A/N- Well, couldn't think of anything, so Bioshocker, I'm using your suggestion that you put in the comment section for the ship name. I liked the idea and I probably should have consulted you, but what's done be done.
And shoot! Forgot about CID's body! Went back and edited so the people at the shipyard are building that too. Sorry, but I lost track.
Saint crew lay low for a month while the ship, CID's body, and Kinzie's device gets built while Aaron gets stranded with Cerberus. What will he do to them?
MASS MISCALCULATION
Episode 20- A message
At the remains of the collector base, only one of the Cerberus frigates remained. Aaron had destroyed the other one, while the remaining desperately tried to leave. The crew hoped to try and warn the Illusive Man, hell, the rest of the galaxy. Aaron was not dead, and he was much more powerful than they had been told.
However their hoped were dashed when he teleported inside the cockpit. The pilot couldn't even scream as Aaron cut him in half, before slicing and destroying the entire flight controls, rendering the ship unable to move. Unfortunately some Cerberus nut decided to put the light controls there too, so while the ship still had power, the lights winked out.
The entire crew were dead in the water, trapped with Aaron.
Illium- Crib
"Okay, so after much controversy, I decided to tap into my powers of being a former president and make it democratic, so everyone write your name and the name you want for the ship on a thing of paper and put it in here" Boss instructed, holding a purple bucket out.
There had been many arguments on what to call the ship the engineers at the shipping dockyard were making. Everyone wanted it called something, so after awhile of arguing Boss settled it with this method of choosing.
"Wouldn't democratic being you coming up with a bunch of names and us voting on them?" Ben asked.
"As my former cabinet I'm sure you will respect the wisdom of my choice"
"Where did you even find paper in this day and age anyways?" Ouro asked. The concept of paper confused him, as he never had to use it, just holographic screens.
"Aaron had a bunch stashed in a closet for some reason. Now hurry up" the Saints complied and put their suggestions in the bucket. Boss shook the bucket, and reached in, grabbing a slip and reading it, then frowning.
"…Pierce we are NOT naming the ship the Raptor" Boss scolded, shaking his head at Pierce.
"What, why not!? It's original and fresh, not to mention jazzy!"
"Pierce I know it's your lifelong dream to ride a raptor and you almost killed the director when he didn't put raptors in the movie and just killed you but what was I supposed to do?"
"Pop him, that's what!"
"Hey, he was a major improvement from the last guy who almost killed me, I didn't want the next guy to be ask crazy. Okay, next one!" He pulled a slip out. "Okay, just to be clear, all in favor of calling it the Warrior's Fist?"
"Nay" everyone chanted, Grunt sighing while Gat patted him on the back.
"Okay, this one for real" he pulled the slip out and smiled. "Hm, I like it. Original and simple yet definitive and complex at the same time while appealing to the sense of equinity in the gang symbol"
"The fuck does that mean?" Jack asked.
"Means I like it and we're calling it this" he showed the slip to the gang and they all rolled their eyes when they saw it.
"Sure, why not" Shaundie sighed. "Who's the brainiac that came up with that?"
"Hey. I think it's cool" Morinth argued.
All eyes darted to her. "Wait, you suggested that?" Boss asked.
"Sure, why not? What else are we supposed to call it?"
"Hey, good job. Okay then! From now on, the ship that we're going to get in a month shall be called…"
Collector base- disabled frigate- five days later
It was everyone for themselves onboard the Sevastopol, the stranded Cerberus frigate Aaron had shut down. In one of the cabins a nervous crewmember typed nervously at a terminal, looking over his shoulder from time to time.
Speaking into a recording, he said, "This is, uh, Christopher Samuels recording, in case… in case anyone finds this. God I hope someone finds us…"
"It's been, um, five days since we got here. They told us it was routine, a salvage op… then he showed up. We had to watch as he cut apart anyone in his way, then he tore apart the other frigate. I don't know how, I fainted when I saw him burning a group of soldier alive in some kind of black fire. I woke up and the frigate was in pieces. That's when the lights went out"
"It's Aaron, that… that maniac everyone thought was dead. Well, good news, good fucking news! He ain't dead, and he is pissed at us for some reason!…Sorry, I lose my temper when stressed"
"From what I know he somehow got to the cockpit. First place, first place he went was there as we were trying to pull out. Killed the pilot and destroyed the flight controls. Now we're dead in the water and the lights are out. All the other systems work at least, so we won't run out of air. We will run out of food and water though… if we live that long"
"They said that he somehow got to engineering next. I have no clue how, some say he uses the vents, others say he can freakin' teleport, I haven't seen him, not in person at least, so I don't know. What he did in engineering is what's confusing, he just started wailing on some guy, beating him to death, splattering him everywhere. I didn't believe them so I went through the camera recordings and saw for myself. Weird thing is everyone that didn't run the heck out, he just… walked slowly towards them. Like he was taunting them. Only three were left, shooting him with pistols. He cut them apart with that weird sword. Then he looked at each camera in engineering and just…smiled at them, before cutting them in half. So now we have no cameras in there. I think it's because he uses that place as a dwelling of sorts, no-one ever goes there and come's back. Creepy it what it is, so now we can't solve the flight problem"
"When everyone tried to get out through the airlock or some other opening to the ship, it didn't work. Somehow he got to every opening and welded them shut, even took the time to force all the metal shutters on the windows down and weld those to. So no exit, no light except flashlights"
"Everyone's in a panic, and immediately groups were formed. The captain and the soldiers are bunkered down up in the captain's quarters fending for themselves, all the other crew members formed a bunch of different groups on there own, and it's impossible to tell which group will help you, which will ignore you, or which will just shoot you in the dang face. So it's just me, Ricardo, Axel, and Kuhlman, the guy from the med bay, hunkered down in this one cabin, surviving like eveyone else"
"He's hunting us, in the dark. I don't know why. I just here him humming some dumb rap song whenever he walks past, and that happened…Axel, how many-"
"Twice!" Someone outside the camera's view yelled.
"Two times, thanks. Ricardo had a good idea and left the door unlocked. Sounds stupid, but it worked, he must've thought no-one was in otherwise the door would have been locked. In the second day he pried open a few locked doors, dragged people out kicking and screaming. Guess he took them down to engineering. Poor bastards…anyways a group saw our trick and copied it, and word spread around, now everyone leaves the doors either unlocked or locked, so he can't tell if anyone's in there or not. He just stalks the halls now"
"I think he was lost when he came by us that couple of times, actually. He doesn't know the layout of the ship, and it's one of those boxy frigates that are borderline cruiser size, not one of the small and sleek ones, this thing was designed to be cramped and compact, so there's lots of halls and rooms, not many big rooms, mostly just in the intersection area, cargo hold, rec room…but he mainly stays in the halls. Maybe. We don't get out much, only to get food"
"Hey, Sam, we're gonna go get food, get off that thing and come on" someone said.
"Alright, alright. Hopefully I make it back, this is Samuels, sighing off.
Crib- day 5
"Yo okay, so lay it down for me homie. What's the deal with the gangs here?" Boss questioned. Kinzie hummed as she typed away at multiple terminals, camera surveillance being viewed throughout the city.
"Mostly nil" she answered. "Just some part time thug groups here and there, Eclipse is the only one with serious influence, run by a…Asari named Jona Sederis. Take them down and the others will follow. You really want to take this planet over?" Boss had opted for a foothold for the Saints, so he wanted a 'planet of command', seeing as the galaxy was full of them. He wanted the center of the Saints to be Illium.
Boss nodded. "Yeah, might as well. Big city, big opportunity. Plus that Eclipse gang deserves to be taken down, have you seen there color scheme? Dark green-brown and black mixed with yellow lights. Ugh, worst color combo ever"
"Yeah, 'cause, purple…woo hoo, so imaginative" Kinzie deadpanned.
"Hey, what's wrong with purple?" Boss snapped.
"Nothing, I'm just saying. It's one color"
"Eh, it's worked so far" Boss shrugged, heading to the lounge area of the penthouse, where the Saints were hanging. The ex-Normandy crew had been let in on the secret of being from another dimension, at least those that didn't already know. They took it surprisingly well and now they trusted eachother with their lives, although often they asked a lot of questions about their old dimension. Boss assured them they would be able to see it as soon as the machine was built and they got the brain. At least, they would see the parts that weren't blown up. They felt pity for Boss and the rest, having to know Earth was blown up, but they shrugged it off. They coped long ago.
Stepping in front of his Saints, Boss raised his hands. "Okay, guys, if we want a foothold here we need Eclipse out of the picture, but we can't just kill the leader, you know how it goes, 'nother will rise up and all that. So we do this territory style, messing up every one of their operations everywhere, slowly taking the city for ourselves until the whole damn map is purple"
"What map?" Everyone asked.
"Nevermind the map, after it's purple, then we take Jona. But before we all do that, we're going cloths shopping"
"What's wrong with our cloths? I think my armor works just fine" Zaeed protested. He never got out of that ugly armor. Boss had at least managed to convince him to change the color from rusty orange to purple, but even then it still looked ugly.
"No, I mean for me and the Saints from another dimension. The only cloths we had when we left were these blue zin jumpsuits that were on the ship, and to be honest they're getting rank"
Other-dimension Saints nodded in understanding. "Well, I've been looking around, and I have just the perfect place for that!" Matt announced. "Plus it's next to a comic store"
"Matt…"
"I know, I know, but I just want to compare universes comics. And see human future comics. And see if they wrote about Nyteblade"
"Matt!"
"Boss, c'mon! Remember you gave me all the rights to him so if they didn't we could actually make the comic series and movie and toys and everything! A side business to raise more money if you will"
"Well, when you put it like that…" Boss rubbed his chin. "Alright, but can you draw?"
"Please, I've seen every director's cut extended edition tutorial on how to draw him, it'll be a piece of cake, especially since I saw everything right up until Earth got blown up. I owned a book that detailed on how to draw him and his mighty image"
"…Okaaaay, let's a, let-let's go to the cloths store, Matt, you can go to the comic store first since you're creeping me the fuck out"
"Yes!" Matt hissed, racing towards the garage, the other Saints in tow.
Sevastopol- day 10
In the same cabin as the last recording, Samuel once again sat down again to make another video log.
"Christopher here again, uh…damn, ten days here, and we're still alive. We hit a break on day nine. No, break's not the right word. More like slaughter"
"We were out scrounging for supplies when we found ourselves on a balcony. Below us was a group of maybe, ten, twelve men and woman. Then that thing, that demon, he just…cut a metal door to pieces, and teleported in the middle of the group, cutting them up with his sword. Apparently the rumors he could teleport are true. Strange thing is, when there was one guy left, he just sort of…teleport right behind him, although it looked different, I saw a slight blur. Maybe he can run so fast a normal eye can't keep up? In that case, how could someone outrun him? I'm pretty sure he can, because the last member had his head just fly off right into a wall, made a divot, still in there probably…guy must've punched him, the speed and momentum alone from a punch like that would've done the job, and there's no telling how strong he is"
"After he killed them, we hid. I don't think he saw us because he left after that. We must have been in that closet for an hour, sweating from the tension. We got out eventually and raided the groups supplies, and they had a lot"
"Axel's talking about raiding the captain's cabin, soldier boys up there sure do have a lot of food. We scavenged three pistols and a shotgun from the corpses, so we're armed, but I don't think it'll matter, we're not soldiers and they likely have machine guns or something"
"I don't know, I'll try to talk him out of it. Doesn't seem that good a plan. Sam out"
Illium- day 10
For days now the Saints had been going everywhere on Illium, taking out the Eclipse's operations, everything from small-time drug deals to arms warehouses to entire buildings full of them, slowly taking the city over. Slowly the small-time gangs noticed them, and Boss reached out to them; most were kids with no home and didn't own anything, or people trying to get money by any means to feed a family. He offered them to join the Saints, to join the gang, and they agreed. Mind you, most were just nameless gang members you'd see walking the street and keeping the peace. They had their own cribs and everything, and got paid well by Boss, enough to get decent weapons and armor, and when Boss had made a couple of orders to raid some Eclipse stockades, they had succeeded.
Not that every small gang Boss encountered was a gang forged from desperation. Two or three were just gangs because they though it made them look cool. Boss had killed them immediately when a member spit on his shoes. Than Boss had strangled him with his own shoelaces. Let's just say Boss had encountered many idiots like that in his old universe, 'gangs' that were really rich kids trying to look cool.
Then there was the security force on Illium. They had been a problem, having had many shootouts with Boss, who had single-handedly taken out many Eclipse operations. Eventually their attention to the Saints dwindled more and more as they grew in power in just days. Now if they saw someone in purple they avoided them altogether.
The summary was, Boss had taken control of Illium from Eclipse, and now had a small army. Only thing left was Jona.
And she was pissed.
Inside of a large skyscraper in a circular office full guards, a window taking up one of the entire walls overlooking Illium, Jona was pacing furiously, the biotic twitching spastically. "How!?" She screeched at a salarian member. "How can a group of nobodies take over my entire operation in under a week!? They're humans, weaklings who don't have the lifespan to matter! They're weak, useless, worthless meat…and yet you all fail to stop even one of them!"
"I-I-I-I'm sorry, mistress-" the salarian tried to say, but Jona had biotically thrown him into a wall, crushing him to death.
"Useless, all of you! Someone wipe this shit-stain from my wall and find out who's been causing so much trouble for me! I want his head on a pike, you hear me! I want either sex slaves or target practice out of the rest of them!" She raised her fist to the sky, screaming, "BRING ME THEIR BOSS!"
"Ma'am, look out!" A human shouted, pushing her to the ground as a purple Kodiak with fleurs on it crashed through the large window, splattering him as it hit a wall. The ramp to the Kodiak opened, multiple figures piling out.
"Damn, that hurt!" Shouted Pierce, now wearing his white suit with purple undershirt and white fedora.
"Tell me about it" groaned Shaundie, sporting a black leather suit.
"Hey, I wasn't drivin'" defended Gat, sporting his white and purple coat with the collar up, jeans, and white shoes with purple shoe laces, his blue, rectangular sunglasses on.
"Amen…" agreed Ben, wearing a open-vest dark-yellow outfit with a bright yellow scarf and round glasses.
"Yep, going with them" replied Kinzie, a plain blue outfit on with regular glasses.
"For once I agree with her" Matt added, his being the most strange outfit of all, a black outfit with a blue glowing trim, the wrist area on his black coat being merged with a omni-tool, a glowing blue display on the wrist.
"I've had worse" shrugged Keith David, wearing a plain dark-grey suit with purple trimmings.
"You know what, your all critics. I got you here didn't I? Jeez, no respect these days…" uttered Boss, stepping out in purple shoes with blue shoelaces, blue jeans, a purple business blazer opened with a blue t-shirt underneath, with his old pair of purple sunglasses with blue arms and trim on, like always.
Jona growled as she stomped in front of them, fifty Eclipse soldiers aiming their guns at the group. "So, you are the insignificant maggots that have been meddling with my mercenary's. Tell me, which one of you would be the leader?"
"Yo, over here, bitch" Boss called, raising his two zin pistols. The other Saints followed suit by raisin their alien rifles, save for Gat, who just pulled his two signature knives out.
"Before I eviscerate your pathetic little group and fuck you and the girls to death, I want to know why you thought it would be a good idea to FUCK with me" Jona demanded, biotics glowing around her.
Boss started pacing back and forth, keeping one pistols trained on her while the other was down. "Well, you see, I'm a prosperous dude with big ambitions for his gang. Thang is, you Eclipse are in the way. 'But Boss, why not just kill the stupid bitch and get it over with?'" he asked in a mocking tone. He continued, "weell, someone would have taken your place, right? So why not humiliate you and bring the gang down before killing you, that way no-one can take your place? Huh, smart huh?"
"There's other places in the galaxy home to Eclipse!" Jona screamed, throwing a desk out the shattered window. "Others will rise and take my place!"
"After they find out I killed off their main forces and their dumb-ass leader? Not to mention a more kick-ass gang took it's place? Nah nah nah, I dun think so, bitch. So all that's left between me and securing my major foothold on Illium is-"
"Ugh, is this going to be a regular thing?" a voice sounded from inside the ship. Out stumbled a blue drell, wearing a coat not unlike Thane or his son wore, only the rim was purple instead of black or blue.
"Grejan, really man" Boss deadpanned, dropping his arms.
The now-named Grejan bowed. "Apologies" he muttered. During the taking over of the Eclipse, the Saints needed a enforcer with enough skills to take out warehouses full of Eclipse single-handedly. The gnag footsoldiers they had now were good, but they were just that, footsoldiers. They also needed this person for assassination missions, someone who could move around easily and was efficient at assassination. They needed someone special and unique, and all the other Saints were busy enough with Eclipse. In short they needed a little help.
Kinzie had pointed to the drell, some drell were especially trained by hanar to be the ultimate assassins. Boss had doubts, wondering how jellyfish could train assassins. Kinzie had brought up two points- one, they move much faster in water. And two, Thane had been one such assassin, one that Aaron had particular respect for regarding his skill, and had worked with him on several occasions. They had messaged him and asked if he wanted to join them, but his Kepral's syndrome disallowed him to do so. But he had pointed them to a acquaintance of his, a fellow assassin, one's who skills were as good if not better than Thane's, Thane having great respect for him. So that lead to Grejan Jutos, the assassin who the Saints had asked for, who readily agreed, and when asked why, simply stated, "it feels right working with you. You all seem like you'll be important in the coming days. I wish to be a part of it" and thus, he was introduced into the gang, and soon into the 'inner circle', or Boss and his friends along with the ex-Normandy Saints after showing his impressive skills. (A/N- Thank you BioshockerN7!)
"It's fine, it's fine, just get used to being jarred, happens way too many times around us" Boss turned back to Jona. "Where was I? Something about you being between something?" Boss scratched his head and frowned, but then shook his head. "Aaahhh fuck it. Waste 'em"
"Destroy them!" Ordered Jona, her biotics and a few other asari's alighting as the other mercs opened fire.
The Saints took cover, Boss tossing a circular device at the ground, the sphere exploding and filling the room with smoke.
The mercs coughed and waited until the smoke cleared, but were shocked to see their main weapons were malfunctioning. They glanced at Kinzie and Matt, who had purple omni-tools raised.
"Cyberpunked~" Matt sang.
"Yo, new guy, show 'em what ya got" Boss ordered.
Grejan nodded, getting two vindicator rifles out, burst-killing a handful of mercs when one tried to knife him from behind. Boss caught the hand and headbutted the merce, shooting him in the face and tossing Grejan the knife, who charged it with biotic energy and flung it into the face of a asari merc, killing her.
Another asari tried to warp the drell, only for him to side-step it and redirect it into her face.
"Lot of face hurt goin' on!" Pierce yelled over battle, a human female trying to flip the table he was standing on, only for Gat to knife her in the back and throw her to the ground, stomping her head in.
Pierce jumped off the table, tossing a grenade at the same time while Gat kicked the table at Grejan, shouting "here!"
Grejan caught the table with his foot and upturned it to it's side, suing it as a shield as he killed more mercs with his rifle until the clips popped out, he hopped to the top of the table, spinning on his hands as omni-tools appeared on his feet, knives flinging out as he kicked in every direction, stabbing and killing six mercs. He jumped down on another one and snapped her neck, taking her two pistols and firing at more while still on top of her.
Jona screamed in rage and attempted a biotic charge, but Boss leapt off the back of a merc and pile drived her before she touched Grejan, sending her into a wall. She got up and hissed through her teeth, commencing a biotic pull, but Boss countered by running towards her full force and jumping up while embracing the pull, the force he ran at and the biotic propelling him right into her as he kicked Jona in the jaw. She stumbled in pain and tried to throw a warp, but he blocked the arm, the warp going over Boss's head. It turned around and tried to hit him again, but he tilted his head to the side, the warp hitting Jona and bringing her barrier down. Boss punched her in the face multiple times, knocking a few teeth out and causing her to see stars as purple blood flowed from her mouth and nose.
Not done, Boss threw her over his shoulder and slammed her on the floor, stomping her in the stomach a few times before straddling her and punching her some more with alternating fists. After about twenty punched he grabbed her by the collar and dragged her to the window, Jona watching in horror as the rest of the mercs were finished off by the Saints.
"You…your monsters…all of you…" she groaned in pain.
"Meh, don't act like you didn't do the same to people. You threatened to fuck me, I mean, what the hell? Not to mention these fine girls" Kinzie and Shaundie punched him once on each shoulder. "Ouch. Anyway, just destroyed Eclipse, anyone rises to take your place, well…hopefully this'll provide a message" he clamped a gray, square pack to her face, a red dot beeping.
"What is this!?" Jona demanded, her voice muffled.
Boss held up a small bottle. "C-4 and some supah glue. Bye-bye, Jona" Boss said darkly, throwing her out the building window.
Jona screamed as her body fell and fell, but was cut off when the explosives on her face blew, destroying her upper body. Whatever was left was battered by multiple skycars as it fell to the ground.
The rest of the Saints gathered by the window. "Well that was way too easy" Gat complied.
"Yeah, bitch couldn't take a punch" Boss agreed, turning to Grejan. "As for you! Well, pretty cool job dude, nice touch with the foot knives, give you a eight for style on the Boss-o-meter. So, welcome to the inner crew" he shook hands with Grejan.
"Thank you" Grejan said. "As I've said, it feels right working with you. I look forwards to the future under your employ"
"So…we have officially owned Illiun's crime syndicates and now own it. What now?" Pierce asked. It was the main question everyone had.
"Now…" Boss looked out the window. "…I dunno, kill time until the you-know-what's are built. So, where you guys wanna go? Bare, restaurant? Bowling, what you guys wanna do?" Everyone groaned, face-palming.
"Darts? Anyone up for darts? We can tie Pierce to a giant spinning wheel, see where that takes us. He might get stabbed, but we have this wonder goo that seal wound's like that up really fast. How about pool?"
Sevastopol- day 15
Samuels sat in front of his usual spot, recording. "I don't know where to begin" he sighed, "we finally worked up the nerve to go up to the captain's cabin last night. But, when we got there, everybody was dead. Cut apart. Nobody was in one piece, especially the captain, all we found of his was half a name tag"
"So, we were going back, and we started hearing screams for help. Axel wanted to ignore it, but we put it to a vote and decided to see what it was. We saw a woman…she was missing her limbs and strung up with chains. We saw two men we didn't know investigate, and while one's back was turned, a hand reached up from a vent above and grabbed one, pulling him into the vent"
"He started screaming and the other man turned around, a bloody carcass falling down from the vent. Then Aaron had hopped down behind the last one and cut his feet off. Last we saw of them was Aaron dragging the screaming man off to engineering. I put the woman out of her misery"
"On the way back Axel got shot in the shoulder by another group, but the doc managed to fix that right up. Nothing else eventful happened"
"…I've been thinking, maybe the people he drags off are still alive. I want to try and go to the engineering block, and Ricardo wants to go to. When we have the opportunity, we're sneaking out. Hopefully we can save those men and women"
"Christopher, out"
Shipping yard that asks no questions- day 15
At the shipping yard building the Saint's items, business had been booming. Ever since they took Eclipse out they weren't getting goons of theirs coming to smuggle money off of them, and more of the civilized criminals were coming to do business, and even some honest folk who didn't have the money to afford a legal car job, as the shipping yard did work better and cheaper.
In short, life was good for them.
Of course, they sometimes got some two-bit criminals sometimes tried to muscle their way in, though most of the engineers there could actually defend themselves.
One such engineer was Robert Lornis, a 6"1' tall Caucasian man with dark brown hair and cobalt eyes, sporting a well-muscled frame. Robert had a…complicated past, one which he didn't like to share with others, except to close friends. Although these days those were rare to find. At the workplace he didn't have any such friends, just collogues, so he had just said he was in in for the money when he had given them his resume', not wanting to say the details of his past.
So here he was, clocking overtime. He didn't particularly like this job, but he didn't hate it either. Pay and people were decent, he just found it…boring. Secretly he still wanted back at the people that put him here, but he couldn't ever find him, and even if he did, well…too much red tape.
So here he was. In truth, he could leave if he ever wanted to, he had the money, but the job here was too good to lose, he didn't want to abandon a perfectly good job and struggle to find another. Currently he was working overtime for the three orders those purple people put in. From what he heard they were the same gang that took out Eclipse. He had to admit he was impressed about that one, they were a tough enough gang as it was, couldn't have been easy. Concerning their orders, they wanted it done in record time, and had paid a hefty price, so most of the workers were in overtime, including him since he was one of the most qualified in the field of ship engineering. In truth, they had gotten a bit overzealous with the speed, so now the orders would be complete if they continued at an ordinary pace, but at least they would get a large bonus. But he was putting a bit more overtime in for the money.
At least until he looked out the window to see twenty stranger file in the docking bay, assault rifles in hand. Robert sighed, this wouldn't be the first time some gangster punks tried to rob the place, it was notorious in the underground world. Opening a cabinet, he procured his weapons, taking out a carnifex pistol, a tempest submachine gun, and a stiletto pistol. Some had made fun of him for carrying around sucj an antique, but this one was special. Getting up, he left the workspace, heading for the docking bay.
Ship engineering wasn't the only engineering he was proficient in. (Thank ya Omega Wing!)
"Goddamnit, where the hell is everyone! You said they would be here!" One of the thugs yelled, leveling a pistol at the head of another.
"Get that fuckin' thing out of my fucking face, how am I supposed to know the work hours? I ain't psychic" the other thug defended.
"Okay, just, just let me think! Everyone, spread out! See if you can find someone, or a loose credit chit. Something, I don't care" the supposed leader ordered, the thugs spreading out. Two stayed behind, standing side by side. This proved to be a disadvantage when a orange combat drone spawned behind them, shocking them both and causing them to spasm on the ground. Robert came and shot them both in the head. He glanced around to where the other eighteen had gone.
He had a lot of work to do.
Five minutes later
The leader of the thugs was panicking as he and four others huddled around in a circle. One by one the other thugs comms had gone offline, their bodies being found, shot to death. Someone walked out from behind one of the crates, aiming a carnifex pistol at them.
"Who the hell are you!" The leader asked, him and the other four aiming their weapons at him.
"I very annoyed engineer, for starters" Robert answered. "You know how many times we get people like you coming over here? How many times I have to take care of you people? Gets old after awhile" with that, he flash-forged a combat turret, the automatic gun plopping down on the ground. The thugs attempted to shoot Robert, but a large, blue, holographic shield deployed from the turret, protecting Lornis as the turret gunned two thugs down, the rest taking cover. One felt brave and popped out of cover and attempted to shoot the engineer, but his shields were overloaded, before an incinerate melted him. Another tried to sneak up on Robert, but he turned around and activated his omni-tool, a prong-like construct forming, which he fitted in the thug's neck, electrocuting him.
The last one, the leader, attempted to run away, but Robert shot him in the foot, downing him.
The leader tried to crawl away, but it proved futile when the engineer placed a foot on his back and aimed his tempest at his head, mercilessly firing and obliterating his head.
The deed done, Robert opened his omni-tool and used it to contact someone. "Yeah, it happened again. Yeah, I took care of it. Look, you could at least pay me a little extra for every time this happens- I understand, sure. I'll file a report, bye. Prick…" he turned the omni-tool off and sighed. "…I need my damn coffee" with that, he walked off, sulking slightly.
Boss wasn't doing much today, so he decided to get a progress update on the machines being built. As he walked with the foreman of the shipping yard, he saw a glum looking man being berated by a lesser foreman.
"Hey, who's that guy?" Boss asked, interrupting the main foreman's progress report on Boss's orders.
"Oh, him?" Foreman asked, "he's one of the engineers that works here, Robert. Lornis. The place was attacked by a bunch of thugs last night and he killed them"
"So the guy saves your business, and your…yelling at him" Boss summed up, crossing his arms.
"Look, this is a place of cooperation. People can be cooperated with. And that's impossible to do when they're dead!"
"Dude, the guy saved your business. You know what, stay here a minute" the foreman tried to protest, but Boss moved onwards regardless.
While the lower foreman was yelling at Robert, who was drinking a cup of coffee with a uncaring look on his face, Boss stepped behind the lesser foreman, shoving him aside. "Beat it" Boss demanded.
He was about to protest, but he saw who Boss was from the cloths and immediately scampered off. Boss sat in a chair backwards and faced Robert.
"So! Robert, was it?"
"Yeah, who wants to know?" Robert asked, setting the cup down.
"Only the leader of the Saints" Boss introduced, widening his arms out.
"Oh. Hey, you're the guy that filled out those huge orders. I worked on the drive core calculations and calibrations for that ship, you know. Pretty advanced, how'd you get those designs anyways?"
"Stole 'em"
"'Course you did. So, what do want with me?"
"Tell me Robert, do you feel happy here?"
Robert rubbed his chin. "To tell you the truth…It's one of those jobs you don't like or hate. I just do it because I needed the money"
"You make space ships, how hard is it to find a job?"
"I have a very…sordid past. I don't really talk about it much. What do want with me, anyways?" Robert asked, going back to his original question.
"Your familiar with my gang, right?"
"Yes"
"So, I have this inner circle, but need one more spot. Preferably for an engineer"
Robert raised his eyebrows. "Why me of all people?"
Boss shrugged. "Dunno, but I have a eye for talent. And you have a talent aura about you, kinda just whisping everywhere. You ever in the military?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"Jus' wonderin' if you had skillz, homes. Jus' wonderin'" Boss looked over his shoulder and leaned in closer to Robert. "What if I were to say that I wanted to offer you a…employment option?"
"What are you saying?" Robert asked, raising his eyebrows.
"Gonna be honest here" Boss shrugged his shoulder. "The main smart person of the group, Kinzie…you want her to hack something, she can, but she's no spaceship engineer. Getting what I'm saying?"
"You need a engineer for that ship" Robert guessed. "But why me?"
"Rob, you know how hard it is to find a good engineer that can fend for himself these days?" Robert was about to answer, but Boss held a finger up. "One not affiliated with any military or in a gang" Boss corrected.
"I see your point" Robert nodded, "but isn't there someone more qualified?"
"Probably, but your right here and you can handle yourself. Plus we can pay you whatevs you want"
"Wait, this is a 'name my price deal'?" A hopeful Robert questioned, tilting his head.
"Hey, our funds were huge before we took Illium over, we got more money than we know what to do with. Plus we ain't no mercs, we're a 'sophisticated street gang with high qualifications' blah blah blah you in?"
Robert rubbed his chin before sighing. "Any price?"
"Yeah"
"All the coffee I want?"
"Uh…sure? Weird request, but sure"
"…And if I wanted someone dead?"
"Whoa whoa whoa dude, maybe if you build the rep and trust up with us, but until then you're just a really good engineer who can handle himself in a fight. Who you want dead?"
"Doesn't matter, I'm in"
"Wait, what!?" Boss turned around and saw the foreman run up to them. "Robert, you can't leave! We had a contract!"
"A contract which states I can wave a fee to buy myself out" he waved his omni-tool. "Which I just did"
"But you're the best person that protects this place!" Foreman argued.
"Not my problem. Want the place protected more, hire some guards. I'm done" Robert got up and walked away, Boss leaning over to the foreman.
"I got some Saints if you wanna hire them. They ain't cheap though, homes" foreman grumbled before waving his omni-tool.
Boss smiled. "Thanks, man. Really 'preciate that. I'll send six guys over to look after the place" with that, Boss walked off with the Saints brand new engineer.
Sevastopol- day 20
Chris followed his regular routine of recording a video log. However, this time he looked distraut. In the backround someone was screaming, pounding on the door, however the sounds were muffled by the sound-proof room.
"Dear God, uh…Christopher here. Lord, why…"
"We, me and Ricardo, uh, we…we snuck to engineering. It wasn't pretty. This guy, Aaron, just mutilates anyone he drags there and write Cerberus hate messages…in their blood. I don't know what they did to him, but they must have really peeved him off"
"Then…he came back. We were running away, I wasn't even looking back. We were halfway to the cabin when Ricardo started screaming and I turned around. Aaron was gone but Ricardo, the poor guy…he got his right arm sliced right off. I couldn't even find the thing"
"So I dragged his back to the cabin, doc wanted to fix him, but Axel didn't let him. Said 'a man with one arm' couldn't help us. So he locked him out the cabin"
"Please, don't do this to me! Let me in, I'll do anything!" A voice pleaded from the other side. Suddenly he started screaming hysterically and pounded at a more rapid pace. "God he's right there! He's walking right towards me, let me in dammit! Let me-" a black and blue blade pierced the door, blood sizzling off the edge. It pulled out as the sounds of dragging were heard, Aaron carrying the body away.
Samuels looked gravely back at the camera. "…We're all going to die here, aren't we?"
Illium- day 20
"So, guys, what now?" Boss asked. He and the rest of the Saints, along with the two new additions, were seated around a long table in the penthouse.
"Well, we already took over Illium. Only problem is the police force here, they're still causing some problems" Kinzie explained.
"Huh. Yo Pierce, Gat, let's take a small trip. I want to pay these asshats a visit"
thirty minutes later
The main police force on Illium mostly comprised of Asari, with it being so close to their space. So naturally it was expected that the force would be filled by a lot of purple and blue chicks.
However, their skill, begged to differ at the sight of a trail of corpses littering the hallway leading to the office of the chief of the force on Illium…who naturally was an asari.
"Monsters. Your not even human. You Saints are all monsters" she spat as Boss sat at the edge of her desk, Pierce leaning against a wall while Gat twirled a knife.
"Hey, the Saints have been helping a lot here. Indentured servitude? Say goodbye to that, that shit's over with. All the loophole-less contracts binding people here? Gone. Eclipse? Nadda. Way I see it we're helping out here" Boss defended, leveling a zin pistol at her head.
"All you aliens are the same" she muttered. "Thinking immediate results prove your methods are better. Our methods were planned to eventually be a success! But it would take time!"
"Oh boo-fucking-hoo! That's the one think I hate about you gals, your 'long-term plans'. I listened to what that asari councilor said on the news yesterday, 'in a few hundred years this new garden world will be free of the dust from the meteor debris and ripe for colonization'. Yeah, perfect you guys since you can wait that long. Rest of the species? Nah, everyone alive for that announcement'll be dead while you guys'll be finding a loophole to take it for yourselves. Face it, ya'll are hypocrites. Praise the words of Kinzie!" Boss said in a joking manner, raising his arms up before leveling the pistol back on her. "Seriously though, either the police force stands down and stops harassing us or I pop you and order my Saints to wipe 'em out. Most are corrupt anyways, so no-one'll miss 'em. Either way, win/win for me"
"Your all despicable, thinking your biased opinions will solve anything. You all don't know anything, you damn dirty apes!"
"Meh, your just jealous our bitches are hotter" Boss shot her in the forehead, her body slumping as smoke steamed from the hole. Boss turned to Pierce. "Yo, radio Kinzie, tell her the police force is toast. Either they join us, leave this planet, quit being cops, or they dead"
Sevastopol- day 25
A fuming Samuels tossed the terminal aside, before he righted it back up and pressed record. The room was empty. "Samuels, and fuck it, why do I even record this anymore. Kuhlman shot himself out of grief for what happened to Ricardo. Axel flipped out and stormed out with a shotgun, shouting for Aaron to show his face. I think I can assume what happened from the screams"
"…Screw it all. I'm going to scavenge some more supplies. Then I'm getting off this tub. First I gotta pay a visit to engineering…"
Illium- day 25
"So, the asari councilor wants to talk with you" Matt explained. He, Boss, and Kinzie were in Kinzie's 'inner sanctum'…which happened to be a broom closet full of technical stuff. Also it was cramped, which Boss didn't like.
"Tell her, to fuck off. I don't care what she say, what, she gonna send a asari fleet here?"
"Pretty much, yeah" Kinzie said.
Boss sweatdropped. "Oh. Nevermind, open a channel then!"
"Wait!" Kinzie put a hand on his shoulder. "I got an encrypted message. It's from that hacker that helped us, it somehow knew and wanted you to read the file. I read it and you are definitely gonna want to read it"
"Binary?" Boss asked. Ah yes, the Illusive hacker who had helped them escape from that colony. Once the Saints were set up the Saints hackers tried to find some shred of evidence on who it was, but they turned up nothing. He or she was a master hacker. Kinzie didn't want to admit it, but he was better than her. This alone had sent her into a spiraling rage, she spent a lot of time trying to find the hack. He just always sent her taunting messages though.
"Yeah, that one" Kinzie huffed. "Here, read the damn thing"
Boss nodded and went over to one of the terminals, a message written in blue on a black backround displaying, a cache of date under the message.
'|-|3y, /\/\3 4g4i/\/! J|_|5t 50 y0|_| |/\/0\/\/, I'\/3 833/\/ |=0110\/\/I/\/g y0|_| g|_|y5 |=0r 4\/\/|-|i13 /\/0\/\/. I |/\/0\/\/ 480|_|t t|-|3 454ri, 50 |-|3r3'5 50/\/\3 \/\/4r-I/\/d|_|(I/\/g 3\/I|)3/\/(3. 833/\/ 54\/I/\/g it. 8|_|t y0|_| 0\/\/3 /\/\3 |=0r t|-|i5 0/\/3. I (411 4 |=4\/0r I/\/, y0|_| |)0 it. 0t|-|3r\/\/i53 I |)r4i/\/ t|-|3 54i/\/t'5 84/\/| (r3|)5. 4/\/|) y34|-|, /\/0 81|_||=|=, I (4/\/ |)0 t|-|4t. 50rry, r3411y 4/\/\, 8|_|t t|-|3r3'5 /\/0 0t|-|3r \/\/4y. :|'
"Fucker…" Boss muttered. "Why does it seem like he wants to help us but doesn't trust us?"
"I dunno, but whoever it is be pissing me off. What's on the data he sent?"
Boss skimmed over it, his eyes widening more and more as he read. "Right, so, get her on. I can this"
Boss was now standing in a large, empty room, alone, a large holographic monitor came on, the purple face of the asari councilor, Tevos, came on.
"So, you're the big-wig asari cheese threatening to bomb my home!" Boss shouted, pointing dramatically to the screen before his arms plopped to his side. "What the hell woman"
"You must be the leader of the new gang that his arisen, I assume?" Tevos asked.
"Nah, I'm the messenger boy. The fuck you think I am?"
Tevos sighed, holding the bridge of her nose. She had expected him to be this difficult. "It has come to the council's awareness that you and your 'gang' have occupied Illium, taking control of it and marshalling it off as 'property of the Saints'. This is unacceptable in accordance with council rules"
"Pffft, I don't follow your government" Boss brushed off.
Tevos scowled. "Upon further review, it has come to light that you hold advanced weaponry, and with footage from the human government, an advanced set of power armor"
"Why does everyone always talk shit about the gang and want our stuff?" Boss whined.
"Our demands as the asari people follow: you will all surrender, each member awaiting trial by a human court at which point if proven guilty will be handed over to asari custody. Furthermore all advanced technology will be turned over to us while you resign control over Illium. Failure to comply will result in the invasion of an asari fleet to forcibly apprehend you all by lethal means" she narrowed her eyes. "Surrender. There is no way out"
"Oh no, the big bad purple chick is coming to arrest us!" Boss wailed, getting on his knees holding his hands in front of his face. "Whatever will I do, who will save me from this!? Oh, you are much too wise, how can I ever defeat your world of bullshit politics!?"
Tevos banged her hand down on something, her face in rage. "This is not a joking matter! You face serious accusations against you with sufficient evidence for capitol punishment! We have you for countless murders, theft, assault, hijacking a human dreadnaught! And that's just the top of the list! Please, surrender or else!"
Boss quit screwing around and got up, brushing himself off. "Damn, guy tries to have a little fun and you shoot him down. Your cold" he looked right at her behind the sunglasses. She couldn't see, but she knew his eyes had the look of someone who was about to beat another at chess. Someone who planned ahead. "People like you give the purple in the Saints a bad name. It's sick, really. But you don't realize that I hold all the cards here. So, my demands" Tevos's scowl turned into a look of confusion.
"Either," Boss warned, "all you blue fucks leave us the hell alone, or I ruin your government with the push of a damn button"
"And how exactly would you do that?" Tevos challenged. How could one human possibly do that.
"Well, you see, a very good hacker who's name I have yet to know gave me some…interesting data. Apparently he plucked it right out of some high-up asari data networks. Yours included. I owe the guy or girl a favor now, threatened to bleed me dry, but it was worth it, 'cause he showed me something…real interesting" Boss lit his purple omni-tool up, a summary of the data displaying, Tevos's face going from one of confusion to shock and then pure horror.
"How…how?" she said in a quiet whisper, eyes wide in horror.
Boss chuckled. "Let's see here. According to these audio logs, visual logs, and frequent conversations between high-up asari and you, there seems to be, a…hidden prothean beacon, hidden in a statue in the Temple of Athame, which is why you guys are so advanced. 'But Boss, isn't that illegal, as all beacons found are to be reported to all council races for equal share of technological discovery?' Why mini voice it is, but looks like you dumbasses just threw that out da fuckin' window, just right out there into space. But wait, there's more!" Boss clicked another file. "Apparently with biological study and information from the beacon you asari aren't naturally gifted in biotics! Studies showed evidence of, what's this here…prothean biological manipulation with them making up the whole 'Athame' thing! Yo religion's a lie, biatch!" Boss laughed maniacally as Tevos held her head in her hands. "So, to summarize, you asari are liars, you aren't naturally gifted, you're a product of a experiment! Your technology? Taken from the beacon, you cheaters, that's why your leagues ahead from everyone else! Not to mention you BROKE YOUR OWN DAMN LAWS! Vindication, baby!" Boss did a little breakdance as Tevos started hyperventilating. "Okay. So this right here" Boss explained, on the floor in a breakdance laying position, "will cause your species to become a pariah. You could get kicked from the council, hell, WAR could happen against you species! Which would basically mean you against everyone else! Not looking good for you!" Boss got up and crossed his arms. "So. Terms. Let's hear 'em"
Tevos's eyes never left the omni-tool, before she asked, "how? Who was the hacker?"
Boss shrugged. "Dunno. Guy's anonymous"
"What do you want?" Tevos asked quickly. "We can offer you anything you want"
Boss chuckled, mockingly waving the omni-tool at the screen. "No no no no no, that ain't how it works! I'm not giving up dirt like this, then it wouldn't be blackmail!" Boss stopped smiling. "I'm done playing. Leave us alone or I destroy your government"
"And in return you shall give us the data?"
"Why would I do that? I'm not just gonna give you war-inducing evidence like this! Plus you'll likely stab me in the back. So nooooooo"
A fuming Tevos leaned in closer to the screen. She wouldn't let some mere human get away with this. "Listen to me, and listen to me very closely. I will leave Illium alone. But this is NOT the last you will hear of me. Do you understand?"
"Aw, how cute" Boss stepped closer to her virtual face. "You think you can actually do something. But you can't do shit to me. Seeya around, lady. Seeya around" the connection cut off before Tevos could retort, Boss turning around and walking away, bringing the omni-tool to his mouth. "Kinzie, Illium's ours now. Now all we need is that reaper brain. Tell the Saints to prepare, and get Robert a decent omni-tool, he's been complaining his standard one lags, I don't want him to accidentally mess up due to faulty equipment. And find me a vintage store, I need a hat"
Sevastopol- day 30
Unlike all of the other times, Samuels was outside of the cabin, a live-feed camera coming from a helmet cam. Currently he was messing around with the drive core terminals, the core spinning uncontrollably.
"Okay…" Sam sighed, "I set this thing to tear itself apart, the core should do the rest. Just gotta find a way out of- oh shit!" He yelled as Aaron's sword missed his head by inches, Samuels running away. While running, Sam repeatedly looked behind him over and over again, Aaron standing there but getting closer, teleporting. He looked ahead but Aaron teleported ahead, slashing at him. Sam ducked, the blade piercing the floor. Sam took a shotgun out and blasted Aaron multiple times, causing him to stumble back. Samuels looked at the floor and realized the blade caused a panel to become loose, and he saw light coming from it. Prying it off, he saw the ground of the wrecked collector base, and jumped down.
Samuels cried in pain and he hit the ground, his leg bleeding from the impact and his eyes burning from the sudden bright light. He looked up and saw multiple explosions resonating around the ship, and crawled away as it exploded bit by bit until a large fireball consumed the ship, causing debris to fall everywhere.
Christopher sighed. "Over…" he panted, "it's finally over" to emphasize his point Aaron's sword came flying down, stabbing the ground, his severed hand attached, the rest being caught in the explosion. Sam sighed, and was about to lay down, but he heard a strange noise. He looked up, eyes widening as blue pixels began to rebuild Aaron's body, his front half crawling towards him. Samuels tried to crawl away, but Aaron was faster and grabbed his ankle, black fire scorching his foot. Sam screamed in pain as he was immobilized, Aaron fully regenerating and standing up to his full height, holding the sword up.
The last thing the camera ever recorded was Christopher Samuels screaming as Aaron brought the sword down.
The secret shipping yard that asks no questions- day 30
Lights came on as the ship the yard was unveiled, the other two contraptions being in the cargo bay. The ship was revealed, all the main Saints awing in wonder.
The ship was identical to the Normandy, but it was the size of a cruiser instead, complete with full shielding and thanix cannons, along with reinforced armor. The main paintjob was the classic Saint purple, with a golden trim, the exterior plate for the underside being made of pure platinum. On the sides of the ship was the same Fleur De Lis, a golden outline making the form of a fleur on each side of the two logos.
"Completely original name" Boss said, crossing his arms with a big smile on his face. "Ooh I cannot wait to drive this thing! When do I get to blow shit up with that bad-ass cannon!?"
"NO!" All the Saints yelled.
Boss puffed his bottom lip out, pouting. "But whyyyy!?"
"Because you always crash everything you drive!" Kinzie argued. "And it's a spaceship complete with a full dash-display! Not to mention you actually need to know math to make FTL jumps! So me and Matt will be piloting, Robert's the main and only engineer, everyone else, including you, are just crewmembers"
"Fine then" Boss huffed, turning around. "I'm still the damn captain. And I get to wear this" Boss pulled out a hat that was shockingly reminiscent to one of the old Saint's Zimos's hat, but more triangular in shape, with a purple feather poking out, and put it on, the hat surprisingly fitting his afro. "Captain needs a badass hat"
"Well, it's done" the Saints turned around to see the foreman walk up. "Ship's right there, other two thingies are in the cargo bay. Out business transaction is concluded"
"That it is, homes. That it is" Boss agreed. With that, the foreman walked out. Boss turned to the former Normandy Saints. "Hey, I need you guys to hold the fort here, look after the gang while we're gone. Got it?"
"Yeah, we can handle it" Morinth assured.
Boss nodded than turned to Matt, holding something up. "There's just one more thing we have to do first"
"Alright, cross your fingers, mates" Matt advised as he stood up from the floor. On said floor of the Fleur De Lis's cargo bay, was what looked like a metallic human body. This was in fact what derived from the data Aaron had given to Boss about the Cerberus infiltration drones. The machine was human in shape, the face being highly detailed and looking average, straight face and long, straight silver hair. The eyes opened, showing purple iris's with a black pupil and the whites being silver metal, the robot standing up. The hair turned from silver to glowing purple as it formed itself into a spiked head, a purple holographic visor forming over the eyes.
"Where…where am I?" The unmistakable voice of CID asked, rubbing his robotic head.
"CID, welcome back to the world of the living!" Boss joyously said, wrapping an arm around the machine's shoulder. "Man, so much has happened, you don't even know! Your giant robot body got destroyed when we first got here, so we had to pull your data storage device out 'till we got you a new body. So now you have this"
Boss let go while CID examined his new body. "I have run diagnostics, this body seems…unusually advanced. What has happened since we came here?"
Boss and the Saints lowered their heads. "CID, it went like this…" Boss began, and spent about fifteen minutes explaining the story of how they beat the collector's…at the cost of Aaron's life. "So, you caught up?"
"Yes" CID nodded. "I'm sorry for your loss. He seemed like a adequate man. In any case, I thank you for finding the time to build me a new body. Now can I get some cloths?"
"Later CID, we got to go to that collector base, we have a brain to get if we wanna get back to the zin. Everyone…do whatever the hell you want I guess, Kinzie, Matt, to the bridge with me, Robert, to engineering"
"Aye" Robert said, while everyone else said "sure thing", going their separate ways.
Riding up the elevator had been, for once in the entire universe, quick. Kinzie had found flaws in the elevator system when designing it and fixed them, so now the elevator was actually fast. The bridge itself was actually fairly small compared to the rest of the ship, as it just contained the elevator, a observation deck, the cockpit, and the galaxy map, where Boss stood on a large podium overlooking it, a smaller podium next to it for his hat, which he was wearing.
"Enhance!" Boss shouted, flaring his arms out as a purple galaxy map was projected.
"You know you don't have to shout 'enhance' to get that thing running" Kinzie reminded from the cockpit.
Boss shrugged. "Yeah, but it sounds cooler. Okay then, IFF up and running?"
"Yes, all we need to do is go through a alien relay to FTL us to a destroyed alien base and harvest the brain of a infant machine belonging to a race that wants to harvest all organics into more machines than go back to our crib on an alien planet to hook up a machine to go to an alternate universe to get in contact of a different alien race which you're the emperor of. Simple" Matt explained.
"Well, if you say so" selecting the Omega-4 relay on the galaxy map, the Fleur De Lis exited the shipping yard's dock, heading towards the relay of the system and going into FTL.
Setting his hat on the podium, Boss put his hands on his hips. "And now we wait" he said. He hit a button, activating the intercom. "Yo, Saints, we got a long time of waiting ahead of us. Let's all head to the bar, hang out. Got nothing else to do until we reach the base" the cheers of all the Saints resonated throughout the ship.
Destroyed collector base- day 31
Aaron sighed, sitting on a rock, looking out into space. Frankly, mostly because of the destroyed Cerberus ship.
In truth he was going to destroy it like he did the first, but he felt drained, so he decided to just kill all the crew and be done with it, than pilot the ship out through the relay and crash it into a Cerberus base. He was killing the crew and making the messages to make it personal, and to let them know it was him.
Saying that, he couldn't destroy the ship, so he had to hunt all the crew. Which took him a month. "Jeez, they were hiding from me like I was some kind of damn monster stalking them" he thought. Then it was finally down to one man, and what did he do? Blow up Aaron's ticket out of this place.
"Damn, now what?" He asked, looking into the distant space. He exhaled and put his hands on his cheeks, and clapped them together. "Okay Aaron, you got yourself here, you can get yourself out. Just gotta…do something. What that something is, I has no clue. I'm so fucked…" he laid down on his back and childishly moaned loudly.
Then, suddenly, a purple form appeared. Aaron sat up and saw it was a purple ghost, ethereal whisps flowing off of him, the ghost being Boss.
"Jedi Boss?" A confused Aaron asked.
"Aaron…" Jedi Boss called, raising a hand while speaking ominously and ghostly, "wassup?" he asked in his normal voice.
"Okay, am I crazy or what?" Aaron questioned, making circle gestures around his head.
"Naaw. Probably not. That's not why I'm here" Jedi Boss pulled a piece oh ghost paper out. "Okay, uh…says right here…don't loose hope, always a light in the shining darkness, you'll find a way out, usual inspirational speech. You'll be fine, dig?"
"Aw, what do you know? Your just an illusion my psyche conjured up to give me a sense of false hope so I can find a way to survive. Self-preservation and all that shit. How the hell am I supposed to get out of here?"
Jedi Boss wiggled his fingers in front of his face. "You just gotta wake the fuck up, man…the fuck up…the fuck…up…wake up…fuck…up…wake up…"
"WAKE FUCKING UP GODAMMIT!" real Boss yelled, smacking Aaron's unconscious body over and over again. The Saints had entered the collector space about ten minutes ago and landed on the base. The first thing they found were destroyed Cerberus ships and personnel. Then Boss and run up to something, and to the Saints shock, it was Aaron. Now Boss was smacking him over and over again.
"YOU JUST GOTTA WAKE THE FUCK UP, MAN! THE FUCK UP, THE FUCK UP! WAKE UP, FUCK UP! WAKE UP!"
Aaron's eyes shot open and he punched Boss, causing him to land flat on his ass. Aaron sat up and held his face. "I'm up, jeez! The hell is wrong with you, damn!" it took a moment for him to register that he was in the presence of his friends, and he and Boss got up and did a bro hug.
"Yo man, I thought we lost you" he and Aaron separate and Aaron smiled.
"Good to see you, Boss. I though I was stuck here forever" he looked over Boss's shoulder to see the Fleur De Lis landed. "That our new ship?"
"You know it homes"
"Sweet" Pierce ran up to Aaron, opening his arms. "Hey man, your alive! Welcome back bro!"
Aaron awkwardly patted Pierce's shoulder. "It's good to see you too…you" Pierce frowned as Aaron went and bro hugged to rest of the Saints.
"Dude, just kidding" Aaron put a arm around his shoulder and shook it, causing Pierce to chuckle.
Aaron went in front of the three new bodies of the group. He pointed at Grejan. "You look a lot like Thane, but cooler"
He walked up to Robert, who during the trip found a tight purple crewman uniform with the Saint logo on the right breast. "Dunno who the hell you are"
He walked up to CID. "…CID?" he guessed.
"Yeah, it's me. Hello Aaron" CID greeted.
Aaron turned to Boss. "So…I've been gone for a month, what happened on your end?"
Boss started counting off his fingers. "Took Illium over, got a mass of Saint gangsters, recruited these two dudes, Grejan and Robert, then built this thing and came here. You?"
"Woke up, got a power boost, killed a bunch of Cerberus cronies and spent a month trying to kill a bunch of them in a ship so I could pilot it out. But that got blown up. So, you came here to check if I was alive?"
Boss and the rest of the Saints rubbed the back of their head. "Well, not really. You see, we kinda thought you were…a little dead. Just a bit"
Aaron sweatdropped. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, guys" he said sarcastically.
"Hey, what were we supposed to think!?" Kinzie argued. "Then entire base was destroyed, we're standing on rubble! We didn't know you could survive that!"
"Yeah, well, under normal circumstances I wouldn't have" Aaron gestured to his new look. "But absorbing that reaper overloaded me, and when I blew up that extra energy managed to repair me. Also gave me some new strength. Downside is I lost the power to bring down the lightning. And the other dark eezo powers, but now I can teleport. Still better than the power armor!" Aaron tilted his head. "Where is that thing anyways?"
Boss scowled. "That snake Shepard broke it after we mutinied. Bright side is most of his team mutinied and joined us. There back on Illium"
Aaron barked a laugh out. "Ah, sweet ironic revenge. So, if you weren't here for me, why are you here?"
Kinzie and Matt stepped up. "I managed to, using data acquired from the QIC device on the original Normandy, managed to construct a machine which can generate a portal back to our dimension. The only problem is we need a processor to run the algorithms fast enough"
"How the hell did you get a trans-dimensions portal device off a QIC?" Aaron questioned.
"Well, it's simple, the concept is that quantum particles have a certain flow with universes, binding them all together into the one grouping of universes, forming a multiverse. We're able to lock on to the specific quantum particles of our specific universe tandem to this one and-"
"You managed to make a super portal out of a communications device, got it" Aaron interrupted, turning to Matt. "So what do you need here exactly?"
"As we mentioned, the processor needs to be advanced. So we were hoping-"
"Oh you are not!" Aaron interrupted again. "You want to use the reaper brain, dontcha!?"
"Aaron" Boss tried to reason, "There's no way to get home without that brain. We need it if we want to get back in touch with the zin?"
"And then what, go back to our old universe, forget about this one entirely?" Aaron snapped.
"No, we're going to bring the zin here and go from there. We're Saints, we finish what we start" Boss assured. "Look, they have a time machine. We literally have all the time we want over there. But I don't want to screw the timeline up here, plus I don't even know if it would work here or not. So no, we aren't leaving this place"
Aaron pondered this, pacing back and forth. Finally he sighed and looked at Boss. "Fine, let's go. I know where the remains are, follows"
After a short walk, Aaron pointed down a large chasm. "What's left is down there" he informed. "So, what you want me to do? Just go down there and rip the head off, carry it back here?"
"You can do that now?" Gat asked.
"Yep, power boost. Whatcha gonna do about it?"
Kinzie hummed a bit. "Yeah, all we need is the processor, which is likely in the head. Just don't drop it or we'll leave you here"
"You wouldn't do that…would she do that?"
"She scares me too much to argue, dude" Boss countered.
Aaron chuckled and jumped down. They heard a tearing sound of metal and Aaron hopped back up, carrying the massive metal head on his shoulders. The Saints stepped back, feeling uncomfortable around the thing.
"Got it…! This thing I really heavy so can we leave!?" Aaron grunted, having difficulty with the weight.
Boss pointed to where they left. "Yeah, c'mon, the Fleur De Lis over there. Let's go"
Crib
"Home sweet home!" Boss called, flaring his arms. The penthouse, now the official Saints HQ, had gone under some renovation. Old Earth decoration from giant knight statues to large purple statues of the Saint, the Saints mascot consisting of an exotic girl with a halo, wings, two pistols, and a demon tail hovering over a podium. With mass effect technology they actually did float. Then there was the bar, the giant TV's, the weight room, kitchen, the LARGE living room, and the outside pool connected to the landing pad.
Right now they were in a new addition, all of the inner circle Saints, Kinzie hooking up the device, electronic equipment everywhere. Everyone who wasn't there had been updated on Aaron, and everyone happily greeted the reincarnated Saint, Aaron welcoming the greetings.
Aaron turned to the ex-Normandy Saints. "So, you guys defected, huh?"
"Yeah, well, pays here is better. Plus I've had a rowdy good time with you all" Zaeed explained. "I think I speak for everyone else when I saw that"
"Well welcome, I guess. Even though you've been here for a month" Aaron looked at the disassembled reaper head, now just parts scattered everywhere, and shuddered, than looked at Kinzie's machine, a large, black metal archway with purple lights everywhere connected to a console which Kinzie was at.
"…That's a fucking stargate" Aaron noted.
"A what?" everyone asked.
"It's a…nevermind" Aaron groaned, kicking the ground while putting his hands in his pockets.
"Kinzie, how much longer?" Boss asked.
"Should be working. Either a portal will open up or this will implode the entire building and compress all into a atom, then blowing up" everyone groaned while Kinzie stood back, a purple spark going off in the middle.
"…Bummer" Keith David sighed.
"Wait for it…" Matt assured.
Sure enough, the purple spark grew bigger and bigger, a purple vortex being formed into the archway, a bright light overwashing the Saints.
Boss laughed madly. "This is awesome! What I am seeing through this doorway into another dimension is amazing! But I have to do something now!"
"What!?" Shaundie yelled/asked, shielding her face with her arm from the light.
Boss raised a fist, running towards the portal, the other Saints yelling in surprise. "Your dead, Zinjai!" Boss screamed, running headlong into the portal.
A/N- Sorry for the long wait, this one was up to a lot of debate. I was gonna have them reunite with the zin this chapter, but it's already at 12,000 words, so next time. Hey, another extra long chapter! That'll make up for it! Anyway, next chapter will have the zin coming to the Mass Effect universe, lead by Boss. What happens then, well, you'll have to see.
And once I POST THE NEXT CHAPTER, there will be a poll about some missions the Saints will do around the galaxy. I wanted to capture the original Saints Row feel, which was doing useful stuff in ridiculous ways while having fun doing it, a method which I condone. So I have the mission things planned, and I'll set up a poll so you guys can choose which order they can come out it. Hey, if you guys want, you can even post your own 'fan-mission' through PM and that'll be added to the poll! Poll won't show up until next chapter is posted, so remember!
And internetz to whoever can spot the huge reference I made with the name of that Cerberus ship and the crew names. Give you a hint, the game just came out a few weeks ago.
Bye all and cy-screw it, bonus for the long wait….if you don't like the strange, stay away from this bonus, I begs ya.
MASS MISCALCULATION
Episode 20.5- David vs David, the legendary most non-cannonolist fight in the history of the universe maybe of super non-cannon
Keith David: famous actor, vice president, now a Saint in another dimension.
And apparently was voted to go to the Council in answer to the subpoenas sent to the Saints warranting for their arrest, since everyone else was too lazy.
Stepping into the council chamber, Keith David was greeted by the four councilors on their podiums.
David Anderson, the human councilor, spoke up first. "Hello, Keith" he greeted.
"Councilor" he greeted back. The other councilors looked confused. They sounded exactly the same, and when they checked their omni-tools, the voice-recognition software couldn't identify them.
"Councilor, is this human related to you?" Sparatus, the turian councilor, asked.
"No, why?"
"Nothing. Continue" Valern, the salarian councilor, urged.
"Keith David, you have been brought here today as a ambassador for the Saints to answer to their crimes, and to receive trial in behalf of them. What say you?" Anderson asked, pointing a finger at Keith.
"Guilty" David answered simply.
"Then I-really, your going to give it up just like that?" David asked. The other councilors started rubbing their heads.
"Cut the shit, you know that we did everything on that little list you got in your wrist, we did the crime, but we ain't doin' the time" Keith explained, the camera zooming in on his eyes. "What are you going to do about it?"
"Councilor" Tevos remarked, "surely you can't allow the audacity this man is bestowing, what do you plan to do about it?"
Anderson sighed. "I'm sorry, kid. You have a good face and awesome voice. But I'm afraid I'm going to have to imprison you, and then take the Saints down"
A strange-looking, thin assault rifle materialized in Keith's hand, and he aimed it with one hand at Anderson's face. "You will never take me alive" Immediately a hundred laser-dots traces Keith's bosy from snipers.
Anderson raised a hand. "No" he spoke.
"Councilor?" the other three asked.
"This…is a fight. Between MEN" with that, he reached under his podium, taking out…a black hilted and black-sheathed katana.
"How long has that been there!?" Sparatus screamed, the camera shaking.
David ripped the sheath off and tossed it at the giant window behind them, shattering it and brandishing his platinum-plated katana, jumping down to Keith's level.
"Let's see what you got, old man" Keith ominously said, the assault rifle turning into a katana of his own, the blade made of diamond.
"Two pimp swords against two men, and I'ma 'bout to school you, sonny" with that, the two engaged in a sword fight, the two going to fast for anyone to keep up.
"Don't just stand there, shoot the Saint!" Valern ordered.
One of the snipers, a turian, shook, looking through his scope. "Which one do I hit, which one do I hit!?" he screamed, than yelled at the top of his lungs and shot himself.
His partner ran up to his body. "NO! He was twenty years to retirement!"
Back in the fight, David threw David through the giant window, jumping after him. Falling down, the two continued their sword fight, jumping on air cars and flipping in midair while still sword fighting.
At one point Anderson had throw a air car at Keith, but he merely cut it in half. Spinning around, Keith kicked David in the face a hundred times before stomping him onto the Citadel's ground, skydiving after him and pounding his fist into the ground, causing a shokwave to obliterate a mile's worth of buildings.
In the backround, Saint girls teleported from no-where and started singing while reapers appeared over the Citadel, firing lasers of different colors for a light show.
Keith formed his sword back into a gun, and fired a barrage at Anderson, but he merely swallowed the bullets and spat them back at Keith, who turned his gun back into a sword and continued his fight with him.
Keith gained the advantage when Anderson summoned a dozen Alliance giant robots via omni-tool, all firing missiles at Keith. He anticipated this and hopped from missile to missile, chopping up all the robots and kicking all the parts and Anderson, causing him to fly in the air. All the reaper's fired their laser's at Keith's sword, and he refracted all the lasers into the uber-laser, firing it and Anderson. The explosion disintegrated the singers, the reapers flying away.
Anderson was on his knees, panting while Keith but his sword-gun on his back, and stood over Anderson.
David spit blood on the ground. "Do it…" he dared.
But to his surprise, Keith held a hand towards him, smiling. Anderson was confused, but then smiled and took the hand, standing up while sheathing his own blade, the sheath having landed where they landed.
"You're a good man, Anderson" Keith turned around. "I've been in politics, it changes you. Remember, don't become a complete jerk due to endless paperwork. Be who you are, and never drown in the paper. Just do what I did, give it all to Pierce. And never, ever, ever, play as Logan in Dead Island. I could have beat that game in twelve hours if I didn't waste two playing as him. Remember!" Anderson nodded while Keith nodded back.
"Good. Keith David out!" with that, Keith David leapt into the sky, flying off into the distance.
David Anderson nodded. "I will never forget you, person who sounds the exact same as me. I won't" he looked at the camera. "Moto-Anderson, activate" with that, David Anderson turned into a motorcycle and drove off into the artificial sunset.
A/N-…Dear Lord above I'm sorry for ever writing that bonus. I'm so sorry…cya…
