Alternate Past: Uncertain Future Mk. II
Co-written with aDarkOne
all remaining grammatical errors are mine. If anyone wants to beta/grammar check. PM me. If you have anyone that can vouch for you, even better, but vouches are not mandatory.
Chapter 19
"The guerrilla must move amongst the people as a fish swims in the sea."
-Mao Zedong
Fragile Peace: Proxies and Revelations
UNSC Point of No Return
The use of the Odin's Eye, on the UNSC Point of No Return, was reserved for meetings of the utmost secrecy. Barring a scant few events, every single secret that could spell the end or significant danger to humanity had been discussed in the Cage, as some called it, since it's completion. Yet the regularity that it was being used was quickly becoming unprecedented. Not even the during the Great War and Heretic wars did the Eye see this much use.
And all of those in the room knew it. Again, those present during the last meeting were here once again, with one obvious absence: Denton. No one said a word about it as if he were not here, then there was a reason for it.
Sitting at the head of the table was the ONI Section III director. Not bothering with theatrics, she simply nodded. A signal to them to pick up the hardcopy packets before them and to begin reading them. Muttered curses, sharp intakes of breath and controlled exhales could be heard in the otherwise dead silent room as each read through the files.
Pargonsky steepled her hands together. "As you've read, we have lost two more stations within New Covenant space. And again, we did not know of either's destruction until Prowlers were sent to recon the area. However," She paused, tapping on the table's inbuilt display, before inserting a data disk into one of the nearby slots. "This time we are not totally in the dark. One of the station's AIs manage to eject its black boxes. We recovered one." The holoemitter activated and began to play.
They were shown an image of deep space, seemingly empty and peaceful. Then the image abruptly cut off and was replaced by static. Parangosky's captive audience looking on in confusion as they beheld apparently nothing.
"Computer...replay recording D72 but at 1% speed" the admiral commanded.
This time they could all see the blurry image of a spacecraft enter the scene. Stopping at the edge of visual range just long enough to fire a glowing green blob towards the camera. Then the visual feed suddenly cut off.
"Was that...a fighter?" Ackerson muttered in disbelief. His reaction was shared, if more muted, by the others.
"Yes...it took our analysts and AIs hours to clean up and make sense of the data but it appears that fighters equipped with eezo engines and Covenant energy weapons took out our bases." Parangosky admitted in neutral tones. "Just as Denton predicted."
"And those two bases were nowhere near any known Mass Relays." Osmin added, the feed being joined by a star map, tagged with the locations of all known Mass Relays; both active and inactive. "Everything points to the New Covenant having built those fighters."
Rear Admiral Ned Rich rubbed his eyes, "Meaning...either the covies had since started playing nice with the Council and been getting cozy with each other while we tore up their backyards...OR the Covies got their hands on the tech and figured out how it works. And quite frankly,I don't know which one is going to keep me up at night more." Murmurs of assent could be heard. One louder than most.
"Yes, perhaps. But I think we are all ignoring another possibility." Alex Halabi said, getting everyone's attention. "Ever since our last meeting, Dr. Denton's words made me reassess my views. And I grudgingly have to admit he was right." That was not a surprise; you didn't become a flag officer by being a hard headed idiot when your argument is torn to pieces with logic. "But back to the topic at hand, I think we are ignoring one glaring possibility: someone outside the Council is assisting the Covenant."
Ned snorted, "What, you mean mercenaries or something?"
"No...scientists or at least engineers from the Citadel species. I think we have to admit that we've been guilty of hubris here. We assumed that we could easily master Mass Effect technology because of our AIs and generally higher tech base, but its a completely different type of FTL from anything we encountered before. Of course we're going to have issues with it early on. I think the Arbiter or someone else in his government was able to rein in his pride the way that we should have been able to and recruit some aliens who were already experts in the field." Halabi continued. "That would be the best case scenario. Worst case, an entire species or government is working with, or I dread to consider, for, the Covenant now."
No one spoke for a moment as each considered the ramifications and potential consequences of such an alliance. Whether it be by individuals or a group. Finally someone asked, "Then what are our options?"
"Unfortunately, it's too late to deny the Covenant this technology as apparently; they already have obtained it. So we will have to follow their example and ensure we acquire it also." Admiral Parangosky explained. She briefly recalled the failed demonstration some time back, regarding the UNSC's first attempt at Mass Effect drives. She made a mental note to learn what had happened to the presumably scrapped project.
"And what about our operations?" Halabi asked, "I may be in charge of our operations in New Covenant space, but I do not see how we will be able to continue them. If they are aware of our outposts, and can now apparently destroy them with impunity, we risk both men and material for potentially little gain."
"So what, you want to abandon everything we have in the Covie's backyard?" Osmin sneered at the Vice admiral, who barely managed to avoid flinching. "Well sorry to tell you-"
"Enough." Paragnosky said, shutting up the ONI captain. The older woman gave the younger a pointed look that promised 'we will speak of this later'. "Halabi is correct. You have permission to pull back and end all operations in New Covenant space for now. Until we learn of a countermeasure against these new fighters, like Alex said, the gains do not outweigh the risks."
"Its only a matter of time until somebody gives the Citadel Races Slipspace technology or they figure it out on their own and now the New Covenant has Mass Effect technology, if we don't gain the ability to use FTL in real-space too we will fall behind." Ackerson boldly stated. "And until those damn Guardian's open up the Archives, we're going to fall behind the moment they do. We all remember what it was like to not be top dog in a big galaxy."
The ONI Director nodded her assent. "Until then. For now, our main goal will be to recruit existing experts on the Citadel's form of FTL, aliens that we can bribe, intimidate, and/or convert. If we have to ally ourselves with the discarded and pariahs of their society, or warm their beds as though lovers, so be it, whatever it takes to increase our technological base at our enemy's expense."
Seeing the dismissal for what it was, all but Parangosky and Osmin rose and left the Eye. Each heading towards their respective ships docked to or in the Point of No Return. As the last of them left, Osmin turned to her mentor. "I apologize, mother."
The older woman waved her off, letting go of her stoic facade. "It's alright Serin. You simply were doing as I taught you." She sighed, relaxing into her chair. "In all my years, I have regretted nothing I have done, in the name of humanity's safety and survival. Through my actions and decisions, we have made ourselves strong and our enemies weaker. But now...our enemies have grown legion, our allies are non-existent, and now we are inviting snakes into the garden...My only regret is that we are forced into this situation...And that I will be the one informing Lord Hood of this."
**APUFMKII**
Given the gravity of the situation ambassador Denton had decided to go to Jarum to handle the Bluestone crisis personally. Having requisitioned a corvette from the UNSC, both for himself and a few others, they had arrived here in virtually no time at all. Now he was within reach of the UNSC consulate in the capital city of New Ozai, heading down to the planet via a Pelican dropship.
The dropship jarred and shook as it made it's into the atmosphere. Denton himself was almost napping, the shaking of the drop ship a regular experience for him. And the same could be said for the two marines going planetside with him. Both from the elite ODST division, their helmets on the racks above them, the bored looks on their faces were plain to see. The same could not be said of Denton's aids, who were holding onto the crash harnesses for dear life. Thankfully for the latter, it wasn't long before the shaking stopped and they were lowering down onto the landing pad.
Before they exited the vehicle, the sergeant in charge of his security detail told the ambassador. "Sir, before we touch down, we need to brief and your entourage about the situation planetside."
Denton considered waving ODST off, but considering the severity of the situation, he didn't. "Yes, go on."
"We've got protests and a few riots ever since the news about Mr. Bluestone got out to the public. Nothing major so far, but we've had to order the evacuation of all non-UNSC personnel, the rest are now holed up in the Consulate. The civies outside the consulate though, are still present. We haven't broadcasted a general evacuation order. We've had some attacks, IEDs, homemade incendiaries and some shots fired, but no major injuries. Local LEOs are assisting in keeping the local populace under the control, but we've had to station the M12's with LAAGs outside to deter any more...extreme behavior."
Denton grimaced, technically the UNSC wasn't even supposed to have any military hardware above the infantry level on any Citadel world. Like a lot of rules though, that had been ignored on Jarum because the locals were benefiting from the human presence so much. But in the current environment he doubted the local authorities would be so forgiving.
"Just don't...shoot anyone if you can avoid it." Denton replied wearily.
"Don't worry sir. Even if they did breach the compound, all weapons outside the compound are loaded with TTRs; someone figured out how to make them work with what the locals wear."
Denton let out a sigh of relief. TTRs, or Tactical Training Rounds, were essentially paintballs that could effectively emulate a real bullet's speed and trajectory. Unlike a real bullet however, TTRs detonated once within three centimeters of a target, spraying it with red paint that would then lock up the user's clothes wherever it hit and numb the affected area. In the case of multiple shots to the center mass, the entire body would lock up.
The pelican jolted one last time as it touched down. The ODSTs and Denton removed their harnesses with practiced ease, the other civilians fumbling with theirs. Before anyone could even think of moving for the door control, the sergeant stuck their arm out. "Weapons and armor for all of you. Standard protocol for all UNSC personnel until we can get things sorted out." The trooper paused when they saw Serana. "Him included." The sergeant started tossing out basic body armor and M6-C magnums before anyone could correct him. It took the better part of fifteen minutes for everyone to armor up, the human body armor looking strange on Serana's body.
The trip to the consulate was fast and confusing to Denton. He got glimpses of angry crowds, heard shouted insults, and then he was inside. Protected and essentially manhandled by his security detail and assistants until he was in the UNSC building, standing in front of him most of time, as though they were shielding him with their bodies. At the same time, giving everyone else a clear view of themselves.
Once inside, it seemed like any other minor diplomatic office Denton had been to. Full of bright colors, generic artwork, and bureaucratic personnel with insincere smiles. Although the smiles seemed more forced than normal, the ambassador was able to almost immediately sense the tension in the air, knowing that recent events had put everybody on edge. Another detail adding to that was the fact that everyone was armed; carrying either some M6 variant or in a few rare cases, an M7 "bullet hose" SMG.
As they were walking, they were joined by the consul, a tall handsome man who greeted Denton with a firm handshake. Consul Alexander Xanatos had been assigned to Jarum since it had been designated the dropoff point for UNSC reparations to the Hierarchy. Establishing ties with numerous political and business groups on the colony, and to a lesser extent, throughout Citadel space. He was friends with the governor, on a first name basis with all the major figures in the colony, and according to rumor had an asari girlfriend. The latter a sign that Xanatos was part of the generation born after the wars, and thus not as poisoned by the xenophobia as many were. Therefore Xanatos was the perfect person to give Denton insight into the situation on Jarum and its political ramifications.
"Welcome to Jarum doctor, sorry it couldn't be under more hospitable conditions."
Denton shook his head. "Don't worry, I'm used to being in more hazardous situations. Have you been working with the local LEOs as ordered?"
"Yes sir. We've locked down Bluestone's ship and his associates, and have allowed the LEOs to both search the ship and interrogate the others, under our watch. So far, the only things they've found have been further evidence against Bluestone and nothing to say his associates had anything to do with it. If anything, they have separated themselves from him and been very cooperative."
"What about the locals themselves? The sarge informed me of the general situation, but how is it really? I need details."
Xanatos rubbed the back of his neck. "As much I would like to help you there sir, I'm afraid I can only give you generalities. The people are, in a word, pissed. But thankfully the majority know who to blame." Gesturing in the general direction of the main entrance he explained, "Most of the people outside are just there to make sure that we don't try to extradite Bluestone to human space where 'he'll be allowed to roam free'. But there are still a considerable number of people who are using this as an opportunity to attack us. The majority of the local populace is at the precinct, try to enact some vigilante justice."
Denton sighed, "Is there anyone who can give me a more detailed knowledge of the locals here."
"Actually there are, sir."
"Are," Denton raised an eyebrow. "As in more than one?"
"Yes sir. Some of the troopers, have actually become acquainted with the locals."
"If the rumors are true, so have you, Xanatos."
Actually eliciting a momentary flush before it faded just as quickly. "Yes well," The consul coughed, "That is neither here nor there sir. And of not much help to us." They finally stopped in front a set of modest doors. "I assumed that you would want to get a better grasp of the local situation, so I gathered those who could best assist me already, sir." The doors opened to reveal a modest meeting room and several familiar faces.
Denton gave a small smile, "Well now, isn't this a pleasant surprise?"
**APUFMKII**
Unfortunately, not everyone saw the Bluestone crisis on Jarum as a bad thing. There were groups that viewed situation as an opportunity. And the leadership of the foremost group was currently meeting to discuss their options.
"We should release our promotional video now. Thanks to that savage Bluestone the public has never been more receptive to our message." Abrudas Acton confidently told the rest of the governing board for the Sons of Impera.
"Unfortunately we don't have the funds to show the video everywhere." Treasurer Treeya Nyxeris admitted. "Whether it be on a scraped up budget, or even freelance, the costs are too far beyond us. Especially with all the expenditures recently."
"Besides, even if we could afford to have it shown everywhere people would be all too likely to dismiss it as just another paid advertisement." Kreia said doubtfully. "The humans have been doing too well to change their image since Impera, especially thanks to that human ambassador of theirs."
Abrudas had to concede that point, Denton, the public face of humanity, had been making strides in trying to foster better human/Citadel relations. Not to say that many were willing to embrace the humans with open arms. But thanks to Denton's efforts, the people were at least willing to listen. "I've already thought of that, which is why we 'leak' it to the extranet and then tell everyone not to watch it" Acton replied deviously.
"Come again? How would that work in our favor? To tell the people now to watch what we desire them to see and learn of?" Kreia asked.
"Once you make something taboo that simply makes it more attractive to many people. We will release a public statement telling everyone that the video is too raw, graphic, not safe for children; that sort of thing. Then people will deliberately seek it out to see what all the fuss is about." the head of Public Relations explained.
"That's devious...I love it" chairman Pallin Jared said enthusiastically.
On the outside, the chairman was pleased. Showing complete approval for the rest of the board. Inside though, he was disappointed that they were still being so timid.
Jared knew that if the humans were able to appear as though they respected law and order and dealt harshly with rapists, even rapists who preyed on non-humans, they would come out ahead in the long run. After all, the Citadel Races had their own share of like criminals. Which the human officials on Jarum appeared to be doing. Content to let the colonial authorities try and convict Bluestone, and even full cooperating with the investigation. Fostering the 'false' impression that humans were relatively decent, law abiding, and compassionate.
'The board can't see past tomorrow...I will have to handle this myself' Jared thought as he began to covertly compose a message on his omni-tool. Sending it to one of his personal assets on Jarum.
**APUFMKII**
Back when they first started, the daily security briefings had been an unpleasant change to the Citadel Council. But by now the Councilors were used to it. Using their fortified position in the Citadel Tower to plan for what was once unthinkable.
"I don't think its worth starting a war over Bluestone, Cicero. The humans appear to be cooperating fully with the investigation." Councilor Tevos told her turian colleague.
"I am NOT suggesting that Tevos, but if the hairy mammals refuse to offer real cooperation, which I suspect is what will happen, then we MUST respond to this blatant assault on one of our people." Cicero replied pompously.
"Sure, Cicero." Aethyta said with an eye roll. Both Tevos and Aethyta were unified for once. Both angered by the fact that the turian seemed more interested in using one of their own children to score political points against the humans, than in actual justice. But even Aethyta was too prudent to say it aloud. "The fact that they just handed him over, and didn't even protest, means they are really working against us." Wrex snorted at that.
"The matriarchs make an excellent point. For the moment at least the humans are working with us to defuse the situation on Jarum. As long as that remains the case I believe no action is needed on that front." the salarian Councilor said reasonably. "Nor any reason to think there are any ulterior motives."
"Speaking of reasonable; have any of you seen the Sons of Impera video?" Saren asked the Councilors and their advisors. All of them answered in the negative, citing a number of reasons from having never heard of the video, or considering to have not been worth their attention. "Well I have, and it is rather, disturbing." Those words snared their attention. Having once been a Council Spectre, Saren had been witness to some of the most heinous acts thought possible. For it to actually affect him, spoke magnitudes.
"Well let's see what all the fuss's about." Councilor Wrex said after a moment.
It took Saren a few seconds to call up the video on the holo-screen in the middle of the room. Then the Councilors and their advisors stood silently as they watched the Sons propaganda film. Watching the Citadel burn as human forces stormed it. Ending with the image of a Spartan ruthlessly gunning down a little asari girl.
"Do those fools WANT to start a war?" Wrex muttered once the video ended, the others murmuring other similar words. "Either this will piss the humans off enough that they'll decide they need to become what we think they are, or people will start clubbing every human they can reach."
"Yes, especially if video is believed to be real fact, rather than simple fiction and hypothetical situation." Mordin supplemented.
"Yes, well. Those were my thoughts exactly. I've issued a gag order to ensure that this vid does not go beyond the Citadel." Saren continued. "It's too easy, like the good doctor said, for someone to manipulate this and make it seem as though it were real. I can only imagine the chaos it would cause if this was reported as legitimate news." Though they would later deny, a collective shudder passed through most of them.
The masses were too easily manipulated, believing in what they were shown and told, if someone or something with enough of a reputation told them. Sometimes it seemed that the more outrageous a lie, the more likely the people were to believe it.
"Too late for containment: the video has most likely already spread throughout the extranet." Mordin said sadly.
"And so far, no naive idiot who believes everything he reads on the extranet without doing some fact checking and connections, seems to have gotten ahold of it." Okeer added. "If someone of worth actually got their hands on this and believed it, we'd had heard of something by now."
"Speaking of something," Valern interrupted, "There's been something strange going on in the Hegemony. The STG has been reporting unusually high levels of both activity and chatter within the batarian regime. On both public, private, and military channels. They've been pulling back more and more of their forces, and incoming traffic has almost tripled in the past several months."
"Sounds like they've lost their quad for some reason" Wrex added.
"That's not too far off the mark. Whatever is going on back there, it's got the upper echelons spooked. Military included." Valern replied. "Whatever is going on, their Department of Information Control has made it their main priority. We're getting more uncensored broadcasts in the past several months than in the last several years. So far, their Department is keeping it inside, but I do not think it will last."
"What exactly IS going on in the Hegemony?" Aethyta asked.
"This is merely a preliminary analysis but it appears to be a...slave revolt" Valdn continued quietly.
Wrex laughed aloud, shocking everybody else present. Still chuckling as he said vindictively, "Well its certainly been a long time coming for those little bastards."
Although nobody else actually laughed about it, they all shared the sentiment. The Batarian Hegemony had been openly breaking Citadel law for centuries. Justifying their slavery and other barbaric practices as part of their culture. Usually staying just on the edge of provoking a response from the Citadel Council.
But the salarian Councilor was oddly silent at Wrex's statement. Even Cicero could tell that he was holding something back. Saying to Valdn, "What else is going on? What aren't you telling us?"
He hesitated for a moment before answering: "There are rumors of human involvement" Valdn admitted.
"WHAT!" Cicero screamed, every fiber of his being testifying to his outrage. "Are you telling me, that the humans are actively trying to destabilizing the Batarian Hegemony, one of the Associate races of the Citadel Council!?"
"Possibly. Right now though, the rumors only speak of humans being part of the revolt" Valern elaborated. "Though nothing says if these humans are acting independently, or as part of a larger group or entity."
"What else could it be but the UNSC? This is just a prelude to a declaration of war by them" Cicero thundered.
"And you're overreacting." Aethyta retorted. "The Hegemony has been drunk on power for centuries. They don't know where to stop and balk at the thought of a new arrival being superior to them in any way. Trying to enslave members of a species who survived their own attempted genocide, plus how many centuries of inner conflict, is just asking for trouble."
"Of course, if any real evidence of human involvement turns up; we will, indeed, take action." Tevos says diplomatically.
Cicero mentally processes the words and his whole demeanor changes. Turning to Tevos as he says "Do I have your word on that?"
The asari Councilor looked to her advisor for a moment, who only gave a shrug in response. Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, Tevos answered, "Yes, you do."
"And of course the Krogan Empire will take action if the humans are involved" Wrex says. The battlemaster frankly despised the Hegemony. Thinking that the Council should have dealt with the slavers a long time ago. If it had been up to him, he would have had their planets razed to ground before bringing them back up again. But compared to the genocidal humans, he actually considered the batarians as allies. The more familiar of two evils as it were.
Then everybody looked at Valdn. The salarian Councilor being the only one who had failed to voice support for taking action against the humans if they were really trying to destabilize the Hegemony. With the rest of the Council united, Valdn felt he had no choice.
Saying simply "the Salarian Union will also support the Hegemony if the UNSC is indeed trying to undermine it."
As they each gave their promise to aid the Hegemony if the UNSC was behind the revolt, Cicero's grin grew even wider. Now all he had to do was to prove it, and then crush the UNSC's operation just as it began, not realizing in his moment of supposed triumph how far it had already gone.
**APUFMK**
Back on Jarum, events were already in motion. Ones that could have an impact beyond the colony itself. As the chairman of the Sons of Impera met with one of the organization's most aggressive members. A woman that he had personally recruited.
Jarum had once been a sleepy little colony on the edge of Turian Hierarchy territory, with New Ozai its only real city. But now New Ozai had a bustling spaceport, with many people from UNSC and Citadel territory coming in and out all the time. New buildings were everywhere with more under construction. New Ozai was well on its way to becoming a major port city, its unique environment attracting businessmen, artists, entrepreneurs, and hustlers of all kinds.
One of the signs of how New Ozai had changed over the last three years was Kira Park, a public park in the center of the city. Finished less than a year ago, Kira Park was a large cultivated area full of playgrounds for children, which was frequented by people with young children living in the city.
Chairman Pallin Jared hated Kira Park and everything else about the 'new' Jarum. He was disgusted that so many of his own people were welcoming and working with the humans merely for the sake of profit. Considering it one (if that) step away from outright treason.
Nevertheless Kira Park served as a good location for him to meet with the head of the local branch of the Sons on Jarum. An asari who hated the humans perhaps even more than he did."Speak of the monster, and here they will come." He whispered as he spotted his quarry.
Enter Jona Sederis. Founder and leader of the newly reformed Eclipse private security firm, with a hatred of humanity rivaled by few. During the short UNSC/Citadel war a human warship had destroyed Eclipse's main base, killing everyone inside, including Jona's own sister (the only family she had left at that point). To add insult to injury, the UNSC had not even meant to harm Eclipse, the crew of the warship had simply seen what appeared to be a military base in turian space and assumed it belonged to the Hierarchy.
Those were hardly the only losses Eclipse suffered during the conflict either.
The security firm had had numerous contracts with people living in territory that the humans had attacked. Virtually every time that happened Eclipse forces had tried to retaliate, which had always resulted in them getting slaughtered thanks to the enemy's massively superior firepower.
At the end of the war Jona Sederis had been left with no family, virtually no resources, and just a handful of able bodied warriors. So she had decided to start over on Jarum, figuring people who had to deal with humans on a regular basis would want and need protection from the 'vicious' mammals, and that it was only a matter of time until the humans attacked again. Assuming that Jarum would be ground zero for any new UNSC/Citadel war, and wanting to be close enough to do serious damage once the war started.
At first Jona and her views had been very welcome on Jarum. Everybody seemed to agree that the humans were dangerous and nasty and shouldn't be around decent folk. But as time went by and reparations from as well as trade with the humans made the colony rich, the colonists had gotten used to the human presence. Seeing them as a boon rather than a threat or liability. Whereas Jona and those like her were increasingly seen as troublemakers, hatemongers, and oddballs (at least on Jarum).
However, the Bluestone crisis had changed everything. Now a lot of the colonists were saying that those like Jona might have a point. Something the chairman and Sederis planned to capitalize on.
"The Bluestone situation is the perfect opportunity to show the rest of the galaxy what humanity is REALLY like but only if we handle it the right way" Jared said to Jona as they walked through the park.
The leader of the Eclipse usually wore combat gear all the time, but for once she was wearing more feminine attire. Dressed in a simple red dress that showed off her athletic figure nicely (after all, she and the chairman were posing as couple just taking a stroll through the park). Listening attentively to the turian's every word.
"What is the 'right' way?" Jona asked.
"IF the humans let the colonial authorities prosecute Bluestone they will create the false impression that humans are law abiding, decent, and care about the welfare of other sentient beings. We must show that they are anything but."
"And how do you propose we do that? Do you happen to have some humans on a leash?" Jona asked sarcastically.
The chairman suddenly looked around to check that nobody was nearby. Then he pulled an anti-surveillance device out of his pocket and checked that too. The palm sized device ensured that whatever was said did not go beyond a certain distance, so no one could listen in. Once he was certain that nobody else was listening, he finally replied "No, but I have the next best thing: human uniforms, armor, and weapons that will allow us to pose as UNSC soldiers."
Then the chairman looked down at his own legs and corrected himself "well you anyway...it wouldn't fit me or another turian."
"You want us to rescue that son of a bitch!" Jona said in outrage. "More to the point, how in the Goddess did you even get your hands on that sort of hardware?" Many had tried to scavenge the human's technology from several battlefields, both planetary and space borne. A fruitless effort all around as the UNSC made it a point to never leave anything behind of value, whether it be bodies, weapons, or vehicles. Whatever had been recovered was almost always never worth the effort.
"The STG supports our agenda although they don't have the courage to do it openly. as for where the salarians got it from, they didn't tell me. But I can tell you about Bluestone, it only has to LOOK like he's being rescued. Once that degenerate piece of shit is in our hands, I see no reason not to kill the bastard" Jared explained.
Jona smiled at that. Clearly happy at the thought of killing the man in question. Telling the chairman, "In that case I would be more than happy to do it."
The two continued walking in companionable silence for awhile, both consumed by thoughts of what lay ahead. But then they stumbled upon an unexpected scene. Two human parents playing with their young child in the park.
"I didn't think we would see any humans outside in public until things had calmed down more" Jona said coldly.
"How can you stand to live so close to humans?" Jared said in disgust.
"Because I'm asari." Jona replied with an evil smile.
"What do you mean by that?" the chairman asked in honest confusion.
"It means I can afford to be patient...maybe the older ones there will die of old age before I can get to them but some time this century there WILL be another war and when that happens I can wipe out all their fucking descendants" Jona answered with a manic gleam in her eyes.
In that moment Pallin Jared understood a crucial difference between him and Jona Sederis. They both hated humanity, but Jared merely wanted to see the humans hurt, humbled, and eliminated as threat/rival to his people. Jona wanted humanity wiped out to the last man, woman, and child, preferably by her own hand.
**APUFMKII**
"You know...when I thought about seeing all of you again."Denton started, "This isn't quite exactly what I had in mind." His arms crossed and his feet on the table.
Seated around the table, were the youths that he had met a few years ago, back in orbit over Shanxi. Well, most of them. He had kept tabs on them to an extent. Staying up to date with some of the lives.
Terrence Heldin, he had since come a long way since his days in the CDF. Transferring the UNSC Marine corps, rising through the ranks and becoming a captain. He had grown out since then. Before, he was a strong, albeit somewhat thin, man. Now he looked like an Olympic champion. Where as before, when they had first met, Terence projected an aura of potential that only needed to be nurtured and developed. Now, he just projected an aura that made you listen to what he said, and follow him anywhere, even straight into the mouth of hell if it was needed.
Alexei Rasnuv, the biggest of the group he had met, and who seemed to only have gotten bigger since that time. If he didn't know better, Denton would have thought him a Spartan, as he was tall enough and muscular enough to be one. And had become a harder person, if the numerous scars and injuries were any sign. A cybernetic right arm and leg prosthetic, plus the myriad of scars. But where has his body projected an aura of intimidation, his eyes told a different story. Behind the veil of strength, was the soft hearted soul Denton remembered, and more than a little pain. He had stayed on with the CDF, if only barely. Denton barely recalled a half-heard discussion where Alexei had considered leaving the military and going back to his family, as the only son.
Katy Geran, the firebrand of their group. Despite her small stature, she had a fire in her that could put most to shame and cow them. Denton smiled when he recalled how she had managed to cow one of the Sangheili in their group to accept medical assistance. Denton had frowned slightly when he had see the ONI emblem stitched onto her uniform. Thankfully over, joining the clandestine organization had not dampened her spirits in the slightest, waving cheerily at the doctor when he came in.
And the oddball of the group, if only because of his species, Squl'de 'Squid' Qurad. The young Sangheili had done some growing up since Shanxi. Before, he was an untested, unblooded juvenile, in both body and mind. Now he looked as fearsome as the Elite warriors that had fought against humanity during the greater war. The last time Denton had seen him, he had only just been taller than Alexei. Now, drawn to his full height, he towered over even the already massive Russian-descended colonist. Now though, he was somewhat slumped in his seat as he talked amicably with Terrence. That in and of itself was a rare sight. For the most part, humans and sangheili avoided each other like the plague. Only the newer generation, the ones born after all the wars, were not poisoned against the other species by hate and bigotry. But interaction was still rare for several reasons, the most predominant being sangheili rarely came into UNSC/UEG space and stayed for long, and most humans who associated with sangheili often founded themselves outcasted by those older, and sometimes their peers. But seeing this, meant to Denton, that the walls were slowly, but surely, beginning to crumble.
Notably absent were Maho and Cris. The marksman and tech specialist of the group. The last time Denton had seen the pair, Maho had a broken jaw and Lee had been taken away when they had wanted to check his injuries again. The last time he had looked them up, Maho had joined with the UNSC Marine corps like Terrence had, going on to join the sniper elite. Cris on other hand, had signed up with the UNSC Navy, and last he had heard; been stationed somewhere closer to the Core system of Earth.
Terrence rose from his seat and approached the doctor. "Good to see you again, sir." Holding his hand out. "It's been a while."
Taking the proffered hand, Denton replied. "Thanks, but call me Alan. After that little near death experience, I think we can call each other by name."
It was strange, but seeing these familiar faces almost made Denton forget why he had asked them to come. However, the ambassador was still too much of a professional to forget for long, especially considering the circumstances. So he decided to be direct.
"Well I suppose the reason that all of you were called here, beside being an act of fate, you are considered to be the most in touch with the locals here. That being said, just far down the toilet are we?"
"Well, to put in a word, pissed." Terrence started. "The guy basically raped a teenager, and then publicly humiliated her by recording it and sending it to everyone."
"Da, the people are very angry. Thankfully, the people here are not idiots. Not totally at least." Alexei added. "The people know who to blame, that подонок, Bluestone. Still, though, I can't blame them out they are acting, considering what was promised." Alexei was referring how the UNSC promised that only the best and brightest of humanity would be allowed on the colony. That these people represented the majority of the human race and how it behaved. "They feel that they were lied to."
In truth, humanity sent its best and brightest to Jarum. Carefully screening anyone who was going anywhere near the colony. At least for the first few months. But as the years passed and sending shipments to Jarum became more and more routine standards had fallen. By the time that Bluestone was hired as a security guard on the Merry Traveler a month ago, the screening process was little more than a formality.
"Just how bad has it gotten?" Denton asked, already feeling the impending headache. "Are we close to rioting?"
"Thankfully no." Katy confidently. "Everybody's pissed off especially the asari with young daughters but I think the fact that we've been so willing to let them do whatever they want to the bastard has really helped" She added.
"Once the animal is put down, and he will be, having, as you humans say, made his own noose, with that video of his. Afterwards, things should calm down." Squid told the ambassador.
"There have been only a few that have actually tried anything major." Terrence mentioned. "And despite however much they try, no one actually listens to them."
"Unlike the rest of Citadel space I think the people here actually like us deep down" Alexei said, putting his two cents in.
"What do you think it will take for the Citadel Races as a whole to actually like us?" Denton asked, genuinely curious as to what these people would say.
Squid laughed and muttered. "Go back in time and NOT destroy Impera." Despite how he usually spoke in the over the top fashion most of his kinsmen did, sometimes he spoke as plainly and casually as his human friends.
"He's got a point…The Citadel Races haven't fought a real war in thousands of years...and then we introduced ourselves by attacking their capital, kidnapping their leaders, and destroying one of their most important worlds just to intimidate them. How long would it take US to forgive something like that?" Katy asked philosophically, drawing more than few eyebrows from her friends. That was not something they recalled of their old friend, waxing philosophy like she just did. More to the point, it really drove the point home, as they considered the Great War, and how the hate still permeated and resonated throughout most of the older generation, such as their parents.
Denton wasn't sure himself as to how to answer that question. He had lived through some of the recent wars, and had a hand in ending one. So he saw firsthand many of the war's atrocities. He didn't feel as much as hate towards the New Covenant as many of his peers did, but he wasn't exactly on the friendliest of terms with them either. Not all of them at least. During meetings with the New Covenant, he had always kept himself armed, no matter what. "I don't really think, they ever truly will." He answered. "No matter what happens, no matter what changes, until the new generation outnumbers the old, those who were born after Impera, will any of this hate begin to go away. And even then, I think it'll take a few generations."
"Maybe more than a few." He uttered under his breathe.
"Maybe not, sir. But I think that as long as we can avoid doing something really awful to provoke them for about a turian generation cooler heads will prevail" Katy said optimistically.
Denton internally winced at the statement as he was reminded of Operation Spartacus. Hoping that the hubris of his superiors wouldn't leave humanity at war with the entire galaxy. But knowing he could never share such fears with anyone, even those in front of him.
"Perhaps, Katy, perhaps. We can only hope that it does. And that nothing else should occur to widen the gap while we try to bridge it." Terrence said, optimistically. Not knowing outside forces conspired to ensure that what was a bridgeable gap, became an impassable abyss.
**APUFMKII**
Not far off from the colony precinct, in the backroom of a nearby store, a collection of crates sat in the center as a number of asari in civilian garb entered the room. Quickly they pried off the lids and pulled out their contents. Any human who would have seen them, would have recognized them instantly: the battle dress uniform of the UNSC's elite 105th Orbital Drop Shock Troopers, or "The Helljumpers". Strictly regulated, illegal possession was warrant for a life sentence in human space. The asari quickly began stripping off their civilian clothes before donning the bodysuits and the armor itself.
"Alright ladies, time to play dress-up! Get this stuff on and let's get moving. You all know what to do!" Jona Sederis ordered, already suited in her own ODST gear. "Once you get that shit on, get over here and grab your weapons. You read up on how to use them, now make it look good."
"And Don't mix up the armor you idiots!" She shouted at a pair of asari, "Some of these things have decals, and we need to make this look good!" Jona, despite however crazy and sadistic she may be, could not be called sloppy. At least when it came to a job. If she and her Eclipse band was given a certain objective and a certain way to achieve it, they would. But if you left out any details...on your head so be it.
As the last asari finished putting on the armor and taking a weapon, along with a hand full of ammunition, Jona began waving them to the human vehicles, 'Warthogs', she had heard them be called. Unlike everything else, these had been 'procured' from the human civilians, then repainted and modified to look like those at the consulate. "C'mon get the lead out ladies! We haven't got all day!" She ordered, using terms and phrases she had heard the human soldiers at the consulate use. They obeyed and exited into the backlot of the store where the vehicles were, climbing into the driver, passenger and rear compartments, and one case, the mounted machine gun. The last one had actually been procured from the humans. By the same ones who had supplied the armor, weapons and ammunition.
Time was now a critical factor, because their informant in the New Ozai police department (who was a member of the Sons) had told them that Bluestone was being moved to the courthouse today for his trial. Not even Jona was crazy enough to attack the police station or the courthouse (both of which were already on high alert) so they had to grab Bluestone while he was being moved.
This meant several things. The first that it would be much easier to 'rescue' him, as they would only have to fight through a protection detail rather than an entire police force. The second that it would be in plain sight of the entire colony, meaning that there would be no way for the humans to be able to say it wasn't them.
As the last of her disguised soldiers mounted the Warthogs, she slapped the roof of the lead vehicle, which she was riding in the passenger seat. "Alright let's move out!" One by one the vehicles left the backlot, driving out onto the street, just as the convoy carrying bluestone was passing, seamlessly joining it. Sederis's own taking the front.
The convoy consisted of a chain of vehicles, twelve in all, not including those being used by Sederis and her forces. Nine regular police cruisers, with three uniforms in each, and three armored trucks in the center. Only one contained Bluestone and a light protection detail inside.
It wasn't long before the radios crackled to life. "Hey, who are you guys? Nobody said anything about additional escorts." Someone asked.
Jella picked up the radio receiver. "UNSC 105th infantry. We thought it would be a good idea if no one knew about us until the last second. Someone heard that somebody was planning on trying to get our 'package'."
"Huh, well that makes sense I guess. Glad to have you with us." The voice on the other end replied. "Well lets get this scumbag over to courthouse. The sooner we get there, the sooner this scum gets what's coming to him."
Jella had to smile at those words. 'Oh you have no idea.' She thought. "Copy that. Let's get this done." She slotted the receiver back into it's slot and leaning back into her seat. "Now we wait."
Three years ago this mission wouldn't have been possible, because New Ozai's population had been so small that the courthouse and police station had been in the same building. But such an arrangement didn't fit the 'new' Jarum. Both the courthouse and the police station had their own large buildings (with plenty of parking) on either side of town, giving Jona's plenty of time to spring her trap.
Sederis had planned this carefully, keeping in mind the route the police cars were taking. Knowing that she had to attack when there was virtually no chance of the cops getting reinforcements, because taking on the entire police force (and most likely the human soldiers from the UNSC consulate once they realized what was going on) was a suicide mission. So she waited until the convoy was passing through a tunnel (whose material would block police signals), as the tail end entered, then she made her move.
"Now!" Her driver slammed on the brakes, bringing the entire convoy to a screeching halt. The rear mounted turret swiveled to face the entire convoy and cut loose, sending 12.7mm death down it's length. Cars, and bodies alike were shredded as the armor piercing, anti-material rounds made quick work of everything between Sederis and the armored truck.
At the end of the convoy, the rest of the Eclipse dismounted, shooting down most of e the police force before they could realize just what was happening. Officers and vehicles alike were splattered in red, slumping in their seats or crumpling to the floor as a few tried to exit their vehicles. Blood, offal and brain matter filled the air.
But not all the cops died, many of them were hit with Tactical Training Rounds that merely stunned them; locking up their clothes and knocking most of them out. However, some still died from headshots, as despite everything, were still lethal. When one of her people moved to start finishing off the survivors, Sederis screamed "NO YOU IDIOT! WE NEED WITNESSES!", her words relayed directly to the asari's helmet, making the maiden clutch her head in pain at the yell.
Sederis had purposely given her troops a mixed set of magazines, consisting of TTR and FMJ rounds. While obviously they couldn't kill everyone, as that would defeat the purpose, she still wanted a guarantee that there would some witnesses. Of course, she hadn't made sure who had what, so they all still operated with regular efficiency.
As she looked at the survivor whose life she had just saved, she smiled. It was a turian, and apparently still wide awake, despite the fact that his clothes were keeping him from moving. Of course she, if the slimmer body was any indicator, was still dumbfounded. She gave a mock-two finger salute before turning away, making sure that the silver bars on her armor could be clearly seen by the survivor.
"Alright you lot! Let's crack these things open!" Without further orders, her crew moved to open the doors to first of three armored trucks, either taking out their omnitools to hack the doors or taking positions to aim inside when they opened.
Before any of them could start their hacks, the doors to two of the transports swung open. Twenty four heavily armed and armored Special Response Squads(SRS) burst from them, the Colonial equivalent of the human's Special Weapons and Tactics(SWAT). In any other situation, the twelve would have made quick work on most anything the colony could throw at them.
Jona's however, were not of Jarum. All of them had been baptized fire in the Terminus, and some in the short conflict with the humans. The officers stood no chance.
Half were gunned down as they dismounted, the others didn't survive past five minutes. Though one got off a lucky shot at Jona, the bullet aimed right at her chest, only for it to bury itself in the armor and never come close to penetrating. The lucky, or unlucky, depending on one's point of view, had their head blown to pieces for their efforts.
The corpses still warm, they moved in on the final truck. This time, as they hacked the door, the doors didn't burst open. It didn't take long before they finally unlocked it, and the doors swung open. Letting out the ultimate cause of all this carnage, gazing at the 'human' troops with surprise and then a growing grin. Allowing the disguised asari to get their first good look at Thomas Zacharia Bluestone. Physically, the man was nothing special: just slightly taller than average height and signs of having once been incredibly fit. Along with signs of fat starting to appear in place of the muscle.
"We're here to rescue you Mister Bluestone" Jona told the man, her voice digitally altered by her helmet, just enough to hide any hints that she might not be human.
"Well it took you long enough!" His arrogant grin not fading in the slightest. "I thought I was going to have go through this stupid trial. I mean, it's only an alien. Not like I did anything wrong." Flashing a smile at Jona, he added. "Hey, you're a woman under all that right? How's about you and me get a drink after all this?"
Jona bit back the disgust she was feeling at the little shit trying to hit on her. "Maybe later, sweetheart, but how's about we get out of here first?" With little pause she grabbed Thomas before dragging him to one of the Warthogs, and throwing him in the back unceremoniously. Climbing onboard herself, she yelled. "Let's go!"
The driver's slammed the pedals, and the Warthogs lurched forward and out of the tunnels. Driving over both vehicles and bodies.
Despite his bravado Bluestone hadn't actually expected to be rescued. Although he had been an accomplished athlete in college (or 'big man on campus' as he would have said) Thomas had simply drifted from one dead end job to another after graduating. His bad attitude, lousy work ethic, and tendency to start fights with co-workers, forcing him to quit or get fired over and over again. At this point his resume was a joke because he had no References that would speak well of him. The only reason he had even gotten a job on the Merry Traveler was because his brother was the captain, and after he had accidentally sent his brother (along with everybody else on the colony) a video of himself raping a child, even his brother had essentially disowned him.
'But I'm obviously more important than I thought if the UNSC sent troops to rescue me' Bluestone thought as the vehicle rushed towards its destination. Planning on rubbing his brother's face in that fact the first chance he got. But as, what he beginning to think of as his personal guard, continued heading to the outskirts of the New Ozai, he began to get nervous. They should have already been at the Consulate already, or maybe they were taking him to one of those secret safe houses like he saw in the movies. 'Yeah, yeah. That's it, they're just taking me somewhere safe.' He thought to himself. A belief that continued to fade as the lights from New Ozai continued to grow dimmer.
"Ah...where are we going?" Bluestone asked the armored personnel in the vehicle with him. When none of them answered he got even more nervous. Remembering all the damage their weapons had done to the police officers as he looked at their guns.
A truly brave (or perhaps simply foolhardy) man might have tried to escape at that point. But for all his bluster and bullying Bluestone was a coward. Lacking the courage to stand up to people who seemed ready, willing, and able to hurt him.
"Okay then...I guess you can tell me later" Bluestone said with a weak attempt at a smile.
It wasn't long before they finally came to a stop, in what essentially the middle of nowhere. The lights of New Ozai could still been seen, but at this distance, nobody was paying attention to what happened out in the sticks. As they began to dismount, someone grabbed Thomas by his shirt before throwing him out of the truck.
Landing flat on his face, he let out an 'oof' of pain. As the heavyset man wearily got to his feet, he came to the horrifying realization that this was NOT a rescue. Just as one of the armored figures took her helmet off.
Revealing the blue face of an asari. As he watched in shock the others also took off their helmets, revealing that they were asari as well. All of them staring at him maliciously as they observed their human prey.
Then he grunted as one of them threw a shovel at him. Which painfully impacted Bluestone in the stomach. As Jona commanded "start digging mammal."
Bluestone tried putting on a brave face, but already it was starting to crack. Rarely had he been on the other end of the stick, being the victim was not a familiar experience for him. His eyes started watering as the reality of the situation had finally gotten through his ego and thick skull, and was now setting in. "C'mon, can't we make a deal? I'm sure we can work something out?"
Jona sneered and backhanded him, sending him back to the ground. "I said, dig." With tears beginning to leak out of his eyes, Thomas grabbed the shovel and started digging. As he dug, he kept trying to make a deal, anything for him to live through this. Only when one pulled out a knife and threatened to cut off his manhood, did he finally get the message. Switching over between crying and moaning about the pain from working the shovel, only to be told, "Then dig faster." His hands grew blisters, which began to bleed as he kept digging, his back beginning to ache and burn from the effort, and his tears finally stopped, having actually run out.
Only once the pit was at about at his shoulders, did he finally hear, "Stop."
The man stopped digging and climbed out, then moved away from the hole, earning a scowl from Jona as he did so. Promptly ordering him "now get into the middle of the hole and lay down."
Thomas Zacharia Bluestone was hardly a genius, most people who knew him would have labelled the man an arrogant fool, but he was smart enough to realize that he had literally been digging his own grave.
"No" the rapist whimpered, pleading with the asari much like his victim had pleaded with him. And receiving just as much mercy.
"Get in the hole or I'll cut your balls off and make you eat them" Jona hissed.
But Bluestone refused to get in the hole. He knew that as soon as he did his life was over. Continuing to plead with and beg the asari mercenaries for mercy.
"Just get in the goddess damned hole!" Sederis screamed as she violently backhanded the man.
Bluestone was openly sobbing now but refused to budge. Thanks to his bulk he was heavy enough that none of the asari wanted to drag his corpse to the hole. But one of Jona's followers was even more impatient and trigger happy than she was, shooting the man in the groin with a hollow point round when he refused to move. The round mushroomed on impact, flattening itself as it ripped its way through before explosively flying out on the other side, turning Bluestone's manhood into nothing more than tatters of flesh. His voice rose several octaves as he screamed in pain, squealing at the top of his lungs. Clutching what was left and bringing his knees together as he dropped, whimpering.
"DAMN IT ELNORA NOW WE HAVE TO DRAG HIM!" Jona screamed at the youngest asari there.
Elnora visibly cringes at the verbal abuse. This was her first real combat mission, and the only reason that Jona had taken her at all was because she had been having trouble recruiting enough asari for this mission to meet the deadline.
"Sorry ma'am" she whimpered.
"Don't just say you're sorry girl drag his bleeding ass to the hole!" Jona yelled.
Elnora muttered curses and insults under her breath as she used her biotics to force Thomas into the hole, landing on his face again at the bottom.
"No please" the agonized Bluestone wept, expecting another shot to end his life any second. Already rapidly bleeding to death as he lay at the bottom of the hole, blood gushing out of the ruined mess that was once his groin. But the expected bullet never came.
Then a wad of dirt hit him in the face.
A moment later another mound of earth hit him in the torso. As Bluestone looked up and saw Jona Sederis leering down at him as she held the shovel, he realized the truth. They weren't going to shoot him to death. They were going to bury him alive.
"NO PLEASE I'M SORRY I'M SORRY LET ME OUT LET ME OUT!" Thomas Bluestone cried out, any remaining pride or dignity forgotten as he tried to beg for his life. The sadistic expression on Jona's face telling him that it was futile.
"Stupid fucking male the only reason you're getting off so easy is because we don't have time to do this properly!" one of the asari Bluestone couldn't see replied. At which Jona laughed and shoveled some more dirt onto the man.
As his head is buried in dirt Thomas Zacharia Bluestone quietly suffocates. Unmourned, unloved, and buried in an unmarked grave in the woods. Yet some would say he still got off easy. And as Jona and the rest of her Eclipse rode away, she smiled, eager to see the results of what she had done this day.
**APUFMKII**
The Arbiter had never spent much time in the elite medical ward of High Charity. As a warrior of his caliber, to admit the need for such medical aid, was both embarrassing and shameful. And many of those he led under his command had either died from their wounds, or survived them without considerable outside aid. Not to mention that he had rarely been anywhere near the great city during the wars.
Yet now, he could not be more grateful that the great station had such a facility for all those that lived aboard it. Including for his people.
The ward itself, which could hold dozens of injured or wounded at any one time, was sparsely populated. Just over a dozen were occupied, more than half consisting of the warriors who had piloted the prototypes against the humans.
When the pilots had first returned after the destruction of the human ONI facility, Thel had personally seen to it that he would congratulate them all. Yet, when it came time to return, only four of the seven fighters came back under their own power, and barely at that. Instead of gently landing on the deck, they had more or less crashed to the decks with all the grace of a drunk stone hunter. The other three were later recovered by Phantoms and brought back to the ship.
When they had checked on the pilots inside, it was a sobering sight. Killing Thel's enthusiasm in a single moment.
Three of the pilots had died from a massive dose of electricity right into their bodies. Two simply had their hearts beat so fast that they had exploded inside their chests, with minor burns scars where the energy had arced into their bodies. One had not been so lucky and somehow been literally boiled alive, if the remains inside his fighter had been any indication. The blood in his veins boiling until he had quite literally, explode.
Another three were hardly in better condition. Their bodies had suffered similar electric-based injuries. Burns scars across their bodies from where the electricity had touched them, their heart pushed to the brink and surviving by the grace of their gods. Their brains had also been affected, shutting them down, causing uncontrollable and unpredictable spasms and convulsions. Two of them were in a coma, and the third was in no shape to speak, let alone answer any questions.
Only one had been in any condition to speak and answer questions. Speaking to the Arbiter from his hospital bed. Once Thel would have looked down on any warrior reduced to such a state, but age had given him wisdom (or at least perspective). When he asked the pilot, just what had happened during the test, how the craft behaved and responded, he had answered.
"Milord Arbiter, the craft, while I controlled it, I felt as though the gods themselves were at my back. They protected me from harm and death, it felt as though it was an extension of me, a part of me. Forgive my blasphemy, my Arbiter, but for a moment, I stood alongside the Forerunners themselves." After the momentary shock at those words, many of whom would consider sacrilege, Thel had then asked, if he would do so again. Knowing just the cost that may be exacted. And he had responded, "To quote the humans, 'I regret that I only have one life to give."
"Yet you described the experience as painful to your healers" the Arbiter noted.
"True my lord I was the lucky one" the pilot admitted.
"Perhaps this technology isn't the boon we thought" Thel said as much to himself as to anyone else.
"No!" The pilot protested, trying to rise from his bed. "You cannot throw this away! This is what our gods want milord! To become their equals, you ca-" The pilot gasped from the overtaxation of his overexerted body, collapsing back onto the bed.
"Save your strength warrior you have done enough" the Arbiter said in uncharacteristically soothing tones.
After taking a moment to recover, the pilot continued passionately "its more than a ship milord...its a chance for us and our new allies to rise again and have our vengeance on those who claimed to be our allies and then betrayed and abandoned us...with fleets of these vessels we can finally become the greatest power in the galaxy again."
Compared to the Arbiter himself, the pilot was young, naive, and relatively unaccomplished. Yet as he observed the sincerity of the warrior who had already suffered so much for this venture, he found himself swayed by the words. Believing that the sangheili could rise again. "Rest, warrior. You have done your part. Now it is for others to do theirs."
After that fateful meeting, Thel had the craft thoroughly examined as to why these deaths and injuries had occurred. Wanting protect his warriors from further harm. And thus had held nothing back in his search for answers.
Evidently, the very thing that made the new craft so lethal, was the very thing that made it so dangerous to it's pilots. The Mass Effect drive core of the craft, like all those like it, had a buildup of static electricity as the core was used again and again. The capacitor's installed to help contain that charge had not been enough. Releasing lethal amounts of electricity into the confines of the ship. Making matters worse was the fact that it was nothing easily fixed. The only way to dispose of the static buildup was to discharge it. The only way to reduce the risk of a lethal discharge was to limit the number of drive core uses. Either through a programmed inhibitor, which would require a new design, or a pilot's self-restraint, the only viable option. Nevertheless, he could continue to use the Quarian built fighters in attacks against ONI facilities in New Covenant space, as long as the warriors were volunteers and knew the risks.
The Arbiter knew that in the high stakes game of empires he was playing with the humans there were few second chances. If the New Covenant fell, he doubted that its rivals would allow the Covenant Races to rise again. So Thel would do what he must, certain that the humans would react once they realized the sangheili now had finally declared, Enough.
**APUFMKII**
Back with the Rebellion, new additions were about to join the fight against the Hegemony.
"Or least that's what he promised us…" Jella groaned. A sentiment shared by the other rebel fighters with her out in the sticks of Khar'Shan. Her and about a dozen others, had commandeered a half dozen trucks and followed John's directions to drive out into what was essentially the middle of nowhere. Far from any of the major or even minor towns and cities. Even on a homeworld like Khar'Shan, there were locations totally void of any major settlement or development.
When John had first told them all of what they were going to be doing, how they were heading out into the sticks to receive reinforcements and supplies, Jella, and the rest of them, had assumed that they would be attacking another slave owners home, or perhaps even a military outpost.
Instead, what they had driven out to the middle of nowhere and been waiting there for the past several hours. John had been standing outside, waiting the entire time. Jella sighed, she had no reason not to trust the strange alien, if he ever told her what species he was, she couldn't recall. After all, he was the one who had saved her, had gotten this entire rebellion started in the first place and was the reason it had gone so well as it had. She had no doubt, that if it were not for him, she would have been left for dead and used in that alley years ago.
Looking at John, she started going over everything that had happened since their first encounter, of just how much her life had changed. From her self-liberation from her abusive master, to always being one mistake away from death or worse, and then literally falling into the arms of her savior. Then forming the core of their rebellion, attacking the homes of the rich and corrupt, liberating slaves, and even raiding supply stores and military bases. Surviving whatever the Hegemony threw at them, from military patrols and surprise raids, to the destruction of Pride Rock City.
Then there were the rumors that she had been hearing, whispered among the masses. Across the Hegemony, not just Khar'Shan, but on other Hegemony worlds, there were rumors of other rebellions rising of their own accord. Not small ones, of individuals or even individual households, but a collective uprisings. Insurrections arising across planets as one, the survivors and escaped banding together and continuing their insurrection. As a result, the Hegemony's responses were becoming increasingly militant. Instead of state police and mercenaries, trained soldiers, with the weapons and armor to match, were tasked with ending the rebellions. There less efforts of trying to capture the slaves, and the number of dead continued to rise. But in terms of numbers, these deaths mattered little. The Hegemony's own greed ensure that for every one lost rebel, a hundred more were waiting to be liberated.
And all of it, was made possible by the fact that John Doe had saved her on that fateful night. On what she assumed was little more than a whim and an act of faith that she would follow. Something John deserved in turn, Jella had thought when he first told her of what he had planned.
So here they all were. Waiting, and bored out of their skulls, or for some, twitching with nervous energy at being in the open like this. Then John suddenly started making hand signs, not to Jella or anyone else, as they didn't make sense if they were. John began to take a few steps back, then dust began to float up from the ground in front of him, like when a dropship came in for a landing.
Jella and the others watched with bewilderment, wondering just what was going on, before the answer revealed itself in true ONI fashion. Everyone's eyes shot wide open as hexagons of light, shadows, and energy appeared out of thin air, before peeling off and shattering in a thousand particles and then fading into nothing, revealing the black craft beneath as the ONI prowler touched down. No, that wasn't right. It looked though as it had touched down, but it was still above the ground, if only just.
The two 'wings' if they could be called that, just barely hovered above the ground. Then, from the seemingly seamless craft, a ramp appeared from the center and lowered itself, again just barely avoiding touching the ground through some unknown anti-gravity technology. Figures and crates began to make their way from the belly of the craft and down the ramp.
Jella's comm. clicked in her ear. "Korragan, get the others out here and beginning loading the supplies." The order was clipped and held no room for questions. A tone that Jella had become uncomfortably familiar with, when it came to John. It had become more common to hear his no-nonsense tone when addressing others, than, compared to the former, his calm and strengthening tone. Jella responded in the affirmative before relaying her own orders to the others rebels, directing them to escort those coming off the ship and loading their cargo onto the trucks.
Sparing another glance at John, she almost tripped over her own two feet at the sight of another armored warrior like John disembark from the craft, flanked by similar, if slightly smaller, others.
John watched as the his fellow Spartans disembarked from the ONI prowler with equal measures of disapproval and joy. He recognized the lead Spartan, and the only S-II of the group immediately by her gait and walk. Giving her a Spartan Smile, the closest a Spartan ever got to an emotional outburst, he stepped forward. "Kelly."
The fastest of the Spartans stopped in front of her superior and cocked a hip, "Hello John, good to see you too." She returned the Spartan Smile, "Surprised to see me?"
"Somewhat." John responded. "I assume mother had something to do with this? I took care not to leave any information behind."
"Yeah, she 's worried about you John, we all were." Kelly almost seemed to fidget, but she hid it well enough, even from John. "She told us everything, the operation, ONI, all of it."
"I assume that they want us to initiate Phase II?" He asked. Communications back to UNSC/UEG space had been, problematic to say the least. Despite the numerous off-world communications towers scattered across the planet, few were powerful enough to send a message the distance they required without needing other worlds to receive and then relay the transmissions. To get around this, dead drops had been used to communicate back and forth with the UNSC. A slow, if secure and assured means of communications. Lately however, thanks to the Rebellion and the Hegemony's responses, even that was becoming a difficult venue.
Kelly shook her head. "Not yet, command wants to wait a bit longer. But there's news, I'll explain it once we're gone. I don't like being out in the open."
John nodded. Next to being out of their armor, Spartans never felt more exposed than when on open ground. Even when actually nude, surprisingly enough. "Fair enough. These are the rest of our reinforcements?" He asked, referring to the Spartans, S-IVs if he was correct, standing together in a loose square behind Kelly.
Kelly nodded, with more than a hint of disappointment. "ONI decided it would be a good idea to see how well they fare against these new forces. And to see if they are worth the credits being spent on them. They've almost supplied us with several prototypes. I'll show them to you later."
It was no real secret that the S-IIs did not hold the S-IVs in the same light as their fellow S-IIs or even the S-IIIs. Not all of them at any rate. They gave the S-IVs the respect they deserved for making it through the training and selection process and earning the right to be wear the MJOLNIR armor and be called Spartans. However, amongst the Spartan Corps, there were Spartans and then there were Spartans. A distinction only seen by those within the Corps itself. While most of the newly minted S-IVs saw becoming a Spartan as the highest possible honor, and did all that they could to measure up and honor their still living predecessors, some saw it as a more of a sign that they were superior.
In terms of real combat, the Spartan-IV generation, all of them, were untested. Aside from some anti-insurrectionist activity and the Old Covenant Remnants aka The Heretics, none of the S-IVs had ever been in a prolonged conflict scenario like they were about to be plunged into. This would, more or less, be a true test of the capabilities of the S-IVs, and thus their worth. If they proved themselves, it would mean the S-IV Project was more than ready for a true war if it came to it. If they didn't, then it would be up to the S-IIs and S-IIIs to ensure that they and any future generations would be.
Judging by how Kelly obviously considered this particular group of S-IVs, it was probably composed of mostly the latter. One of the S-IVs, his armored colored an ostentatious red and gold, stepped forward. Completely disregarding the fact that both S-II's were his superiors, he called out. "YO! Chief! What's up?" Walking up to them with more than a good amount of swagger, he placed a hand on the much taller Spartan's shoulder like they were old friends, when they were anything but. "How's it going?"
John glanced at the Spartan's right shoulder, which prominently displayed a grunt skull with a phallus going through it's skull, identifying the Spartan. Diego Piedra. Part of the Third class of graduating Spartans. Lone Wolf. Top of the class in marksmanship, stealth and demolitions. Multiple infractions for insubordination, minor dereliction of duty, and multiple counts of improper conduct while on duty. And considered to be an embarrassment to the Spartan Corps by many. Many wondered how he had managed to pass the screening process of the Spartan Training Program as his borderline arrogant and cocky behavior would have immediately sent up red flags and booted him from the program. Even John, who sometimes personally oversaw the screening process wasn't sure. Rumor's had it that Diego had connections, or at the very least, came from a very well off family, and that more than a few credits had greased the wheels.
As for why he had hadn't been kicked from the program by now, the reason was simple, they literally couldn't. Officially, his outstanding performance that allowed for his graduation was the reason. Unofficially, it was because his training and augmentations could not be allowed into the public arena, which dismissal from the program and corps would have done. With the Second Insurrection still fresh in many people's minds, the UNSC was unwilling to let such secrets roam freely. Thus, contrary to Diego's boasts, he was more of a dog on a leash, than someone who was truly untouchable.
John Doe moved out of Diego's reach as he coolly said "Phase II...you and the other newcomers will assist us in making the rebellion so big and public that the Hegemony can no longer deny it with any credibility."
"It shouldn't be too hard the four-eyes don't even have any decent weapons" the younger Spartan replied with casual racism (and obvious arrogance).
Jella and the other rebels bristled at arrogant soldier's dismissal. Except for Cara T'Val, the only rebel there who had obsessively watched the news during UNSC/Citadel war. As she thought 'five-fingered hands like my people and the batarians, not worried about pissing off the Council, weapons technology obviously more advanced than anybody in known space has...THEIR HUMANS!'
The Spartans turned, drawing their sidearms at the same time as they heard the tell-tale subtle clicks of a Mass Effect weapon expanding into it's ready position, thinking that somehow the Hegemony had found them. Instead, only finding Cara, rifle drawn and aimed at John, a look of rage and hate plastered on her face.
"Hey, just what does this bitch thinks she's doing?" Diego snorted. "Does she really think that little peashooter going to do anything against us?"
John ignored Diego, only looking straight ahead at Cara and the other rebels. The others were equally shocked at Cara aiming a weapon at the man who had helped them so much and made this rebellion possible, let alone the standoff. A quick glance revealed even Jella was surprised, her jaw dropped and her arms slack in surprise.
Not lowering his own weapon in the slightest, the S-II ordered, "Cara, lower the weapon and stand down."
"Fuck you!" She shouted back. "You're human! All of you are!" At her declaration, a few of the rebels began reaching for their weapons, only stopping once some of the Spartans trained their weapons on them. "What, was this all sort of sick joke by you people!? Teasing us with the idea of freedom and revenge?"
John didn't dignify that with a response, instead he ordered, "All of you, stand down! Korragan, relieve Cara of her weapon. Now." His tone allowed no argument, so Jella moved to relieve the asari of her weapon, only to find a pistol in her face, with the rifle being held one handed at the Spartans, if a bit shakily, but her attention was still directed at the Spartans.
"Back off! You, you lied to me! You never said you were working with humans!" Her body was screaming the fear and betrayal that she felt. "How? How could you work with such monsters?!"
Lowering his pistol, as John knew the rifle would overheat before his shields gave way, John depolarized his visor. "Cara." The asari's eyes locked with Johns. "Lower the weapon, please. I did not hide who or what I was. But neither did I openly declare it." Holstering his pistol, he continued. "Lower the weapon, and we'll work this out."
Jella hadn't even drawn her weapon, but had her hands raised in a placating manner. "Cara, love. Just calm down. Let's just talk about this alright? Just calm down."
"Why!? Don't you know what they did! Or don't you care?!" Cara yelled, glancing towards Jella. "Or are you a monster like them? Was everything you showed me a lie?" Cara had now fully turned her attention to Jella, looking away from the Spartans. A grave mistake.
The moment Cara had turned her head, Spartan Kelly-082 had bursted toward her. Every Spartan is capable of speeds up to 55 kilometers per hour, whether that be inside or outside the armor. Their incredible reflexes allowed to them actually think for a split second, as time seems to slow down around them, colloquially, this was called Spartan Time. Kelly however, was faster still, capable of bursts of 62 kilometers an hour. Meaning, the moment Cara had finished her sentence, Kelly had disarmed her, grabbed her and incapacitated her before anyone else knew what was happening.
Cara tried to thrash from under the Spartan, but Kelly's iron grip kept those efforts to a minimum. Jella approached John, "Doe, just what is she talking about?" Hearing suppressed laughter, she looked behind the Spartan to see Diego trying his best to contain his laughter.
"John Doe? Man, I knew the older guys were unimaginative, but damn! I didn't think it was this bad." He whispered to the other S-IVs. No one said anything in response, barring one of them cuffing Diego across the head.
John shook his head before turning back to Jella. "Get everyone and everything loaded onto the trucks." He ordered, "I'll explain later." When Jella opened her mouth to protest, he kept his visor depolarized to look directly at her. The words dying in her throat, Jella's jaw snapped shut before nodding and moving to assist with the loading.
Turning to the other Spartans, he ordered, "One of you to a truck, each." Pointing each of the Spartans than to a truck before addressing Kelly specifically. "You ride with me. I'll fill you in on the way back to headquarters."
With a nod, Kelly stood up, bringing Cara up with her as Jella came walking up to them. The batarian taking Cara in her arms and whispering comforting words as she moved to board a different truck, when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Following it, she found herself looking at two polarized faceplates again, but recognized John's voice when he said, "You two should join us as well. I'll tell you everything."
**APUFMKII**
John Doe knew on a certain level killing Cara T'Val would be the easiest thing to do. She appeared hostile at this point, and had learned things that ONI would prefer to stay buried. So eliminating her seemed the most straightforward option.
But Jella Korragan had bonded with the young asari to the point that killing Cara could turn the rebel leader against them. Not to mention how Cara was somewhat curbing the rebel leader's bloodlust. And without Jella there would basically be no (native) rebellion in the Hegemony. Because ONI operatives like John Doe had been building up Jella's reputation in order to give the slaves someone to believe in. If Cara died, it would either break Jella, or send her over the edge, and quite possibly turn the Rebellion, into nothing but terrorism.
Moreover, John Doe had always known that trying to keep the rebel leaders in the dark indefinitely about the nature of their off-world allies was futile. You just couldn't maintain the level of secrecy necessary while working alongside somebody day in and day out. Especially during combat conditions.
Besides, Operation Spartacus would be pointless (from ONI's perspective) if rebels leaders did not feel any sense of gratitude or loyalty to ONI/humanity once the Hegemony was overthrown, and for that to happen they had to know the truth (at least about who their allies were) before the end.
And if John Doe was honest with himself, he had to admit that he found the idea of murdering Cara distasteful. Over the time that they had been working together he had come to see the asari as something of a comrade, and certainly as somebody under his protection. This operation had done a lot to change his views regarding non-humans. From the start, he had kept Jella and the others at arm's length, after all, the mistrust and wariness from decades of attempted genocide did not go away so easily. And yet, it had. Granted he would never trust any of them as much as a fellow soldier or marine, but certainly more so than he ever expected to.
Eventually John Doe, Kelly, Jella, and Cara ended up at another safe house in the capital. Which they stocked with some of the weapons and other supplies ONI had just supplied. The rest of the reinforcements and supplies going to other rebel hideouts scattered throughout batarian homeworld.
Once that had all been settled and there was nothing else that immediately needed to be done, Jella Korragan, with Cara still by her side, cornered John Doe. Pointing at the Spartan and saying imperiously, "You said you were going to tell us everything so talk!"
John didn't even blink at Jella's tone, as under the circumstances, she was justified. "Where do you want me to begin?"
"For one thing, why in the name of the Gods is she," Jella pointing at Cara, "so frightened by you? No, by your species?"
"Perhaps, you could ask her why?" John asked, referring to Cara. "Then I will say my piece."
Cara T'Val suddenly realized that Jella Korragan had never even heard of humanity and its violent introduction to the rest of the galaxy. Like virtually all slaves in the Hegemony Jella had been kept isolated and ignorant of the outside world, and she certainly had had no time for learning while living on the street (and on the run from the state police). So Cara decided to start from the beginning.
"About five years ago the Citadel Races met humanity for the first time and they immediately went to war with us. I admit that trigger happy krogan and turians may have fired the first shots but then they decided to rampage across our space; destroying entire colonies, killing millions of people, and putting the fear of the goddess into everybody. When the Council tried to negotiate an end to the bloodshed the humans violated the flag of truce and attacked the Citadel itself, taking the Council hostage and killing everybody in their way. Then they took their fleet to the turian home system and made the Council watch as they destroyed one of the most heavily populated worlds in civilized space, just to make our leaders agree to their terms. And even after all that they still destroyed a few warships after the peace treaty was signed to rub everybody's noses in their victory." the asari patiently said, explaining the historical events as she understood them.
Jella was in shock, her mouth slack jawed as she kept looking back and forth between Cara and John. And Jella knew that her lover wasn't lying, a little known side effect to constant melding. True, she had no reason to have any loyalty or to even care for the Citadel races, after all, what reason could she? They had not done anything to try and end the Hegemony's cruel and sometimes sadistic ways. They had blatantly turned their backs and pretended that people like Jella and Cara didn't even exist. The shock was more from the sheer magnitude of what John's species, humanity, had done within a year of first contact.
When she looked to John to see if he would deny any of this, indeed she even expected him to, he did the total opposite.
"Yes, everything Cara has said is true. But there are many facts that she, and likely galactic society at large, is unaware of. We waged war against the Citadel Races, because we took their actions as an act of war. They struck one of our colonies, decimating the population. I am unsure how many, if any, were kidnapped and taken off-world, but they reduced a population of almost a million, to only a few thousand. Your commanders committed a number of war crimes by their own laws, including launching a number of low-grade nuclear warheads at the planet."
"We saw that as a declaration of war, and responded in turn. My people had survived a war that nearly saw the extinction of our entire species, that had ended only a few decades ago. Our survival was by sheer chance of a millennia old legacy. As for your Council, we attempted to make a peace, but they tried to coddle us, neuter us and put us under their control as though we were mere children. And then one of your leaders revealed that he had one of our greatest heroes in his possession. We demanded the man's return, and he refused it. The sacking of Palaven was for that reason alone. For one man, we laid waste to the Turian home system."
"As for the destruction of Impera, my leaders did not approve it. They were unaware of it until it had been done. The crew of the ship responsible, was handed over to the Citadel Council to be tried for their war crimes."
In truth though, even John Doe wasn't sure whether or not Admiral Parangosky had really authorized the destruction of Impera. Such an action would hardly be out of character for the ruthless old woman. Moreover, he also had reason to suspect that ONI had not actually turned over the crew responsible, but he was hardly going to admit that to this audience.
"In regards to the breach following the ratification of the Treaty, it was by the ship that we had come to rescue. A ship that had not been seen or heard from in decades, it's AI acting on it's standing orders, given to it decades ago. When it destroyed those warships, it was under the presumption that it was imprisoned by the enemy, and did what anyone else would have done under those circumstances. We could not have stopped it if we had tried."
Jella simply snorted. Blaming the destruction of Impera on soldiers acting without orders and warships destroyed after a treaty was signed on a rogue AI sounded like the kind of bullshit that the Hegemony had been shilling to the batarian people for generations. It didn't even occur to her to believe such unlikely sounding justifications for murder, to the point that the rebel didn't even feel the need to comment on it.
"You, laid waste to the Turian home system, for a single ship, a single man!" Cara shouted, in disbelief of the Spartan's words, "What is wrong with you people! He can't have-" The words died in her throat as the Spartan leveled a glare at her that made her feel small again, being scolded by her mother.
"That, individual, Cara T'Val, is the reason why my race continues to exist. The war may have ended for another reason entirely, but Preston Jeremiah Cole, was the reason humanity fought to the last man. He was the reason humanity would not surrender. When we were at the brink of despair, of giving in to the onslaught of our enemies, he stood before them and said, 'No more'. He is not just a hero amongst my people, he is a symbol. Someone, that we would all die for, if it meant he could return home."
"I don't care about human symbols or the lies you tell yourselves to justify killing others...I want to know John...I am asking you as the person who has fought beside you, believed in you, and trusted you with my life...are you here just to continue your war with the Council Races...do you want to eliminate the Hegemony just to weaken the Citadel and once its gone you'll just leave us all to die?" Jella says passionately as she glares at the Spartan.
John Doe has faced many enemies over his lifetime. Many of them stronger, smarter, or more dangerous than Jella. But none of them had ever stared at John with the ferocity that the batarian woman was. Demanding to know whether the first human to ever show her kindness (and one of few people to ever show her kindness period) had just been using her.
"No, I did not lie to you then, and I will not lie now. We came here to end the Hegemony, not only because it is a threat to my people, but because it is an abomination that should have never been in the first place. We have no intention of leaving this conflict until the Hegemony and all those that support it, are dead and buried. And the Batarian people, can finally begin to redeem themselves for all that it has done." John replied firmly. Speaking more for himself, than ONI as a whole. Knowing that his initial motivation for Operation Spartacus had more to do with realpolitik than compassion.
Jella looked hard at John, as she mentally digested his words. Then she turned to Cara and embraced her. Whispering to the asari "meld with me now."
For once Cara did not verbally announce the beginning of a meld. Diving straight into Jella's mind as the batarian told what she had figured out. Knowing that Jella would only suggest this if she had something vital to tell the asari.
'We've got to keep working with the humans.'
'But they're just using us!' Cara mentally protested.
'I know...so let's use them...you've seen my memories you know the Hegemony is evil...we can't overthrow it without outside support...so we need them...besides maybe I'm being stupid but I think John is at least partially sincere...and-'
Jella's mental voice trail off, but Cara could see the rest of the thought.
'We know too much.' the asari finished for her.
'Exactly...if we tried to back out now they would just kill us and try to recruit somebody else to act as the face of the rebellion...but if I'm in charge I can still influence things and make sure that they can't use batarians as their obedient slave soldiers against the Citadel.' Jella explained.
When she sensed that Cara was still unhappy Jella continued 'please I need you with me on this...I need somebody I can trust around...please Cara.'
Cara T'Val was not stupid, but she was young, and Jella was first person she had ever been involved with. Lacking the experience or wisdom to truly understand what she was getting into as she replied 'of course Jella I will always be there for you.'
To those watching Cara and Jella only appeared to embrace for a moment, then they let go of each other. As Jella said "All right, we're still with you...but if you try to turn us into your obedient slave soldiers to use against the Citadel I will personally kill you all." and if passion and conviction alone were enough Jella could make good on the threat. But Spartan's didn't have a reputation as 'warrior-gods' without reason.
John simply nodded. "Understood." He was glad that they were still on his side, if only just. He may have worked hard to earn their trust, but he had to realize that Jella's own discontent with the Citadel races was the real reason why she was still willing to work with him. As for Cara, he suspected that she was just siding with Jella because she was young and in love. He just hoped that once this was over, assuming they all survived, the asari maiden wasn't too disillusioned. He had seen too many dead eyes among orphans during the Great War.
**APUFMKII**
Now that the rebels had received reinforcements and supplies they were prepared to make their boldest move yet. An action that would (if things proceeded according to plan) firmly establish Jella Korragan as the leader of the rebellion against the Batarian Hegemony. Turning the rebellion into something that Hegemony could not ignore or credibly deny.
John Doe was taking Cara T'Val, two of his fellow Spartans Kelly and Diego Piedra, the twenty rebels he trusted the most, and of course Jella herself on the mission. Cara was coming simply because Jella insisted, and Diego had been brought along due to fact that John wanted to see how the younger Spartan performed in combat before letting him do anything without supervision.
The mission itself was relatively straightforward. They were going to takeover a commercial broadcasting station, then use its facilities to publically announce the rebellion to everybody on the batarian homeworld. Leaving (hopefully) before the military or police could respond.
ONI knew that the Hegemony ruled to a large extent through fear. Predicting that the batarian people's fear of their government would start to fade away if they witnesses rebels openly challenging the government and getting away with it. Of course this was all built on the assumption that everything went according to plan.
John Doe knew that if the the mission failed (or they were caught shortly afterwards) the Hegemony would simply have more bloody examples to terrify the populace with.
And of course, as the German strategist once said, "No battle plan survives contact with the enemy."
Which was had happened the moment they had breached the doors to the broadcast station and made their way inside. Someone inside had hit the alarm and alerted the local precinct to the attack. Now that alone would not have been cause for concern. The Batarian state police, for all their swagger and bluster were undertrained, undergunned and cowards at their core (for the most part). Even their Heavy Response Squads or HRS, were the same compared to those of human colonies. The rebels alone would have been enough to handle them.
No, the problem was that a small detachment of Hegemony military were reinforcing them. Unlike their civilian counterparts, they were an actual threat to the rebels. Having military grade weapons and armor, and the hardware to match. Like in the Vietnam war back in the twentieth century of Earth, in an open firefight, the rebels were at a major disadvantage.
Against the rebels they were an issue, against a Spartan however, it was no challenge. But that wasn't the problem. The problem was that with the military now having gotten involved, it meant two things. The first was that the Hegemony was now taking them seriously enough that they were using military forces to respond to any potential rebel alerts. The second being, that their timetable just got cut in half. Even if all of the responders were eliminated, a lack of response by the military contingent would mean more, and potentially heavier, reinforcements would be inbound.
Diego was of course unconcerned. Humming a dirty song to himself as he took out a batarian soldier with a precise headshot. Spraying several of his nearby comrades with blood in the process. Enjoying the fight like an enthusiastic athlete performing in a sporting event.
Cara T'Val was on the knife edge between terror and rage as she threw enemy soldiers around with her biotics. Gritting her teeth as she avoided enemy fire, desperately praying to the goddess that none of it would hit her. She had discarded with most of her barriers except to protect against flying shrapnel and small debris, instead focusing the majority of her power in dealing as much damage as she possibly could.
John Doe and Kelly fought with cold professionalism, dropping one enemy combatant after another with lethal precision. Kelly was a blur as she sprinted back and forth, dropping batarians before they could even realize she was there, and gone by the time she did. John was more methodical, letting his shields taking a beating as he peppered the more heavily armed and armored soldiers with his new XR3 Cerberus rifle, courtesy of ONI.
The weapon itself resembled a splice between the M392 Designated Marksman Rifle and the MA5-B in terms of trigger and body, but that was where the similarities ended. It used the Citadel race's method of scraping metal pellets from a larger block then accelerating them to supersonic, near hypersonic speeds. But unlike those weapons, which relied only on internal heatsinks and trigger discipline to moderate heat, this one had three barrels, stacked in a triangle shape. Only one was firing at any time, while the other two cooled, coupled with the Covenant's heatsink technology, meant that it could fire near indefinitely. With a firerate of 1000 rounds a second, and the Spartan's lethal aim, it turned whatever it set its sights on into so much shredded meat.
Jella and the rest of the rebels John had hand picked for the mission fought passionately. They quite literally hated the people they were fighting, their actions guided by rage as they shot at the soldiers. While it did wonders for their morale, in truth such over eagerness made them sloppy, and one of the rebel fighters was killed by friendly fire (though in the confusion of battle virtually nobody noticed). More rounds missed than actually hit their targets, but the sheer volume of fire meant they did actually hit someone. Still, their relative inexperience meant that some were still cutdown. Of the original twenty, six had been killed, another two wounded and unable to fight.
Even as John was cutting down the enemy at a blistering rate, he managed to count the number of hostiles still fighting. Only about fifty or so, and most of their heavy hitters were down for the count. And this was a perfect defensive position, as the Rebels had more cover than their enemies did. He opened up a comm. channel. "Team B, we're done here. We're moving into the facility and going for the objective." Getting five affirmatives, he focused on the rest, "Kelly, you stay here and hold position with the others. Keep the door open." Kelly's symbol flashed green on his HUD, saying that she understood. Followed by three yellow flashes, the Spartan signal for 'hurry up'.
Mowing down another batarian, John ordered, "Team B, move out." Cara, Jella, Piedra and three other rebels whose name he couldn't recall left their cover and began to move deeper inside. One of the rebels turned his back to the enemy to run, only to be shot down. None of them spared the fallen a second glance as they ran for the broadcast room deeper inside. They had little trouble taking out the security guards, John and Piedra taking them out before any could even fire their pistols.
The technicians in the recording studio stared in horror as their guards were shot down. The local celebrity who had been in the process of making his news show (i.e. more Hegemony propaganda) tried to flee. Only to be shot down by Piedra.
"I want a live broadcast with the strongest signal you got" Jella told the two technicians.
"BUT WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO DO THAT!" one of the techs hysterically protested, only to be shot down by Jella for his outburst.
"Are you gonna tell me what you can't do too?" Jella asked the surviving technician.
"No..no ma'am" the male whimpered. Moving to set up the live broadcast that Jella wanted. All too aware of the weapons pointed at his body in case he made one wrong move.
"We're...we're Live" the technician announced. Hoping that rebels wouldn't simply kill him at this point, and that no one noticed the damp spot on the front of his pants. Shuddering as the rebel leader glowered at him before beginning to speak.
"People of the Batarian Hegemony...I am Jella Korragan leader of the rebellion against our tyrannical government."
Jella was not a natural orator, but she had thought long and hard about what she was going to say during this moment. Wanting to inspire her fellow slaves and terrify (or at least intimidate) their masters. Moreover, despite her other faults Jella was nothing if not sincere. Which came across as she continued her speech.
"For generations the MASTERS of the Hegemony have gotten fat off our work while raping, torturing, and murdering us, thinking that they were untouchable...but they're wrong."
"My master Goroth Talang abused me in every way imaginable until I couldn't stand it anymore...most slaves in my position would have ended their own lives but instead I took his...killing the motherless bastard with the same whip his liked to use me...now me and mine will kill ALL the masters in the Hegemony."
As Jella remembered killing her master a beatific smile crossed her face. Contemplating the death of all the slave masters in the Hegemony. Keeping that vision in mind as she continued. John made a motion from behind the camera to wrap it up.
"The Hegemony is evil, corrupt, and its end is coming soon...to all my fellow slaves I say join me and seize your own destiny...and to all the MASTERS throughout the Hegemony I say this...free your slaves or we'll come for you too" Jella finished, practically growling the final words.
"All right...everybody on the planet who's got a receiver on should have picked that up" the technician explained as he realized Jella was done speaking. Thinking about how much trouble he would be in once his role in this fiasco (from the Hegemony's perspective) was discovered. Hoping he could alter the records so it looked like the dead technician had been the to one to cooperate, before more government troops showed up.
"Do you own any slaves?" Jella asked as she looked at the surviving technician's fancy uniform.
"N...no" the man replied in terror, his insincerity obvious even to Diego.
Jella responded by blowing the man's head open. Then addressing the corpse "did you think I was lying when I said that I was going to kill ALL the slave masters."
John Doe felt a chill as he witnessed the casual murder. As he realized just what kind of bloodbath Jella really wanted. Moreover, it was too late to discard the bloodthirsty batarian now, they had just announced the Rebellion to the entire world with her as its face. ONI needed to be informed, or this Operation would end only as a slaughter, instead of a revolution.
"Did you get all the surveillance equipment before we started the broadcast?" John Doe asked Diego as they fled the scene. Having assigned the younger Spartan the job because his armor was newer (and therefore had better sensors).
"Of course boss" Diego said confidently. But in truth the arrogant young super soldier had forgotten in all the excitement. Still Piedra doubted that it would matter. After all, he was a Spartan, why should he care about being seen? The Spartan thought to himself, not knowing what would come of his actions.
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