Alright, I added in a twist that I hinted at in the last chapter. This becomes extremely important so if you don't like it just bare with me please. Thank you to Goobielicious and the anonymous guest for your reviews. I am glad you are enjoying the story and I plan to write not only through all three games, but fill in the gaps between the games as well.
Luke hit the floor hard. Even with the safety mats separating him from the hard cargo bay floor, the landing was not pleasant. Garrus laughed and helped his friend up.
"You can't beat a turian in a straight up fight, you know that. You have to use your advantages." Garrus said backing up ready to go another round.
"Like what?" Luke said stretching his arms and readying himself for another bout.
"There is no such thing as a fair fight, right? So you use the weakness of your opponent to get the upper hand." Garrus said lunging at Luke. Luke dropped to the floor and swept Garrus' legs out from under him and rolled in time to plant his heel at the edge of Garrus' armor. "Hey, that was dirty?" Garrus said pushing Luke's leg off his chest.
"No such thing as a fair fight." Luke said standing up slowly.
"Right." Garrus said with a chuckle as Luke helped him to his feet. Tali giggled and stepped into the ring.
"I'll let you take this one big guy." Luke said patting his friend on the shoulder. He clenched his fists and fiddled with the tape on his knuckles. He felt guilty about keeping the files about Brexler from Claire, but he could not have them finding out about Lazarus. Claire and Mallory were finally looking at him like a functioning member of the team rather than their damaged little brother. Could they ever look at him that the same way if they found out what happened? He scanned through the files again quickly suddenly realizing that there was something that he had not searched for, Subject Alpha and Serum J-11. Two files that he had not withheld from Claire popped up. Luke's eyes went wide.
Oh crap. I kept everything that mentioned Dr. Brexler by name but I forgot about his journal. He always used codes, and this other file talks about using the J-11 Serum to enhance biotic abilities in a Subject Zero, but it desn't say where.
Suddenly, the Mako landed in the cargo bay and the hand-to-hand training stopped as Claire and the ground team climbed out of the vehicle. Luke watched as his sisters again ignored him or gave him judgmental glances.
Luke sighed and hurried over to the elevator just as the doors started to close with his sisters inside.
"I've got some explaining to do." Luke said softly bringing up the files on his omni-tool. Claire crossed her arms and leaned against the wall of the elevator.
"I think so. Why is there a file that pretty much says that you were a test subject for Cerberus?" Mallory snarled.
"Well, if you know that, then you found Dr. Brexler's project journal. The question is do you understand what they did to me?" Luke asked lowering his gaze and concentrating on his boots.
"I know they offered to help you and you agreed, then they wanted to do more and you refused, even got violent. Luke, that drug might be why you are the way you are. Why you found it so easy to kill Saleon." Luke rolled his eyes at Claire's remarks.
"I am the way I am because of the things I have seen and done. Same way you are. I see evil and I kill it. What they did to me was take away almost all the proof I had of the torture that I endured. All I have are my memories and this stupid brand on my shoulder." Luke snapped.
"Why would you keep this information from us? Do you think you owe Cerberus for saving you or something?" Mallory asked.
"I don't owe those bastards anything. Do you realize how many tests, samples, and experiments they did on me? I was a specimen, not a refugee." Luke snapped.
"Then why keep the files? Why keep all this from us?"
"Because I'm sick of people seeing me as broken. I checked all the files. All the relevant data was in the other files. The only things that I held back were the files about Lazarus and Dr. Brexler himself." Luke said Claire uncrossed her arms.
"We found his journal. We found the entries related to Lazarus. I just have one question, are you Subject Alpha?" Luke wet his lips and looked over at Claire.
"I am." Luke looked over at Mallory and closed his eyes. "But they did something to me that I don't think they even realized. In fact, I know they didn't." Luke opened his eyes and extended his hands. Slowly a blue orah formed around is hand and his eyes began to glow. Biotic energy flowed through him and formed a small field around his hand.
"So it made you a biotic?" Mallory said stepping back. Awe showed on other his sisters' faces as the energy dispersed.
"I can summon some power enough to prove I'm a biotic without an amp, but in order to use it in combat or anything else for that matter I will need one." Luke crossed his arms. "But I don't want one."
"It would be an asset in combat." Mallory said.
"Like your boyfriend? No, I'm untrained and once more, I don't want to be a biotic." Luke stopped as the elevator door opened. He wet his lips and started toward the mess hall. Claire watched her brother turn the corner then headed to her quarters followed closely by Mallory.
"Our brother is a biotic!?" Mallory exclaimed as soon as the doors closed.
"I know. I did not see that coming either, but he does not want to be trained and did you see how hard he had to concentrate to someone just enough power to prove it. His powers are insanely week." Claire said rubbing her hands together.
"Well, what are we going to do about it? If Cerberus has a drug that can make anyone a biotic, that could be really bad." Mallory crossed the room to her sister.
"There's not anything that we can do about it right now." Claire said opening her personnel data screen. Suddenly an alarm went off and an alert popped up.
"What's that?"
"I had Tali set up a warning system on my console to scan for geth transmissions and cross reference them with known positions, new intel, and distress calls. The alert means that it found one that paired up with a distress call." Claire said opening the file and scanning through it. Claire swung around in her chair and brought up her omni-tool with the ship's radio. "Joker, change course immediately. We're going to Feros."
"Aye aye commander. ETA 23 hours." Joker responded.
"Anyway that we can shave that?" Claire asked.
"Not unless you want to get out and push." Joker answered. Claire smiled.
"Alright, just do what you can. We might be able to catch up with Saren this time." Claire said closing the channel.
"What makes you think its Saren?" Mallory asked.
"Feros is a new human colony built in old Prothean ruins. If there is anything there that Saren wants, it's probably Prothean like the beacon. It's really just a guess but I don't think that he would trust something like that to anyone else." Claire wrung her hands. What if she was wrong? What if this was not Saren?
"You're probably right, but even if he isn't there himself, the colony is definitely in trouble." This made Claire feel a little more secure in her thinking. Feros was the right choice. Cerberus and Saren would still be out there but if they waited much longer those colonists might not be.
In the mess hall, Luke could feel the ship suddenly change directions even with the inertia dampeners and mass effect fields up. That had to be some turn Joker was pulling. Luke stood and made his way up the stairs and up to the cockpit.
"What's with the banking?" Luke said taking a seat in the copilot chair.
"Apparently some big to do on Feros that the commander just got wind of. Must be big if she is putting the search for Cerberus on hold right?" Luke looked over at Joker and nodded.
"Yeah, she seems pretty focused on them doesn't she?"
"I'll tell you. I don't ever want to be on her bad side. Or yours." Joker glanced over at Luke and smiled. Luke crossed his arms.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Luke said with a smirk.
"Heard how you handled Saleon. Sounded like that bastard had it coming." Joker said punching a few commands into the flight console.
"Don't tell me you think I was wrong?"
"Hell no, Luke. Anytime you see someone as bad as that you go right ahead and shoot them." Joker said making a gun with his fingers. Luke smiled.
"Glad to know someone is on my side." Luke said rubbing his hands. Luke stood slowly and made his way back down the corridor toward the CIC only to bunp into Liara.
"Hello Luke." The asari said softly.
"Liara, are you alright?"
"I went down to that planet and collected those marines' dog tags and…" Liara stopped and wet her lips.
"Feeling a bit of mortality, huh?" Luke said placing a hand on her shoulder.
"I'm an archeologist, Luke. I know how long things last." Luke nodded. "I'm…scared. If I die on this path, what do I leave behind?" Liara clasped her hands.
"Friends that care about you and who will remember you." Luke said smiling and offered her his hand. She smiled and hugged him.
"I am sorry. I am grateful that I have friends now. I was on my one on remote digs for most of my career. I never had too many friends." Liara released him. Luke nodded.
"I'm happy to call you a friend. Look, I think I can trust you so I need you to do me a favor." Luke took her hands in his. "I need you to find a biotic amp for me. I need a way to keep my power in check."
"You are a biotic?" Liara whispered looking both ways down the corridor.
"My power is minimal but I've been feeling it grow since we've been in combat. I don't know what exactly it is about being on board the Normandy but since I came onboard my biotics have been getting stronger. I use to only be able to form a small barrier around my hand, now I can summon power all around my arms and upper body."
"Well, I know that there are some amps that increase not only the control of biotics but also the strength. If you want, I could see if I could find one for you once we are back on the Citadel." Luke smiled.
"Yes thank you. And please keep it a secret. All I want the amp for is to suppress my abilities. No need to get one of the really advanced ones." Luke said releasing her hands. Liara nodded. She did not understand someone not wanting to be a biotic but she respected Luke far too much to question his motives. She did have to admit, although she found herself more attracted to his sister Claire, Liara did find Luke quite handsome, but she knows very well that Luke cared greatly for Ashley. He had never even tried to keep his feelings for the human woman a secret, but he also had shown the same amount of respect and friendship to her as she showed him.
Luke smiled and thanked Liara for her understanding before he headed toward the crew quarters in the sleep area to get some sleep before they got to Feros.