Author's Note: Well this has gone on longer than I planned. I'm going to have to make Collectors base starting next Chapter. Read, Review, Favourite and Enjoy!
Chapter 43: Collectors Part 5
Omega was a hustle and bustle of activity, the various gathering personnel going through the process of getting to know one another, their habits, a idea of their abilities in the field of combat, tricks, tips and other tidbits of interest. The most experienced veterans of the group were going through the process of devising a plan of attack to use against the Collectors.
"So those balls..."
"Biotic Orbs." The Volus corrected as his rebreather worked its magic.
"Draw projectiles towards them?" Okeer and Shepard had spent considerable effort hammering into Grunt the value of knowledge, Barla For was a well of information not touched upon often, Volus biotics.
"Each orb creates its own orbit, similar to how passing by a planet can change an asteroid's trajectory when slugs pass by their path changes." Barla explained as he maintained three of the orbs in question in the air around him.
"And you use this to draw slugs towards you? Push them away?" Grunt asked that trick sounding of minimal use to him.
"Those are some applications yes. Between the orbs, my heavy armour and ablative tech-armour I do end up as a proverbial meat shield for my unit more often than either I or they would care to admit." Cowardly Turians. Barla gave the orbs a light shove and they spread out a little ways away from him. "Here's another." Barla took out his pistol and fired at at the orb furthest to his left, the slug curved around the first ball of artificial gravity, picked up speed, then broke the orbit as it was drawn to a the second orb and did the same, before finally having the trajectory changed one last time and hitting a Collector silhouette target that Garrus had set up to practice shooting at in the head. "Others are to shoot around obstacles to hit targets."
"Nice!" With orbs like those Grunt would never have to worry about how cowardly the enemy is or where they are hiding again.
"Bet you can do some impressive trick-shots with those." Garrus, who would now have to set up a new target, approached the source of his disruption to find an interesting conversation going on.
"Hmph!" The Volus gave a proud harrumph as he stuck the front of his suit into the air. "Five times champion of Irune's annual trick shooting competition, All Biotic's division." That gave Garrus ideas.
General Sparatus, Admiral Shepard, and Samara were all sitting around a table, Zaeed Masrani sitting off to the side a long cable drifting down from the side of his head from where it plugged into his personal Grey Box. An experience he was use to, for a period of time no one had spent as much time on a Prethoryn hive world as Zaeed had after his partner attempted to have him fragged while fighting the monsters off. While there were several instances of people dying horribly to the Prethoryn providing useful insights once their greybox's had been retrieved, Zaeed had provided even more valuable insight on how to get stuck on a Prethoryn world and not die horribly in the process. Of Course Zaeed's contributions to the Grey Box data pool wasn't what he was here about, right now their strategists were getting a first hand view of the inside of the Collector's ship, and their newest monsters, the Carcass and Demon combination.
"It would appear that they didn't know what to do with the Tebrids that they captured." Samara stated legs crossed and hand on her face as she looked at the monsters in action. "Which makes sense to a degree, their greatest strength is their intellect, now ruined by the husk process, and their greatest weakness a lack of physical ability, which based on these images the transformation by itself did nothing to improve." So the Collectors noticed all the parts they had lying around, likely from dismantling and destroying Tebrid Custodian's and automated defence systems, and decided to get creative. The end result was a Tebrid cyborg support unit who could throw up walls at a moment's notice. "A problem I should note that they did not seem to suffer from when dealing with the Draconics." Another image replaced the undead Tebrid cyborgs, a demon of Draconic flesh and reaper technology breathing fire and spewing death. "I must say that I quite like Smok's people better before the Reaper's have their way with them." Something that was quite common among most species of the Galaxy it simply must be noted.
"By the looks of things they've figured out a way to produce large quantities of exotic gasses and store them using the loose skin on the body of the Draconics." Admiral Shepard offered a more clinical overview of the situation. "In a liquid form no less, doubtlessly only possible due to the Draconics own advanced temperature control abilities through the use of psionics." The single image of the Demon was shrunk down and moved to the side, alongside additional images of the Tebrid Carcass and the Human Revenant, replacing them were pictures of Chozo, Flerkin, and the three Lithoid Species Golema, Crystal and Gaul. "It is said that the only thing scarier than the known is the unknown, as it stands we potentially have up to five unknowns waiting for us to find a way to deal with."
Simply put: it was highly unpredictable. Reaper technology was unpredictable, from what they can understand by studying samples of Sovereign's and the flesh of other husks the technology 'optimizes the subject for battle' taking their intelligence, biological preferences and experiences and using those as a blue print to alter and grow the body in a variety of different ways. What did it say about the Union that two out of three times thus the Collector's have chosen to graft their own technology onto their people? That they are just that good at creating instruments of destruction? Or that they biologically are simply that weak that this is the only course of action that the collectors see fit to take? Not to mention what the Collectors would do with beings who aren't biological in the first place.
"I don't know much about Lithoids. Well Biology or synthetics isn't my area of expertise." Sparatus stated simply shrugging his shoulders. "Near as I can tell Lithoids seem to be something in between, unless you'd like to clarify?"
"Lithoids are closer to the Lich's than anything properly alive." Admiral Shepard stated simply. "Whatever the Lich's released into the galaxy when they blew up the Relays, it fused into the mass of minerals that would become Lithoids. We don't know if there was just something abnormal in their home system, or if there's more out there like them that we haven't been able to find." The Admiral explained as she let out a sigh. "I do know this. The fact that Lich's and Lithoids both exist is proof that there's something fundamentally wrong with the galaxy and has been ever since the last cycle." The Admiral just shrug in defeat. "But I suppose it's always been like that hasn't it?"
"Yes yes. The Reapers are abominations and they need to die. We've been over this a thousand times." Sparatus stated as he let out a sigh. "The Question here is a matter of how?"
"The Answer to that query depends on a very simple question, of whether or not we want the Collector's base after they are no longer using it." Admiral Shepard stated as she folded her fingers together. "If we wish to salvage it?" A new hologram displayed a transmitter. "A radiation pulsar, designed specifically to destroy organic matter leaving the technology inside intact. And if not?" Another Hologram played, this one couldn't be described as anything other than a bomb. "A Zero Point Module bomb, the singularly most destructive weapon the Union has ever devised, designed to unzip the very fabric of reality itself." For when you want to kill something so badly you don't even want the area where it was located to still exist by the time that you're done with it.
"How destructive are we talking about here?" Sparatus recalled that one of the reasons that the Admiral specifically sighted not letting the Council access their technology was the existence of Zero Point Modules and the Salarian's willingness to tamper with them.
"The only event that's comparable is the detonation of a Mass Relay resulting in the complete and utter destruction of a solar system." That's a pretty good reason to keep Salarian's as far away from Zero Point Modules as possible. If their work with Neu Eezo is anything to go by then even without trying the Salarian's could end up destroying the entirety of Council Territory by accident, let alone what they would try to do with 'unzip the very fabric of reality itself.'
Outside the office where the bigwigs were having their discussion several targets had been set up by Garrus and Grunt, the Asari ladies wisely chose to back away from what they were doing, far away from what they were doing.
"What are they doing?" Thane was in another part of the station until now, still trying to get into contact with loved ones before the mission into the Collector's little hole in the galaxy, now in the process of his daily constitutional, thus was jogging in place as the targets were being set up.
"Showing off." Falere tried to be dismissive but both she and her Asari sister were both looking at the scene with bright eyes.
Barla once more threw the biotic orbs forward, spread out between the Collector Silhouettes before taking his pistol and firing into the targets in question. The Slug picked up speed as it flew around an orb, tearing through the head of one of the cut outs, before being passed into the orbit of a second orb and tore through more of the targets. That process continued, the fired slug repeatedly passing by the orbs and tearing apart the cut outs until nothing but confetti remained. Barla made a show out of blowing imaginary smoke from his weapon's barrel.
"The projectile's increasing velocity indicates that it will break free of orbit soon." EDI's robotic voice echoed out, a nearby turret was lowered into the area before firing a stream of exotic plasma and forcing the orbs to explode destroying the unstable projectile in the process as well. Extreme? Perhaps. "Crisis averted." But the results spoke for themselves.
"DO IT AGAIN!" Grunt shouted out pumping both of his fists into the air. Boys. Luckily for the goofballs outside the office was sound proofed so no one could hear inside.
"If it's a vote I say that we take the base and whatever is inside for our own use." Sparatus stated making his opinion known. "If the enemy hands you a weapon you use it."
"Would you be so eager to use whatever the Collectors are building if it comes to light that what they're making uses the people they took from the Union as material?" Samara stated venom clear and present in her tone of voice. "Or have you already forgotten the horrors that you faced on the Citadel?"
"It's not going to be a vote." Admiral Shepard stated making her opinion known. "Reaper technology is filled with booby traps, the more of it that we come into contact with the more likely it is that we're going to trigger said trap and screw ourselves over."
"Reaper indoctrination can be resisted with your ultrasound nullifiers, and can be reversed with a dosage of Thorian spores." Sparatus pointed out the Reaper's preferred hammer to their nails immediately coming to mind.
"And if the atmosphere of the ship is filled with reaper nanite technology waiting to convert anyone who breathes it into a husk? Or set to release it on a dead man's switch in case the Collector's all get wiped out?" The Admiral countered bluntly. "Your own agent has delivered to the Collectors our own countermeasures for neutralising the Thorian's spores. That is just assuming that they haven't used the Thorian spores inside of the people that they took to make a Thorian of their own and hid it somewhere throughout the base." Oh isn't that a pleasant thought now? As soon as any strike team they send forward steps into range the Thorian spores start going on the offensive attempting to melt their brains from the inside out. "Or if there's another dead man switch designed to go off and suck the entire station into the Black Hole that it's apparently orbiting taking the people who we send over to claim the base with it? Would you like me to go on?" The Simple fact of the matter was that they did not build the base, they did not know what went into its construction, only that it will be riddled with all kinds of traps. "In light of those facts the only tactically sound option left to us is the complete and utter destruction of the Collectors base." And morally sound, but that argument already failed. "At the same time though, information can never be undervalued."
"Meaning?" Now it was Samara's turn to dislike the direction this conversation was heading.
"Assuming that the Reaper's don't simply hate us all and want us to die as horribly as possible then we can draw the conclusion that the people they've abducted are meant to serve a purpose. We've seen one already, the production of husks to use as weapons of war, since we've already dissected Sovereign we only know of one other purpose they might serve." The Production of Reapers. "We believe that the information we were able to observe from Sovereign is crucial yes, but flawed and incomplete. Particularly whatever they're using as a power source." The 'Youngest' reapers that they know of should've been born over 65 million years ago during the Prothean cycle, whatever energy source Sovereign was running off of exceeds even the most hideously powerful sources that the Union has had the pleasure of deciphering. "If Reapers are being built within the confines of the base then obtaining the missing pieces of information that we do not yet have is rather pivotal."
"So that you can build a reaper yourself?" Samara asked snorting in disdain, believing that the Admiral was held to a higher standard than this.
"So that we know the most effective way to kill them, because so far the only methods we have is to unzip vast swaths of the Galaxy or to out number them at least fifty to one. Given how long they have been building up their numbers we shouldn't expect to be able to outnumber them any time soon, even after the Lich's ended up breaking the galaxy over their knee last time. If this mission can reveal a weakness of the Reapers that makes it so that we don't have to throw entire armies at them just to kill even one of them, then we should take it." Samara, reluctantly, conceded the point and sat back down, Sparatus slowly followed them. "I'm so glad that you two see reason on this."
Mordin had come to the understanding that Valhalla was full of thoroughly unpleasant individuals. He had heard the rumours of course, but a few minutes spent talking to Tor!
"Thoroughly unpleasant individuals your colleagues." Mordin stated bluntly as he sat across a console from Doctor-Doctor. "Tell Me about it." The Tebrid stated as he operated several consoles at once. Mordin was able to see around them for himself, it seemed that the Tebrid was remotely performing maintenance on several Valhalla vehicles and mechs all at once, No game in sight, unless this was supposed to be some kind of puzzle game.
"I'm not playing around. I haven't been able to access a game in over a year and I don't even have any Custodian's to help me. I'm a prisoner there just like the rest of them."
"Intriguing. What did you do? If you don't mind me asking." Mordin questioned considering that the majority of the people he's met aboard Valhalla's cruiser have been murderers, rapists, bombers and the like.
"Stock fraud." The Tebrid stated letting out a sigh.
"Is that it?" Mordin asked flabbergasted.
"I did a lot of hacking, it was fun at the time." The Tebrid at least had the good sense to be ashamed for his actions.
"Rather Severe punishment don't you think?" Mordin asked sounding confused, to wit end the Tebrid snorted.
"These idiots can barely build a tank after downloading prints off of the extra net you expect them to come up with and field test custom hardware on the fly?" Doctor-Doctor floated around on his hover platform as he checked on various different screens in the laboratory that they were sharing. If Mordin's memory served him it was Valhalla who was originally credited with the Fenrir designs that the Valkyries are using. Did that mean that Doctor-Doctor had come up with the design?
"Fenrir's your work?" Mordin asked seeking to sate his suspicions.
"Pfft. Tor Downloaded a basic cyber-hound design off of the extra net, scaled it up and strapped it with a cockpit and set of guns. I was too busy fixing former Sex Slaves so that they could function among civilised society. Which Tor then reprogrammed behind my back turning them into his personal sex pets!"
Mordin's face screwed at that, just because he was out of the espionage game doesn't ignore that he has old contacts in STG who keeps him informed of the Council's latest screw-ups, or oldest as the case may be.
"The individuals you are referring to were Ardat Yakshi correct?" The Tebrid nodded his head in the affirmative. "How did Tor have Sex with them?"
"He's in a synthetic body." Doctor-Doctor stated bluntly. "Believe me I wish he was a flesh and blood creature, I'm quite fond of the irony that the bastard would finally be gotten out of my claws because he was being his usual Misogynistic rapist self!" So the only person that could have sex with the girls and live was ironically enough a sexist rapist? "I am Sick and tired of dealing with him! The Moment that I have the ear of the Admiral I'm putting in my transfer request to be put somewhere far, far away from Valhalla!"
"I thought the union didn't have anyone available to fill in for you?" Mordin asked sounding suspicious.
"At the time of my 'employment?' No they didn't. But I've recently come to learn that there is a high profile criminal that the Union captured with many of the same skill sets that I possess." Doctor-Doctor brought up a profile of this 'Henry Lawson.' "Top Programmer in the Union, highly successful if illegal geneticist, degrees in robotics and cybernetic implants, with downloads across various different fields of science and technology."
Ah Yes. The Union makes widespread use of Grey Box technology making it possible to simply 'download' a degree and all the knowledge associated there in. Horrible Practice in Mordin's opinion, learning should be a journey of self discovery and improvement, of growing as a person and into the role in society you have chosen for yourself. Not to mention the mental damage that he imagined people must suffer from having other people's odds and ends shoved into your body seemingly at random like this? Completely Barbaric.
"Ah looks like we've arrived." Doctor-Doctor stated as he looked at the revamped Omega Station. "Excuse me I have to practice my grovelling for the admiral."
"Perhaps you should save it until after you confirm the new unit you're going to be assigned to isn't any worse than Tor." Mordin suggested as his conversation partner left, sadly he went unheard. Mordin arrived at the station at the same time as the other Dragoons were arriving. Of the Dragoons he was only familiar with Leo and Shepard, so that makes these other four Smok, Sam, Ashley and Kaiden.
"What happened to you?" Leo asked looking at Sam who was holding an ice pack to her head.
"I convinced the Yahg." Sam stated in a deadpan tone of voice that was completely deprived of any hint of amusement to it.
"How?" Mordin asked standing off to the side and looking at Sam with a face of utter confusion. "They killed the Council delegation sent to them in mere hours!" Mordin declared giving a air of perverse fascination in the process.
"They tried very, very hard." Sam stopped talking at that, as if she was done, but she could tell that everyone wanted more. "It didn't work."
The group was soon greeted by the sight of a Vorcha, a male by the looks of things, one who was explicitely waiting for them too.
"I'm Gryll. I'll be taking you to the rest of the team now."
Liara just let out a sigh as she looked up at the ceiling of the room they gave her and Shepard in the lead up to the mission against the Collectors. It took her a while to sort through the Shadow Broker's database to reach this point but when she had? Well she would be tempted to go to the bar to get a drink but considering her 'father' is the current source of her headaches she can't say that it would be a very wise thing to do.
"So lemme get this straight." Shepard stated warm mugs full of freshly brewed coffee in both hands. "Your dad, the Bartender we met on Illium, is in reality the top Asari huntress in the Republic?"
"He's closer to your... general in chief?" Liara asked sounding confused before she shook her head. "She's the highest ranking military official in the republics."
"So the Joint Chief of Staff then." Shepard nodded and handed Liara one of the coffees in her hand. "And Also a bartender." Liara accepted the offering of caffeine. "How'd that happen?" Shepard asked looking confused.
"I can offer a guess." Liara stated drinking in some of the liquid, and nearly choking at the bitter fluid. "Based on the way that my father was made into a laughing stock at the idea we should assume that the republics would prefer it if the Galaxy didn't think we had a military altogether." Liara stated crossing her legs and holding her chin. "If I had to guess? It's so that they would be so very much surprised to learn that we do." Turian's made for more obvious scapegoats for the military, the Salarian's for espionage, it seems the Asari have done a good job at creating stereotypes for their 'allies'.
"So what? Your father has been secretly putting together their forces for the past hundred years or so? To do what?" Shepard asked and Liara could only shrug by way of answer.
"Deal with the unexpected maybe?" Liara asked as she let out a sigh. "Come on." Liara quietly put the cup of joe away as she stood up. "We should at least go to the meeting and figure out what we're going to do against the collectors for the immediate future." The two women got dressed for the meeting, and went down to the former club where the bigwigs explained the plan.
"You are all going to take a single stealth ship into the Omega 4 Relay, equipped with the Collector IFF that we took off of their ship. Once safe coordinates have been established we can deploy a wormhole to reach the other side and release the main force of the fleet into the area." A pause before Admiral Shepard continued. "However if that fails then you all will be alone trapped in the middle of enemy territory, hazards on all sides with this."
The Admiral brought up a hologram of a warhead, and Jane Shepard gulped.
"Zero Point Warhead." Mordin's eyes widened in alarm. "Zero Point? As in a Zero Point Module? As in a collapsed section of Space time filled with reality disrupting exotic particles created as a by-product of sucking energy out of the vaccuum of space?" The Admiral nodded at that. "It's been nice knowing you all." Mordin stated simply, well he doesn't have long to live anyway.
"We're hoping that we'll be able to extract the team, alongside anyone who is being held captive aboard the base, before the device is set off but if not? This mission should be considered a suicide run." So on that cheery note, everyone started to get ready to go.
Author's Note:
RonaldM40196867: I believe that's the word going around the rumour mill.
Guest: I'm not the one who didn't remember the relevant plot point from literally two chapters prior.
