TES FRIGATE PHOENIX
ENROUTE CHARON RELAY
SOL SYSTEM
SEPTEMBER 2188
"YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!"
Angus Riley, ship's head tech and an Engineer, watched the screen in the Phoenix's Situation Room with disbelief as the dossier received from Hackett loaded. The Alliance symbol rolled up, with a "For Eyes Only" legend under it.
"Boss – please, tell me this is some kind of sad Alliance joke."
Miranda gave him a sour look.
"It isn't. This is not some mid-tier contract, Riley. This is important." Her crew were comfortable seated at a long table, the large screen at one end. The room, if not on a starship, would not have looked out of place in a posh office block. She sat at one end. Riley sat between Ellie and Saajila to her right. Her other asari crew member, the soft-spoken and ex-"performance poet" – whatever that was - Alieesh Himgi– appeared on holo by the big screen. She was the Phoenix's pilot. She was a formidable Adept, who had a penchant for reciting the asari equivalent of a haiku with every significant kill. Miranda's favourite so far had been the one she'd intoned on the Sirius III Depot raid against a Blood Pack krogan chieftain:
"Singularity bound, warp to follow
Your actions you find turn out to be hollow
One thing to uncover ere we're through
That it's very unfortunate you had to be you."
As epitaphs went, Miranda mused, they at least rhymed.
"Why would we kid you, Riley?" Himgi asked him. "As usual, you make no sense."
"I make perfect sense. It goes hand-in-hand with my beauty – sense and looks. Unbeatable."
Up the table from Miranda, Illemna Rafleen, another Vanguard-class biotic, salarian, said dryly,
"Oh, no, Riley, you're perfectly beatable." Which induced laughter in her crewmates and a sour look from the Engineer.
Not many "normal" salarian females left Sur'kesh, certainly none with biotic abilities, (as rare as they were) but Illemna was anything but normal. She was exactly five feet tall, with an even temper, large green eyes, elegant back sweeping horns and delicate skin patterns, rusty and golden. Unfortunately, Illemna was one of the unfortunate caste of salarian females – genetically sterile, and although from a prestigious breeding family, she could never contribute to the line. When her latency for biotics was uncovered (possibly contributing to her sterility), she opted to be outfitted and trained for it, becoming a one of the rare female STG agents, then leaving that when her attentions wandered elsewhere, off Sur'kesh and away from the pity. The war had seen her trapped on the horror that had become the Citadel, a bodyguard among many of the salarian Councilor. Only his evacuation had saved her.
When she Charged, she curled into a ball – since she was "so small", and called it her "Body-Punch". It was effective enough. She preferred krogan shotguns and salarian pistols. She was also a near-supernatural cryptologist/decrypter. Miranda had yet to see a code or lock she couldn't crack.
Next to Illemna sat – or rather fidgeted, one Tsuchi Hoshiko, an Infiltrator/Sentinel-class biotic and the not-so-secret crush of Mr. Riley. Not secret to anyone other than Hoshiko, that was. She was quiet, introspective, not one for crowds or much camaraderie. Hailing from Ashiya, Fukuoka Prefecture in Japan, the former teacher and chemical specialist had been recruited by Cerberus before being reassigned to the Lazarus Project. Miranda remembered liking that she was calm and professional, and had sought her out when she formed the team. Hoshiko-san agreed the way she'd agreed to join Lazarus, without a fuss. Because of her chemical expertise, Hoshiko-san was both the crew's medic and explosive expert. She had straight features, large eyes, and a disarming manner. In the quiet between missions, she kept to herself, not unfriendly, just preferring her own thoughts. But in combat, however, that manner vanished. Hoshiko-san was as fierce and relentless as anyone else on her crew. She also had an odd love of ancient motion pictures, her favourite actors being James Cagney, Katherine Hepburn and Bette Davis. When inquired as to why, she would only say, "They seem kind", and left it at that.
She merely smiled at the jibe to Riley, and she was the only one he "forgave".
"Well, Tsuchi-chan thinks I'm wonderful." He smirked at her.
Sitting next to Ellie, cleaning a pistol, was the soldier of the lot, Ilola Jamilah, weapons expert.
"If you said that about me? I would shoot you for defamation of character." Which also prompted more laughter, even a light one from Hoshiko. Riley just shook his head and shut up.
Jamilah was not as heavily biotically dependent as the rest, using what biotic power she had to charge her ammo and barriers, but she did it so well, it was if she were encased in a Reaper hull and had bullets coated in depleted uranium. She was a tank without the heaviness. She didn't like uniforms, never one for a lot of protocol. She was covered in intricate tribal tattoos, all in a bright white pigment that stood out sharply on her dark skin. No one knew what they meant, and Ilola had no inclination to explain them. She liked to laugh – loudly, loved folly and sarcasm and had one of the best singing voices Miranda had ever heard. She'd often wondered why Ilola did not pursue it professionally – a huge and lucrative career was carried in that voice, but Ilola was completely indifferent to the idea. She also, and Miranda admitted a certain level of envy to herself, looked like that classic ancient bust of Nefertiti. Her short hair was wrapped in a bright red bandana with a faded Alliance insignia on it.
Lastly, but certainly not least, currently sifting through the dossier for the meeting, standing by the screen, the oddest biotic of the team and the absolute rarest.
Asha'Rhaal Vas Phoenix, one of only five known quarian biotics in existence. She was also Miranda's secret. An exile from the Flotilla, Asha'Rhaal had been kicked out through no fault of her own, an unwitting victim of an ill-advised experiment – long-since buried and forgotten by most quarians and never, ever acknowledged by the Admiralty – in an attempt to create quarian adepts. The faked ship disaster and release of dust-form eezo through a civilian ship – a freighter aptly-named Last Resort - had killed ninety quarians and crippled thirty others, only five showing any inclination. It had been quickly hushed up, the ship declared lost - stripped and abandoned in an asteroid field in the coincidentally-named Phoenix system in the Argos Rho cluster - and the five survivors, all children - striped of their names and exiled to a far-rear perimeter ship to further the experiment. Asha'Rhaal had been ill for months, nearly died any number of times, but once she'd recovered, she'd found herself possessed of new power – at least the potential for power, as her amps were not professionally done, her e-nodes small, the surgery inept.
Eventually, she'd escaped. Fortunately for her, her stolen skiff was found by a passing asari surveyor, and her uniqueness and story found her on Illium, under a servitude contract that saw her amps professionally installed, her biotics professionally trained and her life – even as a defacto slave, much better than it had ever been on the Flotilla. She'd served as a secretary/bodyguard for an asari CEO, perfect because who would ever suspect a quarian as a biotic, until her contract had been up and she'd felt confident – and financially salient enough – to strike out on her own.
She'd gone back to the Fleet when the call had gone out at the start of the Geth War, in disguise and under an assumed name with false colours, melded in with the "survivors' of lost quarian ships – at least a legitimate one. She'd stepped on Rannoch like all the others with an odd joy at a home she'd never known and had though to escape into the huge empty areas, but felt that joy dissipate with an astonishing alacrity. It was not home. She had no real love for the quarian people, felt no loyalty to the Fleet and had no living kin, all having been on the Last Resort. It had been struck from the Fleet Roster, and it now had never been, so she had never been.
Asha'Rhaal found that suited her just fine.
For all her experiences, she had a remarkably positive outlook on life. Despite her distrust of most quarians, Miranda valued Asha highly, employing her for her strengths. She had also, thanks to Miranda's bottomless finances, the best suit money could buy, and had undergone the "geth immunity therapy". Due to her biotics, she acclimated quickly, and rarely needed her helmet. She still wore it when on mission, but on the Phoenix, she rarely did. She looked, Miranda thought, remarkably like the asari Shiala, whom Miri knew only from dossiers on potential teammates for Shepard during the Collector missions (Shiala was considered "tainted" and never considered seriously). Asha's eyes were different, darker, with a slight tilt. Her facial markings were jagged, like thin lightning bolts.
"Excuse me," she said, looking up. "I'm ready."
"Go ahead, Asha." Miranda got herself comfortable.
"What can be determined from the data contained in this dossier is troubling. It seems that some previously unknown agency is targeting and killing what appears to be select groups of various species. However, in each instance, wherever quarians are present, they are spared. Also, it seems that this immunity also extends to krogan. I will now show you all the relevant vid-feeds."
"I saw only quarians in the initial data Hackett showed me." Ashe waved the dossier as she spoke.
"There are more incidences in this. So far, closer analysis of video feeds indicate that quarians, krogan and vorcha are immune to whatever this phenomenon may be. The sample count of non-quarians is too small to say with any real certainty, but the instances are there."
"Any reason given for the discrepancy?" Illemna asked.
"None. Frankly the speculation contained herein is standard and not very imaginative, and not necessary to recount. It confuses the issue more than illuminates it. Their main excuse publicly is some form of rogue Reaper tech."
"Right. Why not? It's the handiest of excuses." Riley. He was tapping a stylus on the table. Ellie took it from him.
Asha ran the videos, and they watched stoically, with only Riley grunting or inarticulately making some noise of exclamation at particular scenes. When the last finished, Asha resumed.
"Unfortunately, it won't fly for much longer. Incidences are rising, and both civilian and law enforcement agencies are beginning to notice the lack of certain kinds of casualties."
"Okay – no offence meant," Jamilah began. "But do we know it isn't the quarians?"
Asha called up a page of data on the screen, some preliminary – and not very good – scans of the affected areas.
"What little that can be gleaned hints at a technology beyond current deployments. Certainly the quarians have nothing to compare. The geth… possibly, but unlikely."
"What kind of technology?" Ellie started tapping Riley's stylus on the table.
"It appears to be some kind of magnetically-charged molecular-based artificiality."
"Could you pretend that some of us don't know what that means?" Himgi.
"Sorry. The scientists who examined what little evidence they could find tentatively concur that the entities in question are artificial constructs - a conglomeration of microscopic machines and not living beings – far in advance of anything ever seen."
"Even Reapers?" Riley. Asha nodded. Riley whistled.
"Shit and the fan, Boss." He grimaced at Miranda. "Are we even remotely equipped for this kinda mission?"
"We're equipped for any kind of mission," Miranda told him with pride. "I could always give you – unpaid – time off for a couple of spa days, if you're feeling stressed."
"Not remotely." He smirked at her. "Fine – so it's a sweep and gather mission. We go looksee and report back?"
"I think Councillor Hackett is worried that this – whatever it is – goes much deeper than that."
"What do you think, Asha?" Riley asked her.
"There isn't enough coherent data to draw any conclusions. I do agree, however, that this is only going to get worse."
Miranda nodded.
"That's the general consensus. Review these contacts Hackett wants us to find, please."
"They are acquainted with one another. The first of those is a human, named Winston Black. The assassin known as…"
"The Duke." Hoshiko finally spoke up. Riley eyed her with surprise and suspicion.
"You know this man, Hoshiko-san?" Miranda asked.
"Only by reputation." Miri's eyes narrowed. That sounded like a lie, a rather personal lie - but she didn't pursue it. Her crew were allowed their secrets, as long as it didn't jeopardize the mission. She indicated Asha was to continue.
"…Duke. Last seen enroute to Kahje, reason unknown. The second is Akilah Nwosu Shizuka, known as 'The Hammer' - a codename, obviously – she has apparently been in reserve and recalled to active duty. This says she is currently on or has recently departed Layfette Station. Finally, Ellison Flynn, recently released from Ashewharf Prison on Hercanilys - whereabouts unknown."
No one saw Miranda start at the name and face on the screen. She covered it with a discreet cough as Saajila asked,
"What's their connection to one another?"
"They're all former – or inactive – N7-class Alliance soldiers. The last time they served together was on the planet Torfan in 2178."
"Wait, wait…." Riley piped. "I know those names. They were the last survivors of Shepard's team against the batarians. 'Shepard's Knives'!"
Ellie gave Riley a look of feigned contempt. Miranda arched an eyebrow at him.
"Shepard's what?"
"'Knives'. It's what the regular grunts called 'em - you know, he was the Butcher and they were his Knives. Butcher - Knives!"
"That has to be the stupidest thing I've heard all week." Ellie told him, shaking her head.
"What? Soldiers are like that."
"I know what soldiers are like. It's still stupid."
"It's just a nickname," he said lamely.
"It's stupid."
"Okay, okay." He sighed. "Sheesh. An island alone in a sea of roiling estrogen. My fate, my burden."
"There is also a very recent request here to meet with a Doctor Liara T'Soni – at 'our earliest convenience'. Coordinates are included." Miranda nodded, wondered what the Shadow Broker knew, rose, indicating the meeting was over.
"Everyone to their stations. We'll try and find this 'Hammer' woman first. If we miss her, we'll go meet Doctor T'Soni. From the sounds of things, we've got our work cut out for us."
Riley sauntered by her as they all filed out, stopped, said,
"No shit. We have to hunt strange critters that successfully kill with a touch – except for certain kinds of folks, and hunt for N7 killers who may or may not know something about something even the people most intimately involved and have the most information on actually have no clue about either." He huffed out a breath, sucked another in. "That sound right?"
"Pretty much," Miranda told him blandly. She crossed her arms.
"I'll go run diagnostics on Joe. Maybe he'll know what the hell is going on."
The door shushed behind him, but Miranda was no longer listening. She was gazing at a face yet on the screen, one with red hair and green eyes, an insolent smile on his not-unattractive face, the name "Ellison Flynn" over it, his vital statistics scrolling beneath. Miranda sighed, shut the screen off. She felt a headache start behind her eyes, rubbed the bridge of her nose.
"Oh, god. Flynn." She muttered to herself. "Anyone but Flynn."