Kodiak on Approach for Horizon
Ashley Williams stood in the cargo compartment of the UT-47 Kodiak Shuttle as it dropped through Horizon's atmosphere in stealth mode. We don't want the locals to know we are here until we know their intentions and can make a proper accounting of supplies. Paul Leighy and James Vega sat behind her their weapons stapled to their back; Ashley cradled her Harrier.
"So…just when you think you have gotten away from here it just keeps pulling you back in doesn't it?" James asked, semi rhetorically.
She turned to the man and smirked, "Well it was this or that planet we found Palin on, and that is too much of an unknown. Or I suppose we could've gone to Torfan, but this was our best bet."
Vega frowned and nodded, "Just seems creepy we are using a place which was used for converting sentient beings into husks in some sick experiment."
"Well, it might be objectionable but we do have the practical need. Fortunately it seems we are the only ones to exploit this advantage and the rest of the Galaxy has been more creeped out then you are over the place." Paul said folding his hands together, and then turned to Ashley, "Mind you what are we looking for exactly?"
Ashley shrugged, "anything, food, power cells, any radio equipment for Daniel's little show. Replacement parts for the Normandy, you know…small stuff."
Paul snorted, "Right, so anything that isn't nailed down and still in operating order."
Ashley nodded getting back to her previous position, once again as Shepard was down and out, and the other Shepard still had a legally dubious position among the crew and the hierarchy of things.
"We are making our final approach now," Cortez reported.
"Alright," Ashley replied turning to the door.
The shuttle slid into its port as the door opened on the entrance pad.
Ashley Williams led the squad off of the shuttle as they landed on the tar mac as a single group. They unfurled their weapons as a group and moved to secure the area, Ashley's Harrier, James's Revenant, and Paul's Valiant. They checked the area for any threats, not that there would be any, but the process was engrained in them from hundreds hours of anything…expect the worse.
"Alright, move out." Ashley grunted.
The three of the squad mates went through the facility quickly. With no threats and no people in the vicinity that could be a threat to their objectives they crossed into Sanctuary Proper quickly, through the 'pool entrance' and into the labyrinthine structure where Cerberus conducted their Reaper Control experiments.
No matter the distance of time or familiarity she could not get used to the idea. Even though it was Cerberus, that Cerberus would indiscriminately convert millions…billions?...of sentient beings into husks.
Even though I can sort of understand where they were coming from. But the goals and the actions in pursuing those goals were highly different things. One of the only differences that truly mattered in life.
Ashley climbed up one of the ladders onto a platform and sighed. "This doesn't look good so far."
"Hmm?" James asked below her.
"No food, still the power cells might come in handy." Ashley said coming down.
"Why don't we just ask the Horizon Government for help?" Paul asked.
"Come on, you really want to take the risk that they just aren't going to turn us in?" Ashley asked in the process of dusting her hands off.
"We might not have a choice, especially when we start running out of supplies." Paul pointed out.
She nodded, "fair enough."
"Come on, Abby only gave us 3 hours down here." James pointed out.
"True enough," the Normandy's current CO nodded off of the point.
With that note they moved even deeper into the facility, heading deep into the facility looking for anything that could help them out with their situation.
Who knows we might even find something a bit unexpected down here.
Normandy-CIC
"Yeah, thanks Ash," Abigail grunted into the com as the Commander of the Normandy had reported in with her.
"We'll be down here for a while this facility is a lot deeper than we thought, still haven't found anything of value, turns out Cerberus was not big into food storage down here. But we can use it for sanctuary for a while if we need it."
"Thank you Ash," Abby repeated smiling.
"Yeah, Williams out." Ashley signed off the line.
The Captain folded her hands back behind her back as she stood in the crevice of the Galaxy Map, watching the rest of the Normandy; get to work on any number of tasks Ashley and their superiors had assigned them before they had arrived over Horizon. The ship was at a semi alert state given they were over an unknown situation. Though technically a part of the Terminus Systems, and not the Alliance, Horizon still was human and still could be influenced or effected by the events throughout the rest of their Government.
She heard the door open behind her and turned slightly to see Cameron barreling out of the door.
He approached her squeezing into the Galaxy Map bay and she nestled over to make room for him.
"How is Ashley doing?" He started to ask.
"Not well, she is still having trouble finding specific pieces of technology we may need…granted we don't need a lot but it might be worth it seeing and finding any spares we can take onboard while we still can, catch our breath. What worries me though is our stealth drive is about to fail."
"Then we have to talk to the people down there?"
Abby nodded.
"You sure you are fine out of bed right now?" Cameron asked.
She arched an eyebrow at her male doppelganger, "And who assigned you to be my baby sitter?"
He snorted crossing his arms over his chest, "No one, but I do keep track of my crew and make sure they are doing OK. And like it or not, though I may not be in command here…you are…and you are now a part of my crew. We have to watch each other's backs or…"
"Yeah I know, then no one will." She finished the thought. "But look, I'm fine."
"Are you? That decision you were going to make in the War Room would have been reckless. Even dangerous to this ship, crew, and our long term objectives. But what's worse is you know that. Or at least should. You are an N7, a Spectre, and a Shepard…you know that it is going to take massive resources, grit, resolve, and coordination to defeat any enemy who has a technological, strategic, or numeric edge. We are down at least two of those."
She sighed, "Not so different from engaging the Reapers is it?"
"No," the ex-Commander from another universe admitted, "but we have none of the traditional resources we used to defeat the Reapers in the first place all those years ago. Zero."
"So we need a plan?" Shepard pressed smirking.
"Yes, and we need a leader who isn't going to run herself ragged while she is supposed to be recovering from a major surgery."
The Captain snorted, "This is light duty Cameron, not like I am going down to lead any strike teams or anything."
"Just don't overdo it is all I am saying."
"And what is that supposed to mean?" She whirled on him scowling. "I have done this probably as long as you have I know my limits."
"Yes, you probably do, but you are under a lot of stress and a lot of hardships. With a lot of things heading down the pipe at us in the coming months. If you can't handle it then we need to step in, you are no good to anyone hurt, which could leave you dead."
The Valkyrie sighed dramatically, "yes, and that's the problem isn't it? I'm important. I need to be at my best or the whole world could fall apart under me."
"I didn't say that," Cameron challenged.
"No?" Abigail arched an eyebrow, "It is certainly implied. So it would seem my options are, if I take your advice, is to either go into the breach and die and do no one any good, or sit on the sidelines, in which case I probably won't do anyone any good either. So if my options are to fight and die, or sit back and die, then I will go down fighting."
Cameron blew air through his cheeks, "Yeah, just don't overdo it."
"I'm fine Cam," She sighed, "Chakwas is just probably being cautious."
"That is her job you know," Cameron pointed out.
"True," Abigail conceded meekly. "So pretty bold of the new comer to be going around and shouting advice all the time."
"Hey," Cameron grinned lolling his hands over the Galaxy Map. "It's what I do…how I defeated the Reapers in fact."
"Oh is that a fact?" Abby teased.
He nodded but didn't say anything looking through the whole arm of the ship. His face frowned deep in thought.
"Thanks for trusting me."
"Not like I had much choice, you're a Shepard." She teased ribbing him.
"I'm serious; I would hate to be stuck down there all by myself."
"Yeah, makes sense." Abby conceded.
The two of them, without anything further to say it would seem, descended into an uneasy silence. I suppose he is right, and has the best intentions, but if no one else is going to be able to do this, then I guess it falls on me again.
She then wondered for perhaps the millionth time in her life if she had made the right decision. While it was true that it was the justification that Harbinger used to temporarily indoctrinate her, the guy had a point. She had become too important and was always forced into these dangerous situations.
The silence was becoming oppressive, she was about to turn to Cameron to say something.
But Joker cut her off, "Uh…Captain…we are going to be running out of our stealth drive soon and need to vent the heat sinks."
"Here we go," Abigail sighed clenching her fists, "then come out of the mode, engage all Kinetic barriers, and stand by in case this gets ugly."
"Right, thanks for the pep talk." Joker sneered.
The next few seconds seemed like minutes to Abigail's perception as Joker moved to carry out her orders. Nothing happened at first, but then…
An alarm blared off in the CIC one quick solid pitch that was added with the last refit.
"Active scans! Planetary profile" EDI reported over the intercom for dramatic effect, probably trying to be heard over the alarm.
From years of experience Abigail drew the picture of her mind eye of what was going on the swirling orb beneath them. Right now scanners and assault ships were powering up, planetary based GUARDIAN batteries were probably being manned, all tracking the sudden appearance of the ship above them.
She winced, the same batteries they had installed on Horizon during the Collector Crisis.
It was an old military cliché to be shot at with the very weapons you had given to someone in the first place for their defense or to just keep them happy and calm. But they weren't firing yet. No smoke, no sparks, no sting of battle.
Maybe they'll want to talk first, maybe they actually recognize me.
"We're being hailed." EDI reported just as the thought fully formed in Abby's consciousness.
She sighed, relieved, "Put them up."
The Galaxy Map twisted into a holographic representation of a severe and rather pudgy faced woman.
"SSV Normandy state your intent." She announced.
"We are here seeking refuge from the warrants which have been placed for our arrest throughout the Galaxy." Abigail reported.
"Oh really?" The Planetary Governor arched an eyebrow.
"You haven't heard the reports or seen the message?" Abigail asked trying to keep her voice neutral, from the surprise to drip through it.
"Yes, but that could be an Alliance trap." She pointed out.
"If it was a trap then why would we be here?"
"To get close to us, to determine what our strengths were, after all you are here unannounced and the only reason we know of your presence in the first place is you have appeared on our screens."
"We are in a stealth ship," Abigail felt the need to point out; "we could have come and gone at any time we don't need to sit around waiting for ourselves to be exposed."
"Accidents happen."
Abigail sighed, "Look we saved you from the Collectors, we stopped Cerberus from running roughshod over the colony, and we have saved many lives here, surely that entitles us to some chance."
"Which is why you haven't been blown out of the stars," The Governor smirked, "but these are strange times and trust is hard to come by."
"Yes but we need safe haven, for all of our technology we are just one ship and you have an entire planet."
"And a planetary communication net, I could turn you over to the Alliance in exchange for amnesty." The Governor smiled deadly.
"Come on," Abigail frowned, I feel insulted, "you have to know by how Soren has acted that he is not just going to stop at that. He wants control, and he is not just going to stop because you act nicely."
"So what do you propose?" The Governor inquired.
"An Alliance," Abby mustered, "we join forces to try and protect each other."
The Governor laughed, "As you pointed out you are just one ship-"
"One with a lot of technology and can offer protection, one with military training that can coordinate your resources into a fighting front. I know it looks grim and I know we will probably not last long if attacked but I also know that we have more of a chance working together then we do separated."
The Governor cocked her head to the side, "Alright, I have to run this by my Council and Parliament, but you have my blessing."
"That is all I ask, and thank you." Shepard nodded before the screen shut off.
Cameron shared a look with her, "It's something at least." The man acknowledged.
She nodded; I just hope it's enough.
Normandy-Deck 3
Daniel Hudson watched as a junior crewman carted in some antique and dirty looking equipment.
He gave Abigail the eye, "Are you sure this is really going to work?"
The woman responsible for his fate shrugged her shoulder at him semi-playfully, "No," she admitted. "But we have to do something."
He harrumphed.
"Come on when was the last time we had someone who went to the airwaves to take it to an out of control Government?"
He continued to give her the stink eye.
"Come on, you could be the next George Washington, Thomas Paine writing Common Sense…Jefferson and the Declaration of independence…Glenn Beck….Rand Paul, that sort of thing."
"Yes all the classics." Hudson sneered doubtfully.
She shrugged again, "well we have to do it, because if we don't then we will fail, trying we have a chance to succeed, and if we succeed then we have a chance of restoring the Alliance once and for all."
He sighed, "I know, just it all seems…so desperate."
"So do all the causes which are worth fighting…good luck." She bowed slightly heading out of the room.
The Normandy tech gave him a thumb up and gestured to the chair.
He sighed again moving to sit down. Joining the table and breathing into the microphone. He did it again to check the sound levels by himself. Not exactly sure of what to do with himself. Finally personally satisfied he took the plunge and signaled to the tech to flip the on switch.
She did so and the equipment crackled to life.
"Good evening, and welcome to the first broadcast of the Alliance free voice network. I am former Prime Minister Daniel Hudson your host."
A throat clearing punctuated the airwaves
"Sorry…but does any of the recent events make sense? Does it make sense, knowing my political record…I was voted out of the office for being aloof and 'not caring' not for being a political cutthroat…knowing the situation on the ground, knowing Abigail Shepard's reputation…does any of the events make sense?
"Does it make sense that one woman, who has shown a life time of service and not being an extremist to get her way, that she would suddenly lead a coup? Does it make sense that she, stuck either on her starship the Normandy, or in her office on Archturus, that she could coordinate such massive resources as to take out all the senators, parliamentarians, and Government leaders who disagreed with her? Does it also make sense that those leaders are known to have opposed Soren, and so has Abby Shepard, that is what Soren is claiming, so does it make any sense that Abby would kill people who could be her allies?
"It is dangerous to assume that your Government is lying to you, it's not a pleasant thought, but when the Government's testimony flies in the face of common sense…then something must be wrong.
"I implore you to think about it then do what you feel right for your conscious.
"Thank you, and have a good evening."
Author's Note: Oh yey I got this out on time! Well at least in time for the one year birthing…week at least…of ME 3. It has been a very busy week for me so I could not get this out for the 6th or anything special. But nevertheless here it is. And I did have some personal fun with this chapter, after all of the political events of the week and stuff. I do like to add little event reminders throughout my work to remind me what was going on in my life at the time, or the universe I am working with.
Anyways, read, review, I do not think I have heard from many of you and I would like to.