Tali was rapidly re-evaluating her opinion of Virmire.
Sure, it was beautiful, a feast for the eyes. And considering the dozens – if not a near hundred – times they'd fought Geth on asteroids or planets covered in desert and ice it was a good change of scenario...if one cared about such things while fighting for one's life.
Not that I'm currently doing that...
Tali gritted her teeth in irritation and moved over yet another sharp boulder resting atop the winding mountain range, Garrus right ahead of her coming to a halt as he sighted down below with his sniper rifle, mandibles flaring in excitement: "This is Light, two targets at eleven, scouts, keep down."
Yet Virmire was also a damn irritating, rocky...thing!
Garrus had led them over boulder after boulder, the two climbing ahead of Michael's team to scout out any enemies from the vantage point of the slippery tops of Virmire's mountains. It was surprisingly straining to climb up and down and Tali's breath sounded heavy in her visor. Yet they still managed to stay ahead, mostly because Michael and his team had to fight through enemy patrols and outposts on their way to Saren's base.
And that was the annoying part...Tali grumbled even as she heard Michael's voice through the comm: "Shadow here, staying low."
A glance down and Tali could see the three of Shadow team, small from such a distance, as they ducked behind a boulder that might have fallen from the mountains above for all she knew, there were quite a few of them after all. I wish I was down there...
"What is it?"
"Huh?" Looking up she found Garrus still aiming down, but no finger on the trigger as he shot her a glance that made her shrug: "What are you talking about?"
"You've been sounding irritated for an hour now..." Garrus pointed out...then shrugged as well as he turned back to the view below, his comm clicking open. "Light here, scouts preceding larger contingent...counting thirty units."
"We strike at your call." Came Shepard's calm reply, as it had many times already.
Tali sighed, checking her omni-tools scanner by habit, but finding no other signals but those Garrus had spotted: "It's just...we're not doing anything, I just want to..." Be there with him, even if he doesn't want it... "...do something this mission."
"We've spotted four enemy outposts and thirteen patrols for them, I wouldn't call that nothing." Garrus chuckled.
"Yes but I..." Tali squirmed, knowing she wasn't making sense. "...wanted to do a bit more hands-on assistance.." I really want to shoot something...
"If we start using our omni-tools against the enemy or fire down at them we'll risk revealing our position, we can't do that." Garrus retorted, a hint of amusement in his stance even as he aimed down at the enemy.
"I know that you..." Tali bit down, holding her tongue as she took a deep breath. Right, not productive... "Sorry, just tense."
"Don't worry about it." A shrug, and the amusement in Garrus' stance heightened: "And don't worry, I'm sure he can take care of himself."
"I know that but-" Tali blinked, words caught in her throat as she looked at Garrus...who still looked down his sight as he grinned, making her blush. "Wha...not I didn't mean it like that, I meant...ehhh...Keelah..."
A shrug from the Turian: "Don't worry about it."
Tali could only shake her head, too tired to argue: "Don't...I don't want to think about it..."
"Eh." Garrus shrugged. "Give him some time."
Huh? "W-what are-"
"Oh, look, here we go." Garrus chuckled as he interrupted Tali's confused stutter, eyes narrowing down the sight as he clicked back into the communicator: "Light here, engage."
Tali opened her mouth for a question...only to find her gaze drawn downwards as Michael's team sprang from cover.
The Geth had moved in an open column down the path a few dozen feet away from Shadow team's position...and now that column came apart in an explosion of fire and death as a lobbed grenade exploded right in its centre, rapidly followed by Wrex's and Michael's assault rifles opening up, tearing a seven of the stumbling machines apart before they could even steady themselves.
The two scouts ahead too fell, Liara's pistol rapidly finishing them off as they turned in what almost seemed like confusion. Geth can't get confused...but Keelah it's hard to tell at times...
It was strange to see a fight and not participate in it, at least from such a relatively close distance...
The Geth not downed by the grenade and enfilading fire were throwing themselves for cover, one too slow and simply collapsing atop the boulder it was trying to reach, its milky blood pouring over it as it died.
Michael had trained with them, done simulations with them all for hours...and Tali knew exactly her position in any number and combination of squad-members, exactly where to move, how to lend assistance...Michael had drilled those lessons into the team until it was second nature to them.
Yet it was strange to see it without being a part of it, to see how well it worked.
Below Wrex had broken cover, moving sharply to the right while pouring inaccurate fire towards the Geth, making them turn and open up on him...as Michael's own shots struck Geth after Geth, not enough to damage, just enough to down their shields so his fire could move to the next Geth...
And then Liara was aglow...and half a dozen Geth were rendered airborne as their unshielded bodies were pulled towards the glowing orb of Liara's singularity...a moment later they were torn open as Michael and Liara both opened up on them.
A beep from Tali's omni-tool told her the Geth were trying to call for reinforcement, but her disruption was still in place and there was no response as the surviving Geth tried to retreat...
Only for the flanking Krogan, forgotten in the orgy of biotic-assisted destruction, to come charging in, his bulk crushing a Geth underneath even as his shotgun gutted another. A third jumped at Wrex in an attempt to hold him off...only to be launched airborne by a flash of Liara's biotics, leaving Wrex free to charge into a whole cluster of the machines.
They fell, bowled over, crushed underfoot, a single stumbling one having its arm torn off as Wrex grabbed it with his free hand and pulled, his other busy slamming his shotgun into the chest of another before send the contents of its chest pouring out the sudden hole in its back.
A rocket trooper, having escaped the trampling charge of the Krogan, brought its weapon to bear...only for its head to come apart from a closer-ranged burst as Michael came charging in, the human tackling the remains into two other machines as he and Wrex tore into them...
Further off two Geth began to run...only for one to be violently jerked back in a flash of biotics, flying back...and then being tripped onto its back by Liara, the Asari pouring bullets into its chest.
The other one managed three steps more...then fell face down into the water with its neck smashed open as a single shot echoed.
Tali flinched, looked over at Garrus, and frowned. 'Risk revealing our position' hmmm? Leaning back against a boulder she crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes at him. 'Must not engage' hmmm?
"What?" Garrus ejected the spent shot with a click and a hiss, glancing over at her. "It was about to escape, could have set off the alarms..."
Silence, Tali glaring at him.
"Come on! It was just one little..." Garrus gestured at the downed machine, trying to look innocent even as his stance screamed shameless amusement along with just the tiniest mote of guilt.
Tali silenced him with merely a shift of her stance, leaning on her right leg as she kept her arms firmly folded over her chest.
A huff...and the Turian looked back down at now silent battlefield: "Shut up..."
Heh – Tali smiled at Garrus, glad to still have his friendship at least – idiot...
8
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"Shadow is in."
Michael scanned the room with wary eyes, but besides a few now smashed mechs there were nothing in the room save the large boxes you'd expect in a storage area.
"Light, move down to our location for rearguard against any enemy reinforcement, Shadow is proceeding." He waved forward...and the other two were instantly at his back as they moved towards the two doors at the other end of the large room.
Mission proceeding as planned, lack of primary objective worrying however. Where is Saren and how is he reacting? His hand darted up, changing channel on his helmet. "Aegohr, this is Shadow, reached enemy compound and proceeding as planned. What's your status?"
"This is Aegohr." Captain Kirrahe's voice was strained, intense gunfire clear in the background. "We had dug in but are now about to begin a tactical retreat, taking a lot of fire...no casualties however." There was the slightest hint of pride in the Captain's voice...and Michael felt himself echo it.
We can do this.
It was easy to feign confidence in front of the team, hell, he was so good at it he even believed it when he said it. But now, when he could judge the odds without having to look anyone but the enemy in the eye...he knew they so far had been lucky. A base full of Krogan and Geth led by Saren...the probabilities didn't sit well with Michael.
No casualties so far, we're making headway, we will make more.
"Acknowledged, Shadow out."
Ahead he looked up at the signs above the two doors...and frowned. The one to the left was clearly the one he was supposed to take, containing the breeding chamber, power plant, communications, the anti-air turrets and something simply called the 'chamber'. Private quarters for Saren?
Yet the other said 'labs'...and Michael couldn't help but wonder...there were too many unanswered questions, too much hidden in the dark about Saren and his doings...
We hurry.
"Team, with me." Michael waved at the others, jogging for the rightmost door, assault rifle moving forth in readiness as the door opened...and revealed the strangest of rooms...
It was an open room, deprived of any decorations, the floor and walls a matt black, making the pale white lamps high above look like tiny stars in a miniature galaxy. At the far end there were several glass doors leading into smaller cells...and all hanging open, their occupants set free.
And who had been the occupants was painfully clear.
Kirrahe did say the Geth had been capturing wounded team members instead of killing them...
The Salarians – dressed in simple white shirts reaching their bony calves – were stumbling hither and dither, their eyes vacant as they walked with slouched shoulders, just walked, turning randomly...drool dripping from half-opened mouths...
God...
And among them all...a single pale blue Asari dressed as a scientist bending over a Salarian that had fallen over, brow creased in interest as the fallen man looked back up, green blood dripping down one nostril even as he stared vacantly into the air.
"What is this?" Liara asked the question on Michael's lips...and the Asari spun round to face them, eyes wide and hands clutching a data-slate tightly.
"W-who are you?" Her voice trembled, left foot moving backwards in fear... "I...you're not s-supposed to be in here."
"Answer the question." Wrex growled, the Krogan's shotgun humming as he charged it up. "Now."
The Asari paled even further, eyes widening as she stared at the Krogan. "T-this i-is the l-labs..."
"These are the STG." Michael retorted, stepping forward, eyes scanning the mindless husks slowly moving back and forth with disgust. "What have you done to them?"
"Nothing!" The woman squealed, the slate dropping to the floor with a crack as her hands shot up in the air. "I haven't done anything!"
"Wrong answer." Wrex rumbled, the Krogan's steps heavy as he followed Michael as the two advanced on the scientist. "Try again."
"I...I..." The woman's eyes darted from Michael to Wrex, faster and faster, her mouth open and moving, yet no words coming.
Enough, we are on a timetable. "Why are they like this!" Michael grabbed the woman's collar and wrenched her close, making her cry out in terror even as he slammed the barrel of his assault rifle into her gut, eyes blazing as she hers widened. "Answer! Now!"
"Ah!" The Asari's hands moved down, clutching her scalp as she screwed her eyes shut. "I'm just studying them! I didn't do it to them! They just get like that! Saren wants to know how it works!"
"How what works!"
"Indoctrination! Please! Goddess please!" The Asari tried to pull out of his grip in panic, only to fall onto her back as Michael's hand pushed and released.
He glowered at her, stepping after her as she crawled backwards, until she stopped with a whimper when he stomped down on her ankle. Keep pushing, information vital. His voice was now a hiss: "What...is indoctrination?"
"I...it's what he calls it." The Asari hesitated, trembling even as she with a frown struggled to think. "It's what Sovereign does, his ship, it makes people think differently, changes them, makes them...simpler." She shook her head, chest heaving with panicked breaths. "Makes them want to do what he says, makes them need to do it..."
Shiala and Benezia said the same thing...
Michael lowered his rifle...and the Asari breathed out in relief even as Wrex snorted. "Why would Saren need to study it? It's his ship."
"I...I don't know..." The woman shook her head. "He doesn't tell us much, just to do this and that...I only know that he doesn't understand the indoctrination but uses it...I...I think he might be worried about it."
If he doesn't understand the nature of his own ship...yes it's plausible. But why doesn't he understand it in the first place? Unless...does he fear the Geth are controlling him via the ship? Something...doesn't add up... "And this is the result of it?"
"Yes..." The Asari shrugged even as she swallowed. "We amplified it so as to simulate it having been in effect for longer...and they quickly turned to this. I...Saren wants a means to counter it."
"I bet..." Wrex chuckled low, though it was a grim chuckle.
Michael turned back to the others, finding Wrex glaring down at the scientist as Liara looked at the Salarians, the woman looking a little sick. "Whether Saren is being controlled by the Geth or not is not important, he needs to die anyway, but I doubt he'd like if his research was suddenly no more...could give us an edge." He met Wrex's eyes...and nodded...and the Krogan smiled.
"S-so..." The scientist rose to her feet behind Michael. "...I can go?"
"No." Michael turned, the Asari screamed...and then fell as Michael fired a round into her chest. "You cannot."
Silence.
Then Liara's voice, soft: "That was...harsh of you."
Michael didn't turn, knowing her opinion of his crueller memories all too well. "If she lived Saren could recover her and what research she remembered if he escapes now, I will not give him that option, this is a battle of wills as well as weapons Liara..."
Too true...
He grimaced, head bowing as he realised he hadn't simply shot the scientist out of such clinical reasons: "Besides...look at them..." Michael gestured for the Salarians, the creatures not even having reacted to the sudden gunfire as the with slouchy steps continued their slow walking. "...she lied to us, she said she hadn't caused this, yet then she said she'd amplified the effect..."
"I...did not catch that..." Liara muttered, shamed.
Of course not, you were too horrified with what's around you...I cannot allow myself that however.
Wrex said it, claw pointing at one of the Salarians idly scratching a long wound along his arm, not caring about the blood he was drawing. "No one doing that to people deserves to live."
Silence.
Then Michael nodded with a sigh: "Exactly."
Silence.
Then a shrug.
Continue with mission...
A glance up at the mindless creatures, stumbling about, dead inside.
...in a moment.
Michael raised his assault rifle once more, this time at the Salarians...
A long, sweeping volley...and it was over.
Silence.
The air filled with the stench of death.
Innocent faces looking at him, bloodied, ruined, his responsibility...
Michael grimaced...bowed his head...and pushed the memory aside.
"Move out..."
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Thanks to Abydos Jackson for her continuing help.