Hey all! Welcome to chapter four.
I must apologize both for the shortness of this chapter and the delay in its publication. This chapter was intended to be this short originally, but it has been delayed by a brief bout of illness that I believed compromise my ability to write. And so, it was delayed. But here we are. I hope you enjoy.
Disclaimer: All Mass Effect related content in the following text is the property of Bioware. I own Sam. I think.
I breathe in sharply, suddenly and unexpectedly fearful. While I've definitely feel I've been improving, believing that I can take on Ashley in this sort of scenario, after a mere week of training, seems foolish. Nonetheless, I'm not about to back down from this one, not now after I've come so close to being accepted on the Normandy!
I take the shield capacitor and place it on the shoulder guard of the uniform, and I can't help but feel safer as the kinetic barrier extends like a blue mesh around my body before fading into transparency. I take the weapons, holstering the pistol and shouldering the assault rifle, and to turn to peer into the entrance of the maze.
I can barely see the end of the first corridor of this maze, and I realise it's probably going to be a lot more difficult to see now that I'm being forced to look at it from a first person perspective. Huh, this is certainly an interesting way of training someone.
Then again, it was always going to be a crash course.
Steeling myself, I begin to step forward, wincing at every echo produced by my footfalls as the heavy Alliance boots hit the floor. Well, if Ashley doesn't already know precisely where I am, she does now!
I reach the end of the 'corridor' and I'm faced with a choice: left or right? I turn left, following the instinctive preference I've possessed for years.
I turn left and realise that the only source of light is that small light in the entrance. Which means that I'm very rapidly going to run out of light. Shit.
I keep moving forward, aware of the darkness steadily enveloping me. Would this be a bad time to remember I hate the dark? At least I have the dim blue light of the shield capacitors battery thing on my shoulder. Still, this isn't going to be fun.
Keeping a firm grip on the assault rifle, I proceed to the end of this narrow corridor, before turning to the right, deeper into the labyrinth.
A loud noise, not a gunshot as I first thought-the one that sends me diving to the floor-but something like the sound of a rifle butt being slammed against a large metal crate, nearly sends me leaping out of my skin in terror.
I can almost hear Shepard chuckling.
Ashley. Climbing to my feet, my breathing accelerated by a factor of several hundred, I ask myself what on earth-what an outdated phrase-she thinks she's doing. Mind games, of course, but in a training exercise? What the hell?
Then again, it's all fair in love and war, and this is definitely the latter. Not that it makes me feel any better-I can already feel the sweat leaking from my forehead, and my heart rate has already shot up and is giving no indication of stopping.
I consider stopping to rest for a moment, but then I notice a peculiar blue glow emanating from around a corner up ahead. Curious, I pull enough of my shaken self together to advance towards the corner, not exactly holding the rifle straight up.
To my surprise, I round the corner only to be faced with one of the little blue combat drones. I swear I can see the LED's or whatever it uses grin as it fires a single blue bolt straight into the shield covering my face. Dammit!
I topple backwards as the shot discharges over my face, but I manage to orient myself so that I fall back around the corner. So they haven't let them move around yet. Oh, don't say that...
Getting back to my feet, I reaffirm my grip on the assault rifle and leap back around the corner, firing at the metaphorical heart of the little drone as I do so. With a series of little explosions followed by a sad little beeping noise, the drone deactivates and falls to the floor, wrecked. Where are they getting all these drones, anyway? Surely Tali can't be fixing/creating them all this quickly…
Shaking my head, I step over the corpse of the drone and move on. It's a shame that drones lose their light when they're destroyed-it would have been nice to have a little extra light in the darkness. Nonetheless, it's not like the dark is going to make my heart beat any faster or anything.
I reach another crossroads, this time turning right in an attempt to get further into the maze. I'm following the wall now, and wondering when Ashley is planning on putting in an appearance. Hopefully before she decides to throw in another terrifying noise. Seriously, that was not cool.
I'm a little deeper into the maze, at least I think I am, when I see a familiar blue glow up ahead. A drone! Raising my rifle, I tiptoe towards the corner, trying to minimize the noise that until now I've been trying to ignore. I don't know how good a combat drones audio sensors, or whatever, are, but I'd rather not take any chances.
Just as I'm about, to lean around the corner and take the drone down, the glow begins to fade. What? I peak around the corner only to be faced with the drone's retreating back. Guess I thought too soon when I reckoned they couldn't move. Great, I realise, now I have to watch my back as well. That's…unfortunate.
Well, better deal with this drone before I worry about any others. I lean around the corner and pull the trigger, filled with slight satisfaction as the drone, completely unaware of my presence, fell to the floor under a hail of gunfire. Loud gunfire. Hmm, this does give Ashley quite the advantage, knowing where I am all the time.
I think for a moment. It would be impractical to tiptoe everywhere-it would take ages to get through this place, and anyway I would just lose my balance eventually, which would not be good. I look down at my shoes, and realise the solution is simple.
Placing down my gun-an action that I'm not entirely happy with-I begin to work the shoes off of my feet, leaving them by the side of the crate. Hopefully I'll be able to retrieve them later.
Picking up my gun, I climb back to my feet, pleased at the distinct lack of noise that is now being produced by my footfalls. Hopefully this will allow me a bit more of a chance against Ashley, wherever she is.
I keep moving through the maze, the darkness weighing down on me, not helped by my rapid heartbeat and steadily fraying nerves. Then I reach a dead end, and the feeling of being lost which is so easy to put off when one is certain they're going in the right direction, begins to worm its way into my mind. Well hell, this is unfortunate. I'll have to double back and figure out which turn I went wrong at.
I turn to head back down the corridor only to find a pair of drones floating in my path. Come on! Both drones make an obnoxious beeping noise before firing at me, managing to briefly make the shield glow orange over me. Good to know the shield is sufficiently weak to be almost taken down by a pair of drones. Hopefully the Alliance has something slightly sturdier for fighting Geth.
I pull the trigger on the assault rifle, firing half blind through the orange shield which still hasn't faded away. I hear the distinctive sound of one drone powering down and then the crash as it hit's the floor, but then I'm hit with yet another energy bolt. How is that drone still up?
The shield, although further damaged by the second bolt, fades away, and I resume fire at the second drone, only for the drone to surround itself in an energy field…not dissimilar to the shield that I have. So not only do they start moving now, but they also come in groups and come shielded, great.
Huh, the drones are getting progressively more difficult to defeat. I thought I wasn't playing a shooter/RPG anymore!
Cursing quietly, I raise the assault rifle and just fire, not bothering to stop until the drone is a tattered pile of mechanical parts lying on the ground, and I nearly drop the assault rifle when it starts beeping all of a sudden. It seems to have overheated.
I pause for a few moments to catch my breath, restore my shields and allow the assault rifle to cool down. I'm suddenly very glad for the twenty one hours I've spent in the gym over the last seven days. I'm certain that the me from 2013 wouldn't have lasted through the darkness.
Sighing, I return the way I came to the nearest crossroads, going straight ahead this time, and hoping that there won't be any more drones standing in my way. I'm certain that, over my head as I progress, from somewhere above the crates, there is a lit area. I should head towards that, and I begin to pick up the pace, glancing above me at every turning to see whether or not I'm heading towards the light.
After a few minutes, a few suspiciously drone-free minutes, the light has become bright indeed over my head, enough to start illuminating the corridors beyond that which is emitted by my shield capacitor.
I turn another corner and then grind to a halt. It seems that I've found the centre of the maze.
The area is open, small but large enough to fit several chest-high crates in. At the far end of where I'm standing is a trio of such crates arranged to create an area of perfect cover, and surprise, surprise, Ashley is standing, in armour no less, grinning at me.
"So you got through." She states simply, still grinning, before raising her assault rifle and firing at me. Eh? My mind almost doesn't react in time, but I just manage to dive to the side and avoid the hail of fire she sends my way.
I lean against the crate for a couple of minutes to regain my bearings, and realise that the crate I'm leaning against is actually part of a series of interlocking crates that extend around the sides of this little arena in a pattern not unlike that of the castle walls. Two crates followed by one crate, and so on. There are three breaks in the wall, each in line with one of the crates Ashley is using for cover, to serve presumably as ways for me to get close. Like I'm going to try that.
I peek back around the side of the crate, and realise that Ashley really does want to challenge me here. Behind each of the crates between me and her little fortress there now bobs up and down a combat drone. And I can't tell if they're shielded or not. Wonderful.
It seems a bit odd, from my perspective at least, to transition from some nerve wracking maze combat to this…siege. Then again, they do need to cover all the bases with my training.
I'm snapped out of my thought process when Ashley realises that I haven't moved and starts shooting in the general direction of my crate. Getting my head back behind cover, I consider my next move.
I could try and advance cover to cover, but a frontal assault seems to be both obvious and suicidal. Not only would I be exposing myself to direct fire from Ashley basically the whole time, but I would also be taking fire from those damn drones. I'm really starting to despise drones.
I could hold position here and try to fight her from this distance, but she has superior numbers, a superior position and superior training. Not to mention protection with that armour of hers.
Or I could try going around the side. She would still be protected by the crates on her flanks, but it would enable me to get closer and perhaps avoid the fire from the drones. This seems to be the best option.
Mind made up, I immediately discard the notion of going around the other flank in favour of staying firmly on this side of the open zone where I could be shot at.
I slip along to the edge of my crate and peer around the side of the crate above it, trying to discern where Ashley is looking. She's turned away at the moment, peering at the place I just was. Then an energy bolt from a drone shoots straight past my head and collides with the wall. Shit, if she didn't know where I was before, she sure does now!
Instead of simply diving back behind the crate I'm currently behind, I instead make a sort of kneeling leap across then low cover to the next segment of the wall. Secure for the moment, I begin to slowly move to the far side of the crate where I repeat the process. I'm hit this time, but not enough to penetrate the shield.
At this point I've reached the corner of the wall, and I look down this end of the wall. Nothing significant, but at least I'm able to outflank the little army in front of me. I keep up the careful process I've been following and manage to avoid taking much damage to my shield, although the situation is taking its toll on my nerves. I need to conclude this, and quickly, or I might not be capable of holding the rifle.
I move down the row of crates, but as I reach the second gap and prepare to duck across it, I'm met with a hail, seemingly coordinated, of fire that manages to rip through the crate, ruining that plan. I feel a lot less secure about these crates now, too.
Looks like I'm going to have to whittle down the drones before I do anything else, and do it quickly before they bring the whole wall down. Leaning out of my cover, I fire quickly, taking down one drone and damaging a second, before being forced back into cover. A promising start.
The firefight continues in this vein for some time, but as I take down a third drone, I notice through the gap in the wall on the far side of the arena that there is some sort of box at the end of the left hand side of the wall.
Momentarily distracted, I squint in an attempt to see what this anomaly is. My distraction ends when Ashley, for one reason or another, discards the firing from cover doctrine she's been pursuing up until now and unloads her rifle at me.
My vision is rapidly filled with the shield, turning from blue to orange and finally to red before I manage to drag myself back behind cover.
So, she doesn't want me looking over there, huh? Better get over there then. Unfortunately, as I make this decisions I feel gunfire start to pour into the crate I'm sitting behind. I'm confused for a moment, but then I realise she is attempting to replicate the tactic she used to stop me from advancing earlier.
I manage to dive to the next crate along just as the fire tears through the crate, but they give no respite as I immediately feel the thudding of the gunfire against the rear of the crate I'm currently sitting against.
I breathe in and out deeply, knowing that I have little time to act. My shield is restored by now and I'm not far from the entranceway that will allow me to get to the far side of the wall. Pushing aside the instinctive fear, I clamber to my feet and start to run. I can feel the fire shifting, following me as I dash past the crates and practically leap past the gap in the crates.
Not stopping for a moment, I keep moving, swinging past the next corner and heading for the odd box. I do hope that this is worth it-although Ashley's reaction suggests that it is. Their fire never stops for a moment, apart from when Ashley has to allow her rifle to cool, but the drones just keep firing, and the increasingly orange shield surrounding me suggests they're getting a lot better at this shooting business.
I dive across the final gap and land in the slightly stiffer cover of the protruding wall that makes up the cornerstone of the end of the wall of crates. They can't shoot through this, so I go about looking at this crate.
I drag it towards me, and it turns out to be just like any other storage chest from Mass Effect-plain and otherwise useless. Except of course, for that which it stores. Flipping open the top from my mercifully secure position-no one seems to be moving towards me, although I won't know about the drones until they're on top of me.
At first, the crate seems to be entirely empty, but just as I'm about to seal the lid and place it aside, I notice the light glinting off something in the bottom of the container. Curious, I reach my hand in and pull out what looks like a small landmine-a thin disk of metal with a small button on top. A grenade.
Is this really supposed to be here? Or is this some kind of test of my nerves? I'm more than a little nervous about the notion of throwing a grenade at Ashley…but wait, I can use it to take out the cover that she's using! I'll still have to deal with the drones, but it'll sure give me a temporary advantage over Ashley!
Decision made, I put the assault rifle under my left arm and grip the grenade in my left. I assume that this works the way I think it does, and I press the button on the topside of the device, and a beeping immediately starts. Hopping out of cover, I throw it blindly in Ashley's general direction, then hop back into cover.
A few seconds later, a large exploding sound echoes around me, the room fills with light as the grenade goes off. To my delight, however, a fragment of crate flies through the air and lands next to me. So that plan worked.
Pleased with this, I shoulder my assault rifle again and push out from cover, quickly taking down two drones who seem to be reacting poorly to the explosion. There are fewer drones then I remember, there must have been some inside the blast radius, but before I can turn to fire at the others, the remaining drones power down and float to the floor, intact.
Keeping the rifle raised, I turn towards Ashley, who is standing amidst the ruins of her little fortress with a face that seemed to be a cross between impressed and amused. "Well then, it seems you know what you're doing. Go see the Commander, she's up on the Crew Deck." Taken aback by this turn of events, I simply nod and turn towards the maze again.
Before I get there though, she calls out to me, I turn and she smiles "Sam, tell the Commander I think you're ready." My heart swells up upon hearing this, and I grin, turning again towards the maze and waiting to hear what Shepard has to say.
Thanks for reading! All feedback is appreciated!
Oh, and this is the last non-story chapter. Yup, next up, Feros...