The innards of the ship where draped in a constant change of dark and the red pulsing light of the alarm.
Garrus stumbled as he tried stand up. 'Damn' a growl erupted from his chest as he remembered that his seat belt was still locked. With his hands shaking he wasn't abled to open it right away. *Click* Growling in pain, he left his seat 'EDI… Argh'
Her avatar lit up but Garrus couldn't hear her. With a flicker the monitor in front of him came to life 'Acoustic module damaged'. Garrus sighed in frustration, he pressed his hand to his side and closed his eyes. There was a deep dent in his armor, something hard must have hit him after the crash and he felt a sharp pain Spirits that feels like a cracked plate. Opening his eyes again, he saw that EDI had another message for him.
'Incoming forces, ETA 15 minutes, should leave immediately' the monitor informed him. His eyes wandered through the cockpitIt doesn't look that bad
'EDI' he exhaled sharply 'Status report, what is damaged?' He focused on the Monitor in front of him 'Most damage is superficial, repairing the dampers and the fuel line is necessary – I suggest you leave this crash site immediately – I defend the ship.' Hands clasped to his side, he made his way to the armory. Some of the light cargo from the back of the ship was scattered over the ship. He keyed the security code in, opening the weapons locker. As much as he would love it to take his Sniper rifle with him, with the pain in his side he knew he never could've shoot it properly, so Garrus decided to take his M-77 Paladin hand gun. With the weapon locked and holstered to his hip he entered the airlock. 'EDI, tell me about the atmosphere. Can I breathe it?' He wasn't sure what monitor she would use in this room so he waited and looked around. To his right a monitor came to life 'Atmosphere contains: 78,084% Nitrogen, 20,946% Oxygen and 0,934% Argon, Breathe without caution.'
At least one time I'm lucky. 'Activate decontamination sequence and open the door.' It took a while before the monitor answered him. 'Decontamination protocol malfunctioning, door must be opened manual'
That's going to hurt like hell
With his head hanging in frustration he walked to the other end of the airlock where the emergency lever was located. With his left hand still holding his bruised side he grabbed the lever with his right hand and pulled it down as hard as he could. With a painful growl he saw that the lever has won this round.
Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale.
The door made a hissing sound that almost drowned the deep growl that erupted in Garrus chest, opened and let the nearly blinding bright sun in. One hand at his ribs the other shielding his eyes against the sun he slowly left the ship. Taking a breath he looked around. Great, a fucking desert
Wherever he looked, all he saw was sand, rock some strange green plants who looked like a person with raised arms and more sand. He turned around, seeing that his ship has built a deep crater and was mostly covered in sand
'I guess that has to be enough as cover' he sighed to himself as his omni-tool lit up with a message form EDI. 'Next settlement around 13 miles straight north – I suggest you avoid being seen' He shook his head 'Thanks EDI, I know the protocol for encountering a new species' Looking at his omni-tool to find out where north was, he started out his search for spare parts.
Fucking sand. He was glad that this wasn't some iceplanet, he hated the cold, but with his heavy armor and obviously damaged cooling units he was cooked. And the sand. He hated that screeching sound of sand under the armor and in the jolts of it. The road was several hundred feet to his left, avoiding it for obvious reasons. No need to cross path with whatever species lives here.One of these big green plants stood to his right casting equally big shadow, which he gratefully took as an excuse to take a short break. His side hurts and in that condition he just couldn't walk very fast or very long. So the 30 minutes he was on his way felt like hours to him, he rubbed his neck with a sigh. What was that? His head jolted up, trying to determine the direction from where this sound was coming from. It sounded like an unsteady alarm, coming closer very fast. He stood there in the shadow, knowing that there was no way he could hide from whatever was coming his way. Putting some pressure on his side, Garrus knelt down, in an attempt to lower the chance of being seen. You wear a shiny armor, idiot… The sound was getting louder and now he saw blue and red blinking lights on something that looked to be a vehicle. A vehicle with tires. And these pyjaks are capable of any kind of spaceflight? Looking around he figured that there was no way out of this, if they're not completely blind they were going to see him. He couldn't run let alone fight them and wouldn't want to draw his gun possibly causing a war. I'm just gonna have sit here and see what happens.
The black and white vehicle with the blinking lights was almost driving past him as he heard a loud squeal, possibly the tires. Frustration grew in him, he knew he almost would've avoided them and now he had to face them. The blinking loud vehicle came closer to him, he would've laughed at how ridiculous that thing looked if this wouldn't mean the shittiest day in his life. The vehicle stopped about 30 feet in front of him, a very big sapient life form left it on one side while a shorter tinier on the other. They wore a kind of unsafe looking black uniform. The little one is very squishy and what a strange fringe they have he studied them very closely. Damn the big one has the size of a young Krogan. He knew he could kill them if he would be fit, even if the big one is big he still looked squishy. The small one drew its gun, pointed it at him 'Stand up! Show yourself!' He was thankful for his translator, some kind of ancient Prothean technology he doesn't fully understand, but it worked immediately. He hold his right hand up to show that he meant no harm. 'Relax Ash' the big one looked at the other 'Put your gun down' and laughed lightly 'we're in Roswell' Ash? Probably a female of her kind
The gun was still pointed in his direction 'Shut it Vega. You there' she said with a wave of her weapon 'stand the fuck up!' Garrus hissed in pain as he forced his way up. He knew talking to them would be pointless so he kept his mouth shut and tried to comfort his hurt right side. 'Jesus Christ' that Ash thing squealed and aimed her pistol now towards his head, while the other one laughed. 'You're scaring that poor bastard.'
'I'm scaring him? Look at it!'
'Calm down' the big one which Ash referred to as Vega walked over to him, holding his hands up in a peaceful gesture. 'Probably just an Area-51 loving geek who got lost' From behind the small female shouted at him 'Be careful, you're in my crosshair' 'Easy' he turned his head back to Garrus and was now just a few steps away from him, stopping with wide eyes as he saw what was standing in shadow 'Woha! You, you have nice costume' Garrus knew the protocol for contact with new species but he had no clue how to act now, so he just stood there holding his hand up. 'Do you understand what I say?' Fuck, that's not going well. No sure what to do Garrus tilted his head. 'What is your name? You know where we are?' Name? No problem but I do have no fucking clue where I am…
Garrus just stood there. 'Ash! Come here I think he's on drugs!' The small one closed the door of the vehicle, hurrying to close the distance between the car and the cactus, producing a dust cloud. She still had a gun in her hand. She's a professional, he's an idiot
The Vega type held out his hand to him 'Come out there, it's okay' Garrus didn't move an inch, cursing inwardly. That's it? You're going to be arrested by these piyjaks?
That's when Ash made the last step, stepping right in front of him, grabbing his hand to try to make him move. 'Holy shit!' she jumped back, right into the big one, causing them both to stumble. 'Jesus Ash, you complete Loco now?' Her gun was back aiming at him. 'That's… Vega… He…' - 'What?' - 'That's no human!' Vega laughed 'Yeah sure, we just stumble across an alien in the middle of a desert IN Roswell, you know…' his words were cut as Garrus decided to step into direct sunlight. 'Fuck, Ash that's an alien! You…' he pointed at Garrus 'You stay where you are' Garrus obeyed hoping that showing his empty hands was a sign of no harm intended on this planet too. Vega seemed confused. 'You… You understand what I'm saying?' His right hand was pressed against his chest. Garrus give a nod 'Whoa, that's so awesome…' A huge grin appeared on his face. 'Can you talk to us?' He shook his head. 'Fuck me that's… Ash that's… Ash?' Vega looked around and found Ashley several feet behind him her gun in one hand in the other a radio. '638 to HQ, HQ please respond.' They heard some static 'HQ here' 'I need military backup to milestone 214 out in the desert, code A-51'
Garrus sighed in annoyance Military? Shit… where are the rachni?
The big human was now right beside the small one 'What are you doing Ash?' She cut him off with one of their fingers raised. '638 please repeat!' 'Code A-51'
'Understood' a few seconds flew bye and Garrus sat down, knowing that being arrested was now unavoidable. The radio came back to life 'Commissioner Anderson and General Hackett are on their way to your position. Don't kill it but don't take any chances! Just don't let it escape!' 'Got it, 638 out'
'Ash look at it, it doesn't seem to be hostile' 'Vega, ready you fucking weapon, we have to keep it here till the military arrives and stop talking to it!' They tried to talk silently, not knowing that he had superior predatory senses. 'We found the first Alien ever and you're giving it to the military?' They watched in his direction 'I don't care, look at it, it's ugly as hell' Says the squishy little thing with the ridiculous fringe. 'Now get your shotgun.'
After Vega returned from the car with his weapon no one talked anymore, both of them stood sever feet away from him, both with their weapons ready. The time went by, Garrus sat in the shadow, head hanging in the desperate need of some recovery as he was waiting for the military.
He was dozing off as he heard the loud sound of several vehicles closing in on his position. Eyes snapped open and he saw a big transporting vehicle followed by two smaller ones, he stood up. When he was going to be captured, he's going to do it with his head held high. He let his neck creak and waited. The big vehicle stopped and a lot of armed soldiers jumped from the back and two, perhaps important specimens got out of the other two cars. The older looking one gave some orders which Garrus couldn't filter out what he said, but he assumed that he told them to detain him. Fifteen soldiers moved towards him, aiming their guns at him. The older one followed them while the other, brown skinned talked to the two who found him. 'My name is General Hackett, I heard that you are able to understand me.' Garrus gave him a nod. 'You've entered United States territory without permission, for that I'm going to put you under arrest. Garrus nodded with a sigh. 'Sergeant, cuffs and blindfold' and with that he turned back to go to talk to the other person that arrived with him. With a click, some metal handcuffs locked his hands together and a big bag was pulled over his head. As he was dragged towards the transporting vehicle he hissed in pain. He could hear General Hackett 'You two will forget what you witnessed hear today. If I read anything about this in the news you two will never see the sun again, did I make myself clear?' 'Crystal' and with that he was pushed in back of the vehicle. He could hear the engine start and then his journey began.
No one talked during the right, the only sound he heard was the beat of his heart. He completely had lost his track of time. They slowed down and stopped, he could hear people talk, and then they accelerated again, drove a few more minutes and then came to a full stop. He was dragged out and pushed around, he could hear a lot of people, the clacking sound of weapons. Great just great… a fucking huge military base. Suddenly it got a lot cooler, they must've entered a building, he could tell from the change of climate. The hissing sound of what he thought must be an elevator and after that the hum of that very elevator. The ride was taking quite a while, and there was still that unpleasant silence. A *bing* announced the end of their ride. He was tugged by his cuffs, pushed against a wall. The fold was taken off and all he could see was white.
"Jane, wake up!" Pounding on her door amplified in her head by the too-long nap she took that only left her sleepier than when she went to bed before the intruder just gives up and opens the barrier, letting in a thin strip of white light across the floor. "Jane, wake up" her roommate repeats. "You have a phone call. It's from your boss."
That gets the young woman up, the sheets tangled around her waist making her fall to the ground in a heap with a thud which makes her roommate bite her lip in attempt to hold back laughter. "Hold on," Jane pleads as she yanks the offending items away as she tries to get back up, scrambling ungracefully a moment before earning freedom. "Okay, hand it over."
Her roommate, Kelly, hands the receiver over with a smirk at Jane's usual clumsiness and gives a final nod of wordless 'good-luck' before closing the door. Thought they weren't really what one would consider 'friends', the two years living together as roommates gave them a friendly acquaintance that lent to being able to read each other's unvoiced expressions. "This is Jane," she offers into the phone.
"Jane, get to the lab. We have received a new contract and we need to move to another facility." That is all she gets before the line clicks, her boss' rush obvious is his lack of need for her response.
He knows she'll agree to whatever he has, the job just too good to deny despite everything she has to put up with. First, it was the money that kept her working under the unbearable man that treated her like dirt. She had had to drop out of college, taking the Bachelor's degree instead of the higher degree she had set out for, when he had gotten too sick to continue working at his shop, his illness making it impossible to work on cars. Working for Dr. Lawson was the best use of her degree and she still got to work in the field she had originally been interested in, though at a lesser capacity than she would have preferred.
Then, once her father had sadly passed on, she had lost the will to return to school, the desire to give her dad a better life and repay him for the hard work and long nights to care for her single handedly gone in his absence. With no will to move forward and fears of losing what little happiness she had in her position in the lab, even if it was working for the jerk of a boss that she had, she stayed, just learned to tune out the verbal abuse as nothing more than white noise. She didn't want to leave the lab for another as Doctor Lawson's laboratory the best in the area with the best paid contracts for the military and United States government and the search for anywhere close would take her far from the only home she knew.
So here she was, tugging her knee-high socks back up and straightening them out, the striped fabric the only sign of her personality she was able to have at the lab and her guilty pleasure hidden under her long slacks, before slipping on her soft sneakers. She slept in her clothes, too tired to pull off her uniform earlier in the evening, so she only has to grab her jacket in case she gets cold, like always, before giving Kelly a good-bye wave and heading out.
Gripping the wheel of her little gray truck, an old graduation gift from her father when she set out across the state for school, she has to keep herself from bouncing in her seat in excitement for whatever her boss's vague call could mean. Usually, they get new contracts during normal working hours, not after and definitely not around nine in the evening where the sun has already dropped down past the low mountains in the distance. If it was enough to get Doctor Lawson to actually call her after her shift, it must be important and she can't wait to see what's in store, the multitude of possibilities of what they could work on running through her head.
Just outside Roswell city limits is the lab and she's surprised, her eyes opened wide and mouth gaping slightly, at the large numbers of big, black vans around the small dirt lot the small number of workers use as parking. She snaps her mouth shut with an audible click and pulls quietly into her usual spot at the far end of the lot, trying to keep out of the attentions of their not-so-friendly-looking guests.
It's just as she's at the bottom of the short stairs at the front that the two front doors swing wide, their glass surfaces that never seem to get cleaned of the New Mexico sand glittering in the overhead lights in the lot, and she comes face to face with a group of men out of television. Completely covered in dark clothing, thick vests, and wearing black helmets, she barely recognizes their holding guns through her confusion, the sudden realization making her drop her jacket into the dirt and she throws her hands up in shock.
Are they the government? Did we do something wrong? Am I going to die? This is like something out of X-Files… Wait…I am still dreaming?
Her thoughts are cut off by a figure shouldering their way through the group of intimidating figures. Wait… is that?
Not giving her a moment to collect her jumbled thoughts- or even really take in what's happening now that she knows it is, in fact, not a dream- her boss, Dr. Henry Lawson, unceremoniously shoves a box of files into her chest. "Finally, she arrives," the older man says to no one in particular, his gray-haired head turning back to jerk another box from the hands of one of the black-suited men. "I was fixing to just leave without you, Jane."
She drops her head, biting her lip, at the reprimanding tone, knowing it's just best to let the man's ire run out on its own and limit any possible eye-contact. Wordlessly, she follows him as he stomps to one of the trucks, muttering curses under his breath as he tends to do when matters are taken out of his hands. It's a telling sign of their situation, as he never lets things get out of his hands and, yet, he isn't throwing things in a rage – in fact, he's being quite civil – and it only aids in her suspicion that whatever is happening is something definitely good for the lab.
"I received an urgent call from an associate of mine," he starts in that usual way of speaking to the air instead of someone specific. "We worked together once in Japan and he's offered me a big chance here at the military air base." He suddenly stops in his process of packing the black vehicle in things from the lab and turns to Jane, a glare in his eyes. "I don't think it needs to be said that this is very important for Lawson Industries."
She nods emphatically, not helping in showing the excitement in her green eyes she knows he could just dash away. She wouldn't put it past the man, to raise her hopes unintentionally before telling her she isn't even to be joining him because it's just the manner in which he speaks, but she really wishes for once that luck would work in her favor.
Left dumbstruck in expectation, she doesn't notice as her hands are left empty and just floating in the space before her before the older man swats her hands down with a scoff. "Control yourself, girl. We must look professional." He closes the door and motions towards her truck. "Find someone to take care of that," she flinches at his distaste for her beloved truck, but stays quiet in case he's saying what she thinks he's saying, "and go grab the last container of supplies."
She jogs back to the building, watching the group of soldiers spread out and getting into the numerous vehicles – some of which reveal even more soldiers just sitting inside the darkened windows – and grabs the offered box from Michael, the tech that was hired only a few months before. "I hear you guys are getting to work for the military," he whispers conspiratorially, a soft smile on his lips as he nods towards the van that Doctor Lawson climbed in.
"Yeah, the Doctor says that an old friend got him the job." She takes the box as the younger man then hands over her dusty and almost forgotten jacket. "Thanks… By the way, can you take my truck back to my apartment? I'm sure Kelly will give you a ride home."
He blushes at the acknowledgment of the budding relationship even Jane isn't too dense to see, but nods in assurance, holding out a hand for her to drop the keys into. She shifts her hold on the box enough to unclip her house key and gives him the remainder, rushing at the yelled command from their boss that echoes over.
Coming up on the van, the unamused and clearly impatient look on her boss' face making her stumble on her last few steps before she catches herself just in time to hear the huff from the older man. "About time." He motions with a thumb to where he wants her to place the box, not willing to move anymore unless it entails them finally disembarking, and she lays it down before pulling away to stand outside the van's door. She isn't sure whether she should climb in, and probably look like a fool for misinterpreting his words, or just wait for him to blatantly state what he wants her to do. Obviously seeing her discomfort, Dr. Lawson sighs and rolls his eyes. "Good God, girl. Get in, already. I'd rather we arrive at our new lab before the sun."
Jane nearly faints with excitement – and barely manages to withhold her high squeak of joy from making her look foolish and ruin her already shady image of professionalism – but she manages to scramble into the vehicle, sitting on her jacket and needing to bend awkwardly to get it out from under her butt before straightening enough to get her seatbelt on. Barely a moment after it clicks, the van roars to life and moves, the shocks obviously in need of repair and leaving Jane thankful she wore her extra supportive bra as well as strapped herself to the seat else she'd be flopping around the back seat like a fish.
After a long time of silent driving, Dr. Lawson turns to Jane with an odd expression. She doesn't know how to describe it, really, as it isn't his usual scowl or glare of the lab or the blank expression he uses in meetings with important clients or potential clients. If she were correct in her expressions, which is a hard skill to master with the older man, she'd say he was excited, or maybe even happy, but it's an odd stretch for him after all the years knowing him.
"Jane," he says somewhat softly – it certainly lacks that cold edge of his anger or belittling. "This is a very important job we are being hired for. I only trust you from the others at the lab because you have worked with me longest." He sighs and crosses his hands in his lab. "Don't prove me wrong when I promised Dr. Harper that you can understand the reason that what we are about to see needs to remain completely confidential. No one must know of this." He doesn't say of why he knows she'd be best to get whatever this is secret, his real reason for his decision of her presence because, in his eyes, she doesn't have anyone to blab to, not because of her 'years of service', but she doesn't care. If this something is big enough to even have him acting strangely, it must be something really big.
She swallows down her nerves and nods in understanding before asking, "What are we doing, sir?"
He smiles in satisfaction, most likely proud to be the one given whatever chance this is over his competitors. "I don't think words can describe. You must see it to believe, but know that this is an once-in-a-lifetime experience."
She is quiet after that, letting the man turn his attentions to the windows to watch the flat landscape of the outskirts of Roswell. When they finally pull up to the military base, it's another ten minutes of passing through checkpoints and seemingly endless gates before they come to a stop, the dark skinned soldier in the passage seat getting out to open the side door of the van for Doctor Lawson. "Right this way, Sir and Ma'am."
The tall building is plain and the main room large with people bustling to-and-fro, but they aren't given much time to take in the sights as they are lead to a large elevator, plain on the inside and clearly meant for utility as it's devoid of any of the luxuries one would expect outside of a high-security military base. "You will be moved into housing within the base," the dark skinned soldier continues as he taps a button that Jane can't see from her position at the back of the lift. "Your lab is on the forty-second level of the basement. Once you are settled in, someone will be by to show you to the housing we have set up."
Dr. Lawson scoffs. "I take it we aren't allowed to leave the base? Is that necessary?"
"Actually, you can leave as you will, but you will need an escort. I'm sure you understand the need to keep things contained."
She ignores whatever unspoken dismissal she's sure her boss has for the man, wondering just want is so important that they have to play hush-hush, not even leaving the base unless they have a chaperone, and that Dr. Lawson doesn't even want to tell her until she sees it. She doesn't have to ponder long as the lift slows to a stop, the numerous floors passing rather quickly to her relief, and she follows the group out and down the long, white hallway lit with high fluorescents. Looking at the claustrophobic walls and lack of possible windows into the outside world, she's glad she at least gets to walk around the base and not be stuck down here all day and night.
They stop at a locked door, a key pad and scanner set into the wall beside it, and the soldier takes out a thin piece of plastic. He taps a few buttons and holds the card to the scanner, the lock flashing with each movement before turning green. "You each will receive an access card and the key code to the door once you are shown to your private bunks. Right this way."
He steps in, followed by her boss and then herself, into a dark room, the smell of chemicals and sterilization tools marking it as a lab even though the lights haven't come one yet. She turns to Doctor Lawson, her brows drawn down in confusion though he wouldn't see it in the dark, and sees his smug expression just as the lights come on. He motions with his chin behind her and she turns, still confused, when her heart practically stops at the sight before her.
X-Files indeed.