CHAPTER EIGHT:
In-A-Gadda-A-Vida
He stared quietly out the window at the Earth, blinking slowly, just taking it in. A quiet moment to himself as Earthen Ambassador Udina and Captain Anderson spoke amongst each other with Admiral Hackett in the next room. The three were discussing him, he knew that much, and knew he was being going to be asked to station on the most illustrious ship in all the Alliance Navy…the Normandy. But that could wait. He just wanted to look at Earth right now.
It was so, so damn beautiful. Like a alluring marble frozen in space. The soft expanses of land cascading across dark blue, white clouds like a blanket being wrapped loving around the planet, truly…truly Earth was a beautiful, beautiful place. Alluring and vibrant, yet soft on the eyes, his home, his HOME was staring back at him, and he at it.
He had always believed people had souls. He wondered if Earth had one too. He wanted to think so, and that every time someone looked at it, really stopped and stared and took it all in, you could see the faintest hint of that soul.
Just so damn beautiful.
"Humanity needs a hero. Shepherd's the best we've got." The paternal, deep voice of Captain Anderson insisted as the faintly reedy voice of Udina chimed in.
"I'll make the call." He decided. "Finalize it. Shepherd comes with us to Eden Prime."
Yes…Eden Prime. Shepherd took in a deep breath as he leaned back in the little bench he was sitting on, staring out the small cabin window again. Eden Prime was one of the first colony worlds Earth had established. An important symbol that showed Earth could cut it in the galaxy, and actually hold down not just a country across the sea like Britain had to what would become America, but an entire world. A whole other world…all of it belonging to Humanity because of the wonders of spaceflight and the mass effect relays.
Truly the galaxy was a place of wonder, Shepherd thought to himself as he exited the cabin, heading down the long, steely hallway of the Normandy, a row of white lights down both sides of every inch of floor. The design was simple, almost minimalistic when it came to decorative choices, with no real colors to the walls except a few steel-blues as scaffolding and some emergency red warning lights hidden in the floors. Yet one thing was very, very catchy to the eye and very clear…the enormous galaxy map in the main bridge area of the Normandy.
A small display of the Milky Way galaxy spun about like a soft windmill, being overlooked by a ramp that towered above it and the rest of the crew. You stood atop there, you could see all over the entire bridge of the ship, a towering presence, a…commanding presence.
But that was Captain Anderson's duty. Shepherd saluted him with one hand as he made his way down the hall, saying "hello" to various crewmates as the ship's pilot, Jeff Moreau, made his announcement over the intercom, his hands flying across the faintly holographic controls of the ship. "The Arcturus Relay is in range…initiating transmission sequence…BAM. We are connected." He informed the crew, Shepherd heading over to the front of the Normandy to see it himself. He'd never actually seen a ship enter a Mass Relay up close and personal, he imagined it would be quite the sight.
"Calculating transmit mass and destination…" Jeff continued onward as Shepherd saluted the bald navigator Pressly, who cheerily saluted back, bearded face nodding. "Relay is hot! Acquiring approach vector…all stations secure for transit." He added as Shepherd stood right to his left, Nihlus the Spectre just behind Joker as Kaiden Alenko sat to Joker's right, resting one head on his hand, looking intrigued as Joker's bearded face scrunched slightly up. Had to be careful, not curve too much to the right for this…
"And?" Nihlus asked of Joker.
"The board is green. Approach run has begun." Joker informed them all, smirking slightly. "Hang on to your underwear."
The Mass Effect relay hung in space before them like a giant, metal hairclip, a spinning, swirling ball of bluish energy alighting the enormous circular space at it's end. Twisting metal bands twirled about it, keeping this energy source that powered the Mass Relay focused and continuously shifting as the Normandy shot towards its target, Joker cracking his knuckles. "Hitting the relay in three! Two ONE!"
The ship shot alongside the relay's metal frame, the ball of energy within the Mass Relay enveloping the Normandy in a beautiful aura of bright blue, a sizzling, crackling noise filling the ship before…THA-BOOM. A sound like cosmic thunder as the ship's windows revealed them to be surrounded by a thousand rushing points of light shooting all about them, as if enveloped in the middle of the timestream itself, Shepherd letting out an amazed "Ohhh" in awe at the sight, Joker calmly continuing his work.
"Thrusters…check! Navigation…check. Internal emissions sink engaged, all systems offline and our drift's a nice, steady 1500K."
Nihlus nodded approvingly. "1500 is good. Your captain will be pleased." He informed them, heading back down the hall as Joker groaned when he was out of earshot.
"I hate that guy."
"Nihlus gave you a compliment…so you hate him?" Kaiden inquired, one eyebrow raised up almost right into his vaguely Elvis-esque hair, looking incredously at Jeff "Joker" Moreau. His brow slightly furrowed as a faint bluish light rose off his body, a cup of water floating over to him from a nearby table to his hand as Jeff threw his hands up in the air.
"You remember to zip your jumpsuit on the way out of the bathroom? THAT'S "good". I just jumped us halfway across the galaxy and hit a target the size of a pinhead to do it. That's f—kin' incredible, you got that?" Joker proclaimed. "Besides…spectres? They're trouble. I don't like him bein' onboard. Call me paranoid."
"You're paranoid." Kaiden snorted. "The Council helped fund this project. I think they've got a right to keep someone here to keep an eye on their investment."
"Sure. That's the official story…but only an idiot believes the "official" story." Joker said, holding up his pointer and middle finger, giving the "quotation" gesture when Joker said "official".
"I think you're right, Joker." Shepherd admitted with a nod. "I mean, they wanted to keep an eye on us, they'd just install a camera or send an ambassador. They don't send Spectre officers on ordinary planet shakedown runs like WE'RE supposed to be on." He added with a wave of his hand.
"So there's more going on than the captain's letting on. And if Nihlus thinks we buy that cover story, he's as stupid as he is ugly."
"Joker! Status report!" Captain Anderson's voice rang out over the intercom.
"Just cleared the Mass Relay, captain. Our stealth systems are engaged and everything is looking solid."
"Good. Find a comm buoy and link us into the Extranet network. I want mission reports relayed back to Alliance Brass before we reach Eden Prime." Anderson requested of Joker as Joker smirked a bit.
"Aye aye, Captian. Think you'd better brace yourself, though, cuz Nihlus is headed your way."
A few moments of silence before an unmistakably amused Anderson remarked "He's already HERE, Lieutenant."
"And with a little hacking, I've had the intercom broadcasting relaying EVERYTHING you've been saying just now right back to my Amp interface gauntlet. So perhaps I'm not as STUPID as I am UGLY." Nihlus added.
"Oh, snap." Kaiden laughed, Shepherd cracking a smirk as Anderson spoke up again, ordering Shepherd to meet him in the comm room for a debriefing, Joker facepalming.
"You know, I was worried, he sounded angry at first, but you just brightened his day a bit, Joker." Shepherd chuckled.
"Kiss my pasty white ass…sir." Joker said, giving Shepherd the finger as Shepherd headed off for the communications room. "You know Alenko, the Cap ALWAYS sounds mad when he talks to me."
"Can't imagine WHY." Kaiden sniggered.
"…please stop touching my face." Nihlus asked of Private Jenkins as the beret-wearing Alliance officer's fingers ran down it, fiddling with the Turian's mandibles a bit. "Ah-AH, stop touching!" He said, pulling away.
"Sorry, it's just…WOW, it feels kind of like a softer version of tree bark." Jenkins apologized with a bow of his head. "Your species is just fascinating."
"Are you naturally bald like Pressley or did you shave?" Nihlus inquired as Pressley grumbled something angrily about the Turian under his breath, Senior Field Medic Grey rubbing the back of Jenkin's head.
"He TOTALLY shaved. Thought the Alliance made him do it like the army used to do to all THEIR recruits until someone told him he didn't have to…three weeks after he'd been continuously shaving it. But he likes it, so now he just stays shaved." Grey chuckled.
"I like the feel of the wind." Jenkins admitted with a nod as Grey held up his hand to the cross that hung around his neck, an Omni-Tool display spreading over his red and white armor in the chest region before vanishing, Grey humming slightly before singing softly.
"Can you feel with all the colors of the wiiind…" He murmured, a tiny little zephyr flickering around in the immediate area, centering around his held-up palm, Shepherd looking impressed as Grey smiled cheerily at him. "You like? You can call it a unique Omni-Tool integration. Harmonics-based technology manifesting through a variety of powers to assist you and others in the field, centered only on MY voice and MY DNA strain so the enemy can't use it…and, of course, triggered only by certain words and phrases."
"It runs through your whole body? That's extensive body modification." Shepherd admitted, looking hightly impressed, smiling broadly. "And highly useful."
"My "Unity" ability is incredibly useful. It'll heal you and the entire party…if you take me along on any mission, sir." Grey added with a salute, clacking his boot heels together. "I'll have your back, sir. Nobody gets left behind or forgotten with me."
"You're a damn good space marine." Shepherd complimented, saluting back as Nihlus nodded and headed into the comm room down the hall, Shepherd then approaching Navigator Pressley, the bald navigator cheerily saluting, Shepherd admiring his refined beard and moustache combination.
"Congratulations, commander. Looks like we had a smooth run. You heading down to see the captain, I take it?"
"On my way right now, Press." Shepherd said with a firm nod. "He wants a status update."
"With all due respect…MAYBE he'll finally tell us what the heck we're doing out here. I don't like it one bit." Pressley muttered as he folded his arms across his chest, frowning slightly.
"I'll see if I can get some answers from him when I see him." Shepherd admitted as the grey-haired Dr. Ann Chawkwas made her way over to him with Corporal Jenkins right by her, Ann in a refined long dress-uniform attire of deep grey to match her wise, almost ancient eyes as Jenkins saluted with vibrant energy.
"Whatcha think, Commander? We won't be staying on Eden Prime TOO long, will we? I'm itching for some real action!" The fresh-faced Jenkins aske.d
"I sincerely hope you're kidding, Jenkins. Your "real action" usually ends with ME patching crew members up in the infirmary." Chakwas's elegant British voice intoned with a slight snort, Shepherd chuckling a bit.
"Relax, Jenkins. A good soldier has to stay cool even under fire."
"Im sorry. I've just never been on a mission like this before…not with a Spectre, anyhow." Jenkins admitted with a nervous gulp as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I mean, having them here…the stakes are raised."
"I understand…but just treat this like every other assignment you've had and everything will work out." Shepherd spoke comfortingly, putting a hand on Jenkins's shoulder and nodding. "Keep your wits about you and a sharp eye out, you'll do great. You've got a long Alliance career ahead of you. Just don't do something stupid, alright?"
"I won't screw this up, I promise, Shep." Jenkins said, nodding his head as Shepherd made his way down the hall and into the circular communications room. There were chairs situated all about as a vid screen behind Nihlus the Spectre displayed an image of Eden Prime, Nihlus turning around, green eyes staring into Shepherd's as he nodded. "Commander Shepherd. I was hoping you'd get here first. This will give us a chance to talk."
Shepherd blinked a bit. "Talk? What about?"
"I'm interested in this world we're going to. Eden Prime in the Utopia system. One of many lovely planets your race named after paradises. To you, it was the fulfilment of a kind of dream many of you had…you had found Heavenly bodies indeed, lying in wait for the taking. Resources, new lands to explore, new creatures to discover…and Eden Prime's said to be quite beautiful."
"Beyond beautiful, sir." Shepherd said with a firm nod. "It's said to be a paradise."
"Yes…a paradise. Serene…tranquil…SAFE. It's something of a symbol for your people, proof of what you're capable of. That you can set up colonies like my race did…and protect them. But…how safe is it?" Nihlus mused quietly, his inquisitive voice turning…slightly concerned as he turned away, Shepherd looking worried as his brow furrowed.
"What exactly do you mean by that?"
"Your people are still newcomers. The galaxy can be a dangerous place. Is the Alliance READY for this, I wonder…" Nihlus murmured.
"I think it's time we informed Shepherd what's truly going on." Anderson admitted as he walked into the room.
"Let me guess…this ain't just a shakedown run." Shepherd mused aloud as Nihlus nodded in agreement.
"Indeed. Over one hundred years ago, the biggest concern for the galaxy was an odd fluctuation of dark energy that seemed to be spreading from stars. Then it was an…unfortunate occurrence on Palaven involving an old friend of mine. Several, in fact. Then it was YOUR race. Now it seems we…may have a new issue." Nihlus remarked.
"I'm surprised you don't count the Quarians and the Geth as an issue." Shepherd remarked with a raised eyebrow.
"The Geth didn't actually chase after the Quarians…they barely registered a blip on the Galactic rader. However they MAY be involved in this." Nihlus admitted. "We've always heard rumors of them developing technology beyond what we organics can handle…we think they're here in this system."
"Looking for what? I mean…being THIS far from the Perseus Veil cluster they inhabit?" Shepherd inquired as Anderson folded his arms over his chest.
"A Prothean beacon. A single data drive leapt human technology and understanding of the universe forward by two hundred years. Imagine what an intact BEACON could do for us…or for the Geth." He waved a hand in the air. "The Mass Relays, our ship drives, the Citadel, all based on prothean technology. We had to keep this quiet…this information was on a strictly need-to-know basis, and we're to bring the beacon back to the Citadel for proper study."
"I guess it doesn't hurt to have extra hands on board…and to have an eye from the Council to watch out for a Prothean BEACON." Shepherd admitted. "I mean, we really only know that they ruled the galaxy 50,000 years ago, then vanished."
"That's…not the only reason I'm here." Nihlus admitted as he held up a hand and almost smiled in an embarrassed fashion.
"Nihlus Kryik is here to see you in action, Commander. He wants to evaluate you." Anderson informed Shepherd with a proud, beaming expression on his face.
"Is that why I keep bumping into you every time I turn around?" Shepherd chuckled as Anderson nodded.
"The Alliance has pushed for this for a long time. Humanity wants a larger role in shaping Interstellar policy. We want more say with the Council. The Spectres represent the Council's power and authority. Accepting you into their ranks shows how far our race has come!" Anderson informed Shepherd, slamming his fist into his palm as Nihlus nodded in agreement.
"You held off a coordinated batarian assault during the Blitz single-handed. That doesn't just show courage, but INCREDIBLE skill." Nihlus complimented. "That's why I put your name forward."
"You did? Why?" Shepherd wanted to know, looking intrigued.
"I know my race isn't…on the best terms with yours all the time." Nihlus admitted sheepishly. "But some of us have seen the potential you have. I don't care at all that you're a human. I believe you can get the job done."
"We'll have to be careful here, though. The Attican Traverse sector of the Milky Way galaxy isn't always stable, and Eden Prime, though part of it, is also on the border of the Terminus Systems. They might be willing to risk an act of war to get at a Prothean Beacon." Anderson murmured as he sighed slightly, hanging his head a little. "We're getting close to Eden Prime, so be ready-"
"Captain! We've got problems!" Joker's panicked voice rang out over the intercom. "We just got this transmission from Eden Prime, patching it through to the comm-room's visual display screen!"
The three of them turned, the screen showing utter chaos. Soldiers were firing off desperately, howling in fear and anger as smoke filled the air in a dark, greyish haze. Chunks of ground were exploding left and right, a red and white armored female soldier with an assault rifle shoving the soldier taking this all in down, covering him with some fire as her eyes blazed. "Can anyone hear this?" She called out, Anderson's face becoming disturbed as Shepherd darkly frowned. "Is it on?"
"We're taking heavy casualties! Repeat, heavy casualties! We can't…we need evac!" The cameraman yelled out, static interfering with the vid screen as it sprayed across like a water hose. "We need evac! They came out of nowhere, these damn mach-"
Then…it happened. An unholy, foul, ringing noise like an infernal bell sounding. Something was descending from the sky, red lightning rippling around it as if it was Frankenstein being lowered down from the table it had been set upon. All three of them stared, unable to quite comprehend what was going on as the terrifying, sickening noise rang through the air, people clutching their heads, howling, gasping, a cry of "What the Hell is that?!" coming from the female soldier.
"…what…what the hell IS that…" Anderson mumbled, the transmission ending.
"We need to get there YESTERDAY." Shepherd insisted firmly.
"How far are we from Eden Prime?" Anderson asked of Joker.
"Seventeen minutes."
"Take us in, fast and quiet…" Anderson murmured, the three of them heading for the bridge. "…this mission just got a lot more complicated."
…
…
…
…Eden Prime had, at one point, looked beautiful.
Now everything was tainted warped by the reddened sky as if blood had begun leaking out into the heavens to stain everything. What had seemed like homely rock formations now appeared rough, eager to box you in. What had felt like soft grass and plain gravel roads now was ugly and forlorn. What had come off as vibrant and luscious forest now looked like something from the depths of a fable never meant for the ears of children. A disturbing red tint colored the very air around them all as Shepherd stood alongside Jenkins, Alenko and Grey, Nihlus readying his Armax Assault Rifle as Grey looked over his own, Nihlus looking intrigued by the white, smooth design.
"What's that?"
"Something I personally bought him for his help back at Blitz. A paladin." Shepherd admitted as he looked over at Grey.
"What's a paladin?" Nihlus wanted to know, Grey almost snorting as he suppressed chuckles.
"It's a variant on the Carnifex design. Smaller in size…but heavy hitting." Shepherd informed him. "Can do a lot of damage all on its lonesome."
"As can I. I hope you understand if I go alone and scout it out?" Nihlus asked, their shuttle lowering them down to the surface of the planet, winds being whipped up about them as Nihlus readied his gun. "I'll keep in close contact with you as much as possible. Be careful out there!" He added, hopping out of the shuttle and taking off as Anderson turned to the four Alliance soldiers.
"You're the muscle in this operation. Head right for the dig site where they unearthed that beacon!" Anderson insisted firmly, slamming his fist into his palm as they all saluted. "Helping survivors is your secondary objective. Find that beacon!"
And with that, they hopped out of the drop point, landing down and racing along the grass, Shepherd, Jenkins, Kaiden and Grey all flanking out as they kept their eyes peeled. All was quiet and silent as they made their way along the natural paths towards the dig site, Jenkins suddenly noticing something floating off in the distance, pinkish, fleshy-colored and blobby, it hung in the air, little spindly legs floating beneath as Shepherd raised an eyebrow, Alenko speaking up.
"What…the hell…is THAT thing?"
"Ah. The Gas Bags…named for obvious reasons. They're harmless." Jenkins told the others as Grey cautiously approached, everyone stepping back as Shepherd raised an eyebrow as well as the medic poked the side of the thing.
BLOMP. BLOMP.
"…puffy." Grey mused aloud. "Verrry odd. These are the natural animal inhabitants of the planet? They, uh, kinda…smell funny. Like methane. Think we'd better avoid shooting them." He said, the Gas Bag's five little red eyes turning to look at him, seeming to recognize the word "shoot".
"Yes, they're toxic if you puncture those things on their backs. Hence their name…Gas Bags." Jenkins admitted with a nod.
"Of course I'm not shooting…what kind of jerk just shoots up random animals he finds?" Shepherd remarked, shaking his head back and forth as they kept making their way through the forest, Nihlus's voice breaking out over their omni-tool radio channel.
"Lots of Geth here…but nothing I can't handle for now. Their numbers are an issue, though. Stay sharp."
"Will do." Shepherd said, halting his company by a large pile of rocks on an approach up a hill, Shepherd glancing left and right. "We're awfully open. No forest for cover and not that many rocks to hide behind to protect ourselves. Keep your eyes peeled."
"I got this sir, don't worry." Jenkins insisted, holding his assault rifle up, Shepherd frowning. Something felt…off. Wait, did he hear-
Laser fire fast approaching, it blazed through the air, a singular and unearthly pale blue "eye" in the center of the floating, circular laser drone as it and its two other drones fired on Jenkins with Disruptor shells, designed for one thing and one thing only…to rip through shields. Shields that Jenkins didn't have much of anyhow.
Jenkins's body shuddered and twisted, Grey letting out a horrified gasp as Alenko's own body glowed, a bright biotic blast shattering one apart as Shepherd roared, doing a roll out from behind the rocks just as Alenko fired off his psychic attack. With a swift motion he brought forth fury from his assault rifle that blew one of the drones apart, a huge chunk tearing through another as Grey held up his pistol and finished it off with a single shot of his own.
Shepherd snarled furiously, clenching his fists tightly as he looked over at Jenkins's form, fallen to the ground, his armor blown open, mouth slightly agape…eyes staring sightlessly as Grey knelt by him, hand covering his face as Shepherd knelt down as well, closing his eyes.
"…I can…get…his body back to the Normandy if you'd like." Shepherd offered.
"No. No, we do this together. He'll get a proper service as soon as we retrieve any survivors we find and the Beacon. He wouldn't want any of us to just abandon the mission. Not when there's innocent lives we can save." Shepherd reasoned as Kaiden cringed, gritting his teeth.
"They tore right through his shields…dammit. Never had a chance…we've got to make his death worse something." Kaiden said as they raced through the forest, hearing the familiar laser strikes of other drones, blue blasts detonating around them…
But this time they were ready. Kaiden dived behind a rock formation, Grey firing off his pistol from behind a tree as Shepherd readied his assault rifle, taking careful aim. The drone bobbed and weaved in midair, its comrades distracted as Grey stuck his head out to visibly stick his TONGUE at them. They seemed to comprehend they were being insulted, firing in his direction, all bunching together…
Forget the rifle. Shepherd tossed a grenade at them. It sailed through the air, a loud KRAKKA-CHOOM ripping through the atmosphere as they were ripped apart, the three barreling through the woods towards the sound of more gunfire, a red and white-armored familiar female soldier hiding behind a rock formation, the raven-haired beauty readying her assault rifle for a final, desperate stand against the relentless laser drones of the Geth.
The drones shattered into pieces, Shepherd blowing them apart as he and Alenko and Grey advanced down the hill, Gunnery Chief Williams glancing up at them, then at the Geth that were a distance from the rock she was hiding behind, who were placing a remaining human civilian from the nearby settlement onto a metallic structure, others nearby…having shot up, spearing humans through the chest, turning the bodies into sickening, unholy-looking cybernetic monsters that appeared to be nothing more than flesh turned metal, almost skeletal in appearance, wires running where veins should have been, eyes a soulless blue, staring almost sightlessly into the sky, tubes running through limbs instead of proper muscles…
"No! NO!" The civilian screamed out desperately, Grey holding his pistol up, pointing it at the two Geth nearby. They, like the Quarians who made them, had almost birdlike "talon" feet and three-fingered digits for hands, humanoid in body shape and the armor they wore, greyish/white in appearance but…unlike the Quarians, who had faces cloaked in masks, the Geth had instead a "hood" over the top of their head, a cover that flexed down the sides of their "face", which was almost nothing but a burning whitish/blue light, hence the nickname many a human had given them…
"Step away, FLASHLIGHT HEADS." Grey growled.
The Geth's voices were synthetic murmurs and beeping in a pale mumbling imitation of life. It turned away from the civilian, its comrade holding up an assault rifle of its own as it looked Grey over.
"I don't suppose you speak synthetic as well as Latin?" Shepherd murmured.
"I can understand them all. Too. Well." Grey muttered. "I said! Step away."
The thing calmly tilted its head to the side, then stepped away, arms folded across its chest…as a gigantic metal spike shot up through the civilian, a bloody, horrifying squelching noise filling the air as Shepherd howled, tossing a grenade at the Geth…
Luckily, it didn't miss. It embedded deep in the first Geth's head, the robot blowing apart as its comrade reeled back, Alenko focusing his biotic powers as bluish light enveloped the machine, reaving it into two pieces that flopped to the ground with an almost organic, meaty THUD, the female officer wiping her brow as she turned to them.
"Thank goodness you came here. Chief Gunnery Ashley Williams of the 212. You're the one in charge, sir?" She asked Shepherd as he nodded.
"Are you alright? Are you wounded?" He asked.
"Nothing serious. The others weren't so lucky. We were patrolling the perimeter, attacked so quickly, we tried to get off a distress call, but they cut off our communications and I've been fighting for my life ever since." Ashley Williams admitted as Grey's eyes widened.
"Wait…Williams…" He murmured. "…is your grandfather…?" He asked as she looked in his direction, frowning a bit and sighing.
"Yes. But can we not talk about that right now?" She asked nervously as Grey nodded.
"Real sorry. It's just my dad worked alongside him, he had nothing but nice things to say about your grandpa." He offered as the frown turned into a small, appreciative smile.
"I'm glad SOMEONE appreciates my family, then, and all we tried to do." Ashley admitted with a nervous rub of the back of her neck. "I think I'm the only one left, sir. We got caught by am ambush."
"So did one of our men. Don't blame yourself, Williams." Shepherd offered gently. "I'm sure you did all you could." He said with a nod.
"The Geth just overwhelmed us. They must be after the beacon. It's just over that rise." She said, pointing at the hill off in the distance, visible unearthed prothean ruins off in the distance, towering up into the sky as if trying to reach the Heavens themselves.
"We could use your help, Williams." Shepherd offered as they made their way to the dig site, all of them tense, Shepherd panting slightly as they peered around, frowning a bit as they examined where the beacon CLEARLY had been, given the obvious impression in the dirt in the center of the cite. Tables with examination tools had been knocked over, cargo crates tossed aside…yes, the beacon had been there, but…
"Yeah, they must have moved it. I KNOW it was here yesterday when I checked in!" Ashley reasoned.
"But who did it, I wonder…" Kaiden mused.
"They could have moved it to the research camp nearby. We might find some survivors there." Ashley added, Grey cautiously moving past the walls of the dig site, peering out from behind and checking for more Geth.
"Guys…" He whispered out. "I see a small platoon of them by what looks like a small little building. A mini-lab…"
"They use those domiciles as their 'homes'. Don't take long to set up, all the bare essentials." Ashely Williams admitted as they poked their heads out from behind the walls to look over the Geth off in the distance, all readying their weapons as Shepherd held aloft his Sniper Rifle.
"Too far away from a grenade. We hit hard and fast, understand? Kaiden, when I shoot…send off a biotic blast to make them distracted and we'll blow the rest of them away whilst they're still reeling." Shepherd informed his squad, Grey cringing as he saw what the Geth were standing by.
"Ugh…more of those…those husks of humans like what we saw before. That's just…what is WRONG with these robots? What do they get out of doing that to humans? Why not just kill them?"
"Perhaps if one of their heads isn't shut off, you can ask." Shepherd muttered darkly, readying his sniper rifle, aiming down the scopes at one of the Geth as it calmly made its way towards the door of the small little lab building…
KRAKKA-BOOM! A headshot made its "hooded" skull shatter as Kaiden fired off a psychic blast that sent pieces of nearby ground shattering about, the Geth struggling to get back up, glancing left and right before heavy fire tore them apart, the group swiftly advancing down the hill…
Before the long, ugly spikes that were holding the disturbing remains of the humans up in the air slid down…and the former humans who had been put ON them slid off. "What on Earth…" Shepherd murmured.
"Oh God, they're still alive!"
"What did the Geth DO to them!?" Ashely gasped out.
"They're…not alive…they're like undead." Grey gasped as the husks suddenly took notice of them, letting out unearthly, foul howls, racing towards them, pointed nails reaching out.
"Take them down!" Shepherd roared out, blasting away with his assault rifle, the four of them setting up a swift crossfire. The husks bodies shuddered and twisted and finally flopped to the ground, now utterly destroyed, the heads especially…one had had its neck tore through by Grey's pistol as he looked down at the head, which grunted and let out disgusting, painted gasps.
It gasped and gasped, staring up into his face as Grey mournfully stared down, cringing as he held his pistol to the thing's face, looking away before a single shot silenced it. "Those…things used to be human." He murmured. "I just wish we could have gotten here sooner…maybe we could have saved them."
"We DID save them." Shepherd realized, some scientists piling out of the nearby building, a female woman in a white and blue lab set nervously rubbing her hands together, breathing a sigh of relief.
"Thank the MAKER, it's humans! We were worried it might have been more Geth."
"You need to hurry, close the door before they come back!" The pained, hoarse voice of a male scientist with a short cut hairstyle muttered, rubbing one of his arms, glancing nervously left and right.
"Are…you alright?" Shepherd murmured softly, looking the man over.
"We'll be okay, now that you're here."
"Dr. Warren, you were in charge of the excavation. Do you know what happened to the Beacon?" Ashley wanted to know as Dr. Warren sighed, rubbing her forehead.
"I'm afraid it's been moved to the spaceport since this morning. Manuel and I stayed behind to help back up the camp." She admitted. "The marines held them off whilst we hid...they gave their lives up to save us."
"Nobody's SAVED! The age of humanity is ended. Soon, only ruin and corpses will remain." Manuel mumbled some more, shaking his head back and forth, his tone panicked, terrified.
"What's wrong with your assistant?" Kaiden wanted to know, Manuel cringing a bit as Dr. Warren sighed.
"He's just…stressed, and off his medication. He's been working closely with the Beacon, I think all the stress has had a terrible effect on him."
"I saw their prophet! The Turian, he walked alongside them!"
"Turian? Wait, you mean Nihlus? He's here to help." Shepherd insisted gently.
"Someone say my name?" Nihlus's voice rang out over their radio line. "Hard to hear you…is everything alright?"
"Nobody can stop it. Night is falling. The darkness of eternity…" Manuel mumbled as Nihlus, on the other end, frowned.
"I'll…leave you to that." He muttered, deciding to impose radio silence as he made his way further towards the spaceport, glancing about, seeking out Geth as Shepherd's crew headed out of the lab, through the woods and over a bridge as…IT rose up. Ashley shuddered, seeing it ascending into the Heavens, red lightning coursing about it as Kaiden, Grey and Shepherd shuddered at once, seeing the disturbing, freakish, almost insectoid ship rising up from the spaceport into the clouds that now whirled about it.
"That…just…just what is that?" Grey asked Ashley.
"I've NO idea. It's been here the whole time. Just looking at it makes me feel like I'm being touched by maggots." She murmured as they looked about at each other, Shepherd giving them a firm nod.
"Let's stick together. Eyes peeled. Still plenty more Geth to keep an eye out for." He informed them all.
Meanwhile, Nihlus had seen a form off in the distance by the spaceport, and was now hiding, lying in wait for a good shot behind a shipping crate. He panted slightly, readying the assault rifle, now closer to the target than before. He hadn't really gotten much of a chance to look at whoever it was, but now he had-
What the? He stood up, blinking in surprise as he got out from behind the black cargo crate and walked past other crates and boxes, his white-painted dark face stunned at the sight. "SAREN?" he called out, lowering his gun.
Saren turned around, blinking slightly, his grey/silver armor slightly worn from use as he chuckled a bit. "Nihlus." He intoned. "Been far too long, hasn't it?"
"This isn't your mission, Saren. What're you doing here?" Nihlus wanted to know, throwing a hand up in the air, sounding almost exasperated that Saren had just popped up in the middle of what was almost a war zone.
Saren chuckled some more, putting a clawed hand on Nihlus's shoulder with his right hand. "The council thought you could use some help on this one. Not an unreasonable request, I hope?" He inquired, walking past Nihlus and looking up at the hill off in the distance as if…sensing something was there. Was that…no, it couldn't be…
"No, I suppose it's not such a bad thing having you here." Nihlus admitted, glancing about the spaceport, gritting his teeth. "I have to say, I wasn't expecting to find the GETH on this planet. The situation's bad."
Saren's face was unreadable as he slightly turned his head, then turned around completely, carefully holding up his pistol to the back of Nihlus's still turned head. "Nihlus..." The spectre commented softly. "…I know you won't understand, and you wouldn't agree, but believe me when I tell you…don't worry. I've got it under control."
Mercifully, Nihlus Kryik died instantly.
…
…
…
… "It's a good thing you're alright." Shepherd remarked, looking the farmers over, the threesome nervously glancing about by the small lab building they, like Dr. Warren and her assistant Manuel, had been hiding in. "The Geth nearby are scrapped, we took care of them. Nobody's gonna hurt you."
"We owe you our lives." The first farmer admitted. "My name's Cole. The minute we saw that big ship land, we made a break for the sheds." He said, gesturing at the building behind himself, his worn face lined with pain, made even older by the recent events. "It was like…a nightmare. Nothing made any sense. How the Geth suddenly appeared, the terrifying ship that popped up…all of it was just so…surreal. Like it wasn't really happening, but…but then we heard them dying outside." Cole cringed. "…that hammered it in pretty quickly."
"And that ship's noise…that awful noise." The goatee-wearing farmer gulped. "It was some kind of signal. Like the shriek of the damned, but…it was coming from inside of our heads. It felt like it was tearing through our skulls."
"Did you see the Beacon?" Shepherd inquired.
"It was being brought to the spaceport, we saw that. But we don't know what happened, how the Geth just showed up so swiftly." Cole admitted. "We're just farmers. We were here for the simple life."
"If they made it to the garage, MAYBE they survived." The cap-wearing female farmer mumbled as she rubbed the back of her neck. "…right?" She asked of her friend across from her, the goatee'd farmer snorting in disbelief.
"You guys are soldiers, they were just farmers and guards…then again, maybe you deserve to have that stuff." He admitted. "Cole, we should let them have it."
"Have what?" Shepherd asked, raising an eyebrow up.
"Um…look. Some of the guys at the nearby spaceport were running this smuggling ring. Small-time, nothing major. We get a bit of the profits and they store packages in our sheds."
"Smuggling? REALLY?" Shepherd asked rolling his eyes.
"I found a pistol…" Cole murmured, Shepherd folding his arms over his chest, frowning slightly. "…um, and uh…this modification…" He mumbled under Shepherd's accusatory gaze, going back inside, bringing out a small package and handing it to Shepherd as Shepherd opened up the package, showing off a nice-looking new model pistol that was one step up from HIS current Carnifex Model. He pocketed it and the tungsten anti-synthetic mod with it, Ashley putting her hands on her hips.
"And who's your contact at the spaceport?" She demanded to know.
"His name's Powell. You won't hurt him, will you? He's a nice guy, really!" Cole insisted…a shot ringing out through the air as Grey shuddered, wrapping his arms around himself, eyes widening.
"…something's wrong." He murmured, Shepherd frowning darkly.
"A single shot? Not multiple? That…implies either someone only got one shot off, but…no, the way it's ringing through the air…that's not an assault rifle crack or a synthetic rifle blast, it's a heavy pistol shot…Nihlus?" Shepherd murmured as they took off running, heading across the darkened grass of Eden Prime, barreling towards the spaceport structure off in the distance. It was a small facility compared to normal spaceports. A tram line to take you further in to the docking areas and cargo loading regions, enormous cargo crates and boxes stacked about in almost random fashions, a few gas tanks lying together by a Medi-Gel station and-
Oh no. Shepherd's face fell, Alenko cringing, Ashley blinking in surprise as Grey let out a horrified gasp.
"No."
Nihlus lay on the ground, face-up, staring sightlessly at the sky, Grey racing to his side, kneeling by him, shaking his head back and forth, repeating the denial again and again…but Nihlus wasn't getting up. The blood pooled about his head almost like a halo, his mouth slightly opened, never to rise again as Shepherd sighed quietly, leaning down and closing the spectre's eyes just as he had Jenkins.
"Who…?" Ashley asked.
"A comrade, Williams. Nihlus was working with us to help us find the beacon, he…he was seeing if I was spectre material. He said…" Shepherd hesitated, feeling…pained as Kaiden gently laid a hand on Grey's shoulder, the young man turning Nihlus's head over to look at the wound. "He said he knew Turians didn't like humans, but…he saw my potential. Thought I could go a good job. He was…a good man."
"He was a great man." Grey muttered. "My dad had nothing but nice things to say about HIM too." He admitted to Williams, holding his head in one hand. "I…there's…there's a single gunshot wound. Back of the head. I…think he was caught by surprise. Whomever did this, they…they must have been known to him to catch him off guard like this. I doubt some simple farmer would have caught him-"
"Somebody's behind those crates!" William gasped out, all of them quickly pulling out their weapons, aiming at the figure who was now rising up from the crates, hands in the air, also wearing a small black cap atop his head as the brown-bearded man gulped nervously.
"Don't shoot, I'm human, one of you!" He yelled out. "The name's Powell! I was just hiding behind the crates."
"Don't sneak up on people like that." Shepherd reasoned.
"I'm sorry, I wasn't really up for being open after I saw that OTHER Turian shoot that one!" Powell said, shaking his head back and forth as Grey's eyes lit up.
"Wait…didn't Manuel say a turian "walked beside them"? A "prophet"?" He muttered.
"I saw this grey-skinned Turian. Your friend here called him Saren, seemed to know him." Powell said, scratching the back of his neck. "Your friend relaxed, he turned around, was looking about, said he was worried about the Geth being here and…and Saren shot him in the back of the head! I'm just lucky he didn't see me behind these crates."
At the mention of the word "Saren", Grey's eyes got even wider, his mouth slightly agape as the words slightly tumbled out of his lips. "Saren…Arterius?" He muttered. "He…what?"
"Saren Arterius is one of the Council's most decorated agents." Shepherd murmured, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I've heard a lot about him. Where'd he go after that?"
"Jumped on the cargo train and headed to the other platform down the way where they put the cargo meant to be shipped off-planet. That's where the beacon was put." Powell admitted. "I knew it was trouble…everything went to Hell when we found it. If I hadn't been behind the crates…"
"Why DIDN'T they find you?" Ashley wondered aloud, scratching her head as Powell looked nervously about, biting his lip.
"Well, sometimes I…take naps, and…well, I was taking a nap behind these crates-"
"You survived because you're LAZY?!" She gasped out, Kaiden groaning.
"That is just…wow. You'd be dead if not for that nap."
"One more thing. Cole mentioned you…and how you're a contact for the smuggling ring?" Shepherd added, folding his arms over his chest. "I'm willing to overlook it, considering everything that happened here, but…quid pro quo. You scratch my back…"
"I've got this High Explosive. Experimental…" Cole admitted nervously, pulling out a tiny little circular package he had in his pocket, Shepherd looking it over as it seemed to vibrate in his hand.
"Hmmm…it tingles…"
…
…
…
…it didn't take too long before they were on their way to the other platform, but Saren Arterius, meanwhile, was busy speaking to one of the Geth, holding up a hand as he addressed it. "Set the charges and destroy this colony. There can be no evidence we were here. Then report to the Machinist back on Sovereign." He informed it as he turned to walk towards what he truly wanted…the Prothean Beacon. It stood aloft in the far end of the platform, giving off a faint, greenish glow, like a gigantic sword stabbing into the sky.
Saren looked up at it, eyes narrowing intensely as he scrutinized it. It was…giving off a faint, pulsating rhythm that he could feel inside his mind as he approached it. He knew that what it had to impart was serious…why else would IT want this entire place razed?
He could faintly remember Sovreign's command to not really touch the beacon, but…well, frankly, Saren had already disobeyed one superior. He wasn't exactly going to obey this one when the beacon was right in front of him. Better to beg for forgiveness than ask for-
Burning fire rising through his veins, rising up as if a puppet on strings, being tugged apart, screams, SCREAMS searing into his skull, fanged maws slowly opening as bloody gums hissed, a cacophony of screams and howls, pleas of terrified victims, howling, HOWLING, MAKE IT STOP-
…
…
…
…the Geth who'd been arming the nuclear device to blow up the colony had barely time to turn its head when Shepherd's pistol shattered it's skull, Ashley racing over to the bomb to disarm it as Kaiden wheeled about on another Geth that was flanked by laser drones. Kaiden's body was alit with familiar biotic blue flame as he waved a hand forward and the drone that had been about to fire was WHIPPED about, blasting away at its compatriots as Kaiden then clenched another hand, the drone, having fulfilled its purpose, being crushed into a little chunky bit of junk.
Grey, meanwhile, was barreling at another Geth, who quickly got up from the device it was setting, holding its assault weapon up only for Grey to hold up his pistol, a single shot striking through the Geth's right hand, shattering it, making it reel back as he held up a fist, a big, dark grin on his features. "You? Are an android." He informed the robot as it stared up at him, evidently realizing what the human medic was about to do. "But me? I AM A MAN!" Grey howled out, the fist shooting forward.
THRACHA-KRUCH! The fist EMBEDDED in the Geth's face, turning it into synthetic pulp with a single blow, shattering its "flashlight" as it collapsed in a heap, Grey withdrawing the gauntleted fist, panting a bit as he cringed, rubbing it slightly. "Always wanted to say that. Totally worth it."
"You've got strong armor."
"Naw. Strong FISTS." Grey chuckled as he knelt by the bomb, gulping. "…er, uh…I…kinda…can't do this. Ms. Williams, you almost finished over there?"
Luckily, she was, quickly racing over and disabling the bomb as Kaiden worked on the remaining one, Shepherd taking notice of something over the railed walkway to the north…the beacon. It was standing there, unharmed, just shimmering with a green aura as his eyes widened in surprise. "I found the beacon." He informed them, Ashley swiftly defusing the last device as they made their way down towards it, Grey looking it over, folding his arms over his chest.
"They were willing to blow this entire colony apart for this. It had better be worth it." He muttered balefully, Shepherd immediately requesting evac over their comm system.
"Amazing, Ash…look at it. Actual WORKING Prothean technology. Just unbelievable!" Kaiden Alenko admitted as Ashley approached it, eyes taking it in.
"Is it…humming?" She asked aloud. "It almost feels like the air around here is charged. It wasn't doing anything like this when they dug it up. Something must have activated it…"
But then it suddenly glowed with a flash of greenish light, and began visibly pulling Ashley in as if she was a fish and it was the line. She struggled to try and break away, gasping in surprise as Kaiden and Grey stared in shock, almost unable to comprehend what they were seeing…
But Shepherd didn't think. He simply acted, immediately diving at her, pulling her away from the beacon, tossing her back…
Getting caught in its pull as it lifted him up into the air. He gasped in pain, images assaulting his mind over and over, slammed into him again and again, a rebus of images horrifying and ungodly as his body twitched like electricity was shooting through it. "SHEPHERD!" Ashley screamed out, Kaiden holding her back, Grey racing towards him, only to get sent reeling back. Some kind of shield the beacon was erecting was keeping anyone else from getting close as Shepherd struggled to endure the images.
It felt like it was ripping him apart molecule by molecule-Burning fire rising through his veins, rising up as if a puppet on strings-he could see a mouth gaping wide,-being tugged apart, screams, SCREAMS searing into his skull, fanged maws slowly opening as bloody gums hissed, claws grasping out, an unholy insectoid THING's body obscuring all hope as it descended and blotted out the sun- a cacophony of screams and howls, pleas of terrified victims- he was being overwhelmed by the screeching of the innocentsthey were in so much pain, so horrified, so scared, , howling, HOWLING, MAKE IT STOP-
The beacon exploded…Shepherd was sent flying back, bumped his head on the ground…
And remembered…
Nothing more.
…nothing…
But the howling…terrified…screams.
…
…
…
…it was a good day. All was going according to plan. The Machinist was closing in on some particularly interesting specimens for Plan 9, the Heretics were mobilizing and striking quickly, and their next destination would be clear once the charade was over with at the-
Wait. She was entering the room. Smoothly sweeping in, clad in black, the blue-skinned elderly asari held her hands together, her tone deep and authoritative as she addressed it. "Ah-hem. We addressed the ship that touched down on Eden Prime. The Normandy. A human Alliance vessel. Under the command of Captain Anderson."
Saren suddenly blinked. Wait. ANDERSON? Him?! He raised his hand away from his face, no longer slouching in the seat it had him in. "And…the beacon?"
"One of the humans may have used it."
Saren's form shot up, his clawed hands gripping into the steely chair he was lying in, a dark, furious growl rising in his throat before in a swift, harsh whiplash the soft, almost comforting pale blue light of the heart of Sovereign turned a foul, unnatural RED and the entire ship suddenly began to shudder and shake and tremble. Saren hissed and snarled, roaring furiously, knocking what had been a small box full of ammunition aside, the asari calmly tilting her head slightly to avoid it as Saren rampaged around the room. He was as a feral animal, his voice guttural and growling, letting out a roar as he kicked some more crates aside, mouth open, hissing out as he turned on her, barreling right at her. In a swift motion he was right in front of her, grasping her head in both hands…
Before the red light slowly faded and he took in a deep, calm, breath, his clawed hands carefully, ever-so-gently, slightly easing up before stepping back, away from her, his voice both his, and yet not. "This human…must be eliminated. What is its name?"
"Its name is Commander Shepherd."
"…Sheperd." Saren murmured quietly, sitting back in the chair, a thoughtful look coming to his face. "…Shepherd…"