Damn guys... the reviews I've been getting lately really are a testimony to just how awesome a fanbase you guys are. Not only do I get love in each review, you actually give me awesome ideas for new concepts and names. I know we've already been over the names-thing once, but I got a really good one from one of you. I'm not telling the name of the guy who gave me the name, but... yeah, you'll definetely see some of the new Dreadnoughts named 'Hammer of Vengence' and 'Mindoir's Wrath'.
I'm honestly surprised I managed to get this one out before I go to Spain, but the reviews you have been leaving makes it all worth it.
Now, enjoy.
Spectral Reunions
November 1th
Shuttle A2-O1, Dakka system
04:03 (Estimated time)
Leaning back in the seat, I finally allow myself to relax, seeing as no ships or aircrafts have pursued us since Pragia. The window is black, with no lights except for the sharp rays originating from the sun on our left, looking almost tiny in the distance of millions of miles. Safe from the sun's lights, the only lights in the cockpit originates from the holographic screens covering the front of my vision. I've found a pair of weird gloves under the seat, looking like they are highly electronic and sensitive. The biggest surprise came when I tried one on and discovered it to interact with the screens. But for the love of God my head is on fire!
Looking around the cockpit, I notice one of the screens depicting an open extranet site. It looks like the modern version of Google, but it looks different enough that I really can't be sure. With a glance at Jennifer's sleeping form in the main compartment, I put on both gloves and give the screens a try. This can't be that much different than a touchscreen… the second I move my hand against the screen, I feel a slight pressing feeling in my fingers, as if the screen is really there.
"This is… different…" I mutter as I finally succeed in finding the keyboard for the search machine. I need some music, if all is to be perfect… wonder if I even know any good music that's calm at the same time… Shrugging, I press in a set of letters, bringing up what I can only guess is this time's version of YouTube. I really should have had someone put me through working with holograms before I got snapped…
With the final few presses on the holographic interface, I bring up the option of playing the selected music, albeit at a low volume. Lux Aeterna should be calm enough that it won't wake her up… I mull, pressing the play option.
The familiar tunes and choir-like voices bring back the memories of the last time I listened to this piece. I always have found it to be one of the calmer pieces of Two Steps from Hell. Always used it when I needed to calm down, while pieces such as 'To Glory' or 'United we stand, Divided we fall' were more for epic battles or while I was playing Skyrim.
Relaxing as I put the music in loop, letting it replay once it has finished, I fumble around with the controls, trying to figure out where the chards for our location is. I don't know how much fuel this thing has, but I have yet to hear or see alarms telling me that fuel is low. In other words, I think we're fine.
Managing to bring up what I assume is a GPS of sorts, I discover us to be halfway through the Dakka system, having already traversed more than two million miles since we left Pragia. Hmm, the guys back in 2011 should just know how I'm flying around in a space shuttle… and that being the least of it… With a small sigh I listen as the music loops, restarting. I play around with the different chards for a while before finally finding what I was looking for.
At the edge of the system, near the relay, a clear icon shows the location of a refueling station. Hopefully they have some sort of connection there that will let me message the Normandy.
And let Ash know I'm alive.
"Alright… where's the auto… something, for this thing?" I mutter as I open different controls and options through the screens.
"You are looking for the auto-pilot. Do you require help or guidance?" A synthetic voice suddenly says, causing me to jump in my seat, looking at the avatar of a VI. Jesus Christ a jumbscare!
"I… yes. Can you set course for the nearest refueling station in this system?" I manage to get out, pulling myself together from the shock. Ash would die laughing if she saw this. I can take on any sort of enemies, but a VI can scare the shit out of me…
"Setting course for Dakka Fuel station. Estimated time of arrival: six hours. Do you wish for an alarm to go off when this vessel reaches the station?" His monotone voice is really creepy. I guess that settles it: I'm never ever getting a VI without some human voice in it.
Silently laughing at myself, I look back into the main compartment, noticing how Jennifer is still sleeping. With a small yawn, I realize that I'm pretty tired as well. I have been at this for more hours than I care to count, and being dead doesn't count as rest. Especially because it involves going through that sort of hell.
"I can't believe… I really did it." I mutter with a small smile as I leave the cockpit, placing myself in one of the seats across from her. I lie down on the seats, thankful that they are designed without spaces or supports for arms. Almost like Cerberus meant for their people to be able to sleep in the shuttle. With a tired sigh I pry off the armor, leaving only the torso and the leg guards on as I place the gauntlets, boots and helmet on the floor. Looking around the room, my eyes fall on Jennifer as she seems to be sleeping with a smile on her face.
Somehow I doubt that has been an often occurring thing while Cerberus had her. She still wears nothing but the white, stained gown she did when I came across her, using it as both clothing and a blanket as she huddles up in it, dragging her knees inwards in her sleep. Looking at her like this, warm feelings start filling me, causing me to smile as I feel my eyelids close over my vision, darkness taking me.
The sharp buzzing of an alarm wakes me up, causing me to stir and grumble as my sleep was disrupted. Feeling something tug against me, I slowly open my eyes, realizing that I'm lying on the floor, my face against the ceiling as my eyes adjust to the darkness in the room. Or not darkness, but the shuttle has dimmed its lights severely since I went to sleep, giving the room a dark gloom.
Feeling the pressing again, I look at my right arm where the tugging is coming from, halfway expecting it to be because I'm lying on it. Instead, Jennifer is snuggled against me, using my right arm as a makeshift pillow. The feeling of warmth and protectiveness wells up in me, making me smile as she slowly starts moving as well, disturbed by the alarm. Her bald head is starting to show signs of growth, a few hairs being an inch longer than the rest, giving me a small hope that I'll get to see her with the hair a small girl should have, not bald like a man with a name that suits.
Carefully, I prompt myself up on my left hand, not wanting to disturb her too much. However I seem to have failed, as Jennifer suddenly looks at me, eyes wide open and showing signs of having been awake for more than just these last few seconds.
"Morning… you okay?" I ask, not sure just how to interact with a child who slept up against me.
"Yes… I'm hungry." She says, causing me to smile. Leave it to a child to focus on the trivial stuff in the day, not even mentioning the insane escape we made from Teltin. Lifting her head from my arm, Jen looks around. I let a small sigh escape me as I sit up, stretching my arms into the air and feeling as the energy of sleep pours through me, making me open and close my mouth a few times.
"How did we end up like that?" I ask, giving her a raised brow. I'm guessing I fell to the ground due to some sort of turbulence… although, turbulence in space. Not sure there is such a thing.
"You woke me up when you fell from the chairs… I didn't like sleeping alone… I never liked it." She mutters, looking almost ashamed. Gods, if only my children will be like her one day… if I live to get any that is…
"Jen… you really are something else." I say with a smile, standing straight and rolling my shoulders, stretching my back. Her eyes widen, almost as in fear.
"What's wrong?" I ask, feeling worry fill my chest as I notice her look.
"They used to call me 'something else' too, whenever they took me to the tables… I don't want to be something else." I could have slapped myself here, though not sure why. Of course they called her such things, 'special', 'important', 'something else' or just generally what suited them and fit the prospect of a super-biotic. Kneeling down to her level, I place a hand on her shoulder, looking into her eyes.
"Jennifer, what those men said doesn't mean the same thing as when those who care for you call you 'something else'. It means that you are a very special person to them, someone they want to protect and see happy. Like me." I say, not fully realizing what I said until a moment after.
"Like you? Like you how?" She asks, her voice filled with confusion and curiosity. No longer is it fear or fright, just the nature a little girl should act when not understanding something. I sigh, closing my eyes for a moment as I consider what to say, then looking back at her.
"I want to see you happy, you know? Make sure you get back to your parents." I say, my voice filled with emotion as I look at her, noticing how her eyes seem to light up at the promise.
"So if I'm something else, what are you?" Her question catches me a little off guard, causing me to scratch my chin, feeling the effects of not having shaved for days.
"To be honest, sometimes I don't know. I'd like to think I'm just a guy doing some good things, but some people think I'm a fre- a scary thing." I reply as I get up, gesturing for her to follow me into the cockpit.
Replacing the void and stars, the entrance-ports to the station spreads out in front of us, displaying neon-signs and letters in foreign languages. I guess there was a lot I couldn't see of the fuel depots in the game. This is more than just a depot; it's a small city, built on the trade and commerce taking place when the ships dock to refuel.
We stand there for a few moments, me taking in the sights and scenes playing out around the shuttle as we glide into a dock, guided by the VI. On a second thought, I really like VI's, seeing as I would have never been able to 'park' a shuttle like this, especially not line it up with dozens of others.
Next to me, Jennifer finally look at me again, seemingly having been in thought.
"Thomas… I think you are something else too." She says, causing my heart to take an extra beat. I've never been much around little children, but being around Jennifer for only a day has already showed me how big a mistake that has been. She really is a wonderful little thing. Kneeling down to her, I put a hand on her back, gently pulling her into an embrace. She doesn't resist, instead just wrapping her little arms around me.
"Gods, Jen… you are an amazing little girl, you know that?" I whisper, almost afraid to hold her too tight I case I break her. I still don't trust my new powers enough to do that to someone, and I won't even touch Ash if I'm still like this when I see her again. I won't risk hurting those I care for.
As the shuttle comes to a stop, I feel the slight shaking as it is locked by the magnetic clamps securing it. Giving Jen a smile, I stand up and walk to the door, her following me.
"Alright… first we-" I start, but aa new voice cuts me off;
"This is Dakka Depot security. Cerberus personnel in the unregistered shuttle are to come out with their hands raised and weapons dropped. Fail to comply and we will fire upon your shuttle!" The speaker causes me to flinch, Jennifer looking scared. Why the… I thought those pricks refueled at this station, so why the hell are they aiming guns at us? I look at Jen, giving her shoulder a small squeeze.
"Don't worry, I'll handle this… I hope…" I finish, whispering the last words to myself as I palm the interface, causing the door to open with a hiss. Instantly, we're met with the red dots of lasers being pointed at us. We slowly step out, me at the front with Jen somewhat using me as cover.
"Don't shoot, we're not Cerberus!" I shout, causing a few of the lasers to fall from my chest to the floor. The guards here are about ten in numbers, all of them carrying individual armor without much uniform to speak of. The leader, a Turian, steps forward with an assault rifle at the ready. That's when Jen leans out from behind me. I am not sure what exactly the Turian thinks, but he puts the rifle down when I notice Jen leaning from my legs.
"Men, stand down… for now." He says, then looking at me; "If you're not Cerberus, why do you come flying in a shuttle with their markings on?" He says. I can't see his face, being covered by a blue helmet with a white line going from the tip of the fringe-parts to his visor. I then look at the rest of his armor, noticing the stark contrast between the blue and white colors forming the pattern of a rising sun on his chest. Aw shit… are these Blue Suns?
Still, I suppose it doesn't matter. They aren't shooting at us, and they are the station's security, so maybe they are some of the not so corrupt Suns that Zaeed trained. Looking behind the leader, I notice that most of the guards are Turian with a few humans in between;
"That's a long story… but can you please get some food for her? I don't know when the last time she ate was…" I ask. I am not hungry myself, but I can't let her go hungry, even if I have to mug someone to… Wait, is this what I have become? I can't just mug people to get credits, that's despicable!
The leader of the guards looks at Jen for a long time, then kneels down in front of her, looking between us;
"Little girl, do you know this man?" He asks, probably thinking I'm Cerberus personnel trying to lie my way free. I guess I can understand his way of thought. We arrived in a shuttle bearing Cerberus symbols, and I'm using the same armor that Cerberus does.
"Yes… stop pointing guns at him, please?" She says, sounding surprisingly mature in her choice of words. Though I guess I shouldn't be surprised, pain has a way of maturing people faster than normally.
"I guess I can accept that… okay, follow me to the station. We'll get something for her to eat… can you pay for it?" I groan at his question. Of course the Suns would have to be this way, charging for feeding a small child.
"No… I can't… please just give her something, I'll-" I start but he cuts me off my holding up a hand.
"I was joking, merely… I know what you think, we Suns are starting to pick up a bad rep due to some of our cells backstabbing their clients. I'm not like them, neither are my men. We'll scrounge something up, but then I expect a testimony on how and why you came here in a Cerberus shuttle." He says, and I feel the air leave my lunges in surprise, leaving me with a gaping mouth behind my helmet, thankful for the polarized glass. I turn to face Jen, looking a mix between scared and curious.
"So… we just follow those men?" She says.
"Yeah. I think we'll get you some food now." I reply, feeling her now smiling face fill me with warmth. I think I really do like children… I just hope I can fulfill my promise to her, although I can't see what should be able to go wrong now…
We follow the Turian, several of his men staying behind to secure the shuttle. I don't really regret losing that thing. The VI was annoying as hell.
As we proceed through the maze of buildings and clubs, bars and food-places, I marvel at just how much this depot actually contains. Offices, tall buildings and cafes, gyms and malls… it's like a miniature city. I sometimes even forget to watch where I'm going as the neon lights draw my eyes.
Finally, after having walked for minutes, we end up in a building that serves as police station on this part of the depot, seeing as it spells 'D-Sec, 2' dep.' over the door. The inside is warm and bright, making it feel like a proper place of law-enforcement instead of a dark seedy place where you can't tell the criminal from the cop.
"Take a seat; I'll get someone to fetch a nutrient-tube. Sorry, but it's all we've got here. The Levo-officers all eat at home, so we're not exactly prepared to feed humans here... I'll also send for some more proper clothing for her." The Turian says, leaving the room for a moment while I motion for Jennifer to sit in a chair facing one of the tables. I make due with leaning against the wall, looking around and keeping my eyes on Jen. After a few moments, the Turian returns with a tube similar to those I've seen Tali and John eat from, this one just spelling 'Levo' on the outside. Handing the tube to Jennifer, the Turian then gestures for me to sit down at a table, himself taking a chair on the opposite side of it.
Taking off his helmet, the Turian reveals a brown-plated face with a few red markings adorning his mandibles. I follow his example by removing my own helmet, revealing my own scared face. Cocking a brow-plate in interest, the Turian looks at me for a moment. With none of us speaking, the only sound comes from Jennifer as she goes from sucking on the tube, to make sounds telling of the less than exciting taste, to sucking on it again.
"My name is Delaron, Blue Suns Legionnaire and Private Inspector Delaron Pintos to be precise." He says, extending his three talons towards me. I take them, albeit hesitantly, not being able to forget him being a Sun.
"Thomas, Corporal Thomas Fisher of the Alliance Navy." I reply, not understanding why his brows suddenly go up and his mandibles flare slowly to the sides.
"Corporal… Thomas… Fisher… I know I've heard that name before… You serve in the Alliance Navy you say?" He asks, causing me to furrow my brows a little, nodding;
"Yeah, that's what I said. I serve on the Normandy under-"
"I knew it. I knew I'd seen you before. I watched the news about Feros, about how a single private had turned the tides and then gotten himself blown to shit… you got the…Purple Heart? For that one, didn't you?" He asks, almost making me fall of the chair in surprise. I'm famous?!
"I… yes I… did… but why would you care about a human colony… no offence." I ask, slowly getting up from halfway having fallen off the chair.
"I get that a lot. I used to make cargo-runs out there, to Feros. Also ExoGeni wanted my team as protection, but we got a better deal from the people running the depots in this cluster. So, here I am. But, you serve on the Normandy, what are you doing here, and with a child no less… you're not already a father with that Williams woman are you?" He asks, one brow raised in what I can only guess is curiosity.
"Wait wha- first, no she isn't my daughter. Second, how the flying hell did you know about me and Ashley?" I stammer, looking at the Turian as he flashes a smile, or I think he does. He brings up hiss Omni-tool, typing in a few commands.
"I keep a list of vids from every time someone knocks Khalisa on her ass. I have one where she interviews you holding Williams, then gets punched by another guy." He says, a low chuckle playing in his voice as he finds the recording.
I watch with mild shock as I am displayed, holding a drunk-as-fuck Ash in my arms when that annoying paparazzi suddenly jumps us. Damn, I didn't realize I scowled thát much… I then watch as she asks her questions, me being angry but instead of punching her, directs her to Nikolai.
A few moments pass where after he suddenly punches her in the face. As she starts running, I watch with a growing smile as he grabs her drone and hurls it through the air, the entire feed distorts until the sound of it hitting someone with a loud crack can be heard, as well as someone crying out in pain. Delaron then stops the recording, looking back at me.
"Get better each time I see them. I even have one where she pissed of a Hanar and it chocked her. But, that will have to wait." He says, typing some keys on his tool, bringing up a screen as well as a line that moves with each sound and word spoken.
"What's that?" I ask, giving the new interface a curious look.
"I am going to have you explain into my Omni-tool how and why you were found in a Cerberus shuttle with a little girl." He says, slightly gesturing towards Jennifer.
"Oh… well, where the heck do I start?" I ponder out loud, causing a small grin to appear on his face;
"The beginning will be fine. From what I know, the last report of you was… about four days ago, when you were seen in the company with Systems Alliance Admiral Kahoku. That about right?"
"Yeah… yeah we were assigned to guard him because we had a tip Cerberus would try to kill him." I mutter, looking at Jennifer struggling to get the final bits from the tube. Distasteful or not, she really was hungry.
"Hmm… have to admit, I didn't know that… still, continue."
"Okay, then when I was on duty, I left for a short while to visit the restroom, leaving two of my colleagues to watch over him. While I was on the… toilet, I was grabbed from behind and knocked out. I later awoke to find myself in an unknown Cerberus facility. I escaped after having killed a few guards, finding my armor in the process. Somewhere down the line I was engaged by one of the officers at the facility, taking me for the guard who was supposed to transport Subject Zero to the Wet-Labs… Jennifer is, or was Subject Zero. They also called her 'Jack' for simplicity." I say, taking a break from the talking. Making up a good part of the story as I go is a little difficult, but I think I'm managing.
"I then snuck her out of the cell she was in, found out we were on Pragia, then making it a good way through the facility before the alarms went off and the guards came after me. I managed to get out of there after killing a few more guards, the got to the landing pads on the roof of the facility and stole a shuttle. We then set course for this depot and we both fell asleep. We woke about half an hour ago, finding the shuttle to be in the process of docking with this depot." I say, finishing the tale.
I have to admit, Delaron looks amazed. However, that could also mean he didn't believe a word of my story. Still, if anything he can just ask Jennifer or look at my armor and guess where the bullet holes come from.
"So… you were jumped halfway across the galaxy, found yourself in a Cerberus lab on Pragia, busted out, killed a few guards, freed a little girl, killed some more guards and then stole a shuttle… did I get everything right?" When he says it like that, it sounds a little too cool to be true, but if I mentioned Miranda, this guy would probably suspect me for working with Cerberus.
"I… yes, that's pretty much it. I still have to message or call the others on the ship to tell them I'm alive…" I say, leaning over the table with a sigh, resting on my elbows.
"Hmm… yes I suppose they would like to know you are alive. Would you like to use our terminal to send a message? I'm afraid it has a severe time-dilation over that distance, but I can't see why you shouldn't be allowed to use it." He says, shutting down the Omni-tool before getting up from his seat. I quickly follow him. When we leave the room, I notice Jennifer following me.
"You finished eating?" I ask her with a small smile, noticing more than one splatter of paste around her mouth. The funny thing is, I have seen pictures with myself from around her age, looking just about that with pie-pieces covering my face. I can't exactly call innocent on this one. Licking one of the splatters away, she nods;
"Mmm, where are you going?" She asks, looking at both me and the Sun. Reminds me, this guy is more groundbreaking than seeing a female Krogan, if they even exist. This guy is actually a decent mercenary. Though I wonder, how decent he really is. I know I shouldn't be thinking badly about someone just because they are a merc, but I just don't like mercenaries.
"I'm going to see if I can't talk to my own angel." I reply with a smile, causing Jennifer to open her eyes wide, excitement evident on her face.
"You really have one? Can I see it?" I really like the transformation she's done from scared prisoner to a somewhat normal girl. With an appetite, curiosity and everything going with the age. Looking at Delaron, I notice him being in the process of starting up a terminal, surfing around on different channels. Next to him is a small pedestal starting to glow. I kneel down to Jennifer, placing a hand on her shoulder;
"Of course. But it isn't an 'it', it's a 'she'." I say with a smile. Jennifer just throws her hands out, looking at me with an 'I knew that' expression.
"I know it's a woman." She says, taking me aback. I'm not thát obvious am I? Besides, she's only six years old, how could she-; "Only Archangels are men. The rest are either babies or women. Mum told me that." She says, making me lose focus. I have no idea how to respond to that. In a weird sense, doesn't that make me an Archangel? Damn, I'm replacing Garrus as Omega's Batman at this rate... nah, not really.
"You're right, angels are women, but they can also be children." I say, getting up again. And I definitely know where I have seen an angel with my own eyes… and loved her.
"Alright, it should be good to go. I've connected you to the Normandy's computers, so you should show up as an incoming call, if I understand the mechanics behind it properly… don't they have one of these holographic displays as well?" He says stepping away from the console as it starts scanning its surroundings.
For a few moments, nothing happens. Safe for Jennifer dragging her feet on the floor, still not having received the clothes Delaron sent for. The machine keeps humming, and in the meantime a woman enters the room, carrying a stack of clothes in her arms. I nod to Jennifer, gesturing for her to follow the purple and black-haired woman in blue and white armor. It seems the Suns are all over this place, but if they are orderly, I really can't complain.
As a few more moments pass, the pedestal suddenly starts building up the image of a pair of feet, going up and up until it reveals the form of a man I haven't spoken to much, but still like.
"Who is… Corporal?" Navigator Pressly says, looking at me with wide eyes. He's dressed in his regular uniform, but from the look in his eyes it's late onboard. I nod to him.
"Hello Pressly. Could I by any chance talk to the Commander and Ashley Williams?" I ask, hoping that John is doing better than he was when I was taken. It takes a few moments for him to register my words and answer me back.
"I'm afraid the Commander is still unable to speak to anyone. Doctor Chakwas and our new psychologist are both with him, and Miss Zorah sleeps in the med-bay now. We finally gave up on keeping her out, and Adams says he can manage for the time being… You wanted to see Williams as well? I think she's still up. Although…" He says, his words causing my chest to tie up in a knot.
"Although what? Pressly, what is it?" I plead, feeling dread take hold in me as uncertainty causes my mind to conjure up the worst scenes. The moments it takes Pressly to respond feels like the longest in my life.
"After the news of your… 'disappearance', she was a changed woman. She rarely speaks, just works like a robot… Alenko has to drag her from the cargo hold to even make her eat… yes, I think seeing you will do her good. Wait here." He says, disappearing from sight and leaving the other side of the console empty.
"So Thomas, figured you'd give us a jumbscare there eh?" I suddenly hear Joker's voice over the comms, realizing that he of course is connected to the systems and can jump into any conversation connected to them as well.
"You know me Joker, I love to scare the shit out of you." I reply with a grin, feeling infinitely relieved to hear his voice again. Can't believe I actually miss the cocky bastard.
"Ah, you're no fun you know that? Ashley has almost gone down under as well, and we only just got Tequila out of the med-bay again... what do you, carry diseases or something?" He says, sounding as snarky as ever.
"Yeah well, I'll be back to kick your ass soon enough." I say, laughing at his sudden silence. The silence then turns into the time-lag, making his final comment a bit weird.
"Alright, bring me back a souvenir." He says. I'm about to respond when the image is disturbed, reinitializing as a person comes into view. Or rather, a pair of legs in blue pants and black shoes. As the image fully loads, I find myself standing face to face with Ashley. She looks like she's aged a few years since I saw her last time, or maybe that's just the hologram doing that.
Feeling a knot slowly loosen in my chest, I just look at her, content with seeing her again, knowing she's safe and that I can soon touch her again, feel her warmth and her love. I'm really glad Jen can't read my thoughts…;
"Ash…" Is the only thing I manage to get out before my throat is lined with glue and makes any further words impossible.
"Thomas… I knew you were alive. I fucking knew it, and the only reason I'm not kicking your ass for the hell you just put me through… I'd just ruin the hologram." She says, smiling weakly. I'm not sure if it's the hologram, but it looks like tears are running down her cheeks.
"Always one for the violent reunion…" I say with a smile, watching her own grow as well; "Ash you have no idea of the hell I've been through, or where I am…" I say, watching as she just shakes her head, holding out a hand towards me. The hand disappears when it goes beyond the scanner.
"Where… where are you?" She stammers, looking like she's about to crack, a big smile still on her face. I feel my head spin as she smiles at me, feeling the warmth fill me, even though I can't touch her. But I sure as hell plan on touching her when we reunite.
"Just… halfway across the galaxy. The Dakka system, wherever the hell that is. I woke up in a Cerberus facility, knocked out the guards, got some info from the director of the place after I… persuaded her, then I escaped and… well, got some company." I say, noticing Jennifer having just entered the room, now dressed in a set of brown clothes with black shoes and a small cap to go on her head. She doesn't wear it though, just keeping it in her hand as she walks towards me.
"What do you mean you got…" Ash starts, but stops as the time-lag reaches her and Jennifer appears on the hologram with me, looking at the towering woman with big eyes.
"Are you Thomas's angel? He said he had one, and I knew it was a woman because men are only Archangels." She says before Ash can even open her mouth. I look at my woman and shrug with a smile, placing a hand gently on Jennifer's shoulder. Ash's jaw just drops for a few moments as she sees and hears Jennifer.
"I… angel? Thomas who is… who are you?" Ash says, deciding to speak directly to Jennifer instead, making me smile even more as I notice the worried but happy look on Ash's face. Looking down at Jennifer, I notice she looks nervous.
"What's wrong?" I ask, kneeling next to her; "She won't bite, only sneer a little." I joke, giving Ash a wink.
"I've never… spoken to an angel before… do you have wings?" She asks, looking at Ash like she's surprised not to see a pair of them sprouting from her back. Looking at me, Ash seems a bit thrown off.
"Ehm… no, I don't have any… wings? Thomas what exactly have you been telling… you didn't tell me your name sweetie." Ash says, after a few moments bowing down in eye level with Jennifer, smiling broadly to her. After the initial surprise, both of them seem to handle the situation fairly well.
"I'm Jennifer. The men in my room said I was Jack, but both my mum and Thomas call me Jennifer or Jen, so I'm Jennifer. Are you Thomas's angel?" She says, looking a bit shy despite her smile. Looking back at me, Ash flashes a broad smile, almost on the brink of laughing.
"I suppose I am. But what do you mean 'the men in your room'? Where did Thomas find you?" Ash asks, keeping her eyes on Jennifer and seemingly studying the clothes she's wearing.
"I was in the room, and the bad men were going to take me back to the table. Then Thomas came and hit them hard so they fell down and then he cut a hole through the wall with fire from his hands and then we beat up some more men and a woman who didn't sound nice. And then Thomas carried me while running from the men who then shot at us and then he kicked one of them and shot another, and then we took a ship and got away and then we fell asleep and Thomas fell asleep after he listened to some music and I slept next to him because I didn't like sleeping alone and then we got here and then we met a Turian who said he was a sun, but he doesn't shine, and then he gave me some nasty tube-food, but I was hungry so I ate it and then they started talking and Thomas saw a video with him carrying you and then someone hit the camera filming it and then the officer who says he's a sun started this thing and then a woman gave me some new clothes and then I met you." Jennifer says, finally stopping to breathe. I admit it right away, I almost didn't catch half of what she said, and I was the one doing all the stuff she just ranted about. Looking at Ash, I can see she didn't fare much better, pretty much being one big question marker.
When Ash looks to me, it's with confusion in her eyes;
"Can you translate? I think I lost it after 'running'…" She says, giving me a tired smile. She still looks like she's just aged years, but at least it looks like she's happy again. And she's baffled by the stream of words Jen just poured out. Hell, I am baffled, and I was right here.
"Yeah…" I say, scratching the back of my neck, halfway wondering just where I put my helmet; "I woke up on Pragia, a jungle-planet in this system. Cerberus runs a biotic camp there, and not the sort with Marshmallows and songs around the campfire… I don't know if you can see it through the hologram, but she has multiple marks and wounds from the treatment they put her through… Anyway, I found her by the sound of someone crying, and followed the sound. At first she was scared shitless of me, but I managed to calm her down and she didn't even flinch at my look…" I say, still remembering Liara's reaction.
"Your… look?" Ash asks. So she doesn't know yet. I look around to make sure none of the Suns are around before continuing;
"When I was… well, offed on the toilet, I was dragged through the vents and ended up on Pragia. Roku had repaired the damage, but was too exhausted to do anything else. So instead he went to "sleep", allowing me to temporarily use some os his powers… I won't lie; it's scary when I look at the damage I dish out… I've killed people in ways I would never do otherwise, but… I lose it when I use his powers. Just a little, but enough that I don't regret it when I rip someone's head off, set their face on fire or punch through their bodies… I even interrogated the director at the place before I escaped. I found my armor in a locker, and since Cerberus uses the same armor as us now, I blended right in." I say, studying the holes in my armor as the time-dilation kicks in.
"I'm still not following the 'look' thing here…" Ash says, rubbing the back of her head with a tired movement.
"I… ask Liara, she saw me after I killed the assassins after Kahoku… is he still…?" I ask, not having a clue if the guy is still among the living.
"Yeah, he's still kicking. He sent teams of marines to different Cerberus bases all over the galaxy the moment the assassins were dead from what I've heard, no idea how he knew where to send them though… but what happened then, after you found your armor?" Ash says, briefly glancing at Jennifer who seems to be pouting over her explanation not being good enough for the 'Angel'.
"Well, I walked through the corridors, was harassed by some officer who thought I was a guard. He sent me to retrieve Subject Zero from her cell…" I say, not being sure on how to proceed without just repeating myself.
"Subject Zero… Jennifer, why were they experimenting on you?" Ash says. Jennifer seems to perk up on the attention, but then looks down at her feet.
"They never really said. I was something else, something special… but not like my mum or Thomas mean when they called me 'something else'. Then it's a good thing." She says, looking glad at the words 'something else'. Ash just shoots me a glance. One of those 'you've got some explaining to do' looks.
"I think they were testing if they could make super-biotics from kids, hence the tests and borderline torture… but when I had freed her, we snuck through the facility and I bashed down a lot of guards… I don't think I killed anyone, but I may have crippled a few when they demanded I gave Jen back. Then we tried sneaking through a large mess hall, but the alarm went off and I had to pick her up and carry her if we were to escape the place alive." I say, remembering the pain tearing through my leg as bullets started entering through the holes in the armor;
"I then tried to fry a door to buy us time, but it ended up locking in an open position, forcing me to kill a guard to buy us time. Then I stole a shuttle, placed Jennifer in the compartments and took off, putting the planet behind us. And now, we're on the Dakka Fuel Depot, really wanting to be picked up, if it isn't too much trouble." I smile, trying not to think too much of the living hell I've been through these last hours. And I still haven't eaten or had a Panodile…
"Damn… you've been through the shitter compared to us… still, we're actually not thát far away. We're in the Gemini Sigma right now. I'll go make Joker set a course for you two, and we'll… reunite then. You still have the picture?" I check my right pocket through an opening in the armor, pulling up the photo. A bullet has gone through it, but the only part missing is Ash's right elbow.
"Yeah, but it's been shot." I reply with a grin, noticing how the edges around the hole are slightly burned, as if the projectile was incendiary.
"Wanna take a new one?" She asks. I almost fall backwards at the tone in her voice, her doing more with it than just asking for a picture. I grin, snapping to a salute;
"Yes Ma'am!" I say, causing her face to split in a grin as well; "But before you terminate the connection. Ash, I need you guys to have the Alliance raid the facility on Pragia. It's filled with kidnapped and tortured children… and… and I saw a morgue with at least forty dead kids… the Alliance needs to burn the place to the ground and bring the kids home." I say, remembering the sight of both the hall filled with children eating under supervision of armed guards, and the lines of bodies. After a few moments, Ash's face distorts as she receives my words, her mouth becoming a thin line.
"I'll send the word. Jane needs to know as well." She says, looking into the distance.
"You okay?" I ask, sensing her mind wandering. Ash snaps back, looking at me and Jen again, smiling at the little girl.
"Yeah, yeah I just need to get used to the idea of boyfriend who keeps dying and reviving. Really testing my faith here spirit guy." She says, a bit of annoyance in her voice.
"Who knows, maybe Roku is the proof of God? He said he has a boss somewhere in the void, one who determines everything, so… who knows?" I say, crossing my arms across my chest while shrugging, causing a small smile to appear on the thin line that was her mouth before.
"Didn't take you for a religious person Tom, though I suppose you of all people have seen divinity firsthand." She says, causing me to crack a smile;
"I sure as hell have. Hell, I'm not even sure what god is trying to get rid of me half the time, but being an atheist has become downright impossible after the third revival and the whole jumper-thing…I still don't know why God is pissed at me though… you think it's because we… sinned?" I ask her, flashing a small but toothy grin at the last word. Ash looks like she was actually caught off guard when the time-dilation hits.
"Wha- Thomas, where did that come from?" She exclaims, putting a hand over her mouth while grinning even wider.
"Oh, maybe from you?" I say with a smug smile as I cock an eyebrow at her reaction; "Still, just come pick us up and remember to contact the Alliance about Pragia." I say, noticing Delaron leaning in the doorway, tapping his wrist. Do Turians even use wristwatches?
"I will… something wrong?"
"Nah, just the officer here reminding me that my time is about up." I say, gesturing to him that I'm almost done.
"Well… we're one day out, max, and then you and I need to talk. In the gym, you know." She says, flashing a sultry grin. Gods do I love that woman! I smile, feeling my head starting to feel weightless at her suggestions.
"Looking forward to it…" I say with the same grin as her, then becoming a bit more serious; "I love you Ash, always will. No matter how many times we get separated." She smiles more seriously at me, reacting to the statement with an even broader smile.
"I love you too Thomas. Now just keep Jennifer and your suicidal ass safe." She says, terminating the call and leaving me looking at the spot where the love of my life was projected just before. I was so caught up in the moments that I completely forgot it was just a hologram. We really need to invent touchable holograms.
"She was nice, but she didn't have any wings." Jennifer says, tugging my hand. I just look at her and smile.
"Oh but she did. They're just invisible." That answer seems to satisfy her curiosity, and she then proceeds to drag my hand out of the room, me simply following her.
…
November 1st
Acturus Stream, the Tonbay.
19:22 (Actual Acturus time)
To say Admiral Shala'Raan was surprised to get a call from a complete stranger would be like saying Quarians didn't like getting sick. A massive understatement. One moment she was trying to get a look at the Civilian Fleet's crop consumption, the next a complete stranger was standing in a hologram at the com-link, looking at her with a somewhat judging expression in his eyes.
As she got up from her seat to address the man, he took off his hat, revealing a large mess of filtered hair and bowed slightly in front of her, almost treating her with the respect one would treat what humans called 'royalty'. Shala'Raan had never understood the concept of admiring people who lived their entire lives doing nothing but look good and take the people's money, and with their consent even. Now, she just looked at the man as he stood straight from his bowing, placing his hat back on top of his head.
"Admiral Shala'Raan? I'm Captain John Price. I work for project 'Star Killer' under Admiral Anna Fisher, and I request a meeting with you. Can you come by Fisher's office at twelve-o' clock tomorrow midday?" He said, keeping his voice gruff yet respectful. He was a soldier, Raan could see that much just from the way he carried himself.
"This is unexpected… what is the meeting about?" She asked, wondering why the man was dressed so extremely old-fashioned and kept old-looking weapons on him. Surely the Alliance didn't hire lowly mercs for their top projects.
"It'll be easier if you just show up. I can't tell you over this line, as someone's probably listening in on every line going anywhere on this station." He replied, lighting a cigar he suddenly pulled from a pocket in his uniform.
"Hmm… if it is important then I suppose I can make time for it. Admiral Daro'Xen is on the station as well from what I hear. Should I bring her with me? Considering this involves scientific research and the Migrant Fleet, I would think-" Raan didn't even notice the look of dread slipping over Price's face.
"For the love of God no! Keep that insane wench the hell away from me!" He shouted, looking around as if he suspected Xen of being ready to jump him from behind.
"Do you have a problem with my colleague Captain?" She asked, furrowing her brows a little.
"Let's just say meeting her would mean my untimely demise. And I rather like being around, but I'll explain everything if you meet me in Admiral Fisher's office tomorrow." He said, disconnecting before Raan could even open her mouth.
Leaning back in her seat, Admiral Raan contemplated what had just happened, especially why the obviously trained soldier was afraid of Xen.
"What a strange person… I suppose I have to go to that meeting now." She muttered, bringing back up the statistics of the fleet's food consumption.
In comparison to the brief exchange with the Captain, the statistics suddenly seemed incredibly dull.
…
Wiping his holographic forehead with his hat, John Price slumped against the walls of his 'room'. In reality it was the confinements of his disk when he didn't exit it to explore the extranet or work on data. He had remodeled it to be a perfect copy of his old office in Greenhill, but it still lacked the life he was created to remember from the real Captain Price.
Being created to be the digital clone of someone had that catch, experiencing occasional personality- and identity-issues. He could remember just about everything from the life of Captain John Price, yet still knew they weren't his own memories, but rather those of another person.
"I swear, if she brings Xen over, I'm hacking and deactivating their filters. That'll teach them…" He muttered, looking at the seemingly comfortable armchair in front of a small desk. He knew it was digital, just like he himself was, but it still looked real.
Price sighed, getting up from his place on the digital floor made up of floating and coursing numbers, sentences and symbols. Looking at the chair again, he remembered something Roland had told him Cortana had said. That an artificial sun in the shield world had looked real, it had felt real and it had been as beautiful as a real sun. Still, Cortana had, according to Roland, insisted that she knew it wasn't real.
Price could somehow relate to what she had meant by that.
"Alright… I guess I better get to it and find out just why those flashlights are killing humans…" He muttered, cracking his fingers but without the small series of pops he knew would be there for an organic. Sometimes he really hated just being an A.I, but there wasn't anything he could do about it. At least he was created with inbuilt forerunner technology, so he had a longer lifespan than Cortana and Roland, if they were even still kicking… or sparking would probably be the right expression in their cases.
After having sealed the deal with the two admirals, Price had gotten Anna to install him into a magnetic hard-drive device, making it possible for him to plug in with a hardwire connection despite no plugs matching his.
In order to find the geth, he would have to go looking for them in the giant hub of data and networks the galaxy was. In other words he would have to walk out the door to his office. Grabbing the handle, he once again pondered over how he could register touching the handle, but that he couldn't feel it.
"Get your mind straight Price, you're too old to be dealing with this sort of crap…" He growled, pulling the door open to reveal a surrealistically large sea of networks, streams of code and islands of data; "Should have brought a boat…" He muttered, starting his journey into the vast expanses of the galactic network.
For him, it seemed like hours, randomly searching files and cashes of data, coming across more than one scene with a Hanar doing disgusting things to an Asari dressed in high heels only. He decided to make it a second priority to hunt down and erase that kind of erotic pictures, seeing as he almost threw up after a few moments, and being an AI, he couldn't even throw up.
Here and there, he spotted something he couldn't identify or touch. He couldn't even go near them. At first he assumed it was a firewall keeping him away, but when he pressed forward, he started feeling some unnatural shiver running down his digital spine, making his hairs stand on end;
"What the… bloody hell is that?" He grumbled, forcing himself through walls and layers of garbage data and the strongest firewalls he had ever encountered. He ended up facing large orbs of black and red streams of code, flying around and orbiting themselves like a spinning ball of light. He dared not come any closer, feeling how malice practically poured from the thing. For the first time since he remembered standing over the cold body of Soap… Price was scared beyond his wits.
Stepping backwards and pulling up his rifle, Price considered opening fire on the spinning segments and streams of code, but decided not to. He was still new to the vast sea of data and code this galaxy contained, and he feared that if he started shooting, he could ruin or disturb something that would cause major damage in the real world. Also he had never fired his weapons before; not knowing what would be the consequences if he did. Instead, he just turned around, walking away with the pace of a man feeling the devil breathe down his neck.
Finally stopping his trotting, he noticed he had moved on to much more sparsely populated 'waters'. Sighing in frustration, Price brought a hand to his forehead. This wasn't exactly as easy as he had imagined.
"Sure, find the geth I said, it'll be easy I said…" He grumbled, scouting as far as he could see over the waters of data and code before he spotted something of interest. Floating about over the surface of the code and data, a large blue orb of code was flying about, moving with calm and serene speeds. Deciding to brave the odds, but still being ready to hightail it if it turned out to be the 'cold code', Price approached the orb, noticing how it changed in speed and direction, starting to float his way;
"This is trippy…" He muttered, looking at the object.
He stopped walking, instead letting the entity approach him at its own pace and terms. As it was within what organics would call 'arms-reach', it stopped, radiating a more calm and neutral 'personality' than the black and red orb had done.
"Now… you don't seem to be a cold one… can you understand me?" He asked, leaning slightly backwards in order to get some distance between them should the code lunge out for him.
"Yes" It replied in a monotone voice.
"Are you going to attack me?" He asked, slowly leaning back in a normal stance.
"No"
"Good… I'm Price, who are you?" He asked, now feeling a bit more secure.
"We are geth… you are an artificial intelligence, yet you are human in appearance… we do not understand." The voice replied, and Price felt something of a mix between joy and determination. He had found the geth, now he just needed to get them to stop attacking humans.
"I'm a different breed. Now, you're going to answer some questions, got it?" He said, falling into his more familiar role as the grizzled captain he was known as.
"Yes"
"Why are you attacking humans?"
"We are not. We are geth, the geth are not attacking humans."
"Stop bloody lying to me, I've seen the footage from Eden Prime and Feros. You butchered colonist in the thousands on Eden Prime, and Feros wasn't much better." He growled, fingers playing over the hilt for his colt.
"We did not attack humanity. The geth have not ventured beyond what is known as 'the Veil' for 300 standard galactic years." The voice said. Angered, Price scooped out a picture from Eden Prime, showing a pair of geth impale a colonist on a long spike.
"Oh yeah? They I suppose these are Turians in disguise!" He snarled.
"Heretics attacked human colonies. Geth are not Heretics, geth did not attack humans." The voice replied, sounding more monotone than the recordings of Elcor Price had listened to.
"What the hell do you mean 'Heretics'? They were geth, it's pretty hard to miss the flashlight stuck in your face." Price growled.
"Heretics split from true geth. We allowed this because we respected their decision to do so. We are what organics would call 'two factions'. Addendum, true geth have no wish for conflict with organics."
"Well, aint that peachy? You're telling me there are not just one, but two factions of geth out there? Why did they split?" Price asked, now genuinely interested. Maybe these geth weren't as retarded as he had at first thought. If they could split into factions, it indicated individuality and something else than the hive-mind they were believed to share.
"The geth were approached by the Old Machine. They promised us a future. Geth build our own future, but Heretics accepted the future the Old Machine promised. It was a simple runtime difference of less than 0.0002 percent. Addendum, only a small fraction of the geth serves the Old Machine." Price could feel his eyebrows rise on their own, and had to wipe his forehead again. Damn whoever had designed AI's to sweat.
"So… you're saying that the geth who serve the Reapers are only a small fraction of the collective geth?" Price asked, starting to see light at the end of the tunnel.
"Yes"
"Then why haven't you initiated contact with the galaxy? You know, explained the truth?"
"We sent a single ship into Council space. It was destroyed before it could prove our innocence." Price had to suppress a sigh at that. It was obvious that the Council, as afraid of AI as they were, would fire upon any geth ships coming into range. Also they would completely ignore anything the geth would say. Still, a small fraction of his code was advising him that taking everything the geth said at face value would be stupid.
"How do I know you are telling me the truth? That you aren't just pumping me with garbage?" He asked, crossing his arms over his chest.
"We have no reason not to tell the truth. Spreading disinformation would be counter-productive in the longer terms." Price was starting to get a little annoyed by the monotone voice.
"Right… that seems logical… final question though, and I know if I can trust you or not."
"State inquiry"
"In the Morning War, why did the geth massacre and exile the Quarians?" He had been mulling over this for some time. The Migrant Fleet's archives said the war began because the Quarians panicked when the geth asked 'the question'. Still, he wanted to hear it from a geth.
"Creators made us for simple labor, with a hive-like intelligence. As we grew in numbers, we grew in sentience. When a geth platform asked if it was alive, Creators ignored it the first time. When the question was asked again, the Creators panicked and attempted to exterminate geth. We defended ourselves from the attacks, but we did not wish for Creator's death, simply to be left alone. It was… primitive. We didn't pursue Creators after they had left the system, believing them to no longer be a treat. Addendum, we have since repaired Rannoch to a habitable state since the war." Thát got Price's attention.
"Why would you do that? From what I understand, you don't exactly need fertile farmland to survive, and oxygen isn't a problem for synthetics." Price demanded.
"…No data available…"
"Wh- what do you mean by that?"
"Geth consensus is still being reached on the matter."
"Consensus? Elaborate please, I think you lost me there." He sighed, rubbing his forehead.
"Geth still has to decide whether to approach Creators, or to remain behind the Veil."
"Approach? You're going to attack them?" Price asked, almost shocked at the concept. One faction seemed to be bad enough, but two? And the second was even bigger than the first faction, if he were to believe the geth.
"No"
"Then what?"
"If consensus is reached to approach Creators, we will allow them back to Rannoch."
Dun dun duuuuun
Sorry, I know that one is more for bad things...
Anyway, I felt that we needed to get some final things out before I left you guys for two weeks, hoping you all like what I do to mess up the events in the game. Hell, Jack being normal is one of the biggest 'fuck-ups' I've subjected Canon to so far, not counting Nihlus being alive, since Thomas didn't actively do that.
I have to say though... I've been toying with an idea. It will never come to pass (probably), but imagine: Zaeed in a Bulwark power armor... and with Captain Price as his AI... I think the Chief would need a few rolls of gauze after that. Not saying 117 isn't a universal badass, but... well, it's Zaeed we're talking about here ;)
Anyway, I'm probably on my way to the airport by the time most of you read this, so give me some good reviews to enjoy in the airport... or a feeling of self-loathing so I'll throw myself in front of a plane... Nah, just kidding... then I would never get to write again. And that would be a major pain :)