Mass Effect Project Renegade

Chapter 19: Cipher among Secrets…

Captain's Quarters

Tali was sitting on the bed watching Shepard work on his Sniper Rifle. Tali found it strange that Shepard was using Ammo, instead of a heat synch.

"Shepard?"

Jack turned his chair to face Tali.

"Yes?"

"Why do you use ammunition for your weapons?"

Jack took out a bullet casing showing it to Tali.

"Led ammunition, it's more effective than the Galactic standard weapons, guaranteed during the First Contact War, this ammunition killed more Turians, than their weapons killing us."

Father told me when he heard of the First Contact War, the Turian's exaggerated their losses, saying they'd lost ten maybe twenty soldiers after each battle, the real reports were much more accurate however, the Hierarchy lost Nearly Several Million Soldiers.

"But what happens when you run out of ammo in the heat of battle?"

Jack laughed as he put the casing back in the cartridge.

"Tali, I don't miss, so I don't have to worry about running out of ammunition."

Tali sat up from the bed and walked over to Jack, sitting on his lap. The action caught Shepard's attention, Jack put the cartridge in the rifle, then setting it down on the table. Jack removed Tali's face plate revealing her face, they were about to kiss until Joker interrupted the two, making Tali wince from the distraction.

"Commander we're docked at the Ferros port."

Tali gave a quick peck on Shepard's cheek, Jack however pulled her in for a real kiss. Tali was reveling in the sensation she was feeling.

"mmmm"

Eyes still closed, as her eyes opened she had an upset face as her visor was back on.

"I've got to go, Tali Ferros awaits."

"Wait! I'm coming with you." Replied Tali.

Jack put his right hand on top of her helmet.

"Tali don't think I didn't notice that wound on your leg, you got on that Asteroid, you're staying here for rest…. Captain's orders."

Tali Folded her arms across her chest. As Jack walked out of the room Tali could only watch as her boyfriend left without her. With Jack gone Tali stripped out of her suit and got under the covers for a long nap.

Five Hours Later…

Crew Quarters/

Ashley/Liara/Zoey/Bethora.

Zoey had her head on the table with a hot cup of coffee by it.

"Okay that fight got out of hand, we scared Jack in to avoiding us-"

Zoey stopped talking as she saw the Red panel on the Captain's quarters .

Ashley looked at Zoey's investigative look.

"What?"

"Doesn't Shepard Lock his door when he's in it?"

Ashley didn't know where Zoey was going with this.

"Yeah?…"

Zoey pointed at the door.

"Shepard is away right now, that means some one's in his room."

Ashley's eyes widened from that statement, she un-holstered her weapon on her hip, Bethora and Zoey followed in suite, Liara just stood behind them, as Bethora activated the hacking sequence.

"Damn this encryption, you know Tali could crack this in a second, we should get her."

Ashley shook her head.

"No time, just hurry up with the lock."

Five seconds later the Lock turned Green, and the four made in to the dark room. Zoey took the lead as she moved in first.

"Don't touch anything, this is Shepard's room."

Ashley tripped on something by the desk, a platinum box.

"Give me some light."

Zoey pointed the flashlight attached to her Carnifex down on the box with a latch on it.

"What is it?"

Ashley picked it up putting it on the desk.

"Alliance Black Ops…. Shepard was in Black ops?"

Zoey opened the box seeing ninety nine dog tags hanging on the inside.

Along with a picture showing the team wearing the Alliance black ops armor blue and white, all concealing their faces.

"Hell Dog Platoon…. I heard of that when I melded with Commander Shepard's Mind."

Ashley picked up the picture, giving it a questioning look.

"That's weird they got the date wrong, it's dated 2159… Shepard's not that old though, he looks in his mid-30's…. what the hell is going on here-"

Ashley cut off when she heard a small snore coming from the covers of the bed. Zoey pointed the light at the bed only seeing short black hair, coming out of the covers by the pillows.

"Who's that?" asked Bethora.

Zoey walked in closer to see who it actually was, however before she could proceed any further, Zoey stepped on Tali's suit.

"```Holy Shit!``` It's Tali"

All four Women eyes went wide, from finding out that the unobscured face that's under the covers is Tali.

Tali faintly hearing her name, sat up while rubbing her eyes as the covers fell down to her waist.

"Shepard how was Ferros? – Shepard? VI lights on."

Acknowledged

Three out of four of the women had their mouths agape, except for Zoey who had her left eye twitching and her right nostril bleeding. Tali's eyes widened as well she grabbed the covers pulling up covering her exposed body and shrieked in the room.

"What are you guys doing in here!"

Meanwhile…

After Jack Shot off the supports of the Thorian, he was given a Cipher through an Asari who was given to the Thorian. Jack told Shiala that she could go, to help the Colonists recover from this attack.

Wrex checked on Shepard.

"Shepard you alright what did that Asari do to you?"

Jack looked at Wrex.

"She gave me the Cipher to help understand the Beacon, and since Saren has it, that means he must be going to the next clue, Back to the Normandy on the double!"

The Crew assembled in the Comm room debriefing on what to do next, but since there were no new leads, the crew had to wait for any new signs of Saren. Joker was on the comm as the crew was dismissed.

"Commander I forwarded the Ferros report, shall I patch you through to the Council?"

Once again Shepard popped a Cigarette in his mouth, due to the Nicotine calling when ever he talked to the Council.

"Yeah, yeah…."

Tevos was the first to speak to the Commander.

"Commander I don't appreciate being hung up…"

Jack glared at the holo.

"Save the sermon, did you receive the report?"

Tevos eyes twitched, as she was told to shut up.

"O-of course commander, we received your reports on Ferros, the mission would've been much easier if Exo-Geni would of told you about the Thorian."

Valeren decided to chip in.

"You might've been able to capture it for study, instead of destroying it."

Jack turned his attention towards the Salarian Councilor.

"Don't be an idiot, the only reason to study something like that is to kill it."

Sparatus decided to once again get on Shepard's nerves.

"Yes kill it, that's how you Human's usually do things you don't understand."

Jack's killer instinct was about to take over.

"Listen you Piece of Shit! The Thorian enslaved and destroyed the minds of the Colonist, Of course I destroyed it!"

Tevos was nervous of the tension between Shepard and the Council, after that interview he did on the Citadel, C-Sec was on edge of riots, and Galactic Exchange Collapsing.

"Maybe it worked out for the best, the colony was saved and the lives their spared."

Sparatus did not know when to take the hint from his colleague.

"Of course it was saved Shepard would go at any lengths to save a Human Colony."

Jack took one last inhale before stomping on his bud.

"Fuck Off Sparatus."

"Whoops sorry sir lost the connection."

Jack left the Comm room and headed towards his quarters to file in a report to Cerberus Command. Jack saw Tali under the covers sleeping. Jack sat at his desk and set down the data he retrieved on Ferros, before he was going to file the report, he notice something was out of place, His Platinum Box was on his desk. He got up and walked over to Tali to wake her up.

"Tali, wake up, Tali!"

Tali's eyes shot open, as she heard Shepard's voice.

"Shepard your back, how was Ferros."

"Painful, did you look through that box over there?"

Tali, looked at his desk and shook her head.

"It must've been Ashley, Liara, Zoey, and Bethora. They came in here earlier, they thought someone was in your room… they only found me… under the covers…. Naked…"

Tali was hoping to wrap her arms around Shepard, but Jack just quickly got up from the bed and went to his box opening it.

The photo was missing, Jack's Mission could be compromised. Jack had to find the others right now. Jack took his Colt out and left the room, leaving Tali to sigh as she lied back down in the bed.

There they were in Crew quarters.

"Commander.." Ashley stated.

"Where is it?" asked Jack

"Where is what?" Replied Ashley

Jack mind began to circulate, his heart rate was starting to elevate.

"The photo, in my box, hand it over Now!"

She had it in her hand.

"This?"

Jack grabbed it from Ashley quickly. Once the photo was in hand, he left back to his cabin, Ashley turned towards Bethora.

"Did you make a copy."

Bethora discreetly handed Ashley the image.

"I'm going to do some research, hopefully I can find out what's going on."

Jack entered his room locking the picture up in the box, he then sat down at the end of his bed. Tali once again sat up trying to get Shepard to relax, she climbed out of the covers and sat on Shepard's lap, as she was about to close in for a kiss, Joker interrupts it.

Bostet!

"Big surprise Commander the Council wants to call you, they say it's 'urgent'! "

Jack kissed Tali on the forehead, as a sign of an apology.

"Sorry Tali…"

As Shepard got up, Tali began to put on her suit.

Jack stormed to the Comm Room, activating the connection. As the three hologram figures began to appear Jack was in no mood for their games.

"What?!"

Tevos cleared her voice, from that sudden outburst.

"Commander we have new reports for your hunt for Saren."

Tevos now had Jack's full attention.

"I'm listening."

Tevos directed Jack's attention to Valeren.

"One of our infiltration teams from our STG cells chased a source to Virmire… which we lost contact."

An irritated expression replaced Jack's face.

"I think we're done here."

Sparatus bumped in to the conversation.

"That unit may have sacrificed their lives to get-"

Joker cut the Communication.

"Wow they don't know when to Shut Up."

Jack gave out a sigh of irritation.

"Joker set course to Virmire, if Saren is there, then we could end this right now, also set me a link up to the entire Normandy."

"Under Stood Commander." Replied Joker.

Jack sat in the CO's chair in the room.

"Attention this is your Captain Speaking, we have received reports that Saren is on Virmire, our 'allies' are trapped on that planet. Our Goal find the infiltration team, Kill Saren, and come back as hero's all Ground team will be at attendance Shepard out."

2179

Terminus System/Ocarus

The Sole survivor, that's what Jack was every one on his platoon died from unnatural causes, all dead, and the last lead to solve this horrific mystery is here. Jack walked through the intense city smog near the construction site, searching, hunting for the assailant who helped orchestrate this. Scanning the area through his Nightmare Helmet, Jack was picking up any traces of activity, before Jack could complete his scan, several disk shaped grenades were hurling towards him. Jack immediately hit the deck as the several grenades that exploded were packed with high explosives. The Turian attacker came at him with a berserk rage. The attacker tackled Jack, the assassin was equipped by a retractable retro pole axe, as the attacker lunged at Jack on the intent of piercing Jack's chest, Jack put his feet to the attackers Chest, flipping him over. Jack jumped to his feet, turning around quickly the attacker came back charging, exchanging hand to hand. The attacker was sloppy, this was his first time going up against someone from Project Renegade, he's been killing his platoon with high grade explosives.

The attackers fate was sealed, when he messed up a hand move, Jack took immediate advantage, he grabbed a hold of the attackers right arm breaking it, then tearing the arm right out of it's socket. A spray of dark bubbling blue blood came spraying out.

"You feel that? That was for May."

Jack stomped on his right knee splintering it.

"That was for Leng!"

Jack kneed the Attacker in the jaw, fracturing it, he tore off his lower mandibles and gouging out the attackers eyes. The agony the attacker was feeling, and Jack wanted him to suffer. Jack kicked the attacker against the construction wall, he took the attackers pole axe and impaled him on the steel wall. To finish him off he grabbed his head to bash it multiple times against the wall fracturing it.

"That was for my entire Family of the Hell Dog Platoon! Now burn in Hell you Fuck!"

End of Flash back…

The STG base was full of Salarian Operatives, Shepard approached Salarian Captain Kirrahe. Kirrahe explained to Shepard that they were unable to get off world do to the Anti-Air Batteries stationed around the facility.

"We bunker down and wait for reinforcements, the Council will send help."

Jack looked at him then the crew.

"We're all you got."

Kirrahe's eyes widened that his message for reinforcements was ignored.

"This doesn't make sense there was no jammer for outgoing messages."

Jack's eyes widened.

"Son Of A Bitch! …. Is Saren here?"

"Not only Saren, but Commander that's only a part of the problem, the facility behind these walls a breeding program dedicated to cure the Genophage."

That was problematic an army of Geth following Saren is one thing, but the Krogan Horde, the Alliance would be stretched. Wrex approached the two after hearing 'Cure' and 'Genophage'.

"How's that possible?"

"We don't know, reports are Saren has a cure, and is prepared to release it, we can't let this fix the Krogan Mistake."

Wrex shoved Shepard out of the way and stood in front of Kirrahe.

"We are not a Mistake!"

Wrex stormed off by the shoreline in front of the Normandy. Kirrahe looked at Jack's direction.

"Is he going to be a problem?"

"I'll handle him."

Jack moved towards Wrex who was firing off rounds in the water, with his Claymore Shotgun. Wrex looked at Shepard with a hostile glare.

"This isn't right Shepard!"

"Wrex calm down, I know how you must be feeling, but I'm not the enemy, Saren is."

Wrex took a step closer towards Jack.

"Really?! Saren created a cure and you are trying to destroy it, help me out here Shepard the line between friend and foe is looking a little blurry."

Every minute Jack wasted here was another minute Saren gets ahead of it..

"I shouldn't have to explain this to you, now get back in line so we can complete this mission Wrex."

"Don't bark orders at me Shepard, I joined you because I believed in something that was worth more than Credits, this base can't be destroyed, I won't let you!" Replied Wrex.

This situation was getting nowhere, this had to end.

"Wrex these aren't your people, as soon as Saren's gets what he wants he'll destroy you all, is that what you want for your people?"

Wrex lowered his weapon, away from Shepard.

"No, we were used as tools once by the Council, to thank us they neutered our kind and left us for dead… Alright Shepard you win, but when we find Saren, I want his head." ```Get in Line```

Jack went back to Kirrahe.

"Wow in all my years of service, I've never seen anyone talk down a Krogan….. Now on to business, we formulated a strategy the Ground team of the Normandy and the Infiltration team will split up and siege the facilities, the infiltration team will cause the diversion to Saren and his Geth, while your team goes in with little resistance find the breeding facility and place a nuke…. But I need to ask for one of your crewmembers."

Jack glared at the Salarian Captain.

"No. I will not put one of my crew members life in danger."

The Conversation got heated but he gave in and let Ashley and Kaiden join Kirrahe. Jack took all but Ashley and Kaiden with Him to head to the Breeding Facility.