Chapter 14: Enlightened
Sur'kesh,
STG facility:
"So the plan is to walk in grab this krogan princes and deliver her to Tuchanka?" Kasumi asked, breaking the silence that had formed on the way to the facility.
"You don't ever shut up do you?" Jack's tone was angry and her words sounded more like a growl.
"Well excuse me for trying to start conversation!"
Shepard remained quiet while his team mates bickered. He took in the sights of the planet around him. The facility sat on top of a mountain, lush greenery surrounded it. And considering the nature of the salarian STG this was likely on purpose. The base seemed to isolated and from the air lacked up keep. The landing pad they used was covered with moss, vines and other plant life. Opposite their shuttle and the landing pad was the rest of the base. Buildings didn't rise much past the tree line and the few that did had large turrets facing skyward to ward off any prying eyes. The team headed toward a train to the larger building, where Shepard would pick up this krogan.
A loud roar could be heard in the sky above. The canopy blocked it but what looked like fighters flying past the taller buildings. Firing at them on their way. Shepard and his team ran to the train, looking up at the destroyed buildings. "What the hell was that?" Jack snapped.
A question Shepard wanted to know his self. "Joker tell me what's going on!" Shepard ordered into his radio.
"Cerberus frigates are in orbit above Sur'kesh and their dropping hostiles on the bases location!"
`Why would Cerberus attack this base?` Shepard wondered. He started the train and headed for his original destination. "Me and the cheer leader are gonna have serious words when this is over!" Shepard heard Jack growl.
"Lets not jump to any conclusions before we talk to her."
Jack rolled her eyes. "What ever you say, boss man."
"Not to be the bearer of bad new but, we've got company!" Kasumi gestured to the back of the train.
Six Cerberus commandos made their way up the train. The team took cover behind a set of crates, the Cerberus troops opening fire. Shepard returned fire with his battle rifle, Jack and Kasumi had pistols drawn and also fired back. Shepard looked ahead, the train was about to crash in the station. "Shit!" They were still pinned down by gun fire. He looked to his side and noticed Jack wasn't there. She ran down the train, a biotic barrier soaking up each shot. "What the hell are you doing?"
She didn't hear him. Shepard ran out of cover and towards the biotic, he stopped. Awe struck at what he saw. Jack's arms were out stretched and a section of the train in front of her was illuminated by dark blue energy. She threw her arms up and the train jerked back violently, knocking Shepard over and sending that section of train in the air, with it crashing down.
The train stopped. Shepard found himself staring blankly at Jack. He'd never seen a display of biotic power like that before. "Yes lesser being, be in awe of the biotic god before you." Kasumi joked, giving her voice a deeper and dramatic tone. "Oh and I stopped the train, so lets pick this krogan and leave."
Shepard got back to his feet, he looked back at Jack. She was out of breath, blood ran down her nose. "We having a fucking staring contest?" Jack yelled, noticing Shepard. "Let's go." She said, wiping her nose.
New Project base,
observation post three:
"So what are you doing here? The council assigned me to this base."
"They thought you could use some help with this one Williams."
"I can handle it." Ashley said, not hiding the bitter tone in her voice. She turned to the man she spoke to, he was a turian, he was missing an mandible and had a jagged scar that ran from the right side of his face and settled under his right eye. "I didn't catch your name."
"Oh." He sounded surprised. Ashley could tell he was faking it and didn't really care as to why he put so much effort into trying. "Velentrian Tenais and an agent of the council, like yourself. I must say it is an honor to work with you Williams, surviving the death of your entire unit, Virmire and the Shepard investigation last year. Too bad you didn't find anything to implicate that traitor, Shepard."
"Watch your mouth!" Ashley snapped. "Shepard is a lot of things, but traitor isn't one of them. My investigation proved that."
The turian scoffed. "My mistake. Excuse my choice of language, don't you find the actions of the first human spectre at least a little suspect?"
"No." Ashley was getting real tired of his pretending. "He's done what he's had to."
"But you don't agree with all of them do you?" His question felt more like an accusation, but he was right. She didn't. His work with Cerberus and their sole ownership of collector technology, was unsettling. A year ago when she got word of the council capturing Shepard, she engineered his escape from the Citadel as a way to further her own investigation of Cerberus.
"I've read your report Williams, the operation inside the terminus systems is surprisingly vague." That was done on purpose. The council wouldn't believe a word about what happened on the other side of the Omega 4 relay.
"If you've read the file then you already know it." Ashley simply answered. "What are you really after?"
"The truth is all Williams. I find it strange that soon after you arrive at Arcturus station, Shepard arrives with the spectre agent that was hunting him and a batarian attack soon after. Something is missing in this picture."
"Why are you really here?" Ashley questioned.
Velentrian's eye's narrowed in on her. "I told you once human." He growled, Ashley instinctively reached for her pistol. "Relax Williams." His demeanor eased and his tone was less threatening.
"The truth is all I seek."
Sur'kesh,
STG facility:
Shepard and his team ran through the facilities court yard, engaging Cerberus agents on the way. Shepard and Jack took cover behind a pillar, Kasumi went into tactical cloak and was well on her way to being behind the team of five Cerberus agents. A burst from Shepard's rifle tore into the armor of a Cerberus trooper, Jack's out stretched arm released a wave of biotic energy that launched the agents into the air, Kasumi came out of cloak, opening fire on the floating troopers.
"Good shooting." Shepard said, popping the heat sink. "Now we just need to find that krogan."
"So that's why the council sent you." Shepard looked up at the balcony above him. A line of salarian STG operatives had guns drawn on him, he looked around and several more salarians came out of tactical cloak. They were surrounded.
"Tell me, what else are you hear for?"
"I'd like to know who I'm talking to first." A salarian in front of him took off his helmet. "I'm captain Kirrahe, we met on..."
"I remember you." Shepard interrupted. "Now do you want to tell your men to stand down?"
The captain signaled them to lower their weapons. "The way we understand it you're in charge of Cerberus relations to the council. We're just being cautious as Cerberus has decided to attack us at our home world."
"I've got no idea as to why Cerberus did this, but when I find out heads are going to roll. But right now my mission involves getting some krogan to Tuchanka and in the Urdnot camp!" Shepard's voice didn't hide his annoyance of the salarian's distrust. "Are we going to have a problem?"
The STG captain paced in front of the commander. "No we shouldn't. I don't presume the council told you why this krogan is so important."
Shepard crossed his arms, glaring at the captain. "No they didn't mention it."
"She's a bargaining chip with the Urdnot. And the only survivor in a series of experiments done to her at this facility. We've cured her of the genophage and an alliance with the krogan will aid us in the coming reaper invasion."
"Sir." One of the salarians walked over to the captain, he flared his omni tool, showing the layout of the inside of the facility. "Cerberus troops have pinned the second fire team down in the cargo bay."
"Sounds like you need some help captain." Shepard started for the captain, the salarians surrounding him raised their rifles. "My team can get down to her faster and you can make sure no other Cerberus forces get any farther into the facility."
Kirrahe paced in front of Shepard, deep in thought. "While you sit there and think about it, just remember that your boys are being torn up by Cerberus."
The captain stopped. "Very well Shepard we'll go with your plan."
Caleston,
Operation second coming:
"Doctor Sanders whats going on over there? The prothean V.I over here shut down after we received an emergency transmission from the Alliance garrison in orbit." Parrasini shouted into the monitor at the doctor. She could see alliance security forces in the back ground scrambling behind her. The doctor seemed calm and almost confused by the panic in Gianna's voice.
"We were fools to think we could ever stop the arrival Gianna. The Reapers are here and they cannot be stopped."
"What did you do?" Gianna demanded an answer. Sanders was in charge of the reaper artifact at the new project base o the other side of the planet and was in direct contact with it most often. "You're indoctrinated... aren't you?"
"No Gianna. Just enlightened." She cut communications.
Sur'kesh,
STG facility:
Shepard's team made it to the salarian fire team, The landing platform was swarming with Cerberus troops. They took cover next to the containment cell that held the krogan. The salarians were taking a beating and half of them were dead before Shepard got there, but the krogan as far as Shepard could tell was safe inside her containment cell. "Why are you doing this human? You don't even know me." Shepard heard the krogan say as he returned fire.
"No, but I'd like to." Shepard threw a biotic shock wave at a group of Cerberus troops, knocking them out of cover. "And I need to get you to the Urdnot camp."
She scoffed. "Wrex can't keep his hands off a fertile female."
"Shepard, scans indicate a large energy signature is headed in your direction." E.D.I warned.
The roaring of engines could be heard over the tree line. "Don't look now Shep, but we've got a flying robot headed our way!" Kasumi shouted, pointing skyward. Before Shepard could react the mech landed on the platform. The few salarians left fired on the mech, its turrets spooled and the salarians were fired upon.
Shepard armed himself with his M-100 grenade launcher, he fired at the mech with almost no effect, it's shields soaking up the blasts. It turned around and opening fire on Shepard. He ran for cover, the mech fired a rocket exploding behind him. The shock wave sent him flying into a wall. He staggered to his feet, the mech closing in on him. Shepard froze, he couldn't bring himself to run. `Is this it?`
New project base,
control room:
"Get down!" Ashley yelled, pushing Anderson aside, blocking him from geth rocket fire. Husks and geth were all over the base. It was only an hour ago when the husks on the base started attacking everyone on base, then geth started dropping from the sky.
"It would seem Shepard's geth have turned on him." Velentrian sneered. "I knew he couldn't be trusted!" He yelled, shooting at a charging husk.
"I don't know!" Ashley said, yelling over her gun fire. "Shepard said they were on our side."
"Either he lied or things aren't as he thought."
"Regardless we need to get out of here!" Anderson replied. He was at the bases controls, trying to set up a distress signal. "This is Captain David Anderson of the New project base. Base security has been compromised, we are requesting immediate extraction!" Ashley looked back toward Anderson. She looked out the window past him, an incoming geth drop ship headed towards them. She ran towards Anderson, an explosion sent her sailing back into a wall knocking her out momentarily.
"Get up Williams!" A rough voice growled. "We can't stay here." She looked up, Velentrian, the turian spectre held out his hand. She took it, struggling to get up. She looked in the direction of where Anderson was. He was on the floor, his body scorched and unmoving.
"Captain!" She rushed toward him. Velentrian stepped in front of her, catching her in his arms.
"He's gone Williams." He said in a remorseful tone that actually sounded genuine. "We cannot honor him by dying. We have to escape this place, we have to warn the rest of the council."