Chapter 14: Cerberus & The Queen
In the Rift station of Peak 15 a Cerberus oprative was overseeing the security of the rachni queen. She sighed when she tried to reach the soldiers on the otherside of the monorail and was meet with silence. She was under no illusion that the Council or the Alliance wouldn't send anyone to investigate but she thought that she would have more time.
"Alright everyone expect company, I lost contact with team stationed at the entrance of the facility." Her deep Australian accented voice ordered.
Shepard, Nihlus and crew were on the monorail as it stopped at the rift station. The four exited the rail car with their weapons out. They then went over to the first door they saw only for it to be locked. They went looking for an active door and found one to an elevator to the barracks. The four entered and were taken up to the barracks. Once they made it up they were met by two male humans and a male turian guarding the hallway that goes deeper into the barracks. "Halt, who are you?" The guard in the front ordered.
"I'm Commander Shepard this is Spectre Nihlus, Chief Gunnery Williams, and Lieutenant Alenko what's going on?"
"Well first the Rachni are loose and now those mercs have made things worse for us." The security head explained.
"Any information that you have on either of them?"
"There was an alarm before those beasts came out of nowhere and when we got everything secure they still come out and we have to fight them." He relayed. "Everyone here has not had a decent rest since then."
More noise came from the vents. "Oh no here they come."
Quickly two Rachni came out of the vents and started attacking but were completely outmatched. The four looked at the security detail and saw them take deep breaths of exhaustion.
"For now but more will come or those mercs will show up to finish what the Rachni started."
"Anything on those mercs?" Shepard asked.
"Nothing much all we know is that Australina Bitch is leading." The head guard started explaining. "She said that she and her men are here on orders from shareholders, told her without board authorization we can't cooperate with her inquiry."
Nihlus perked up at this. "Do your know where the Rachni are coming from?"
"The were coming from the Hot Labs, the scientists would separate the queen's babies from her with the hope that they could be controlled, someone activated the neutron purge eliminating most of them."
"That sounds like a great idea." Williams stated sarcastically.
"Yeah now we are all paying for it." One of the security gaurds said.
"Alright I will see about taking care of the hot labs, anyway I can get to the Queen."
"All the way through however, those mercenaries locked it down tight." The leader spoke.
"Anywhere we can go to get checked up medically?"
"There is a small clinic down the stairs can't miss it if you follow the sign can't spare medical supplies however."
"Thank you, you are doing a good job holding them off." Shepard said in encouragement.
"We are just holding it together."
The four went down to the clinic only to find four sick patients with a tired looking doctor going over his data pad. The four soldiers looked at each other. Shepard walked forward and got the doctors attention. "Yes what may I help you with?" The doctor asked the four.
Shepard getting a good look around the room. "What's going on here?"
The doctor had a brief look of hesitation before releasing a breath. "I'm not supposed to say, but…" He said taking a moment. "My work involves replicating a chemical the Salarians used centuries ago."
"I'm pretty sure that's illegal." Nihlus chimed in.
"That's where Novaria's unique political situation comes in." The doctor spoke dismissively. "If we don't develop it someone else will."
"Please explain the situation doctor." Shepard interjected.
"When the rachni broke out the chemical was released and well those hear are the only ones left alive." He explained showing the soldiers the six patients he was looking after. "Our head of security quarantined the lab, and I can't get in to finish the cure."
"Where is the lab?" Sheppard asked.
"On the lower level near he maintenance tunnel."
"Maintenance tunnel?" Sheppard asked contemplatively. "Would there be any way for us to finish the cure?"
"Yes it just needs to be synthesized but like I said the head of security has quarantined the lab."
"We will talk with him to let us in to synthesis a cure."
"Okay, thank you."
The four walked out of the clinic and walked over to the head of security. "Excuse me." Sheppard said gaining his attention. "We would like to go down to the lab and finish the cure."
The security head gave her a surprised look. "I'm sorry but we have that lab under lockdown, can't afford anymore people getting sick."
"We are technically not your people and the doctor gave instructions on how to finish the cure." Shepard reasoned.
He sighed. "Alright I will radio the guard, but once he lets you in he will lock you in until the cure is made."
"I should go."
"Good luck Commander."
The four then went to the elevator. Nihlus took this opportunity to ask Shepard a question when the elevator doors closed. "Can I ask why you are doing this?"
"I want to scout that maintenance tunnel; I think that we can use it to our advantage."
"Less likely that we will have to fight corporate security." Kaiden chimed in.
"Exactly, and if we can't enter the maintenance tunnel than by providing the cure we might be able to persuade someone to give us access." Shepard finished explaining before the elevator doors opened.
The four exited and approached the door to the labs guarded by a Turian guard. "I received word go on in, but I am locking the door behind you."
The four entered the lab and Shepard went to wok synthesizing the cure. After five minutes the cure was synthesized and were about to leave only to see an Asari and two humans enter. The ground team pulled out their weapons.
"Your journey ends her." The Asari said menacingly.
"Do you really want to do this there are mercs and rachni out killing everyone?" Shepard pointed out.
"The perfect cover for your deaths."
The Normandy ground team fire on them defeating them almost instantly. The four exited the lab and saw the turian guard dead on the floor. The four looked up and saw a volus staring at them. They approached the volus.
"Anything you wish to tell?" Nihlus asked staring him down.
"Those three…that followed you… were from the elevator." The volus explained taking deep breaths now and then. "They were Eclipse… hired by a board member…to keep an eye on everything."
"Are they apart of the merc group that are fighting the security team.?" Shepard asked.
"Shut up you will get us all killed." A Salarian closer to the door told the volus.
The volus turned towards the Salarian and scolded him. "We have no control on who dies here."
"Most of us are still scared not just of the rachni or Cerberus but those supposed to protect us."
"Anything on Cerberus that you know of?" Shepard asked.
"Only that they must be connected to the projects here?"
Shepard sighed. "Anyway for us to access the maintenance tunnel?"
"The only ones with access is the head of security and the doctor."
"We should go."
"I wish you luck."
The four went back to the elevator, and headed for the clinic. Shepard approached the doctor. "Doctor we were able to synthesize the cure."
"Excellent, thank you." He said in gratitude. "Any trouble you encountered synthesizing it?"
"After we finished making the cure a group lead by an Asari came in and tried to kill us."
"What?" The doctor asked in shock.
"I was told that she and a couple others were Eclipse mercenaries hired by the board."
"Oh dear." The doctor said still in shock.
He had look of shock and gradually came to a look of contemplation. "It makes sense, listen when you arrived the security personnel go more tense."
"Tense?" Alenko questioned.
"This is all operated by the private sector and many of what's done hear could be considered a sanctionable offense."
"Understood, I am also hoping to prevent any conflict between my people and your and to do that I need access to the maintenance tunnel."
The doctor sighed. "Alright but be careful though."
After receiving the pass the ground team head for the maintenance tunnel. They entered and were meet with the cold air of the ice planet. The four made their way through the cave killing a rachni soldier.
When they reached the other side of the cave they entered hallway with two Cerberous troops guarding a door. Shepard pulled out a grenade and threw it at the guard killing them nearly instantly.
After checking the two troops to make sure they were incapacitated they entered the room and two soldiers guarding a black-haired woman. She was on the holo screen. The guards noticed the four enter and pulled their guns out and started firing. The ground team quickly took cover.
Kaiden lifted one of the guards while Nihlus hit the other with a concussive shot making it easier for Ashley and Shepard to shoot them down. The four carefully walked behind the mysterious woman.
"Don't move." Shepard ordered.
The woman stopped using the holo screen. "Hands above your head."
The leader complied. "I see that the Alliance is doing the Council's dirty work." The leader stated conceitedly her Australian accent thick.
"Well I don't see why the Alliance would want the Rachni around." Nihlus stated.
"Not the Alliance but humanity." She countered. "Imagine the species that controls the rachni will gain power that can hold off the pre-genophage Krogan."
"Yeah, tell that to the council." Williams told the Australian.
"That's not going to happen." She said as a door further down opened and ten Cerberus troops filled out.
Smoke bombs were released concealing the walkway. Nihlus screamed in pain as an electric shock hit him. Kaiden was hit with a warp depleting his shields. The Cerberus leader then used her biotics to float her way to the other side. Shepard pulled Nihlus and Williams to cover just in time. The four started firing on the troops only five minutes later to have the troops retreat.
Slowly the four stood up and checking to make sure that no one is shooting at them not noticing the queen moving and a cerberous trooper slowly stand up like a zombie. The four realized something strange going on and turn to see the trooper standing but making spastic movements.
"Your musics is … strange… there is no color." The trooper said.
Shepard looked behind the soldier to see the Rachni Queen press a tentical like appendage on the glass. "Wait are you the Rachni Queen."
"This one. Serves as our voices." The queen elaborates. "We are the mother. We sing for those left behind. The children you through silenced."
"So the rachni can communicate." Nihlu stated.
"We stand before you. What will you sing? Will you release us? Are we to fade away once more?"
"Commander the cage is connected a large canister of high-grade acid hat will kill anything." Williams said pointing towards the cannister. "Release it and we can prevent another Rachni War."
"But commander to commit genocide." Kaiden reasoned.
"The choice commander, a Specter will be asked to make difficult decisions."
"If I free you will take revenge for the war?"
"No. We remember. We gain the memories of those that came before us."
Shepard took a deep breath. "I will free you, I don't see why something that happened centuries ago affect your future."
Shepard then released the queen. "We shall sing and remember you gift of mercy."
The queen exited the building leaving the ground team collect data on from the computer Once the data was collected they went to the tram so they can get back to the Normandy.
In an unknown ship in unknown space, the Cerberus leader was in an empty room when she was encircled by a light that went up and down. She then saw a hologram of an older male in his fifties or sixties smoking a cigarette.
"I'm afraid the mission was a failure." She reported ramosely.
The hologram took a puff of his cigarette. "What happened?" He asked.
"The council sent one of their Specters and a few Alliance soldiers to investigate and stopped me before I could wipe the data linking us to the experiments." She explained shamefully.
"It doesn't matter the data showed that the Rachni were a failure and sooner or later Cerburus' existence would be known." The smoker told in encouragement. "Besides they will be too busy with Exogeni to delve into us."
This took me a long time to write. Thank you for reading. Please leave a review.