"Shepard." The turian SpecTRe gave a nod. The Commander kept himself from jumping – Nihlus moved soundlessly, and rounding a corner and seeing a turian face jump out at you was quite a shock.
"How are you finding the ship, Sir?" Shepard asked, polite. It seemed he was running into the man every other hour. If the ship weren't so small, he'd suspect the SpecTRe of following him.
"More than adequate." The turian's unusually intense gaze didn't waver. There was a beat of silence, then he said, "I understand the designs were nearly leaked?"
Shepard nodded. "A cell within the Alliance had penetrated project Tantalus, and were planning on releasing the schematics. We're not sure who to. Likely the Shadow Broker." Shepard smiled. "It was dumb luck I stumbled over their dead-drop."
"Was it?" The SpecTRe's eyes seemed to flicker with brief amusement as he kept Shepard pinned with that penetrating stare of his.
"If I hadn't dropped my credit chit –"
"An amusing story." A smug note had crept into the turian's voice. Shepard briefly wondered how much access alien SpecTRe's had to Alliance Intelligence, but kept with his story, raising his eyebrow quizzically.
"Sir?"
Nihlus' mandibles flickered, and he nodded to the Commander. "We should spar sometime."
"Not sure I'm comfortable with that, sir." Shepard said.
"Really? Your marine complement speaks highly of your hand-to-hand skills. And there was your defense of Elysium…"
Shepard coughed at the last, but grinned. "I try not to beat on anyone above my paygrade sir." He allowed a little friendly challenge into his voice. The SpecTRe gave the turian equivalent of a grin, and nodded.
"See you in the cargo bay."
"I'll inform the good doctor." Shepard said wryly. Nihlus' mandibles flickered again, and he stalked off, still noiseless.
After his shift was over, Shepard marched down to the cargo bay, only to find half the off-duty marines and some of the on-duty ones crowding around the mats that had been set down for the sparring. Nihlus was there, looking oddly incomplete with only workout gear on. He was unperturbed by the jocular jostling of the marines around him, and seemed to ignore the pointed looks of hostility on some of their faces. Shepard stretched quickly, and stepped in the ring.
"What are the rules, sir?" he asked.
Nihlus cocked his head to the side, still studying Shepard. "No biotics. No dirty hits. No claws." He said.
Shepard grinned. "I can tie one hand behind your back, if you'd like." Despite his taunt earlier, he had no illusions how this would go – the SpecTRe had a decade of experience on him, and had made his way up the Hierarchy by his prowess in battle alone. Shepard…. had not. But the chance to learn from one of the Galaxy's greatest warriors was not something that he would pass up.
Nihlus smiled, his mandibles pulling closer to his face. "That won't be necessary." He snapped to attention, and put his hands into a ready stance from one of the Hierarchy's martial arts forms. Shepard bowed, and raised his hands lightly, keeping on the balls of his feet. The marines started cheering. Shepard swore he heard Chakwas' disapproving tut even over the marines. The good doctor certainly didn't lack for spunk.
They circled the mat twice, probing. Then Nihlus charged, throwing his shoulder forward. Shepard moved obliquely, allowing the blow to glance off of his chest. It hurt like hell, but allowed him to get behind the turian. He kicked out, aiming for the high joint in the turian's leg. Nihlus had already moved, swinging around in a spinning kick that Shepard only dodged from the momentum of his own kick. Shepard grunted, and bulled into Nihlus as he was coming down. They smashed together on the floor, mats blunting the impact. Shepard moved to put Nihlus in a joint lock, but the turian had twisted with a slipperiness that belied his plated features, arching around and reversing the hold onto Shepard, who had to roll out of it. He came to his feet quickly, only to be slammed by a vicious uppercut. Fine flecks of light danced across his vision as his consciousness vibrated from the impact. He ignored it, giving a sweep kick that painfully slammed his shins into the turian's knees. Nihlus stumbled, and Shepard put two quick punches into him – one to the chest, his fist making an odd sound as it hit the leathery plated skin, and one to the face, his knuckles splitting as they hit the mandible.
The marines cheered, and money changed hands. Nihlus grinned at Shepard as he backed away, from both adrenaline and amusement. He launched into a spinning kick. As he hit the air, Shepard lunged forward, throwing the turian off balance, forcing him to come down early. He came down on Shepard's leg, causing it to twist oddly. Shepard grunted and fell, rolling backwards and away. He came to his feet, and got an elbow in the gut.
Winded, he barely parried the next three blows, and threw a quick combo at Nihlus, who blocked them all, grabbed his elbow, and spun. Shepard yelped as he flew over the tall SpecTRe, and was winded a second time as he hit the mat, hard. He tried to roll out of the way, but Nihlus was on top of him in half a second, his forearm pressed lightly on Shepard's throat.
"Dead." He said lightly, the inflection still amused. The turian stood, and then offered a hand to Shepard, who gladly took it, levering himself up.
"You're a hell of a fighter, sir." Shepard said, grinning at his opponent, adrenaline still thundering through him.
"Yes." Nihlus said, the amused lilt still there.
"Would you mind teaching me a few things?"
Nihlus tilted his head. "That depends on how the next few rounds go." Shepard grinned fiercely in reply, and put his hands back up.
The next 6 rounds all ended similarly, but each one lasted longer than the last. Shepard was learning about his opponent. Mid-way through the 3rd round, he'd realized, after making a mistake that Nihlus failed to take advantage of, that the turian was testing him. Not exploiting certain things to show the breadth of Shepard's skills, using less direct and pragmatic approaches to force the fight in interesting directions. Shepard complied, throwing in all of the training he'd had – lessons from his time in with the asari commandos, his drill instructors in the Alliance, a few tricks he'd learned before Elysium, and some he'd learned from the turian observers during the Normandy's long stretch in dry-dock. When he started doing this, he sensed some sort of… approval from the SpecTRe.
As the last match ended - Shepard bouncing off of the mat, and Nihlus slamming his knee hard onto the space next to his head, the remaining marines whooping – Nihlus dusted himself off, and said,
"Not bad." He gave Shepard a searching gaze again, "You are free at 2000 GST." It wasn't a question. "Report here. I'll teach you."
Shepard rose, groaning slightly. "it would be an honor, sir." Nihlus nodded, and walked off, not even having the courtesy to look fatigued. He nodded to Captain Anderson as he came down to the cargo bay, the Captain's face a masked with slight disappointment. Shepard knew him well enough to know that he was hiding his amusement. The Captain had been a marine once himself, after all.
"Clear up, everyone. We're commencing secondary shakedown procedures in half an hour. The marine's hurriedly saluted and rushed off, doing their best to look busy. Anderson folded his arms as the men filed out. Shepard approached, toweling himself off.
"Good work, Shepard." He gave a wistful, and maybe slightly bitter look at the mats and the ring around it. "Would have liked a chance in the ring myself."
Shepard grinned. "The, ah, 'weight of command' wouldn't make that difficult, sir?" he said, pointedly looking at Anderson's midriff.
Anderson raised a sardonic eyebrow. "Watch it soldier. I could still take you any day of the week." Anderson's smile turned wolflike. "After all, they baby the N7's these days."
Shepard rolled his shoulders. He'd be quite stiff tomorrow. "Ach, low blow sir."
"Never fight fair, soldier." Anderson said, repeating a line drilled into every N7's head. Shepard laughed, and turned to head toward the showers.
"Shepard." Anderson said, formality returning to his voice. "Report to the briefing room at 2200 ships time. You'll receive a formal briefing on everything then."
Shepard cocked his head slightly, and nodded. "Yes sir."
At 2200 GST sharp, Shepard reported into the communications room, showered and sore all over from the intense training he'd received. He'd expected the focus to be on close quarter combat, but the ineffable turian had other things in mind, and the lessons had ranged from CQB to tricks and programs he could use on his omni-tool to augment his biotic and normal ordnance. Shepard had a knack for thinking obliquely, courtesy of his rather… varied upbringing and career, and he'd managed to surprise the SpecTRe a few times, a feat he was proud of.
As he walked into the Comm room, he encountered Nihlus, his arms folded and staring expectantly, and Anderson, who was in a similar pose. Shepard's training told him they'd been discussing something as he came in. From the way they stopped, he assumed he was the subject of their conversation.
"Commander, it's time I told you the real reason you were given a position on the Normandy."
"Yes sir." Shepard said, keeping his grin under control.
"You probably have been wondering why the initial turian delegation was replaced by Nihlus here."
"Yes sir." Shepard's grin widened.
"This isn't just a shakedown run, you see." Anderson began pacing. "The human Alliance has been expanding its influence in galactic politics. We're becoming a force to be recognized, respected. It's no secret that we're hoping for a seat on the Citadel Council."
"Yes sir."
"As a part of that, the council races need to know we can pull our own weight, and understand the tides of galactic currents well enough to govern well. As a part of this – "Anderson stopped pacing, and seemed to just now notice the massive grin that his XO was poorly concealing.
"You already know, don't you?"
"Yes sir." Shepard said, grin splitting his face.
Anderson sighed and rubbed his hand across his face. Nihlus's mandibles flickered, a sign of deep amusement for the stoic turian.
"Where'd you get the information this time?"
"Let's just say I trained under the one who wrote the OpSec rules." Shepard said, enjoying giving his marine mentor a good ribbing.
"Yes. You're training to be the next Human SpecTRe. It's an honor, first of your kind, etc. etc." Anderson said, a tired grin on his face courtesy of his irrepressible XO.
"I assume you know about the beacon then?" Anderson asked.
"Yes sir. The politics make sense too sir." Shepard nodded. Anderson and Nihlus both turned their heads slightly, impressed. Anderson made a tired motion with his hands.
"Yes, well, we share what we learn and then we might have the economy and information to actually implement it."
"You are getting a better trade than the Hierarchy did." Nihlus said quietly. The two alliance officers gave the SpecTRe a long, surprised look, but he didn't deign to elaborate.
"How will the testing begin, Sir?" Shepard said after a long silence.
"You will report to me at 0600 each morning, and we will train and test you until 2000 each evening." Nihlus said, a small glint in his eyes, daring Shepard to complain.
"Navigator Pressly has been briefed on XO duties and will be assuming your position on the Normandy after your promotion." Anderson said crisply.
"Hm. Thought he was overqualified for his position." Shepard said easily.
"As are you, Commander." Nihlus said. Shepard tilted his head slightly, acknowledging his, ah, service record.
Nihlus, apparently finished with the conversation, left the room without further comment. As Shepard and Anderson made their way up, Shepard grinned,
"And sir? You might want to give Yeoman Djana a crash course on operational security." Anderson sighed again, and gave Shepard a pat on the back, that was just slightly too hard. Shepard grinned, saluted, and left.
Nihlus' training proved to be every bit as challenging as his testing, and Shepard collapsed each day, exhaustion burning through him. The training went beyond physical – a SpecTRe was expected to be a one-man army, a one-man intelligence service, and a one-man judge, jury, and executioner. Shepard had shown aptitude for the first two, from his service record, but the third required an extensive grounding in galactic law and treaties, as well as a myriad of situations that a SpecTRe might be expected to encounter, up to and including the SpecTRe force's right to depose the Citadel Council if necessary.
Nihlus himself remained stoic, though Shepard was beginning to see small little gestures of approval, and a week later, of fondness. His sense of humor was so dry as to be nonexistent, but Shepard was learning more and more how to get a rise out of him. The workload never lightened, however.
As the shakedown procedures came to a close, the Normandy making its way through wargames and simulations above all expectations, Nihlus began talking of the future. Eden Prime would be their first mission – a quick run-through of the standard operating procedure so that Nihlus could diagnose what would need to change, if anything, in Shepard's tactical thinking and planning. They'd already been through simulation after simulation – most of which involved Shepard having to deal with being overwhelmingly outnumbered and outgunned. Nihlus had refused to tell him if he'd done well or not, only laid out consequences.
"You never know. Not really. But in everything you do you must act with supreme authority, and with the confidence that your decisions are correct. If you cannot do so, you are not fit to be a SpecTRe." Was all he'd said when Shepard had asked.
While the Normandy made its way through the Arcturus Relay, Shepard found himself enjoying one of his moments off, merely admiring the smooth efficiency of the Normandy crew as they completed their actions with a studied professionalism and poise – no doubt inspired by the brevetted XO, Pressly.
"…Drift: just under 1500k." Joker finished, relaying the commands through his mic to the cadre of navigators.
"1500 is good. Your captain will be pleased." Nihlus said from beside them, a rare glint of respect in his eyes as he glanced at the pilot. Joker looked less than pleased, and Shepard realized he was the only one present with enough experience in turian body language to recognize it. As Nihlus trudged off – still managing to move silently in a hardsuit across a metal floor. Joker grumbled.
"Hardass."
"He gave you a compliment, and so you're insulting him?" Lieutentant Alenko said from the co-pilot's chair. The LT had been put in charge of 'supervising' the mouthy pilot, mainly because he had the patience of a saint and a sense of humor dry enough to overmatch Moreau's sarcastic jibes at anything that moved.
"You remember to zip up your jumpsuit on the way out of the bathroom, that's good. I just jumped halfway across the galaxy and hit a target the size of a pinhead. That's incredible. Besides, SpecTRes are trouble. Call me paranoid."
"You're paranoid. It was a joint operation to build this ship, the first of its kind. The council will want to keep an eye on their investment."
Shepard smiled to himself, realizing that the bantering soldiers hadn't noticed he was behind them.
"Besides, the SpecTRes always have the newest toys. I expect Nihlus will want one for his own purposes." Alenko continued, looking back down at the diagnostics he was running post-relay.
"That's what I'm worried about. The Normandy's a lady, but you've got to know how to treat her right." Moreau patted the side of his interface fondly. "I don't want some turian with a stick up his ass trying to hold the line with a freaking stealth frigate."
Shepard shifted slightly, and Alenko looked up at the noise. He nodded at Shepard. This one's observant. Good. The commander thought to himself.
"I wouldn't worry about that Flight Lieutenant." Shepard said. The pilot jumped, and Alenko grinned.
"Oh hey, commander, didn't see you there." Joker said warily.
"She's an Alliance bird, Moreau. She'll stay that way." Shepard grinned at the mouthy pilot. "Nihlus would have to pry her from Mikhailovich's cold dead hands."
Moreau grunted. "Being as he's a SpecTRe, that doesn't comfort me much."
"But think of the paperwork involved." Alenko said dryly, and Joker winced.
"Point." His hands moved in familiar motions across the haptic display, when there was a urgent beep, and a red flagged item appeared on both Moreau's and Alenko's displays. Both of them looked up in alarm, and Joker's hands flew to automatic points, sending it up the command structure. Shepard's omni-tool beeped, and a fraction of a second later, Pressly's crisp voice echoed over the comm.
"All hands to general quarters. Hostiles reported on Eden Prime."
Shepard swore, then dashed off toward the galaxy map. He didn't notice, but after his time training with Nihlus, his hurried steps barely made a sound.
"Reverse and hold at 38.5."
The staticky image showed odd, bipedal synthetics with strange weapons descending in ranks from their curved ships, marching callously over the dead and dying marines on the ground. Silence reigned in the conn, as the techs and command all let the shock wash over them.
"Geth." Nihlus said, with a curiously final nonchalance. Anderson nodded slowly, his mind racing over plans, contingencies, colonial evacuation policies.
"Sir, sensors indicate the Geth have made inroads into new Geneva and are establishing a perimeter around the dig site." The sensor tech, Addison Chase, reported crisply, the instilled professionalism only wavering slightly in the face of such an unprecedented and horrific situation. Anderson strode up to the galaxy map, his omni-tool flaring and highlighting something in front of him.
"Spy satellites report the advance on New Geneva and farming communities is a holding action." Dubyansky said from the monitor across from Shepard.
"Why spend the men and materiel…" Anderson muttered to himself as he panned over the data he'd presumably received.
"Our priority is the beacon." Nihlus said, the subharmonics giving an unexpected edge to the statement. Anderson gave him a look, his eyes hard, and pulled up schematics for the beacon they'd been tasked to receive.
"You've my permission to task up to ten marines and form a strike force to retrieve the beacon." Anderson said finally. He tapped a few more buttons and came in over the comms "Marine contingent, report to the Kodiak. You'll link up with the 222 in New Geneva and provide some relief forces. Standard support gear and ordnance. Take extra medi-gel."
Anderson issued a few more orders, but Shepard had shifted his attention to Nihlus, who'd motioned to him, Alenko and Jenkins.
"Come." He'd said, and hopped onto the elevator. Jenkins and Alenko saluted crisply, to which Nihlus nodded with respect.
"Prothean beacons are rare things – and usually what is retrieved from them is beyond classified." Nihlus began, as the elevator began the small eternity it took to get to the garage. "It's beyond interspecies competition. The beacons are dangerous, and contact with one unprepared shatters the mind of the recipient." Jenkins looked suitably awed. Alenko nodded crisply, going over his loadout as the SpecTRe talked. "We will be required to move the beacon onto the Normandy for study. Doing so requires shielding we don't have. You will hold the beacon against any and all Geth attempts to seize it, while we wait for an extraction from the Normandy.
"Why just the three of us, sir?" Jenkins asked, sweat beginning to form on his forehead.
"So we have a hope of getting into position at all." Nihlus said. "We'll link up with what's left of your Alliance's garrison at the dig site."
Jenkins nodded his understanding, but did not look reassured. Alenko patted him on the shoulder, and Jenkins nodded, looking slightly less pale.
The elevator opened, and the team got kitted out, slamming on helmets and armor latches, and double checking their standard Alliance-issued weaponry.
"Debark in 5." Joker's voice came over crisp and professional. The Alliance marines turned toward each other, slamming each other's shoulder pads – a pre-mission ritual, and turned to the broadening glow of daylight as the cargo hatch opened. Nihlus strode purposely forward, his tall silhouette casting a long shadow behind him.
"Keep up." Was all he said, as he jumped off the still-lowering cargo ramp.
"Aye aye sir." Shepard replied, and jumped off himself, slowing his descent with his biotics as he rocketed through the blessedly empty sky. Alenko landed soon after, alight with his corona. Jenkins gave a yell as the ground approached, and Shepard caught him with a gentle lift field, slowing the marine's descent. His eyes were wide, but he grinned at Shepard.
"That was awesome!" Shepard and Kaidan laughed slightly, but drew their weapons, Kaidan cocking his handgun as Jenkins pulled out his Avenger. Shepard pulled out his shotgun, smiling grimly as the servos whined at the weapon extended.
"You from here, Jenkins?" He asked.
"Aye sir. Grew up about a hundred klicks from here though." He said.
"Care to take point?" Jenkins nodded in reply, raising his rifle to his shoulder, and leading Shepard down the draw.
"Nihlus, do you copy?" Shepard radioed, his HUD showing no sign of friendlies.
"Affirmative. I'm scouting ahead. Dig site is in visual range. Geth have not dug in, though they left a contingent for us."
"Don't kill them all before we get there." Shepard said dryly as his squad advanced down the draw of the hill they were on, moving cautiously through the meager cover provided by the trees. According to the schematics created by the surveillance satellites overhead, there was a clearing up ahead, the natural brush and grasses flattened by the tracked mud of the researchers and their equipment.
Shepard held up a hand as they crouched on the hill. Several Geth had gathered and began methodically placing odd, forked structures into the ground. Could Geth not do things methodically? Shepard wondered briefly before things developed. 3 scientists and two badly wounded soldiers were marched out into the clearing. Shepard motioned, and Jenkins and Alenko moved around the woods, setting up the Geth to be flanked.
It was then two of the Geth grabbed the wounded soldier and placed her on the stand. The woman had lost half her forearm, and was bleeding from a vicious wound in her side, but fought like mad from being placed on the platform. Shepard was about to give the order to fire when there was an audible click, and a spike shot up from the stand, impaling the brave woman. She gave several feeble gasps, twitched a bit, and fell silent. Alenko gave a look to the Commander. His expression was hidden by his helmet, but Shepard understood the shocked worry in it.
"NO!" Jenkins moved, firing and sliding down the slope, making his form near impossible to hit even as he advanced on the grouped Geth. "NO! You bastards!" He roared, rolling out of his slide behind a rocky outcropping, and spraying the line of Geth with his rifle. 4 more spines impaled 4 more people in retaliation, the Geth shields holding despite Jenkins' fire. Jenkins roared again, and threw a grenade, destroying the cover the Geth had begun retreating behind.
As soon as Jenkins made his move, Shepard motioned to Kaidan, and the two circled, lining up the Geth. At the right moment, they both heaved with their biotics, their blue corona now attracting fire. The remaining Geth were thrown into each other with a crash, letting out their digitized vocalizations. Jenkins seized the opportunity, and launched another grenade into the dogpile, creating a brief rain of Geth scrap.
In the silence that followed, Shepard strode up to the impressionable marine and put a hand on his shoulder.
"It's senseless, cruel, and I don't know why they're doing it to us." Shepard said, his voice stern, but not unkind. "But I need to know that I can count on you to follow orders." He made his visor transparent, giving a piercing look to the young marine, who's eyes were wide and pupils dilated.
"Yes." Jenkins shook his head. "Yes sir."
"Commander!" The LT yelled. Shepard whirled, as the spikes sank back into their platforms. The bodies had decayed a month in the minute they'd been up there, and blue wires now rain the length of their bodies, giving life to the dead flesh. An eerie blue glow came from the synthetic creations that stumbled in their first steps. Shepard swore, and instinctually sent a shockwave toward the nearest grouping. They went flying the remains of their flesh splitting and tearing from the shearing forces. Kaidan sent his own flare at the monsters, throwing two into the hard stones on the hillside. The last two advanced, a glowing blue electrical light gathering around them. Shepard put two blasts into them with his shotgun, the gun chewing into their desiccated bodies. They fell at his and Jenkins' feet.
There was a brief moment of silence, and Shepard radioed Nihlus.
"Sir, be advised: the Geth spikes produce hostiles."
"Commander?" Nihlus said, bemused. Shepard could have sworn he'd heard a worried subharmonic, but couldn't be sure.
"The spikes turn casualties into hostiles."
There was an audible click from the other end, and the sound of two precise gunshots.
"I see. Record what you can for the council briefing." Nihlus said.
"Yes sir." Shepard raised his omni-tool, taking scans of the spikes, the casualties, and the Geth present. Kaidan was patting Jenkins on the shoulder and saying something softly to the marine, who nodded. Scans completed, Shepard motioned, and they filed out of the draw, moving into a light jog over the proto-road the researchers and tracked into the hill. They continued like that for several minutes, following the road down into the valley, their HUDs tagging the entrance to the dig site proper as they rounded the corner of the long lush draw.
The squad began sprinting when they heard the tell-tale sound of an Avenger rifle cracking against the eerily quiet afternoon. As they rounded the final corner of the valley, they beheld a single soldier fighting desperately against an entire platoon of Geth troopers. Ducking behind a crate, she lobbed a grenade obliquely, then spun around the corner to line up the Geth into scope as they backed away from the explosive. Three fell to the fire as Shepard's squad sprinted into position, Shepard and Alenko swinging wide to provide a crossfire. As Shepard slid into position, he reached into the gentle tug of the planet's gravity, and flipped it in pull field where the Geth were advancing. The digitized calls of distress echoed up the valley, and Jenkins layed into the floating synthetics, shredding the platforms. He ducked down beside the lone soldier, exchanging words neither Shepard nor Kaidan could hear. Alenko rolled forward, the blue corona of his biotics beginning to form as he did so. The move brought the remaining Geth attention on him, and he smiled as he stood, unleashing his own pull field. Before Jenkins and the soldier could react, he raised his omni-tool, sending a huge burst of electricity at the suspended electronics, who shivered and jerked at the impact. Shepard finished them off with a few blasts of his shotgun, as he advanced up to the rest of his squad.
"Commander Shepard of the SSV Normandy. We're here to secure the beacon."
"Gunnery Chief Williams of the Colonial 212." The soldier said, saluting tiredly, her eye still wide with shock and adrenaline.
"Where's the rest of the 212?" Shepard asked, looking about it.
"You're looking at what's left, sir." Williams said quietly. Alenko and Jenkins gave a sharp intake of breath. Shepard grimaced.
"I'm sorry Chief." Shepard glanced about again, and sighed. "What about the beacon?"
"Geth took it sir. Hooked it up to some sort of generator, and moved it to the tramway not a half-hour ago."
Shepard turned aside, speaking into his radio. "Nihlus, the beacon has been moved from the dig site. We've hooked up with what's left of the 212, and are heading to the tramway in pursuit."
"I copy Shepard." Static crackled over the comms the mic picked up a blast, and the digital scream of a Geth in pain. "Rendez-vous at the tramway in 5."
"Yes sir."
Nihlus put two more rounds into the still forms of the Geth he'd ambushed, just to be sure. He slid back between the trees, working his way into the flatlands where the tram station had been placed. Leave it to humans to need 4 different methods of transport to accomplish one task. Shepard though – he certainly was efficient, despite his rather varied service record. He'd make a fine SpecTRe, even beyond the political expedience provided by his upbringing.
Nihlus ducked behind a tree as a Geth patrol cycled past, their incandescent heads giving them away. It was almost too easy to evade them, secure in his ECM suite and simple, old-fashioned stealth. The scrublands would be harder, in the 500 meters it would take to reach the squat forms of the prefabs and the boxy tramway. Time to test a new toy.
Engaging a mode on his suit, the SpecTRe shimmered and disappeared, a tactical cloak woven into his armor activating. He sprinted across the open space, footfalls no more noticeable than a slight gust of wind. He slid into position behind some well-placed research gear. He peered around the corner in the second before the cloak disappeared, and nearly dropped in shock. A turian was standing in front of a Geth platform that was twice as large as the other troopers. Nihlus, without thinking, set his omni-tool to record.
"I don't care where you place the nukes. Just make sure the radiation gets in the jet-stream. They want life to be impossible on this planet for the next 500 years."
A chill tickled the inside of Nihlus' plates all at once. Saren! Working with the Geth. Nihlus's mandibles flicked in frustration. What could possibly justify the genocide of everyone living on Eden Prime? What had happened to Saren? Nihlus crouched, indecisive for a moment, then squared his shoulders and marched out into the open, keeping in mind the first lesson Saren had ever taught him.
"Saren Arterius." Nihlus said, letting an uncertain subharmonic into his flanged voice. He saw the way the older SpecTRe stiffened, and turned to face him.
"Nihlus."
"What are you doing here?" Nihlus said, letting the slightest tremble into his voice. Suddenly Saren looked incredibly tired.
"What I am always called to do. That which must be done." Saren turned to face him, though he didn't meet Nihlus' eyes.
"Genocide?" Nihlus let the accusation hang.
Saren snarled and looked directly at his protégé. "If I have to end a million of the apes for the good of the galaxy I will. If I have to eradicate the entire spirits damned species, I will. If the death of a planet means the system will survive, that is the choice I must make." Saren had taken two steps closer, and looked away, his voice quiet. "If I have to kill one whom I consider a son to complete my mission, I will." He looked up at Nihlus, pleading. "Don't make me."
Nihlus cocked his head, studying his former mentor, a father figure he'd come to respect above all others. He had changed. He looked closer.
"What happened to your eyes?" The rogue SpecTRe's eyes had always been dark and hard, courtesy of a life lived in the long shadow of the law, in the dark spaces of the galaxy. They were different now. His pupils have changed from angular slits to broad hourglasses, limned with a curious coppery glow.
"Another sacrifice." Saren said enigmatically. He stared at his protégé, eyes wary. "Join me Nihlus. Or join the spirits."
"Spectres are unique among the spirits."
Nihlus was already moving. He ducked left, avoiding the sweep of the large Geth unit that had snuck up behind him. He went low, attaching a grenade to the thing's leg as he went by. He detonated it as he rolled up beside Saren, whose form had become limned with a blue glow. The big unit let out a synthetic scream as it's chassis blew apart, unheeded by the two turians locked in mortal combat.
"They are the righteous damned."
Nihlus said, moving underneath the older SpecTRe's combo of punches, and slamming his electrically charged omni-tool directly into the side of Saren's armor. Saren jerked and leaped back, drawing his specialized hand cannon as he did. Nihlus was already rolling to the side. The bullets like small comets ate into the crates and equipment scattered about, leaving holes a foot in diameter.
"Without house, home, hearth or heart, they wander."
Nihlus drew his shotgun, pumping 4 rounds into Saren's cover, and tossing a tech-mine on either side of him. Saren leaped directly over his cover and slammed into the ground near where Nihlus was already rolling away. The shockwave set off the tech mines, and Saren roared as his gear sputtered and died from the mini-EMPs. He launched a throw at Nihlus and clipped him.
"Justice is their purview." Nihlus said from the ground.
His shotgun had been tossed away from the throw, and he lifted his pistol from his side, flipping up to his feet. He caught a biotically assisted punch to his ribs. The armor deflected most of the blow, but the force of it sent him staggering. He ducked under Saren's swiping talon, and slammed his fist into the side of his former mentor's face. The turian's unhelmeted head rocked sideways from the blow. Saren scrabbled, and grabbed Nihlus' arm, throwing him to the ground.
"Death is their realm." Nihlus rose once again, to be hit dead on with a shockwave. His armor shattered and fractured with the force, and he was slammed into a stack of crates sending them tumbling. He stood back up, sliding sideways to miss the warp that ate through the research equipment. He fired three times, preparing his omni-tool as he did. As Saren flew towards him with a flying kick, he ducked underneath and launched a gout of superheated plasma that scored and melted bits of the rogue SpecTRe's armor.
"The unrighteous flee whither they might."
Saren stumbled and rolled over onto his back, coughing.
"But darkness is no refuge in a spectre's night." Nihlus put two rounds into Saren's leg. Saren roared and convulsed in pain. Nihlus took two steps closer, omni-tool prepared to issue the commands that would lock up Saren's armor and restrain him. Then Saren moved, twisting, taking out Nihlus' knees, rising up to meet him. The massive pistol tapped Nihlus' armor, and fired, once, twice. Nihlus gasped as half his insides exited out the back of his armor. He stumbled back, hands dropping his pistol and going to the two gory wounds.
"They know not mercy." Saren said, picking up where Nihlus left off.
"They know not fear nor pain." He continued, sheathing his pistol, and grasping the younger Turian by the shoulders.
"They know only justice." Saren stared at his dying protégé, his eyes brighter than they would have otherwise been.
"And woe to him in their way." Saren finished, as Nihlus convulsed in his arms. Nihlus snarled one last, incomprehensible sentence and died, falling with a final thunk onto the metal floor of the tram station.
Saren bowed his head, and jerked as he heard a beeping. He swore and dove, grabbing the bit of explosive stuck to him with his left hand, lifting it to throw, when it exploded.
"Nihlus!" Shepard yelled as he heard the blast and the tramway came into eyesight. He raced forward, activating his barrier as the multitude of Geth sent a wave of fire his direction. They were carrying something away in a hastily erected stasis field.
His squad ducked behind cover, when Joker radioed them.
"Shit! Commander a dreadnought of unknown origin and make just entered the system going 5 times faster than the speed record." There was some more swearing from the line, and Joker continued: "We're going to go stealth and hide on the dark side of the moon here. No comms until the thing passes."
"Understood." Shepard said, then clutched at the pickups on his helmet as a deafening boom shattered all sound and sense. A huge dark shape blotted out the sun, long fingers of a massive hand extending and stretching miles. There was a second thundering crash, and a shockwave that sent everyone – Geth, Shepard and his squad, the crates, flying. The thing the Geth were carrying remained unmoved, safe in its defiance of gravity and mass.
A single ray of light opened from underneath the massive construction, and the stasis field floated up, along with two platforms. Shepard started to take a stride forward, when a sense-rending shriek exploded from the ship. The humans all bucked and clasped their ears, trying to escape the noise. There was another earth shattering shake, and the ship took off, breaking the sound barrier and casually flying out of the atmosphere.
"What the hell was that?" Williams said shakily, as the humans all got to their feet. Shepard, breathing shakily, shook his head.
"Nothing I've ever seen before."
"Commander!" Jenkins said. He took a breath to steady himself, "I've got a read on the beacon! It's on the other end of this tramway."
"Let's hope the thing still works."
The squad made their way across the tram station, to the open-air cart that had survived the firefights and the dreadnaught's surprise landing. Kaidan checked it over.
"Appears to be in once piece, Commander." Shepard lifted a hand, gesturing onto cart.
"All aboard." He bowed sardonically, the banter the only thing keeping them from falling apart.
The tram ride began and ended faster than it ought to have. One minute they were sliding along warily looking through the shattered idyll of Eden Prime, ears still ringing from the dreadnought casually defying physics. After a few jolts from the track being misaligned, the ride was smooth, taking them over a lake sparkling in the afternoon sun. Shepard searched beneath the water as they slid over the suspended rails, deciding to assume nothing about this mission. He'd holstered his shotgun, and had his own Avenger resting beside him, ready if he needed it. Williams had set up a sniper rifle on the forward rail, and was scanning the horizon line, looking for hostiles. Jenkins was doing the same behind them, while Kaidan updated their map, keeping an eye on the beacon they were set to be retrieving.
"Comms chatter is telling me the Geth have retreated from New Geneva and Los Devas." Alenko said, looking up from his omni-tool. "Scanners are shot, so no telling the resistance we'll face –"
"Contact!" Williams shouted. There was an echoing blast, and she twisted slightly, adjusting the scope. Kaidan and Shepard hit the deck, while Jenkins swung his rifle on around, lining up his own shot. There came two more consecutive blasts, and then Williams shipped her rifle.
"That's all the time we can buy you commander. It'll stop them from blasting the tram, but not much else." She unshipped her shotgun. Apparently they were densely packed.
"Jenkins, what do you see?"
"They're going to try and pin us with a crossfire as soon as we pull in, now that they know better than to try to destroy the tram outright." The young man was shaking. He wasn't saying something.
"Tell me everything Jenkins!" Shepard shouted as their tram began braking.
"We're not gonna make it sir."
"The hell we are! I didn't come all this way to give up an die when we're only outnumbered!"
Jenkins nodded. "It's been an honor sir."
Time moved in slow motion as the tram moved into the station. At least 50 Geth had lined up to meet them, some over the walkway above the tram lines, some on the opposite side, some attempting to board. Jenkins saluted to Shepard, then leaped off the tram as it was still moving. He rolled on the platform, and came up, assault rifle shooting controlled bursts, tearing into the Geth shields. Kaidan and Shepard stood, both activating their barriers, and reaching out to disrupt the Geth lines nearest. But Jenkins was already moving, sprinting. He was spraying fire now, not caring about his aim. Nor did he have to – the Geth were so numerous. He staggered as bullets penetrated his shields, but kept moving, pulling something from his belt.
Shepard's eyes widened, and he shoved Williams and Alenko down as the pieces clicked. There came a sharp boom, as all the grenades Jenkins had left exploded at once, chunking the 10 geth around him. There was a crackle, the smell of ozone, and the sound of 1000 blowtorches activating at once, as Jenkins' last act ruptured the plasma conduit that ran the tram. A massive flare of bright light passed over their eyes, and then the tram was eerily quiet.
Shepard forced them up and out of the cover-less tram car. They dodged a few bullets as the remaining Geth forces scrambled to recover, but they seemed sluggish, less responsive. Williams and Shepard put a few rounds into them with their assault rifles, while Alenko flushed them out of cover. It was over in a few short minutes.
Shepard walked over to where Jenkins lay, his body almost unrecognizable from the burns he'd received. He knelt, placing a gloved hand on his fallen friend, wishing he knew something to say. He heard Kaidan come up behind him.
"His first mission and he's already a hero." Alenko said, his voice unnaturally thick. "Always moving too fast."
Shepard nodded, and opened his omni-tool, the dog-tags implanted in Jenkins receiving and verifying Shepard's signal, which then transmitted to the Normandy.
PVT 1st Class Richard Jenkins confirmed KIA, his HUD read.
"Commander, are these nukes?" Williams asked suddenly, causing them all to jump, then swear. It turned out they weren't armed. But their presence was chilling enough. Shepard had the Lieutenant disable them while he and Williams advanced to the soft red blip on their maps which marked the presence of the Beacon.
They rounded the corner, and came face to face with an empty geth transport docked to the side of the station. It appeared empty of all life, synthetic or otherwise. Shepard noted the docking clamps control board, and disengaged them, just to see what would happen. Williams gave him a slight grin as he did so, and the Geth drop-ship fell, tumbling, onto the mountainside beneath them. Alenko, who rounded the corner, gave a grim look at the wanton destruction, his disapproval muted by the smile tugging at his lips. Something Jenkins would've thought was awesome.
"Normandy, we have secured the package. Better yet, there's a loading berth for a shuttle. Sending you coordinates and –"
Shepard looked back, realizing that Williams had approached the beacon. He was about to shout a warning at her, when she was seized by some alien force. His mutant nerves sung as he felt gravity shift, and caught a hint of a green-limned corona about the beacon. He swore, and sprinted forward, throwing the Gunnery Chief out of the way of –
A spike of energy entered his mind, scanning, searching. Shepard briefly felt the gravity reversal, and his feet leaving the ground, when a vision, with desperate energy slammed itself into his mind. He screamed soundlessly, his voice joining a chorus millions strong, and consciousness left him.
"How's he doing Doctor?" Anderson's stared down at Shepard's prone form, his face more lined than usual.
"His brain waves have stabilized, and he seems to have gone into REM sleep. There's a slight irregularity, though." Anderson looked sharply at the doctor.
"Whatever the beacon did to him seems to have lodged in his memory. He's dreaming, but he's dreaming memories." She said.
"His life is flashing before his eyes?" Anderson frowned, and looked back at his unconscious XO.
"His previous psychological traumas probably haven't helped." Chakwas tightened her lips, then shooed the Captain out of the med-bay. "Go on! He won't get better by you standing there fretting!"
Young Alexander sat with his knees up against his chest, saying and staring at nothing. It had been six months since Mindoir, and still he hadn't said a word. The Alliance, busy with protecting their other colonies, sent the orphans of Mindoir through the system. Those with families went to them. Those without got sent to orphanages based on their psych evaluations and profiles.
And that was why there was muted screaming coming from the room next to him.
There was muffled shouting, the sound of tiny fists pounding impotently against the padded wall, and a slamming door. A harried caretaker emerged, her graying blonde hair having been pulled unevenly from its coif. She ran a hand through it and sighed. She looked around, and started a bit when she saw Alexander sitting in the corner. Smiling, she crouched down next to him.
"Don't mind Dave. He's..." She looked to the side, hearing the dull thumps of Dave pounding the walls. "He's got more anger than his little body knows what to do with." She finished. Her smile was damp, now. "But how about you? Are you ready to talk?" She held out her hands. Tentatively, Alexander put his own in them. He said nothing.
"No?" She gives his hands a little shake, "Well, I'll be here if you decide otherwise." Sliding her thumb over his knuckles, she gives him another sad smile, then slowly picked herself up.
There's a chime, and her right wrist glows orange with the light of her omni-tool. She cocked her head to one side when reading the message, then strode off, towards the front of the orphanage. Alexander let his chin sink back into his knees. Dave stopped pummeling the walls, and the muffled sound of his louder sobs was the only thing that disturbed the quiet.
Quite suddenly, there were 3 pairs of footsteps. 3 creaks from the stressed floorboards in the entry hall. The sound of soft conversation, all female voices. The Caretaker emerged from the hallway with two asari trailing her. One half-grown, holding her mother's hand.
"Alexander? Some friends have come to see you." The caretaker crouched down next to him. The younger asari left her mother's hands and threw her small blue arms around Alexander's crouched form. the caretaker smiled.
"You already know Nalanissa." she said, then stood. "This is her mother, Lyvanis." She smiled as Alexander lowered his arms to accept Nala's embrace. "They want to adopt you."
"Doctor Chakwas! Doctor Chakwas! I think he's waking up!"