's uniform, though the patches were gone, sitting in a chair petting a cyborg dog who was happily panting away, "Oh that seems like an oversight to leave out of the video." Janane sneered.
"No one was expecting much from Mercs. Especially citadel Mercs. You people haven't seen a real war for centuries. And the war in the North isn't your standard petty warlord fight. No, it's a war of extermination, hundreds of tanks, dozens of mechs, hundreds of thousands of soldiers on a front at a time. Gox right? I read about your people, if you were alive for the last war, imagine it like that." The soldier smiled a grim smile, "The North is a death trap, even the best of the best of the Federation has extreme difficulties fighting the technologically advanced foe."
"Then why are they not letting us go there then?" Grerloc asked, intrigued.
"Beecause, there are paarts o' the goven'ent that don't want your death's to spaark a diplamaatic incident. " A female voice said.
Janane looked around confused, not seeing who had spoken even though it had sounded like it had been right in front of her. "Yo, bluoe chick, look down. I'm the dog."
Janane looked down at the human's pet, very confused, as Grerloc asked, "Your four legged animal just talked... is that normal?"
"For a dog? 'ell no. Boot for a maark four Neodog, 'ell yes! I'm an ooplifted animaal, and I can prolly taake yoou on in a square faight!" The dog boasted to the bemusement of the Krogan.
"She not wrong," the soldier added to the surprise of Janane, "not many Neo Dogs can take a Warrior Bug in a one on one fight, get hurt, then still be able to drag my power suited ass for miles to friendly lines." The soldier said with a smile.
"Uh, how is that lower life form talking?" Janane asked.
The dog gave her a look she couldn't quite understand, but she stopped panting and growled menacingly, "I'm an organic AI! Dum' iatch! I'm prolly smartar than you will eva bee!" Giving an air of superiority, the dog literally upturned its snout at the commando, much to the shock of the Asari and the heartful laugh of the Krogan."
"Okay! Where can I get one of you? I just have to bring back a litter of you to Tuchanka." Grerloc cut in before that argument could break out, "Anyways, if the north is a death trap Terran, where do you recommend we find work in your Federation?"
"It's Lieutenant William Lee, retired, and my partner here is Elizabeth Lee. As for the best place for work, look at the South West. The North will net you the most money and salvage, for what short time you live, and I do mean short. But the next higher rates are the South West which has both the Bugs and the Skinnie vying for control. It's the best because you won't have as much oversight, plenty of work to go around, plus the military has a heavy amount of troops there, so you will never be out there alone without backup. Of course the oversight you will receive will make you wonder if it would have been easier just joining the Federation, and you'll only be paid what you are worth plus hazard pay, don't think being a fancy shmancy merc band will get you any more money then the power armored shock troopers who insert via orbital bombardment." The soldier stated while sitting back and musing.
"Alright! We need six tickets to the South West please!" Janane said to the Terran Ensign.
"Ummm… What? There's only 6 of you?" Upon a nod from Janane, the Ensign sighed and covered his face with his hands, "I don't know what to tell you, but six mercenaries isn't going to get you any combat contracts. The most you'd get is R&D and liason work at best." Upon a look of confusion he sighed, "Six soldiers using outdated, obsolescent, or downright improper equipment will be laughed right out of the command center, your standard weapons have trouble penetrating normal armor, let alone 3 inch thick chitin that requires high explosive shredder rounds the size of your middle finger to penetrate reliably. And I can't just have you port hopping, no ship captain in their right mind would let undocumented and unvouched for aliens on their ship." The Ensign explained.
"What if we get someone to vouch for us?" Looking to the retired Lieutenant, Gox caught a look from him that said he already knew his question, "Hmm hey Lee," Grerloc said turning to the Terran, "you interested in a job?"
The Terran looked up for a moment, and then said, "Well I did come here looking for ground crew job... But you will need to convince me. What do you think Lizzy?"
"It sound a lot moor fuen than beeing in a house all daay." The Neo Dog said wagging her tail. "Whoeva, we' aren't up foor a suicide missioon. You neeed too proove yourselves first!"
"The good Lieutenant here can't be the only one to vouch for you, the truth of the matter is, there has been a immigration blockade emplaced for a reason." The Ensign said, worried.
"Then get someone to do a damn background check then." Janane screamed to the Terran Ensign, "I hear you have something called Military Intelligence, tell them to look into me and my crew, they will clear us, I'm sure."
"You have no idea what Military Intelligence is do you?" William Lee asked
"I'm sure it's something like C-Sec." Janane said confidently, Grerloc groaned in annoyance, and all the humans and the Neodog laughed at her.
Reviews
PSG1JOHN chapter 19 .
Man after reading The star ship troopers book from 1959... it so different from the movie and at the same time it not. The book has place a big overhang on me when reading this story.
Ship were so huge as i thought.
Found out Mobile Infantry, it not normal ground ponders they are shock troops, they are more Star craft reapers, jumping flying 100meters at a time with flame throwers, with an exoskeleton laser guns with mini nukes. They are like Halo Spartans without the augmentation, in MJOLNIR like power armor.
Three types of Mobile Infantry...Scout, light armored exoskeleton, The Marauder is the standard unit with all the weapons armor, and the last one Command exoskeleton with more armor less weapon more command and control hardware.
The Bug's have Plasma laser gun and were beating the shit out of the federation.
Going try keep reading this story, but the books spoiled me to much.
L4: you should keep reading trust me… "book two" is going to give you a ride if you like the book more than the movie.
BloodRaven: Heinlein, while an amazing theorist, still had some things to learn about infantry combat, the destructive power of nukes, and collateral damage. Sometimes you want to take a place that hasn't been irradiated and rendered into a crater.
Lord Foul: or less than a crater. Which is why the citadel folk think they're crazy (and they aren't wrong)
OBSERVER01 chapter 19 .
great chapter. I do wonder how the council will try to retaliate at the skinnies.
L4: with much anger i assume
BloodRaven: Blindly, with gusto, and much encouragement from their human counterparts.
Lord foul: RIP TEAR KILL….. In all seriousness they will strike back rather thoroughly
Khorn Berzerker: MAIM KILL BURN! MAIM KILL BURN!
orion0905 chapter 19 .
Great chapter. A brand new front in the skinny war and maybe some Krogen aid? Looking forward to more. Also asari are fun.
Yeah, spoilers my favorite part of ME 3 was when I kill the ambastard. End spoiler
L4:... just a little harsh (i have no idea what he did in 3 so that what i say) also half way though 2 now going careful though i know disaster looms beyond the IFF. also i'm liking mass effect two more than one it just a smoother experience, and the renegade interrupts are fun to watch though i tend to only do them when it tactily sound idea, such as that guy with the gunship.
Lord Foul: from what I know of you the themes expressed in 2 are more your style anyway.
OMAC001 chapter 19 .
Can't wait to see more of the new phase to the Skinnie war!
L4: I agree so much next chapter started working faster on it
Lord foul: and by faster he means….. Well I'm kinda holding us up with issues from work. sorry.
Dinodude7 chapter 20 .
Ah there's the Hegemonies trademark arrogance getting them directly in the firing line of a civilization known to look at the complete genocide of planets as an acceptable strategy
L4: ah as long as they don't cause trouble i'm sure nothing bad will happen *whistle*
BloodRaven: To be fair to them, they had never encountered the Terrans in person before, and so they have little to know on what to expect from them.
Lord foul: on the other hand, that's exactly why they should have waited for more intel, as the humans could be the next krogan or rachni.
spyinsecret007 chapter 20 .
the necron
L4: RAVEN!
Lord Foul: [canned laughter and applause plays]
BloodRaven: Wrong again! It's a quote. But it kinda got botched. My bad :/
Fleightfire chapter 20 . 7h ago
Ah I sense the potential of a Human-Quarian alliance in the making, always love the type of stories like that in a first contact fanfic, so no need to hold me at gunpoint
L4: *hands still up* lucky you
Lord foul: aren't your arms getting tired?
BloodRaven: *Watching youtube* "EVERYONE GETS STURMGEWEHRS!"
Blackholelord chapter 20 .
I will state that I was actually worried for a bit for the Quarian/human relationship for a bit. The Batarian/human relationship I do not give an ass about, they can stay in a war state, are give the Batarians peace in a humble position after having their military crushed and force the lose of most of their colonies and all their slaves.
L4: *claps*
Lord foul: why were you worried?
chapter 20 .
Was the reference the junk ship / ork space hulk?
Great story btw, I'm looking forward to more turian/human and quarian/human interactions.
Daro'Xen would be a major boon to have here with the terrans :).
L4: hmm
BloodRaven: Nope, it's a quote. I'll give everyone a hint, its from the Space Marine Librarian.
Lord foul: here's another hint. Google it. But yes yes she would.
247 Rampant Bias chapter 18 .
I'm Axcel (I also have an account named Axccel, found its login so that works, too).
I'm eager to see the citadel species learn first-hand what fighting the bugs is like. Rip that stick out of their asses. :D I can see it now with Citadel forces replacing humans in the first movie. Except the Morita rifles are likely much more powerful or at least the penetration would be much more effective against bug resilience than the "squishing" pellets used in mas effect guns. Hmm, that makes me wonder which would be better against the bugs, the movie morita rifles or the Aliens/Predator movie's assault rifle (caseless, 10mm, semi-armor piercing high-explosive)
L4: we all are… and all i say it.. it coming and what i have planed in gloriously terrifying in horrors that shall be unleashed
Lord foul: I'm trying to make sure it's at least fair and makes sense both to the game cannon, to how the terrains influence their development and from a dramatic standpoint.
Play devil's advocate and whatnot.
BloodRaven: Uhhh, about the pulse rifle…..
Mortia 202-A Assault Rifle "FeatherWeight": The 202-A series of Morita rifles was a weapon made specifically for dealing with the bugs, but also maintains its combat effectiveness against other foes. It is significantly lighter, making use of plastic furniture instead of the all metal furniture of the 201 at the cost of mechanical reliability. It's use of caseless ammo reduces the chance of stovepiping or misfires, but it suffers from overheating when in extended use for long periods of time. Its ammo capacity is sometimes an issue as soldiers who put too many bullets in the clip find that the springs will fail to work and load the next cartridge, resulting personnel to load a few rounds less than the maximum. While bulky like its predecessor, its lighter weight makes it deceptively so, and many veterans of the war have noted such and refers to it by featherweight. It also retains its underslung rail for attaching secondary weapons like shotguns, flamers, or grenade launchers.
Morita already made one.
OMAC001 chapter 20 .
Why were the Batarians fighting over the planet? Was it Dis? Loved the scene with the Quarians! Please update soon!
L4: it was just some random planet
Lord foul: note that he didn't (directly) answer the why.
Poliamida chapter 20 .
And we have Daro'Xen! I love the girl, I have read version of her that go from 'Female Dexter' to 'Would be best pals with Fabius Bile (just before one tries to dissect the other)' so I have great hopes for her here.
Ah, yes, the Batarians, if the Alliance gave them problems I can't see them doing much against the Federation, even with the humans stretched thin.
About the reference, no, sorry, didn't get it.
Keep it up!
L4: I was encouraged to add her to this story by Blood, but I only met in mass effect recently, I got to say, I'm glad I let her in this story.
BloodRaven: Ahh, Fabius Bile, the only creature both trollish and evil enough to make female Space marines.
Lord Foul: aaah fanfiction, a haven for deep interpretation of character development powerful enough to touch the heart…. Or alternatively a load of total bullshit
anu chapter 20 .
I do enjoy reading this story it just crossed my mind the citadel races might need help updating their tech base in order to better fight a war they just entered into
L4: a new age of tech is dawning
LF: winter is coming
monkeynipplelickers chapter 20 .
Great chapter, I loved it absolutely loved your story. I was little surprised the two drunk terrains in the bar didn't mention the "fourth" Law of robotics. The robots must protect humanity as a whole over the individual. This would override the first three laws.
L4: they were very drunk
BloodRaven: Not to mention inconsistent.
Lord Foul: and in places blatantly wrong
The Sithspawn chapter 20 .
Loving this story! Especially how shocked the Feds are at having a peaceful (relatively) First Contact.
I'm enjoying how you're meshing both verses.
Can't wait to see what happens next to so please update soon please!
L4: here you go an update!
1529 chapter 17 .
Interesting story to this point, although I noticed one thing in the notes of this chapter, ME is massively outnumbered against humanity... it is ME canon that after humanity became a council member the total number of legal dreadnoughts was 35 (I did the math a few months ago for a crossover that I have been working on), so the Council would be staining to catch up, with a goal of probably doing so in decades at the very least.
Thanks for writing.
L4: terran ships are smaller comparable so right now the humans have one citadel length dreadnoughts, but no doubt as the citadel sees the horrors beyond the federation they will build up
BloodRaven: Good luck to the Council, but I severely doubt they would bother investing in more dreadnoughts. Doing my own math, I estimated the Turian fleet is around 40,000 combat ships. Why waste massive amounts of eezo when you can just build more cruisers.
Lord foul: exactly how much Eezo exists and is accessible seems intentionally vague at best and inconsistent at worst especially given how easy it is to find the amount you can unclaimed in 2, I mean who else besides me and my IRL buddies had enough to fund all their ezero projects before even getting tali.
Eezo is rare relative to other substances, certainly. But space is big.
On the other hand, because devil's advocate is my job here (that and editor :P) eezo isn't the only expensive component
Dreadnaughts are big and any dreadnaut actually worth building would have loads of high tech shit like the 16 (by the time of cannon ME2) Salarian Stealth Dreadnaughts
magnusvictor chapter 18 .
Cap'n Chryssalid (sidenote: OMG my favorite author likes this story too!) raises a good point: This is the first fic I can remember where the Humans/SA are good friends with the Hierarchy. It's amusing for me to read, since I started reading this fic immediately after finishing an XCOM/ME crossover where those two groups are pretty much xenocide-level pissed at each other.
L4: ha XCom good game, but really no one tried that hmm… well i takes a sledge hammer to cannon so it works for me.
BloodRaven: Hey, maybe this time Saren will be a recruitable party character...
Lord Foul: we're sorry you must now reboot your "human" (designated: LF)
Guest chapter 20 .
more please I really would like to read more of this story
Lord foul: you asked and we have provided (at least we have by the time you read this…. That totally counts right?)