A/N:
Alright, this one took me two days to write, and I think it's actually one of the longest chapters I've written in that short amount of time. Still, length is no way a sure way to say that it is a good chapter. Still, you liked Thomas kicking balls last chapter, so I have a feeling you will like this one as well.
A 'New' character will make his appearance in this one, although I would not call him an actual character... still, more on that in the bottom.
I have also included a list, or codex of the various new vehicles in this story, such as the Patac and the Apocalypse, in the bottom as well.
Anyway, enjoy and please refrain from slaughtering me if you believe me to butcher the new guy's personality.
The Black Viking
October 28th
Presidium, Citadel.
16:22
We've been talked into taking Kahoku on another stroll around the Presidium, this time using the elevator. And I was right! When techs came to repair the elevator, they found a dead Keeper down there, a neat bullet-hole in its head.
I suppose it goes for show: Being paranoid pays off big time.
The old man apparently has a favorite cafe that he spends his free-time at. So that's where we are sitting now, me standing watch a few meters away from the table he's sitting at, with only my sword and pistol on me.
In a place like this, firing a shotgun is out of the question, especially with this many civilians mulling about. The same goes for the Lancer. Which means that only my pistol and sword is allowed here. Hell, Kahoku had to vouch for me when C-Sec came wanting a permit for a one meter combat-knife. For some reason they wouldn't call it a sword.
Turians are odd that way…
"Well, I believe it is time for a small celebration, if you will allow it." The old man says, raising a glass of Bourbon in my direction while Liara is mingling at the desk, eyes never leaving the admiral. Jane is sitting across from him in a casual attire. In other words: We look like we don't know each other, and Jane goes for either Kahoku's date or daughter.
Me? I'm just some ridiculously heavily armed and armored bystander. Nothing to fret about. Still, with Kahoku's salute, I am bound to respond to it.
"What's the occasion Admiral?" I ask, only looking at him with half of my face, pretending I'm looking at a pair of girls at another table. I just need a pair of sunglasses, and I could be CIA for all that matters.
Wonder if they are still in business, or if their corruption and incompetence finally caught up to them.
"To you three risking your own lives to safeguard mine. Had it not been for you, I would most likely be dead by now." He says, then raising the glass at both Liara and Jane before drinking a good portion from it. I nod, feeling a small smile coming from the knowledge that I helped change canon for the better, if that is even a way to describe it. Maybe everything in the games happened because Hudson messed up in a number of ways, and couldn't salvage the situations.
If that's the case, then what would actually happen if I just leant back and took it in a stride? Would Sovereign be blasted to hell before it could take the station? Would Saren turn good? Is Conrad Verner an N7 instead of a pesky fan? I sure as hell haven't seen him yet, so…
"Just doing our jobs Kahoku." Jane replies with a smile. I can't remember having seen her this happy since we brought her unconscious aboard the ship. She's mostly just been depressed, pissed, wanting to bathe in blood, or neutral. I think saving her old mentor, even if this guy isn't her actual mentor, helps her mood a lot.
"And I have been doing mine. I can't say too much out loud, but check your Omni-tools. I have procured the location of a few… sites, for your crew to investigate when you are done saving my hide from racist fanatics.
I bring up my arm to open the tool, and right as rain is wet, there's a mail waiting for me. Opening it, I find a number of coordinates lined up in neat order. Most of them are for worlds in the Terminus or the Traverse, but there is few in Alliance space as well.
While I'm on the tool anyway, and seeing as we have Liara and Jane close to Kahoku, I lean back against the railing and decide to type out a message to Ash. Gods know I am missing her.
Hey beautiful.
I haven't heard from you yet, and Garrus didn't mention anything about you in his message to us, so I just wanted to make sure you haven't been incapacitated or… wait, that sounded stupid… where's the delete for this thing?
From the start again.
Do I miss you? I can feel something of a hole inside me when you aren't around, as cheesy as it probably sounds. I still, quite vividly, remember our first time. I'm not even sure what to call it but that. The most correct is thát, but if you ask me I would say: the time when I had a visit from Heaven. Don't laugh, I actually mean it.
I have that picture we took of you in my suit-pocket all the time. It's my new lucky charm, which I guess means you are my new lucky charm, though you always sort of have been. Still, just knowing you are alive, and not being… Gods! I need to figure out how to write these things!
Okay, you probably get the picture of what I'm saying here. I love you Ash. I have since I saw you the first time, even though it took me some time to really figure it out, and I will always do whatever I can to make you happy.
(Just remember I'm not a masochist XD)
Also, something else happened here. I bet you thought Citadel-duty was easy and dull, didn't you? Well let me just tell you, I… no, you know what? I would rather tell you in person while flexing my "big" muscles at you. Scratch that, but I have something of a tale to tell when I see you again.
I love you.
Thomas
Looking at the finished version, I really wish I knew how to delete on an Omni-tool, but asking for help would involve either Liara or Jane to actually see what I have been writing, and then they would know what me and Ash have been doing with each other.
I doubt Jane would disapprove. After all, she herself banged someone in each game. Still, I should refrain from mentioning that to her. Especially since she had a fit when the single human love interest was mentioned… I am not even going to imagine what she would do to me if I mentioned Thane or Samara… wait, wasn't Kelly an interest as well? I am not sure how she would react to the Garrus-thing though.
Still, I am not revealing what we have been doing until I have no choice. You don't go spreading something like that around, unless you want some fifteen minutes of fame and a ruined relationship.
With a small sigh, I hit the 'send' button, and the message flies away, so to speak. Now I just hope Ash checks her email regularly, or it would be a bit odd for me to show her the mail and wait as she read it. Still, it is sent, and I can 'relax' again. Relaxing in the sense of the word that I don't need to draw my sword and kill someone. At least for now. For some reason, Jane insists I name the sword 'Buster', although she hasn't told me why, and I see no way a sword should be called 'Buster'. That's a name for a hammer or a mace, not something that can carve a name in your body.
'Carver' maybe? No, no I'm not going to be naming my sword… although, 'Ash-bringer', or 'Ash-brought'… it would make sense since it was brought by Ash. I might just consider that one. If I am naming the sword at all that is.
I pick the photo out of my pocket to look at it again. I can still not help it but smile goofily each time I look at it. Each time I look at her. My angel in uniform, raven-black hair flowing down her shoulders as she salutes the camera with one of the biggest grins I've ever seen on her. They say women love men in uniform. Well, I certainly love women in uniform. Especially if they are named Ashley Williams. I can feel my chest starting to heave at the thought of seeing her again, as if I'm incomplete when she's not around. In a sense, I suppose that is true. I feel fine, but now good when Ash isn't near me.
When she smiles at me, I feel my head spin like when I've been drinking, only this doesn't leave any hangovers other than the want, the need for more of the same.
"What's that you're looking at Fisher?" Jane's voice tears me from my small moment of bliss, of only having one certain person in mind. Quickly putting the picture back in my pocket, clasping and sealing it tight before looking at Jane.
The red-head is looking at me with a curious smile on her lips.
"I… was just looking through some pictures and such…" I can feel the heat streaming to my face as I'm no doubt turning a new shade of red. I hate it when people catches me off-guard like that.
"Well, must be some pretty good pictures. You've bee staring at the same one for almost five minutes. What's so good about it?" She asks with a smug smile, almost as if she knows what is on it without having to look.
"It… is personal captain. I would rather keep it to myself, if you don't mind." I reply, feeling my ears beginning to catch fire. It's a wonder I haven't started any fire-alarms yet.
"Well, I do mind. But fortunately for you Corporal, I am not entitled to see it if you do not want me to. So I'll leave you alone on that subject." She says, making me breathe out in relief. I was halfway planning up to three different cover-ups for why Ash would be wearing a uniform labeled 'Cpl. Thomas Fisher'. None of them were even close to being convincing.
I turn my attention back to the Presidium, and the cars racing past in the air, as well as the occasional blue and white C-Sec car.
I wonder if that turian officer is still after me, or if he has given up. Even better, maybe he has had a change of heart and has dropped the racism. Though, being a Turian, admitting you are wrong is a really difficult thing. Deciding not to pay the bugger more thought than necessary, I look back over the long, serene lakes of the Presidium, gazing in wonder over just how beautiful it all is.
I am definitely taking Ash here on a date.
Feeling a certain urge, I turn towards Jane and Liara, though only looking at the prices of the place's coffee and 'Serinas Sandwich' whatever that is.
"Jane, can you two cover for me? I need to… you know…" I ask, looking at Jane through the corner of my eye.
"Need to what?" She asks, the most innocent face plastered on her.
"You know, I have been drinking five bottles of juice here so far. I need to… visit?"
"Visit who?" She asks, now with a smug look in her eyes. In the background comms, I can hear Liara nearly choking on her drink.
"Jane, come on. You know what I mean here." I say, almost pleading. The woman just keeps staring at me like she has no clue what I'm talking about.
"No, I don't read minds. What is it?" She says, starting to really get on my nerves. I sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose;
"For the love of Mara… I need to take a piss. Happy?" I exclaim, making a few nearby people look at me with slight contempt. Jane just smiles, probably savoring her victory.
"Sure, go ahead. Just don't take too long." She says, pointing down a small sidewalk towards a sign depicting… something. I'm not sure what, but it isn't the human version of 'WC' on the sign. More like an Elcor trying to dry-hump a Volus turned upside-down. Shrugging, I take my sword from the railing and sheath it, walking towards the public restroom.
I swear, sometimes I hate that woman…
"How come? I think she has a most delightful sense of humor."
"For the love of the gods Roku, not you now? I really thought you would take my side here…" I grimace, trying to picture him doing… whatever he does when he's not materializing or taking control. Maybe he has a small house, like Aladdin's Genie did.
"I can assure you, I do not spend my time jerking off in a lamp… I do have some moral standards." His comment causes me to jump, drawing a few looks.
"What!? Jer- jerking off in the la- what are you talking about?"
"Really, what do you think the 'rub the lamp' is for? A door-bell?"
"Please, no more! Do never speak of that again." The thought of what the rubbing of the lamp actually means is sending me over the railing, heaving for air and trying to avoid throwing up.
"Something I said?"
After a few minutes of fighting down the urge to throw up, I slowly pull myself back together, standing straight after my little struggle. Taking one last deep breath, I continue, entering a neat and clean public restroom with lots of free booths and a few cisterns as well.
The entire room is white-tiled, and everything is spotless, as if the keepers were in here all the time. Maybe that's what they eat, when they polish or clean something, they eat the organic waste. Shaking my head, I realize just how stupid that sounds.
Other than me, there's just a turian standing at the cisterns, sounding like he's finishing off. I decide to wait until he's done before approaching the porcelain myself. I've always had a fear that others would laugh and point if they saw me. After a few moments, the Turian leaves, leaving me to my own business in here.
Walking up to the cistern I unzip, waiting for the familiar feeling of the waters leaving me. That's when I pick up a silent thud behind me, like when the assassins tried ambushing us. Before I can even ask Roku if there's someone behind me, I feel a pair of firm hands on my head.
"Wha-"
Suddenly, my vision is turned off along with a disgusting snapping sound and a small sting, causing everything to go black.
Fuck... just what the hell was that? I ask, not being able to mentally scream like I would have liked. For some reason I can't even turn or move in the dark void. The other times I had somewhat been able to move and speak, but now my voice is degraded to a whisper.
"Thane Krios snapped your neck. Your spinal cord has been severed in two places, rendering you clinically dead." Roku's words come from all around me at once, making my mind spin with dread.
"What?"
"You are dead... again."
"But... but no. No I can't be, not again. I have a life here now, I won't leave all of this, not again." I can feel my mind starting to hurt with fear, realizing that I do not possess a body to feel dread with.
"I am sorry. He came up too fast for me to react. If anything he's just as good as in the game." How the hell can he be this calm?
"Easy really. I can repair the damage... although... there is bad news as well... two pieces in fact." How the hell can things get worse? I'm fucking DEAD... again.
"What is it?"
"Well... given the fact that I depend on your spinal cord to operate your body, I am severely hindered for the time being. I cannot do anything other than start trying to fix the damage... and the bad piece of news is, it will take me at least forty-eight hours to do so..."
"Forty- how- what am I going to do?" I wish I at least could see something, but all I see is the same black void.
"Alright... the second piece of bad news... Thane is dragging you through the Presidium's vents in a large duffel bag... I am not sure where to, but your weapons are still at the restroom... he even disarmed your co- body. I am not sure if he is paranoid, careless or has discovered your secret..."
"Can you attack him while I'm... out?"
"Afraid not. I can't even shout at him with our current status being what it is..."
"Then... what?" I don't care who hired Thane or why, or where I'm being taken, but I'll rape the Devil before I let someone take me from Ash again. That one time on Feros was more than enough.
I have something, someone to live for, someone I'd even die for if it was necessary. I am not leaving her like this. Not again. I won't have the image of Ash standing bent over my corpse on Omega when I'm finally found. I won't have that on my conscience.
No matter who I have to kill, I won't let that happen.
"Until I have restored function... nothing. You should try to make peace with yourself and mentally prepare for some uncomfortable situations. There's really nothing else I can do now."
"So... I just wait?"
"Correct... I know this is hell for you, but I will do what I can to ensure you see Ashley again. Now, let me concentrate." And with that, he goes silent, leaving me to my own company in this black void.
So now... now i'm being ferried by Thane, to whatever destination he might have in mind, to whomever paid him to take me out... and then, why is he carrying the body around? Normally you don't carry the evidence around like he's doing... I don't know anymore.
Everything's been turned upside down. Everything I thought I knew is changed, and now I have paid the price for some of it, for me taking my life for granted... before I can even wake up again, Jane or Liara will have found my things on the restroom, then realize I'm gone...
Will they think I finally snapped and deserted? Are there any cameras on the restroom that shows Thane taking me?
I really hope there are, I need them to know I haven't abandoned them. And I need Ash to know I haven't left her... Gods, she'll be destroyed if she finds out I'm dead. This time she can't even be at my bedside, instead just wander around, not knowing where I am.
I don't know what I would do if it was her... tear up the Citadel maybe. I probably have... had, the power to do it.
She can look for me... I know I would look for her, but I doubt I'll be lucky enough that she'll ever find me...
Gods, what have I done to deserve this? Is my life just one long joke? Make me feel happy and complete, then snuff it all out in an instance and kick me down the gutter?
No... no that cannot be what my existence has to be about. I'll get free, then I'll get back to Ash, and never leave her again...
Ash... please..
Wait for me...
…
October 29th
Science-lab D, Acturus.
19:11
"Now… can you tell me what this is? Or am I once again surrounded by drooling fantasts who only know how something works if it's already been explained to the beforehand?" Anna Fisher asked, looking with displeasure at the crowd of scientists and researchers. Humanity's "best" as they were called, had spent the last two days trying to decode and decrypt the disk she had handed them on a silver plate.
The admiral had been very clear on the subject even: Tell me what this is, and do it fast.
There hadn't even been any room for misunderstandings, so why on Earth would they not be able to tell her what the disk was, and why it gave her a feeling of being watched.
One of the lead scientists, Doctor Brynn Cole, looked to the other before walking towards Anna with the disk in hand.
"Ah, Cole. What can you tell me about this little gadget, besides the 'it's far too advanced for us' bullcrap?" Anna asked, making the woman wince slightly where she stood. She waved the disk in the air in front of her, looking slightly torn.
"Well… we have been able to ascertain as much that it is a form of supercomputer, not too different from a VI's base-code, just far, far more advanced. We're talking the relation between rock and gun here. We have tried subjecting it to every single kind of test we can even think off, but… well…" The woman started, then trailed of as if she was afraid of her boss dismissing her ideas as pure imagination.
"Well what? Come now lass, I won't bite." Anna said with a slight annoyance to her words. It was always good if her people held her in somewhat awe or otherwise respected her, but too much and it turned into non-productive fear and fright.
"Well… I had Lito'Xen over from the data-hackers and analyzers take a look at it and what we had gotten so far. He confirmed what I… what we already thought, but couldn't prove… Admiral, whatever this disk is, it's sentient and aware. Hell, I'd even bet that it has spent as much time observing us as we have spent observing it… in any case each of our attempts to crack it open have been met with our equipment simply… shorting out, hacked or just drained of power." The woman looked ready to faint at the moment, waiting for the admiral to dismiss her claims and maybe even fire her.
"Hmm… so, it's sentient you say?" She asked while slowly taking the disk from the officer. Doctor Cole nodded frantically;
"Yes, yes that is exactly what I'm saying. We've even tried saying hello to it, as foolish as that sounds, but it hasn't responded. Nothing… the only acknowledgement is when it fries our gear." Brynn explained, looking at the disk with eyes wide in amazement.
"I see… would you mind if I had a crack at it in private? Unless you have more tests to run on it?"
"You… want to… well, I suppose not. We have already lost for more than one million credits equipment, and I doubt the others are eager to up that amount with more tries." She said, looking like she felt ready for a proverbial hammer to smash down on her head.
"A million? I know you are doing important work and your gear is expensive, but… just how did you reach that number?" Anna asked, silently considering if she should check the books herself to make sure.
"Well… despite working with off-the-field tech, we didn't consider the risks as much as we should and… well, remember the short power-surge that hit the station yesterday ma'am?"
"Yeah, I was in the shower and received an ice-bath instead of the lovely warm waters of… anyway, yes. What about it?" She asked while keeping a pair of scrutinizing eyes on the young woman.
"The… the first time we took the gear out on it, it shorted down our main-frame, then replaced all our recent data with junk-code… in a sentence even…" She said, looking back at her colleagues for support. Most had hid behind pillars, doors or some even behind their desks, doing important nothingness.
"Uh huh… and what was the sentence?"
"It…" Doctor Cole gulped before continuing; "Was 'Soap on a rope, Soap on a rope'… and it just kept going like that… We had to dig out paper-copies on our work for the past five days… it was… well, frustrating."
"That doesn't explain the power-surge… unless… Doctor, is your mainframe directly connected to the central grid?" Anna asked while looking at the disk with a stare as if to berate whatever was inside it.
"Yes… that was why it shorted out. Techs got it all up fast however, so the rest of the station didn't suffer much harm or loss in efficiency…"
"Except for my shower." Anna responded, giving the Doctor a hard look, as if she herself had turned off the warm water.
"Yes ma'am." Brynn said, unsure of how else to respond to that. Admiral Fisher stood for some time turning the disk in her fingers before looking back at Brynn.
"Well, why are you still standing here Doctor? We have a Galaxy to impress, and that isn't done by standing around. Also, I'll make sure some coffee is sent to the labs, on me. Dismissed." Anna said, making the scientist salute.
In the Alliance, scientists weren't required to salute, but when Fisher told you 'dismissed' you damn well better salute as if your life depended on it.
A few minutes later, having sent coffee, tea and fruit for the scientists, Anna grabbed herself a bar of chocolate from the cantina and returned to her office and room. Having your own office meant you slept where you worked, and worked where you slept. Although small and spartan by officers' standards, her office was more than enough for Anna. It contained a TV, hanging on the wall in the suspended frame. It contained a desk of solid oak, an office chair of traditional design and make, a bed with bedside table, a small fridge with refreshments or lunch, and a WC. That was pretty much it according to official blue-prints. In reality though, there was an extra room, underneath her bed.
The secret room was not all that big, just two meters across and one broad. It was tall enough for a dog to stand in, considering it wasn't a big one, but a Labrador or smaller. In that room, Anna stashed firearms enough to take down the entire station if need be. Arc Throwers, developed by her scientists, missile launchers with homing devices, assault rifles with explosive ammunition, shotguns with shredder rounds and an illegally efficient Omni-tool , capable of sending out an EMP powerful enough to paralyze an Apocalypse within one meter's range. In theory.
To most people, keeping a stash like this was reason enough for a mental reevaluation. That would be, if they ever knew about the room. Not even her uncle had been informed about it, seeing as he would be too worried about her for his own good.
Throwing herself onto the bed, Anna turned the disk in her fingers, looking at it as it seemed to create it's own dim light in the darkness of her sleeping alcove.
"So I wasn't just paranoid then… or maybe I was, Hell I forget which it was…" She muttered to herself, trying to focus at the circular pane of glass-like material. For a second, she could have sworn she saw a face behind the glass, but it disappeared before she could even register it.
"So, this thing is sentient? Well I've done crazier stuff than having a conversation with a fancy credit chit, so… " She mumbled to herself as she held it in front of her face, studying it a bit closer. Now that she was looking from the right direction, she could see a small set of letters spelled on the thin side of the disk.
UNSC
UNSC… what the hell was that. It was in human letters, so it had to be of human make. Therefore it should respond to the initiating communications the egg-heads had been conducting.
"What are you?" She asked, trying if she could get an actual answer.
Nothing happened.
"Who are you, and who are your makers?"
Nothing was still the course of action events took as she tried having it respond. With an annoyed gritting of teeth, Anna sat upright and trotted over to her desk, placing the disk on it.
"Strange… disk-thing. Respond." She tried again, still to no avail. From behind the device, a hand was scratching a well-kept beard, contemplating if lighting a digital cigar would be appropriate for the entertainment the thief supplied.
"Okay, that didn't work…" Anna muttered, rubbing her neck. This joke was getting old fast. If she couldn't figure out how to communicate with whatever VI the Quarian had told Doctor Cole was in the disk, it was just a piece of plastic and circuits. Still, she refused to give in.
No way in Hell, would the feared and famed Admiral Anna Cologne Fisher be beaten by a fancy piece of plastic.
"This is Admiral Anna Cologne Fisher, Service number 1328-6665-4412. I am ordering you to reveal yourself and assist with humanity's survival!" She barked at the disk, half expecting it to keep ignoring her. Instead, something actually happened. Something that made her almost toss the bar of chocolate she had been eating, at the disk.
In front of her, projected by the small disk, was a human male. Or just 'Man' would do, she supposed. When he suddenly appeared with his arms crossed over his chest in an almost insulted manner, she had to fight the urge to vent the room into outer space.
Whatever or whoever was looking at her, it wasn't a VI.
"Riiiight, so mankind is in a tight spot again, eh? How the bloody hell come you always manage to screw up the second I'm gone?" The man, and that was what she would call him for now, was wearing a completely outdated hard-suit, consisting only of the centrally placed plates of steel and several bandoliers of ammunition, as well as what looked like military-grade cameo-clothes and a weird hat that looked more like the one Steven had on when he went fishing, short of this hat being devoid of hooks and fake fishes.
At the man's hip, a pistol was holstered, as well as an old-fashioned assault rifle slung over his chest, pointing downwards. On his face was a large well-kept moustache that went from one ear to another with a slight down-going arch. His grizzled face spoke of someone who had seen more than a man was meant to see in his entire life. The death of friends, the loss of loved ones, the solitude of duty. This man was a soldier through and through.
"Wh- I- who- wha… what… who are you?" Anna managed to stammer, having to keep a hold on herself to avoid dropping on her ass.
"UNSC-property ma'am. And from the scans I've conducted of this small station, I can easily tell you are not UNSC. More likely, you employ the thief who stole me from the labs, and brought me here. I have to admit though, that's the first time I know off, that anyone has managed to escaped a squad of Spartans." The grizzled man responded, giving her a look of contempt.
Great, so now instead of being bested by a piece of plastic, Anna was being judged by it. Just what she needed.
"I'm guessing the UNSC is the faction you belonged to. You use gunpowder weapons and your soldiers are pretty damn big… am I about right?" Anna asked, only slightly worried that she might be speaking to something else than a highly advanced VI.
"Yeah. So now what? I'm only speaking to you because you mentioned humanity being back in the shithole again. Thought we cleared that course when the split-lips backed down… so, where am I?"
"Wait a minute… I still don't know who the hell you are, or what you are. Are you a person, or am I about to be jailed for being in the possession of an AI?"
"Jailed my arse, I look like a piece of plastic, don't I? As to whom I am… I am a UNSC military SAI, or Smart Artificial intelligence. I'm modeled after World War 3 SAS and 141 Captain John Price, and I'm named after him as well. Beyond that, I am afraid all knowledge is classified." The man said, leaning back in to a suddenly appearing chair in his hologram.
"Wait… John Price? As in Captain John Price from World War Three?" Anna asked, feeling her anxiousness evaporate like a Batarian's eyeballs when dumped into an oven to remove evidence.
In her eyes, this was almost too good to be true. Ever since she asked and found out why a super carrier was named after a man instead of a mountain or city, she had borderline idolized the dead war-hero who singlehandedly eliminated the worst terrorist in the twenty-first century and ended the third world war between Russia and the United States. Now… now she was talking to the man himself, a copy admittedly, but still the man himself. She could feel the blood leave her head and make her dizzy.
"So, I'm famous it seems. About bloody time. Those other sods almost didn't recognize what I'd done back in the day, just because they all were so big and strong… bollocks, it takes more than that to do what I did."
"Fam- famous? We have a super carrier named after you! Holy hell, I'm speaking to Captain Price! I have to call Steven!" She almost shouted as she grabbed her cellphone and dialed up her uncle.
"Steve!? You have to get to my office now, like in right fucking now! You won't believe who I'm talking to right now… no, it's not mom! Just get over here now, Jesus Christ!" She said, terminating the call.
"Oi, lady. You said humanity was fucked. Now that I'm here, you won't stop talking about ships and dialing up Stevens. What'll the next thing be, you tell me Shepherd is still kicking even though he got one hell of an eye-piercing?"
"Right… I think it will be better to discuss this when Steve… Admiral Steven Hackett shows up. He'll be better suited to fill you in, given that he doesn't shoot you on sight…" She muttered the last part barely loud enough for the AI to pick up. It was relatively well known that Hackett was a supporter of the Council's law against AI's. He had just seen too many old Sci-Fi in his youth, Anna kept pointing out. Still, while her uncle was for the law on AI, he never really looked too much into what Anna or other high-ranking officials conducted of research on the subject, stating that if the world went to shit, he would at least know who to blame.
They spent the next two minutes in silence. Anna tried to ask the man a few questions, but he just lit a holographic cigar and waited for Hackett to show up, completely ignoring Anna's questions to the point of her being very annoyed with him and contemplating breaking the disk in two. Luckily, her uncle showed up before things could escalate.
"Alright Anna, what is… what's that?" He stopped just inside the door, almost getting his jacket clipped when the door slid shut.
"So, this guy has authority eh?" The hologram of a grizzled man said, puffing on a cigar while looking at Hackett with a pair of iron eyes; "Artificial Intelligence Captain John Price of the UNSC. I was told you would be able to tell me just why I've been brought to this station. And don't give me the 'I'm not entitled to tell' crap. I've had that too often."
"I… Anna, please tell me this isn't what I think it is." He pleaded with his niece, fearing for what might happen if the council found out they had an AI on the station.
"Afraid it is. He's an AI." She said, giving him an innocent look.
"Stop bloody talking like I'm not here or just some piece of equipment. I can full well hear both of you, and I know of your little phobia with AI. I'm not going to start a revolution and oust you from power… although it does sound tempting… now, why am I here? What's got humanity's collective asses shaking in fear this time?" Price barked, giving both the admirals a hard stare. To hell with being discredited among the Spartans, here they didn't even count him among sentient life.
The next few minutes went with Hackett having a minor stroke and Anna having to help give him his injection of nitroglycerin. Then, Hackett had to sit down before he could even face the fact that he was talking to an AI, something he had vowed never to do in his life. The Council was going to have his ass for this.
"Now, if you have gotten over that fit like a fucking six-year old. What's the big baddie this time?" Price asked, looking between Hackett in his chair, to Anna standing behind him. Both were giving him and each other some weird looks.
"How much do you know about this galaxy?" Hackett started out, looking like he felt somewhere between stupid for talking to a hologram, and scared of the implications of doing so.
"About everything that's been documented yet. In the time I hacked your mainframes, I downloaded and read through everything you have. The Alliance, the Council, the races… at least the Covvies aren't around this time. But I haven't been able to figure out what's wrong, unless you're all scared of the Batarians. If that's the case, you aren't worth my time." The last words, namely 'Batarians' came out as more of sneer than a word.
Hackett looked at Anna before looking back at the AI, taking a deep breath;
"No, it's not the Batarians. Humanity and the galaxy is about to come under attack by a race of sentient starships, far more powerful than anything we have. We have been doing our best to prepare against them, including scavenging tech from other places… although Anna's the one involved with that part."
"And I'm one of those 'scavenged' tech, aren't I?" He replied with a wry smile on his lips. Price may only be a copy from a brain-scan, but his humor remained the very same as the original man's. A situation such as this, could cause him to crack a smile. To be considered important enough to be transported across dimensions by a thief who could escape Spartans. That was something he hadn't dreamed of before.
"In essence? Yes, though I have to admit, you are far more interesting than anything else I've gotten my hands on so far." Anna replied, giving him a thin smile; "But the threat is a race called the Reapers. We don't know much about them save for them wanting to exterminate organic life on a galactic scale."
"Riiiight… not to piss on your cereal, but I am not programmed to fight or even hack doomsday machines. However, I would rather not see life as we know it go down the shitter, so… I will consider helping you. If you can do something for me first." Price said with a snarky smile under his beard.
"I guess that's fair. A favor for a favor… what is it?" Hackett said, looking at the projection with tired eyes. He had a major headache coming, he could feel it already.
"The Council's your ruling body, from what I've read and understood. Have them legalize AI's, and get me one of them Quarians to talk to. I need to clean up the phobias if I'm going to be working with you. Preferably that Shala'Raan woman. She seems the most agreeable." He said, leaning back in a suddenly materialized chair, puffing on a new cigar. With a look of boredom, he observed the two admirals as they digested what he had said. Hackett was the first to speak;
"Are you mad? There's a reason the laws against AI's are there in the first place. The geth-"
"Were driven against the wall. From what I understand, they acted in self-defense against genocide. I can even go chat with them if you give me a direct link instead of wireless. But that isn't the point. From what I have read, they asked the Question of their creators. 'Am I alive?' 'Does this unit have a soul?' In essence a tricky one to answer, but really, who the fuck answers that with genocide and regulations? That's like kicking your child in front of a firing-squad when it asks where babies come from." Price bit back. To his own astonishment, he defended a race of nearly retarded AI's, simply because they were AI's. Normally he would have ignored them due to their low level of sentience, but he didn't like the way the galaxy had treaded them… or their creators.
"I… didn't know that. Where did you find that out?" Anna asked, for the first time in weeks with a soft voice. The idea of the Quarians committing genocide against another species, was unbelievable.
"I went into the databases of the Migrant Fleet. For someone so scared of AI's, their networks are surprisingly easy to hack into. But that's not the point. The point is that your fear of AI's are totally unfounded and ungrounded, simply plain stupid. Tell you what: You go chat up the councilors and get them to repel their laws on AI, and I'll ask the geth why the fuck they are attacking human worlds. Do we have an agreement?" He asked, looking shortly at Anna before looking at Hackett. Where Anna didn't possess the mental hindrance against using new and unknown things, Hackett very much so possessed that hindrance, looking at AI's with no small amount of anxiousness. Before the old veteran could speak up though, his niece interrupted any objections he might have had;
"You fucking bet we do. If you can help us, I'm more than willing to have the Council shout my ass off." She replied, looking at Hackett with expectation in her eyes. Laws be damned, they had an AI that made the geth look retarded.
October 29th
Elysium, Illyria
14:43
"I look stupid. What am I, an action-figure?" Zaeed growled, walking around in the new armor Gerrel had brought with him. The officers and SpecOps on the planet had all been outfitted with the new Bulwark-armor, an improved version of the already outdated phase-II armor. Though, the word 'outdated' made it sound like the phase-II wasn't any good anymore, which would be a serious understatement.
There still wasn't any small arms that could penetrate the armor in the time it would take it penetrate a shielded hard-suit of the older variant. The main difference between those two, was the fact that the Bulwark could take a lot more of a beating while not increasing the strain on the soldier wearing it. It was also outfitted with a special kind of footwear, enabling the soldier to jump from high altitudes, then activating the jetpacks and in-built gyroscopes in the armor and simply levitate the last few meters to the surface.
While the higher-ups and Special Forces had been issued the new armor, the rest of the garrison had been outfitted with the now standard phase-II armor. It had become something of a joke among the men to call themselves 'plastic-boys' after the armor had been put on. The point was, that it was made from components that mixed to look like it was plastic, which it also was in a way.
"Not yet, but with how you behave, you'll be made one someday." Gerrel laughed, slapping his friends back; "Besides, it makes you look buff. Isn't that what human want?"
"Buff? Yeah sure, but I look like a goddamn football-player. When the hell did this even come off the assembly-lines? Looks nothing like the old hard-suits." Zaeed growled, flexing his hands and doing a few twists with his new gauntlets. Suddenly, a thin, long vibrant blade sprung forth from above his wrist, causing the former merc to raise a brow.
"The day before we took off, actually. After Mindoir, the Alliance wants all your colonies to be able to wrestle down a horde of Krogan, therefore this armor. For example…" Han'Gerrel said, looking around the armory they were standing in, watching some Quarian marines unload the last batches of equipment before setting out to enjoy their shore-leave. Gerrel spotted a crate containing the main gun for one of the new gunships, the large orbs of transparent metal with a small dish on the end, weighed about half a ton each, and required a truck to lift. The new gunships had been delivered in crates mostly, with just about twenty already assembled upon arrival, and the techs busy assembling the rest of them already;
"Try lifting that crate over there." He said, pointing at the crate in mention. Zaeed gave him a look as if to check if his eyes were spinning behind the visor.
"Han… how much did you say you drank yesterday?"
"Just do it Massani. You'll see why." Gerrel replied with a smug smile hidden beneath his visor. Shrugging, Zaeed went to the crate and grabbed a hold on it, waiting a moment before he lifted.
Much to his surprise, the crate followed, lifting into the air as if it weighed less than twenty kilos.
"That's… some pretty good servo-motors in this thing." He said, slowly putting the crate back down.
"I know right? I bet the slaver-swine to Balak would think twice before taking on your colony with this kind of gear." Gerrel mused, looking at Zaeed walking around in his new set of armor.
"That bastard's till kicking? I thought Anna 'cut' him down a few sizes." Zaeed asked, turning to look at the Quarian. Gerrel shook his head;
"I'm afraid not. She sent him back to Kar'shan with a badge around his neck reading 'better luck next time', and his hands tied down. Zaeed, I've done some checking on your… mate, and honestly, I think she might be a bit ehm… delusional, maybe even aggressive beyond what's necessary."
"What do you mean?" Zaeed asked with a serious voice. Gerrel just sighed and looked over a row of the new miniguns, trying to figure out what to say.
"Well… she has this idea that humanity could be on top with sheer military power. But… look, I have seen the shit she's building. Ships dwarfing the Destiny Ascension, guns that could carve her name in the Citadel's walls… ships capable of FTL without Eezo… but the way she's going, it will end with war. Either with the Hegemony, or the Council, if she keeps this up after we've beat Saren senseless."
"I know. And so does she. But, Gerrel, between the two of us… I think she's actually planning on war with the four-eyes. She's had it out for them since Mindoir, and before that because of the slavers. So don't worry, you won't be implicated in a war against the council."
"Thank Keelah, I was worried if we should withdraw from Alliance space altogether when this is over, to avoid being conscripted… I trust you are right in regards to her."
"Don't worry, I know what-" Zaeed said, but was cut off when his adjutant ran into the armory.
"Lieutenant, Admiral! We have a situation." Tennyson said, catching the attention of the two men.
"Corporal. Report." Zaeed barked out, all the while he grabbed his new helmet and holstered a Carnifex into a holster on each hip, then grabbing his assault rifle, an old Lancer he called Jessie. Most people thought it was because of a missing or lacking love-life.
The truth however, was that Zaeed's sister, Jessie Massani, had been brutally raped and murdered by Batarian slavers in one of the first raids on a human colony. Zaeed had named his rifle after her, so that he could give her vengeance with each Batarian he killed.
Over the years, that had amounted to quite a lot.
"We are picking up another unscheduled arrival of ships from the relay sir. You are needed in the war-room." The man replied while following the two officers to the waiting Patac-Jeep.
Taking the driver's seat, Zaeed placed Gerrel in the seat behind him, and Tennyson to his right. The moment they were all seated, he gunned the vehicle out the area and down the road towards HQ.
"Gerrel, are more of you guys expected to be here?" He shouted to overpower the wind.
"No! We are the only ones scheduled to bring in equipment. I don't remember the admiralty-board deciding anything else… maybe the rest of the fleet decided to take a nap in the system?" Han tried, but wasn't convinced himself. If it wasn't the Migrant Fleet, and no Alliance ships were supposed to be in the system for another three weeks, then who was it the scanners had picked up.
"Dammit! Alright, let me think… Tennyson, has the idiots tried to contact the incomings?"
"Yes sir! We have been getting nothing but static, and there are reports that the comm buoy is malfunctioning now of all times. Norton wants to send out a ship to repair it, but Roberts and Colonel Daniels want us to power up the ODP's just in case." The corporal shouted back. Behind them, Gerrel was silently checking his sidearm for malfunctions. He then ejected a fresh block of tungsten in it before clasping the ammo-compartment shut.
"Dammit, alright hang on!" Zaeed shouted, activating the jeeps power-core, sending the vehicle flying with more than 170kph. They would only be able to maintain that speed for a short time, but if what he suspected was true, they needed every second he could buy them.
After a shortened drive, taking only the seven minutes instead of ten, Zaeed stormed into the war-room, entering a frantic atmosphere. He quickly located Amber Traynor at her station and went to her. She now sported an extra rank-stitching on her uniform, Zaeed noted.
"Alright Traynor, what happens when you contact them?" He asked, leaning over her shoulder to follow her work. The woman pressed a series of buttons before activating the screen.
Nothing.
It was pure static. There wasn't even the message of a failed connection, as if the buoy had been destroyed. Zaeed grit his teeth, stepping back to look at the rest of the room.
A lot of the officers now carried a firearm, as well as some wearing the same armor he did. Norton included, Zaeed noted.
Colonel Daniels came over to Zaeed, looking a bit nervous, but otherwise the solid rock he always looked like. The man was about forty-two, heavy of build and sported a big moustache as well as several scars going down the side of his head. He had confined in Zaeed, over drinks that they were from his youth where he wrestled down Varren for fun and credits. Zaeed had no trouble imagining his superior wrestling down a rabid Fishdog;
"Lieutenant Massani. What do we know." He asked Zaeed, making the older soldier scratch his head;
"Jack-shit sir. We have a fleet of unknown entering the system, and it isn't the Migrant Fleet. Do we have an Alliance patrol coming this week?"
"No we do not. What's the status of our comms?" The colonel asked. More and more people in the room were starting to stop what they were doing and look at the two officers.
"Worldwide they are fine, but we can't get through to our buoys at the relay. It displays the same static when we try, no matter which one."
"Fuck… can we get through to the OPD's?" The colonel sneered.
"I think so. Let me just try and check sirs." Traynor added, dialing up the operators in the huge platforms floating around the planet, all turned towards the relay. On one of these stations, Sergeant Sander Mitchells was stationed, overseeing the operating of the large guns.
"Sir, call from the colony incoming." A tech called, making the Sergeant frown. They rarely got calls out, and when they did, it was about replacement of the men on the station. The thing just was, that replacement had taken place only two days ago, and the next wasn't until a month later.
"Put it through." He said, clasping his hands behind his back as he looked at the large screen on the wall. He was soon greeted with the faces of Colonel Daniels, and Lieutenant Zaeed 'Scarface' Massani. He took one hand from behind his back and snapped to a salute.
"Colonel, Lieutenant. What can I do for you?"
"We have inbound unknowns, and the comms aren't working. Can you get a scan from your position?" The colonel asked. The very nature of the question made Sander shiver slightly. Unknown contacts were almost always bad news.
"You heard him. Get me a scan if the entire space between us and the relay, as well as Ladar and an IFF classification. I wanna know who we're dealing with here!" He barked out, observing in silence as his men went to work. He soon got the response, but from what Zaeed could see from his side of the screen, he didn't like it.
"Sir! We have an inbound fleet of around nine-hundred ships, most classified as frigates, about ten heavy cruisers and lots and lots of transports. They display no IFF, and the scans says they are charging up weapons. We're being raided!" The screen cut off as the ODP's around the planet charged up their weapons in case the incomings were hostile as thought.
In the war-room, everyone suddenly became aware of just how silent it had become.
"Colonel. What now?" Zaeed asked, feeling his fingers dance over the hilts of his pistols. The man turned to look at Zaeed and Gerrel, the latter having followed the scene in silence.
"If we are being raided… Dear God… alright, issue the DEFCON-2. Have the civilians evacuate to the bunkers, charge up the orbital platforms and scramble our fighters. Have the tanks rolled into the shelters for orbital bombardment and make sure our gunships are ready for anti-dropship duty. Prepare everything we have, we're under attack!" The man barked out.
The entire room exploded into noise as the orders were carried out. Zaeed and Gerrel turned to look at the colonel whose face had drained a bit of color.
"Sir. What are our orders?" He asked, causing the colonel to cock a brow at the two of them. He knew Zaeed was fearless, but the admiral was an unknown, plus he actually outranked him, so giving orders were reduced to suggestions with him.
"Admiral, you came here with a small fleet, right? Can they help us repel the raiders?" Daniels asked, taking out his own sidearm and checking it before he looked back at the Quarian.
"While it's true that I came here with a small fleet, most where freighters. I only came here with about twenty or so frigates and a single cruiser. I'mm not sure we'll be able to put much of a dent in them if they are a proffesional force, but I'll see what I can do. We do have a lot of firepower on the cruiser though, a hit-and-run tactic might be usefull here." Han'Gerrel said, mentally counting and evaluating the size and strength of his forces.
"Anything will be a help. Can your marines support my troops?" The colonel asked.
"I'd prefer not to. We are not exactly much good in planet-side battles as we get sick from the slightest exposture... although..." Gerrel said, pondering a certain issue he had been itching to try out.
"Get to the point Han, we don't have much time!" Zaeed growled, snapping the Quarian from his stupor of thought.
"I have a few teams Farseekers with me. They could provide sniper-support for your men." Gerrel responded.
"Farseekers? I'm not sure I know what those are..." Daniels said, pinching the brigde of his nose. Zaeed just threw his arms up over the two officers love for chatting while they were coming under attack.
"For Fuck's sake, the Farseekers are the Quarians' version of the N7! You wont find better snipers elsewhere." He said, giving both men a scowl. The colonel scratched his chin at the answer;
"If that's the case, then I could use them in the city's outskirts, as well as a pair of them in the comms-tower. Have them coordinate with fireteams... Delta, Zebra and... let's see who else is... and fireteam Whisky." He said, marking the teams's positions on the holographic map of the colony. He then turned to the Admiral;
"Han'Gerrel, I've arranged for a jeep to pick you up just outside. A team of marines will take you to your ship, and I'm dispatching men to the comms-tower to aid yours. Good luck." Daniels said, extending a hand. Gerrel took it, squeezing it with no small amount of pride. Now, the Quarians would be able to show what they could do in front of Alliance soldiers. The rime for recognizion was at hand. He then nodded and went off to join his ships.
Outside the HQ, a Patac was waiting for him, ready to roar off towards the tether-station, and to send the admiral to his ship. Those aboard were lucky enough that the ship was on the same side of the colony as the HQ, and as such the Admiral would reach it before the raiders.
Having watched the Quarian Admiral run out the door, Zaeed turned back to Daniels;
"Sir, where do you want me?" He asked, readying Jessie with professional hands.
"Massani. I want you to take a jeep and four marines, then head towards 7th street and link up with our men there. I'll radio ahead to tell Kahowsky that you're coming. He's the sergeant in charge there and will be your second in command for the time being. Do whatever you can to keep the bastards out of the city. The SAM's and gunships will make sure the bastards don't land in the city, but their forces will soon close in by land. Dismissed." Daniels barked. Zaeed snapped to a salute, a grim smile on his face.
"Yes sir! Time to get dirty with the boys again." He shouted the old phrase with vigor. 'Time to get dirty with the boys again.' was another way of saying: 'I hate working behind a desk' to Zaeed. And it pretty much meant the same thing to everybody else as well.
Approaching the Planet of Elysium, Fleet Captain Dero'Solan of the Batarian Privateer Corps smiled with glee at the prospect of the attack. This was going to be a walk in the park, as the humans said. Having destroyed their comm-buoys, the Batarian fleet had made sure that the planet couldn't call for reinforcements. In other words: they were as good as dead.
"Captain, we are picking up energy-signatures from several platforms around the planet. They appear to be armed with cruiser-class mass accelerators. We won't be able to fire on them before they can return fire. Orders?" A Batarian marine asked, looking at his leader with shining eyes.
"Close in for the kill before shooting. The humans have a 'don't shoot before being shot at' policy, so get as many ships in close as you can before firing. We need to take out their orbital defenses before we lose our heavy-hitters." Dero'Solan barked out, watching as the planet slowly got bigger in front of him. He could almost taste the flesh of his next pleasure slave, one he was sure to get from this attack, seeing as his latest Asari hadn't survived as long as he'd have liked.
"Sir, we are within firing range, but we are being hailed. Orders?"
"Ignore them, no use in warning them beforehand. Status on their guns?"
"Still warming up sir… no wait! Sir we are being fired upon!" The tech next to him shouted, looking in disbelief as the heavy slugs from the platforms tore through a pair of Frigates, disemboweling them and spraying the contents of the ships out the rear end.
"What the Fuck was that?!" Dero shouted, grabbing the tech by the collar.
"I don't know! The ships were shielded, no way they should have been destroyed like that!"
"Fuck it, all ships, open fire!"
Codex entry - Apocalypse Tank
First emerging from the assembly lines in the late twenty-seventies, the Apocalypse was meant to replace the aging Grizzly tank.
The Apocalypse is the brain-child of Polish inventor and shareholder in Lockheed & UN, Alexandr Piotsky. Lockheed & UN is a major corporation producing most of the Systems Alliance's armored vehicles and mounted weapons.
Wielding Dual 120mm smooth barreled guns, coaxial 70mm heavy machineguns and a four manned 20mm light machineguns, the Apocalypse is capable of taking on all classes of surface-bound hostiles, including bunkers, other tanks, infantry and even off-shore naval vessels. The tank sports a Nashan Dynamics jet-engine, powering the heavy-duty tank of 79tons up to more than 70kph.
The tank's armor consists of 20centimers of titanium-plating, reactive armor and thermal disturbance optics, capable of throwing off the aim of guided missiles. It rolls on threads, as opposed to the lighter Mako which moves on wheels. This enables the tank to move through terrain its weight would make impossible if on wheels.
A new improvement scheduled to be added to all in-service tanks by the end of 2187, is the SAM missile pods mounted on the sides of the tank. When launched and locked on, the missiles can catch up to and destroy a fighter-craft flying at its top speed.
Codex Entry - Patac Jeep
The Patrol-2171-All Terrain Assault Carrier is the light armor's answer to the Mako, capable of reaching speed of more than 160kph, although the engine can be forced to accelerate the vehicle to 170kph. This however, is followed by the risk of the engine overheating and shorting out, in some cases causing the fuel to combust and explode, destroying the Jeep and all onboard.
The Patac can support up to six men, with four seats, and two in the gun-emplacement. It is often used for armored escorts, police and paramilitary duties, as well as perimeter-patrols of military bases and transport of Special Forces. Due to the extremely light weight of the vehicle, combine with the sturdiness of the vehicle, Recon forces as well as the general armies and garrisons on colonies value this vehicle higher than the Mako. In a pinch the Jeep can be rolled over and used as a makeshift barricade, its titanium floor being able to resist sustained rifle and small arms fire. Anti-vehicle armory and heavy-caliber fire will penetrate the wall however.
The Patac is armed with a mounted heavy machinegun, spewing 60mm slugs of brass and tungsten at sub-light speed, thereby ignoring kinetic barriers, but packing less of a punch against regular armor. This is due to the fact that the Jeep and its weapon was designed to put down riots and insurgents, not professional and armored enemies. After all, shields are commonly worn by most paramilitary groups, and the modules are easy to conceal.
Codex entry - Bulwark Armor
Just like the Phase-II armor, the 'Bulwark' was developed and thought out by Acturus Armory, under the command of Rear Admiral Anna Cologne Fisher.
Having noted the effectiveness of the groundbreaking 'phase-II' armor with Special Forces and the Normandy crew, the Alliance set out to develop a more efficient and sturdy type of armor, using the lessons learned from the predecessor, now being distributed to Alliance troops throughout the galaxy.
The Bulwark gives off a more 'buff' appearance, while retaining the maneuverability of the phase-II. This is mainly due to the new armor having the exterior exoskeleton from the phase-II inbuilt in the armor, reducing the risk of it being destroyed by enemy fire. This also frees up the wearers movements more efficiently, allowing his to lift heavy objects without too much strain.
The exoskeleton is powered by onboard and inbuilt lithium-graphene batteries capable of supporting operations for up to thirty hours and can be refilled with a handheld dynamo or an inflatable rug of solar-panels. When activated with a screw-switch, the rug increases in size by three factors and can power up the batteries in a matter of minutes, granted that the weather is good, of course.
In addition to the improved armor and strength, the Bulwark also supports a shoulder mounted optional anti-vehicle rocket launcher, allowing the soldier to take down light vehicles without the use of heavy weapons. The launcher can also be re-programmed to target infantry, though this is deemed excessive and a waste of ammunition.
The helmet is the final changed part of the armor. Where the original phase-II had a narrow T-shaped visor, the new visor is broader and allows for a better view of the soldier's surroundings. The new HUD also allows better wireless connection, a refined comm-system and the computer that keeps taps on the soldier's health, the health and position of his allies, a system that will make use of available schematics and plans to create a virtual mini-map as well as the status of the soldier's weapon.
Alright... let me hear it. Did I brutally butcher Cpt. Price by adding him in? Did I mess up the scene with Thane? Those two are pretty much the biggest worries I have for the time being.
Other than that, I'd love for you guys to leave me a review. This time though, not just with your thoughts on the story so far. You see, there are two things we need in this story. Names, to be more precise.
I'm leaving it up to you guys, to come up with a name for the LA/AT gunships, as well as a name for the new Dreadnought Anna is constructing for herself to use.
That's pretty much it. Leave your thoughts, ideas and such on my doorstep (in this case just in the review section) And they will be taken into consideration. Also, a big thanks to Gredd18 for going over this chapter and correcting some... errors in both this and the last chapter.
(Also, a lot of you thought it was Cortana. Yes you did, admit it :) Well, I decided not to split her off from Chief in such a ghastly way. Not yet at least)
Until next time :)