Hello again, everyone, and welcome back to my Mass Effect - MechWarrior/BattleTech crossover.
Ladies and gentlemen, I have returned. Thank you all for waiting so patiently for new chapters to come out. As I promised, I have come back to get this crossover going again. After long hours of thinking, I've been able to come up with a way to continue the crossover without tripping up. I also have a beta-reader that will help me keep true to the setting, while incorporating new ideas.
I have also, with that beta reader's help, completely rewritten the previous chapters. If you haven't seen the previous chapters after they were rewritten, I recommend that you do so. If you've read the newly rewritten chapters, then the new plot will make much more sense.
Also, just to inform you, one of the chapters I posted will be temporarily deleted from this crossover. This is, as I must emphasize, temporary, as that chapter is going to be sent to the beta-reader I am working with. Once adjustments have been made to that chapter, it will be reposted. The announcement will be permanently deleted, however.
Either way, thank you all so much for being patient with me. I look forwards to posting more chapters, now that I've regained the momentum to keep going.
As always, leave a review and enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own the MechWarrior/BattleTech or Mass Effect franchises. They are the respective properties and trademarks of Electronic Arts, BioWare, FASA Corporation, FASA Interactive, Catalyst Game Labs, Piranha Games Inc., etc. Any material original to the franchises belongs to their respective developers and publishers. Any material original to the franchises is of my own invention. I do not own any music listed in each chapter. Any music listed belongs to it's original composers and/or artists.
New Avalon IV
Main Operating Base Charlie
June 16th, 3018
At 0530 hours local time, Sortek was out of bed and threw his clothes and armor on, before heading to the holding cells inside the base. He then made his way outside and into the early summer air. He mentally reviewed his plan: to take James Vega and that EDI robot to the NAIS covertly and see what else could dissect from their minds... and possibly their bodies.
Then Sortek heard someone approaching from behind, and he turned to face the approaching Private. "What is it?" Sortek demanded.
"Quintus called in while you were getting ready," the Private reported. "He's alerted the security force there that we're bringing guests along. The NAIS Administrator has gotten everything ready."
"Good to hear. Anything else?"
"Quintus recommended that you bring them in via DropShip. It'll be faster than subway cars, and keep suspicion to a minimum," the private said.
"I take it the samples we gathered are on their way?" Sortek asked.
"They should've arrived an hour ago, sir. The scientists there have already gotten to work analyzing them. We'll know if they really are aliens by the time you arrive there."
Sortek nodded. "Excellent. Carry on, Private. I'll see to it that you receive a commendation for your work."
"Thank you, sir."
Sortek went back inside to the holding cells, hands clasped behind his back. "Is James Vega ready for transport?" he asked the staff.
"We're doing final checkovers now, sir," the guard standing by the door told him. "Then we'll have him and that EDI... thing... headed to a private spaceport under armed guard."
"Good." Sortek couldn't help a grin. "History is being made, and I'm here to see it. What a time to be alive..."
. . .
In his holding cell, Vega could feel the guard's eyes boring into him as he got ready for his trip. So paranoid, he thought as he laced up his combat boots. EDI didn't seem to mind, though. When James was ready, he motioned to the waiting guards.
The nearest guard nodded and approached Vega, preparing a pair of handcuffs as he went. That was when Sortek himself walked in. The guards all saluted.
"At ease," Sortek said casually. Spotting the handcuffs, he said, "Those won't be necessary. He knows better than to take us all on by himself." He fixed Vega with a stern glare. "Am I right?"
Damn, the guy's intimidating, Vega observed.
Sortek continued, "James Vega, You will stay by my side during our visit to NAIS. You will not leave my side without my express permission. You will also refrain from asking about any classified projects. Am I understood?"
"Completely," Vega assured him.
"Good. Move out." With that, Sortek and some of the guards took up position around Vega and EDI and escorted them outside into the orange-tinted dawn. The group approached a waiting DropShip, a Leopard-class. Vega recognized its boxy shape from BattleTech lore books. He never thought he'd actually ride in one, though.
The party marched up the DropShip's boarding ramp, made its way across a catwalk, and up a few stairs and into the vessel's briefing room, where Vega found that a central holo-table in the room's center. It displayed a three dimensional map of the planet's surface, along with a red dotted line that represented the DropShip's intended flight path.
"Fascinating," EDI remarked. "It appears as though holographic technology is not as developed as it is in our reality. The Systems Alliance stopped using holo-tables in 2144."
"Really," Vega remarked. "Well… if all goes well here, then maybe we can change that."
The group proceeded toward the vessel's bridge next, where Vega got an idea of how complex flying a DropShip really was. The spacious bridge was almost empty in the middle save for another holo-table, likely for plotting and charting courses. Each wall had computer monitors and nav stations built into them where the crew was already prepared for takeoff, and towards the bow were seats for the navigator, pilot and Captain.
The Captain, an older gentleman with graying hair and brown eyes, looked at Sortek as he came to the bridge. "Welcome aboard, Colonel," the Captain said with a friendly smile, shaking the Colonel's hand. "I hear we're heading to NAIS?"
"That's correct." Sortek said.
"Good. We will perform an atmospheric jump from here to the Albion DropPort. All for security's sake."
"Of course." Sortek agreed.
"Now," the Captain continued, "We're performing final checkup on the 'Mech Bay Doors, since we had concerns that the seals might be going bad. After that, we'll close up tight, and begin the journey."
At that moment, the bridge intercom beeped. "One second," the Captain said. He hit the call button. "Bridge here."
"This is engineering," came a woman's voice. "We've finished checking on the seals. They were going bad, sir. Any longer, and they might've popped if exposed to vacuum."
"Did you get them fixed?"
"Yes, sir. We just finished installing and testing the new seals. This DropShip's good to go."
"Excellent. Bridge out." The Captain closed the intercom channel, then hit the switch for the PA system. "Attention all crew: this is the Captain speaking. DropShip will commence takeoff in T-minus three minutes. All personnel, man your stations. Seal all doors and commence atmospheric jump operations." With that, he closed the PA. "I'd advise that you take a seat and buckle in, sir," he added to Sortek. "Going to be a rough ride."
Sortek and his guards and guests obeyed at once, settling themselves into spare seats and buckling their restraints. I'm really doing this. Flying in a BattleTech DropShip! Vega thought giddily, despite the situation. It's funny, he was used to flying in ships this size like the Normandy, but this still felt so new.
Three minutes later, the intercom pinged again. "Engineering to bridge. We're locked and ready."
"Understood," the Captain said brightly. "Navigator?"
"Course locked in, sir," came the reply.
"Pilot?"
"Good to go, sir," the Pilot added.
"Wonderful. Activate fusion thrusters and bring them to full power. Retract landing gear."
"Yes sir." The Pilot flipped a pair of switches and pushed the throttle to the max. A low rumble, and a subtle vibration, soon filled the bridge. Outside, the powerful fusion thrusters at the back of the DropShip roared to life, while similar thrusters at the front roared to life as well. Within moments, the Leopard-class DropShip lifted off, all doors secured, ascending smoothly into the morning air.
"Ascending, fifty meters," the Pilot reported.
"Bring us to a hundred meters, then exit VTOL mode," the Captain ordered.
"Affirmative, sir. Climbing now. Eighty, ninety, one hundred. Entering Flight Mode." Another series of switches were flipped.
Outside, the lowermost nozzles for the fusion thrusters at the back began to tilt upwards. The bottom thrusters remained on, providing lift as the DropShip began to smoothly move forwards. Once the DropShip was high enough, the nozzles became parallel with the hull of the DropShip, before engaging full power. The DropShip darted forth, the bottom thrusters deactivating, as the fusion thrusters in the rear fired at maximum power.
On the bridge, Vega suddenly felt himself being pressed into the seat as the DropShip accelerated to its maximum safe limit of two times Earth gravity. He could hear the roar of the fusion thrusters as they pushed the massive vehicle through the air. Out the windows, Vega saw the ground drop away, replaced entirely with the endless blue sky. Eventually, the DropShip leveled off at its cruising altitude for their journey. "Textbook takeoff," the Captain commented as he unbuckled from his seat belt. "We'll be at our destination in a little under two hours, Colonel."
"Good," Sortek said. "We'll remain here until journey completion." Turning to Vega, he noticed the Alliance Marine's expression. "First time on one of these, eh?"
"Yeah. Boy, was that an experience. I could feel the adrenaline rush."
"It was intriguing to see BattleTech aerospace engineering at work," EDI noted. "During the acceleration, my chassis increased a 200% increase in the level of g-forces over earlier measurements. This DropShip is capable of accelerating at three times the gravity of Earth. Why the lower than maximum acceleration?"
"That's the maximum safe limit for people on board," Sortek explained. "Any faster, and you'd have some broken bones, sprained tendons, or even severe injuries. Is it different where you're from?"
"Correct," EDI replied. "The use of inertial dampeners allow our shuttles to accelerate many times that of this DropShip without ill effects being incurred. The mass reduction capabilities of Element Zero enhance their dampening capabilities. If this DropShip were equipped with an Element Zero Core, and inertial dampeners, my estimates indicate that it would be able to achieve a maximum acceleration of two thousand g."
"I see." Sortek settled in for the ride, motioning for a guard to keep an eye on his Normandy guests.
Vega merely sat back at his seat and tried to enjoy the ride. Welcome to a brave new world, he thought.
. . .
30 minutes later, the Leopard-class DropShip made its descent.
"Albion Space Traffic Control, this is Whiskey-Three-Niner-Five," the pilot stated into her headset. "Requesting a landing vector at the DropPort. We have three VIPs onboard the DropShip. Over."
James Vega couldn't hear the response, but he did hear the pilot respond with, "Roger Albion Space Traffic Control. Whiskey-Three-Niner-Five descending to ten thousand feet. Reducing speed to 185 knots."
The Captain sat up in his seat and began issuing orders, and the DropShip soon angled downward, with Vega feeling a swooping feeling in his stomach. "Bring us to one hundred meters above the DropPad and enter VTOL Mode," the Captain ordered. "Set her down once you've extended landing gear, then go cold."
"Affirmative," the pilot replied, her fingers flying over switches. "VTOL Mode engaged. Descending now. Eighty meters, fifty, thirty. Deploying landing gear… landing gear deployed. Ten meters, four meters… OOOUUUFFFF!" With a muted thump on the interior, and a loud THUNK outside, the DropShip landed gracefully on the DropPad. Shock pads met unyielding metal alloy, and the vessel finally slowed to a halt. Then the pilot killed the engines, and the DropShip's fusion thrusters went cold.
"We're down," the pilot reported. "All systems are nominal. A textbook landing."
"To say the least," the Captain said proudly. "That, Katya, was a perfect landing." To Ardan Sortek, he added, "I hope the journey was a pleasant one for you?"
"It was," Sortek replied. Vega felt the same way.
"Now then," Sortek decided. "Listen up, Vega. You're about to step onto the campus grounds of the most prestigious college this side of the Inner Sphere: the New Avalon Institute of Science. Remember my instructions from last time?"
"Yes, sir," Vega answered, his fanboyism replaced with cold military discipline.
"Good. Time to go." Sortek motioned for his men to take up positions around Vega and EDI, and the group exited the parked DropShip and onto the DropPort's landing pad.
Vega took a moment to look around. He spotted some guards, as expectred, and a sidewalk leading toward a nearby college campus. As Vega followed Sortek, a few more guards, presumably a security team sent by Quintus Allard, surrounded him.
Along the way, Vega got a better look at the NAIS campus. It was split into three buildings, along with several dormitories, though Vega suspected that there was a basement level complex, too. The entire campus was square, with the three main buildings located near the back and the dormitories on the sides, while the DropPads were at the front. In the campus' grassy common ground, students and scientists alike either relaxed with games of Frisbee and soccer, or strode across campus on their own business. Vega spotted yet more guards standing vigil at key locations, and he felt the distant tremor of BattleMech footsteps, too. So, even 'Mechs had guard duty around here, Vega thought. At one point, a pair of guards watched him and EDI. Those guards are likely calculating the most efficient way to kill me and EDI, Vega realized. Every square inch of New Avalon was watched like a hawk, it seemed.
Further down the sidewalk, a scientist wearing a white labcoat, white pants, a blue tie and suit-shirt, plus black dress shoes, approached Ardan Sortek's group. His name tag read Dr. Ian Ashcroft, and to Vega's shock, the man looked identical to Kenneth Donnelly, one of the three engineers aboard the Normandy. He even sounded the same.
"Colonel Sortek!" Dr. Ashcroft shouted as he broke into a jog to join Sortek's group. "I need to speak to you in private!"
"What about?" Sortek asked.
Dr. Ashcroft joined the group and took a few breaths before continuing, "We've just finished processing the materials you sent to us. The test results of our experiments came back, but I want to discuss them in private."
Sortek, nodded curtly. "Of course. We'll discuss them in the basement, down in the computer and library data core area. Vega, EDI, come with me. Ashcroft, did the MIIO team Allard send arrive?"
"We're right here," another man, with blond colored hair and brown eyes said as he walked over. "Osborn Wright, at your service. I hear that we've got some data to retrieve, yes?"
"Affirmative," Sortek replied. "We'll hand over the information once we're in the basement."
"I see. Now, let's go."
Next, the group headed into the NAIS campus' basement level, including an elevator ride down into the very earth. After Sortek put in a security code, as well as a fingerprint scan and retinal scan, the elevator doors opened, allowing them inside. Down in the spacious basement level, the group marched right past the scientists and engineers hard at work down there, and right into a special room. The Computer & Library Data Core room was surprisingly small, though at least 15 people could comfortably fit inside.
Once they were inside, Osborn Wright said, "Now, if you please?"
"Vega?" Sortek prompted his guest.
Vega removed the omni-tool from his arm. "Be careful with it," he cautioned Osborn. "They're not as tough as you'd think."
"We'll be careful with it," Osborn assured him.
"How long until we've translated the data into a format that we can use?" Sortek asked.
"Around eight hours, Colonel."
"I see." Sortek added to his guards, "Men, escort Vega to the safe house at Albion. I'll call for you once we have conformation that he's telling the truth, or determined that he's not. Captain Richards, make sure all goes according to plan."
"Understood," the Captain replied.
"Also, keep EDI here," Sortek stated. He gave the AI a certain look. "EDI, I assume you know how to handle computer technology?"
"Correct, Colonel."
"Perfect. You'll be assisting Osborn here with translating the data on Vega's omni-tool, and the omni-tools that your friends handed over, into a format that our scientists can understand." Sortek added to Osborn, "EDI will assist you, but watch her closely. If she tries anything funny, you have my full permission to blast her into scrap metal. Understood?"
"Completely."
"Good. Dismissed." With that, the team, along with Vega, left the room. Once they were out, Sortek told Ashcroft, "Now, you mentioned that the testing on the genetic samples was completed. What did you find?"
"It may sound strange, but those aliens truly are aliens," Ashcroft replied.
"Really?"
"Yes, really," Ashcroft told him. "We did a thorough analysis of the skin and blood samples that Shepard and his men willingly handed over. While Shepard and the others are human, it's his non-human allies that really had us intrigued. We were so confused that we double and triple checked the results when they came back."
"And?"
"And we know that Shepard is telling the truth," Ashcroft said. "The DNA samples that his non-human crew members provided did not match Human DNA at all; not even a single nucleotide matched. Even the Asari, as the most human looking aliens called themselves, did not have a match with any Human DNA."
"So… Shepard was telling the truth. What else did you learn?"
"We've found out that all members of the Normandy crew, Shepard included, have had modifications made to their DNA. Our tests indicate that these are geared towards metabolic efficiency, strength enhancement and other improvements to the Human genome. Where they come from, genetic enhancement is either commonplace, or is required for their military forces."
"I see," Sortek said with a nod. Since Shepard is telling the truth about the aliens, then that means that his alternate universe theory might be correct as well. We'll know for certain in eight hours. Then he said, "Thank you for telling me this, Dr. Ashcroft. So Shepard's claims were legit after all."
"That they were. So, what happens now?"
"You may return to work," Sortek replied. "I'm going to grab some much needed food and wait on the results of the computer data."
. . .
Eight hours later, Sortek was back at the NAIS campus once again, this time, his full attention being directed at Osborn. "So, what did you learn?" he asked.
Osborn had an incredulous look on his face when he said, "We translated the information on Vega's omni-tool, as you instructed. We also examined EDI's computer data." Leaning in more closely, he said, "I have every reason to believe that Vega is telling the truth. Here." He handed Sortek a Noteputer that had some of the contents of Vega's omni-tool.
For the next fifteen minutes, Sortek speed-read through the contents. His eyes grew wider and wider, with shock as he took it all in. Eventually, he could take no more, as he shut off the Noteputer and, putting it down, breathed in and out to calm his racing heart.
Again, his mind was racing as it worked to process the information that he'd just read moments ago. We live in a stranger world than I ever imagined we could, he thought. Alternate universes? Alternate timelines? What the hell have we gotten ourselves into?! And what the hell did Shepard and his crew get themselves into?
Sortek tapped a finger on the Noteputer. "The First Prince must see this. All of it."
"I take it that you came to the same conclusion as I have?"
"Yes, Osborn. Shepard and his team are abso-fucking-lutely telling the truth. Inform Quintus Allard that I need to speak with him immediately."
"No need," came Quintus' voice. Quintus Allard stepped inside, looking like he'd seen a ghost. "I just saw the information for myself. It was… disturbing, to say the least. Positively shocking, even."
"Agreed," Sortek said. He almost felt lightheaded from the implications of all this. "Quintus, asz I told Osborn, the First Prince absolutely must see this."
"Indeed," Quintus agreed. "And Sortek, I think you might've earned a promotion."
"Maybe." Sortek wiped his brow. "Some part of me thinks I'm still dreaming. In all my years. I never..."
Based on their awed expressions, Quintus and Osborn clearly felt the exact same way.