The Primarch looked up at their entrance. Seeing their relaxed posture and smiles, the tension he was holding was released.
"Report."
"Patrol eliminated, sir!" Sidonis answered with a salute.
"Even took an omni-tool," Amala said, one hand holding up the item.
"We've taken them before but we retrieved nothing of use from them."
"Hopefully there will be something useful on it."
Amala put the tool down on one of the crates that served as a table but was currently empty of anything of importance. She activated her own tool and began the tedious process of hacking it.
"Won't they have fail-safes in place to prevent what you are doing?" Victus asked.
"I took it when she was alive in case it had the 'wipe on death' safeguard active. Do you ever take them prisoner?"
"No, too dangerous with their biotics."
"Good, they probably didn't bother installing the 'wipe on removal' protocol on them then."
Her best hacking program broke through in a few minutes, confirming that they didn't fear the turians getting hold of them. She quickly converted the files into her language and downloaded it to her tool. A few more taps and it converted into turian. Leaving it up on the main menu, she straightened up.
"Primarch, I converted the files to your language. I've downloaded a copy to my own tool as well. I'm going to contact Anderson and give him this data.
The map of asari command outposts will especially be useful to the Alliance in the first wave of the attack."
She stepped onto the pad of the machine and it whirred to life. It only took a few moments before Anderson appeared.
"Anderson, I have data regarding the asari outpost locations. Transmitting it now." Her omni-tool lit up as it sent information to the QEC.
"Good work. That will make our job a little easier. Anything else to report?"
"Negative. Shepard out."
Anderson nodded and disappeared from the display. Amala stepped off as well and the machine went dormant once more.
"Primarch, if there is nothing else at the moment, I'd like to grab a bite to eat while I can."
"Nothing more now that the patrol has been dealt with. Dismissed, Commander."
Amala lingered over the last few bites of her rations as she listened to Garrus describing the things he had seen and done while traveling with her. The mess wasn't completely empty when they had arrived, and it didn't take long before the turians on break had gathered around the pair as they ate.
"I'm telling you, we ran through a station with only a gun in our hands, we were naked!" Garrus said, his hands waving about for emphasis.
"Why?" a young turian asked.
"Because the asari have told the rest of the galaxy that we are just smart animals, good for a pet only. You don't dress a pet up, do you?"
"To be fair, we were on the way to get you armor," Amala added in with a laugh.
"Well, yes, but we still had to get there. Fortunately, we didn't get into a firefight until after we got our armor."
The sound of pounding feet brought all of their attention over to the door until finally Tarquin came skidding to a halt just inside the mess. His eyes locked onto Amala and Garrus.
"Commander, Vakarian! The Primarch needs you now."
"Shit, that can't be good," Amala muttered.
The asari must not be massing for a larger assault, or else she would have expected more activity from the turians. The war room was much as they had left it a few hours earlier except, Saren and Nihlus were now present.
"Sir?" Amala said.
"A situation has come up," Victus began.
A young turian, his fringe not fully grown in yet, looked up at the Primarch with wild eyes.
"Primarch, sir?"
Victus laid a hand on the boy's shoulder. "It's okay. She is an ally. This is Commander Shepard, a human. Commander, with the removal of that patrol and the new information that has just come in, I've decided to dissolve this camp."
"Sir, what happened? Are the asari coming in force?" Amala asked.
Victus shook his head. "Not at the moment. We both know it won't be long before they send a large ground force to search out who is destroying their people, and we don't have the strength to stand up to them in a straight up fight. No, Ryless here is from General Arterius - Desolas Arterius. Fedorian sent Desolas to bolster those protecting the prothean artifacts shortly before he died. Now Desolas is requesting more troops. So we will be breaking into smaller groups and rendezvousing at his location. There we can protect both the artifacts and the QEC at the same time, hopefully long enough for your people to initiate their assault."
Victus paused for a moment, letting that information sink in.
"General Arterius, Advisor Sparatus, and I will lead the three groups. General, take squads Ald, Borr and Cyd. Sparatus- Dron, Isso, and Ker. I'll take Nyst, Tov and Vert. We need to try to take everything we can. General, I want your people ready to go in an hour. Sparatus, you'll leave in two hours and I plan on being out of here in three."
He pointed to a location on the map. "This is where we have to go. Arterius, take the most direct route you can. Sparatus, go north before heading towards them. I'll skirt to the south."
"A good plan, Primarch, except for one thing - you need to go first. Take the QEC, Shepard, your men, and get to my brother as quickly as you can. I'll go last and make sure no one has followed any of you," Saren said, looking directly at the Primarch.
"You're going to argue about this?"
"Yes, I am. You and the QEC are to be protected at all costs. You are our leader and it is up to you to tell the galaxy what has been going on here."
"General Arterius is right, sir. You have to go first," Sparatus said.
"Alright," he sighed. "I don't like it, but if my top advisors agree that I should go first, then that is what I will do. Shepard, be ready to go within an hour."
"Of course, sir. I'll get the QEC ready for travel."
"I'll get our things," Garrus said.
After that, the whole underground cavern came alive with preparations. It soon became apparent that the turians had long planned for the eventuality of having to disperse from this location. There was no confusion, just quickly moving turians preparing to leave this place. Something they had to do before, if Amala had to guess.
Finally, they were ready to go, Victus leading them deeper into the woods. Amala and Garrus took up spots around the QEC once more, while Chellick and Vylls were tasked with carrying the crates again. They moved quickly along some path that barely qualified as even that, but the turians had no problems staying on it. They stopped for occasional breaks, but they showed no signs of looking for some place to rest for the night. Victus pushed them hard, until eventually the ground began to slope upward and soon even the turians began to huff and puff as they moved up the hillside. The trees had changed as well, a different sort than what was found off the hillside. These had thinner leaves and were also shorter than the others.
Victus finally called another break as the twin moons shone overhead. The larger one was just coming up, and the smaller one was beginning to sink below the horizon. Amala had her helmet off and had stowed it in her pack. Garrus caught her gazing up at the sky.
"You miss being out in space?"
"No, not really. I was actually admiring your two moons. Mindoir only had one small one."
"Ah, the big one there is Menae and the small one is Nanus. Is it hard, not having a home anymore?"
She glanced over at him and gave him a small smile. "Actually, I consider the Wildcat my home now. I spend more time on it than anywhere else and it's one of the few places I feel safe."
He nodded. "Yeah, I wonder if my parents' house is still standing and if I'll ever feel safe in there again. You know, we had just begun our space program when the asari found us. I, along with millions of my fellow young soldiers, had applied for the privilege of serving on a space ship."
"And now you should go to the head of the list, you know, for actually having been on one. Can I ask you a question?"
He gave a soft laugh. "Hmm, yes, I do have previous experience; I should be at the top of that list. Of course, you can ask me anything."
"Since your artifacts were on your planet, I would've expected your people to be further along with your space program."
He smiled. "Ah, we are very cautious. It seemed a little too 'helpful' that some advanced alien race just left us these 'gifts'. Our scientists studied everything, two or three times, before even testing a theory from the artifacts. It just seemed prudent at the time."
She nodded her head. "Yeah, I get that."
A signal was given and everyone rose to their feet to continue their march. Amala was a little surprised when the Primarch drifted back to where she walked.
"Commander," he said with a nod.
"Primarch."
"Are you able to keep going?"
"Yes, sir. I've got more in me still."
"Good. I have to ask, are all your soldiers as capable as you?"
"Uh, I'm better than the average soldier. I'm one of the few N7's - that's our special forces. Although I have to say your soldiers are some of the best I've had the honor of working with."
"Thank you, we aren't as strong as we used to be, but I'm proud of every single one of them."
Those that were closest that heard their Primarch's words braced their shoulders and strode forth with a new bounce in their step. They pushed through the night and when the sun began its slow climb into the sky, Amala once more donned her helmet.
It was mid-day when a turian appeared on the trail before the group. Taking in the sight of all the soldiers coming up the side of the mountain, a small smile escaped her.
"General Victus? General Arterius didn't think we would get much more than a squad or two."
"It's Primarch Victus now. Two more groups are incoming. I need to see General Arterius. Is the camp much farther?"
"No, sir. Maybe another hour. Follow me."
She led them off the small trail and down an even narrower path that edged along the side of the mountain. And then it was into another subterranean cavern. The scout had failed to notice Amala further back in the group, but the first set of guards that they passed brought her to a standstill with their pistols leveled at her. Garrus moved in front of her, forcing them to lower their weapons.
"She's not a prisoner and is not an asari or batarian. Ask the Primarch," he said, the command and conviction in his voice raising doubts in their own minds.
Word reached Victus quickly as the procession ground to a halt, and he pushed his way back to where the standoff was.
"At ease, soldiers! This is Commander Shepard of the human Alliance. Know this, she is under the Hierarchy's protection unless I say otherwise, do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, sir!" the two guards said with a sharp salute.
"Vakarian, Shepard, get the QEC and follow me."
They took the device from Chellick and Vylls and followed the Primarch. The scout resumed her march, leading the three of them into a smaller side chamber. An older turian, dark grey but with the same long cheek horns as Saren, stood up from where he had been sitting at a makeshift desk.
"General! Excellent, but what is all this?" Desolas asked, his arms sweeping out to indicate the people following him.
"Fedorian is dead. I was selected to be Primarch. With his death, we lost all information about the location of the artifacts and that he had even sent you here." One hand pointed towards Amala. "This is Commander Shepard of the human Alliance and Garrus Vakarian, one of her rescues. I dissolved my camp and two more groups should be arriving over the course of the day. And you'll be glad to hear your younger brother is leading one of them."
"What! Saren is alive? But I thought-"
"He was captured. Shepard rescued him as well. Shepard, get that QEC up and running."
"Yes, sir!"
Amala and Garrus worked on getting the machine working, while Victus brought the other brother up to speed. Soon enough the device hummed as it powered up. As soon as the light glowed green, Victus stepped on the pad. A few minutes later, Anderson's visage appeared to those in the room.
"Primarch, is there a problem?"
"We had to abandon our other camp. This new camp-," Victus started. He paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts. "I'm going to trust you with some sensitive information; we've retreated to where our artifacts are located. The asari have been picking off the soldiers assigned to guard it when they go out to forage. If we lose this, then everything that has been sacrificed so far was for naught."
"Understood. Shepard with you still?"
"Yes. Transmitting the coordinates to you now."
"We will make sure troops and ships are sent to your location to protect you and your relics. Hackett will be leading our fleets through the relay soon, hold on."
"Understood."
Victus stepped off the pad and the machine went dormant. He turned to find Desolas watching him closely.
"Are you sure that was wise?"
"No, but I don't see any other way to ensure our survival. With the influx of troops into this area, the asari are bound to figure out where we are holed up eventually. We make our stand here."
~Thank you to Mordinette for all her help with this project! And another to the readers for all your support, thank you!~