Mass Effect the Immortal Series part 1: Flight of the Normandy

by black dragon

A rewrite of one of my older stories: The Challenger Deep is the deepest part of the ocean, and for millions of years has kept its secrets for itself. In the year 1960 a team of scientists made the first dive to the Challenger Deep. What they discovered was something that would forever change the course of human history.

17. From the Depths of the Abyss

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN MASS EFFECT ONLY MY SELF AND THE PLOT OF THIS FIC...I AM BROKE PEOPLE!

A/n: Ok this is one I had to split up because let's face it. Rescuing the crew of the Ocean Odyssey and then finally going into space is in need of a chapter split. I noticed in the original that there was a major loophole in the rescue of the Ocean Odyssey. Why would the pirates resort to make them just walk the plank and then the Normandy suddenly shows up. That does not sound about right. I would also like to thank my beta for pointing out a few things with the Normandy's stealth systems and helping me to stay grounded when it comes to M.E. tech. Now I think I am going to bed please if you are reading this leave a review and remember no FLAMES, BASHINGS OR LORE MONGERS PLEASE! CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM ONLY!

Ok now that, that is done on with the story.

Mass Effect The Immortal Series pt 1: Flight of the Normandy

Chapter 16: From the Depths of the Abyss

OCEAN ODYSSEY

Another body was thrown into the water and the sounds of feeding sharks could be heard from the deck of the Ocean Odyssey. Enrique had to turn his head to avoid being sick as the blood on the plank made his stomach roll. The smell also was starting to get to him as the stench of rotting blood and gore littered the deck. The men had become desperate as they started killing anyone who spoke out. Micheal was also shaking as they dragged another body to the slaughter. The person who was going to be slaughtered pleaded and begged with them to let him go. The men shoved him onto the plank and the man didn't even have the time to get oriented on the plank, before he was tossed off into the water. The sharks, being as hungry as they were, started to devour him in a feeding frenzy. His screams were nothing more than bubbles. Something both men started to see when they were dragged over to the edge to watch.

The Ocean Odyssey had stopped just five hundred miles from mainland Vietnam. It was the one port the pirates had tried to go to in order to disappear. But they had not counted on the Vietnamese to come to the aid of the U.N. and that their navy had stopped all attempts to get past them. The ship had found itself surrounded on all sides. With Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia on the western side, facing land, the rest of the nations were in the east, north and south.

It was not a good situation for the pirates.

Already, they had been witness to several ships within the past few hours sinking because the pirates started using the alien weapons to fight off the Naval fleets coming to claim what was theirs. It was a sight to see as they used the experimental weaponry on top of the Odyssey to sink anyone who got too close. They had smaller weapons that were also powerful enough to sink ships. They even used them to knock drones and other aircraft out of the skies. Enrique watched as they made a submarine go belly up when they dropped bombs that had the impact of a depth charge into the water. This damaged the sub as oil and fuel leaked out. Catching fire for a time, the submarine never stood a chance. From the looks of it, if what Micheal told him was true, then it was an Australian submarine. Then the Aussies are not going to be happy with the deaths of all their seamen, if the large gaping hole in the hull had anything to do with it.

Two United States battleships also were surprisingly hit by the rail guns. Their hulls were smoking, but thankfully, they didn't sink, and were escorted out of the perimeter and to safety in Vietnam's shores. There were also some smaller boats that were sunk and Special Forces personnel that were killed in the onslaught to get to the Odyssey. It was only when they activated the shield a week ago to protect them from the artillery of the Chinese that Enrique had really started to worry. If they were starting to get the artillery to peak levels at the naval fleets, imagine what would happen if that technology, no matter how old, got in the wrong hands.

DEEP BELOW THE OCEAN

A slick shadow passed through the dark gloomy depths as silent as a ghost. The only thing giving it away were the lights on its front and sides, as well as the burning blue lights of its rear. Fish and other marine animals quickly moved out of its way as it slipped past them, silent and sure. It was a predator stalking its prey without a care or a cause in the world above. An artificial creation meant for the skies, but hidden beneath the ocean.

The Alien Space Vessel Normandy slipped through the water as if it were flying. Its mass effect fields pushed the water molecules around it, keeping it silent, barely causing any noise. Its thrusters burning with a blue light as it glided through the darkness of the abyss.

In the helmsman's chair of the Normandy, Martha watched the ocean floor through the ship's monitors, making sure not to hit anything along their course to the Ocean Odyssey. But one can't be too careful when checking the ocean floor. One wrong step or one wrong interpretation of a seamount would mean disaster for the people above. Looking at the ocean map next to her, Martha pinged the main Command Center of the bridge.

"Dr. Alenkov, we've just passed through the main Philippine basin and are nearing the island of Luzon in the Northern Philippines." Martha said.

"What is our estimated time until arrival at the Ocean Odyssey?" was the voice on the other end. Martha looked down at another monitor and the time it would take at their current speed.

"Two hours and thirty minutes, ma'am, we will have to slow down just north of the island due to seamounts," Martha replied as she estimated the time it would take to travel.

"Understood," was the reply on the other line. Once the line went dead, Martha leaned back and enjoyed the nonexistent view.

"Martha, if I may?" EDI's voice filled the speakers to the side of her. The woman turned her head to look at the glowing blue orb beside her.

"What's up EDI?" she asked.

"Earlier, when I had a conversation with Major Lawoski and Major Reynolds they mentioned another Artificial Intelligence named Cortana. I looked up her profile and found that she is a fictional character. Even the V.I. known as Siri seems to be more fictional to an actual A.I. like me why is that?" EDI asked.

Martha started laughing as she heard this declaration. Alongside her, Major Lawoski and Major Reynolds did the same thing. Just to the right of them was Jessica, who had joined the conversation and she, too, was laughing.

"I don't see what is so funny about the situation?" EDI replied.

"Sorry EDI it is just that Cortana is a character for a video game that many people love. She is the sidekick of the main character, meaning she is the one who helps the protagonist when they need it. As an A.I. she is able to hack into the computers of the alien species that she and Master Chief discover. If you haven't played Halo yet," said Martha as she was enjoying the conversation.

"As for Siri she was supposed to be an A.I. prototype that hasn't quite gotten the bugs out yet," replied Jessica.

"I understand now, Siri is only a prototype of what would become a true A.I. but the technology has not advanced enough for her or it to be a true V.I.," said EDI.

"What the fuck is a V.I.?" Major Lawoski asked, sounding a bit confused by the terminology that EDI used.

"Virtual Intelligence, it is a step down from an Artificial Intelligence. V.I.'s are programmed to assist users and process data with clever programming to allow them to interact with the user on a personal level. Though not self-aware, the V.I. is programmed to assist in matters that pertains to its direct programming and like me, it can get out of hand," EDI replied.

"Out of hand?" asked Major Reynolds with one eyebrow raised.

"She means she can go nuts and downright insane if something happens to her, haven't you watched Resident Evil or 2001 A Space Odyssey?" Martha replied with a roll of her eyes.

"Saw 2001 but never seen Resident Evil," Major Reynolds said looking at EDI with a bit of weariness.

"Creepy shit, I will tell you that, and I saw both of them with my grandkids," Major Lawoski replied, smirking. "In fact I even played the latest Halo game and cried at the end." They all then turned to stare at him in bewilderment. Major Lawoski shrugged his shoulders at the sight of them, "What?"

Martha smirked as she saw the seamounts come into view on her sensors. Slowing the ship down, she maneuvered through the underwater canyons and crags. Always avoiding the ones that lead to dry land. Trying to remain hidden was the top priority of the Normandy and with the stealth systems up and operational she had no intention of accidentally setting off the alarm if she caused an underwater avalanche.

"Hey there lass, you seem to be getting the hang of this thing!" Major Lawoski said to Martha as she cleared another seamount. Martha snorted as she kept her eye on the front screens to avoid getting hit. Her hands on the holographic steering proved invaluable as her instincts came to play.

"Your skills has improved immensely, Martha, despite your earlier nervousness," EDI commented.

"Well, I've always wanted to fly a spaceship, but that was only in a video game though," Martha replied, looking at the charts, "Ok, we will be passing just north of Luzon near Calayan Island."

"Where is that, lass?" Major Reynolds asked her.

"Here," Martha replied and sent him the map, which he looked at and whistled, "So where is the fleet?" he asked.

"The fleet is located about five hundred miles from the Vietnam coastline. It appears that it has stopped. Multiple vessels are engaged with it and appear to be in a blockade of sorts," EDI replied.

"A blockade? Holy shit, what countries are involved?" asked Jessica who sat towards the back right hand side.

"From the transmissions I had gathered the countries are United States, China, Vietnam, South Korea, Japan, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, and Australia." EDI replied and got a reply in the form of another whistle. Turns out the whistle came from Martha.

"Any submarines in the area, EDI? You know, underwater vehicles?" Major Lawoski asked the A.I.

"Checking transmissions…..several sonar sensors detected! Russian Alfa Class submarines is approaching the area, bearing 45 degrees north by north east from their location." EDI replied.

"Are they friendly ones, you know with the United Nations, or are they not so friendly?" asked Major Lawoski.

"Transmissions are not Russian, they are in fact in Mandarin, the source of the origin of the submarine by my calculations is just off the coast of Dalian in Northern China. However, something is not right. For starters, the Chinese military has its own submarine arsenal and does not use Russian submarines. How they got their hands on Russian submarines is anyone's guess," EDI replied.

"Things just get better and better," Jessica said and then turned on the intercom, "Dr. Alenkov, we just picked up a group of Russian Alfa-Class Submarines heading towards the blockade area. However, EDI has detected that the transmissions of the submarines are not in Russian but in Mandarin. She says that the Chinese don't own any Russian class submarines and that these ships are likely not here to help the U.N. in any way." she said adding to the last part.

"Have EDI run a translation on their transmissions, I want to know what they want in these waters, if they are not here to help the U.N. secure the Odyssey," Dr. Alenkov's voice said over the intercom. It was some time before EDI finally broken through the transmissions. Her voice was a bit hesitant when she replied, but when she properly translated the transmissions and hacked into the submarine's computers things just got a turn for the worst.

"Dr. Alenkov I am detecting multiple transmissions from the submarines. They appear as if they are going to attack the fleets," EDI replied. This caused everyone on the bridge to look at each other in alarm: such an impact, they knew, could cause a war, and a war like that was not a thing to trifle with.

"EDI let me see those transmissions," said Major Reynolds and the A.I. let him listen in to the conversations and their translations. What he was hearing was grim.

"What is it?" Martha asked.

"Well, it looks like those bastards may not be an entire squad if these transmissions are correct." he said and with that he waved his hands and looked at a view of the subs compared to the fleet. Thanks to Normandy's more advanced sensors, they got a three-dimensional look at the ocean floor, along with the locations of all the ships in the area. Running with a few touches of the screen Major Reynolds managed to find and isolate the submarines.

"Dr. Alenkov I detect at least nine ships all of them running silent and all of them armed," Major Reynolds said on the intercom.

"What kind of weapons do you think they have?" said another voice and Martha smirked at the voice of Hilary on the other end.

"They mostly have torpedoes but from the readings I am getting looks like they had been modified to carry ballistics as well." said a voice that Martha knew was none other then Dr. Caradine who had taken up monitoring the ships on the surface.

"EDI, give me a readout of the weapons systems of the ship and, if they have it, a complete computer readout of their cybersystems," Martha said going into gamer mode for this expedition.

"Acknowledged," EDI's reply came as she went silent for a few seconds.

"I am still trying to figure out how this submarine class could still exist, because they were supposed to be decommissioned back in the 70's to the 90's. What the fuck happened?" Major Reynolds asked.

"Ask the Chinese, because the last Russian sub was decommissioned in 1996," Dr. Alenkov's voice said over the speakers.

Martha who had been listening smirked, "Looks like someone's been stealing Russian and American submarine blueprints, because I am also detecting several American Ohio class submarines, heading from the south at 25 degrees south by south west," she said and relayed the report to Dr. Alenkov.

COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER, NORMANDY

Dr. Alenkov looked at the map that Martha and EDI provided of the latest situation. The submarines are coming in from both directions, but both are relaying different languages. The Russian subs are relaying Mandarin and the American subs are relaying what she could describe as a cross between Indian and Swahili. Something is not adding up here. Her instincts with KGB instantly put her on alert as she tried to think of why they would do such a thing. Then it hit.

"EDI, run a translation of all the transmissions from the submarines and then trace the signal. I want to know who is in charge of these subs and I want to know the targets!" Dr. Alenkov ordered and she briefly heard an acknowledgment from EDI before the results were in.

"I detected a signal, Dr. Alenkov, from all the submarines: the targets are the vast command ships in the fleets," EDI said as multiple lights shone throughout the ship, showing multiple targets. Cursing, Dr. Alenkov turned towards the part of the holographic map that showed the fleets and the Ocean Odyssey. It seemed like someone was willing to help the pirates escape and that meant to attack the fleets head on.

"Dr. Alenkov?" someone asked and she turned to see Ichigo sitting at his station to the side.

"Get me an open line to all the ships and have it translated," she said and when Ichigo went to try his head shot back up in shock, "It's jammed!" he said.

"EDI?" she said.

"I detect a jamming signal to all ships, disabling their long distance transmissions. The ships don't know that their feeds are being tapped into and still believe that they are able to transmit out." came the voice of the A.I.

"Are we able to hack into their systems?" she asked the computer.

"I am able to do so with limited success, due to the fact that most of the technology on the submarines is very old and lacks high-end electronic software," EDI replied. This earned another curse from Alenkov.

"Dr. Alenkov?" this time it was Major Reynolds who spoke from his seat next to Martha. Dr. Alenkov was instantly alert from her station behind the hologram of the Normandy. However, the image currently in front of her was of the entire battle group surrounding the Ocean Odyssey both above and below the ocean. She was also looking at the wider map of the area near Vietnam with the submarines coming from both the north and the south. She did not like the odds or the numbers.

"Major Lawoski you spent time with the C.I.A. is that correct?" she asked.

"Yes ma'am, I was a helicopter pilot before I became an analyst. But I did spend about twenty years with the C.I.A. Why do you ask?" he said and she smirked.

"You stated that the submarines are both American and Russian subs is that correct?" she said now she started to piece together the puzzle.

"Yeah, with Chinese from the Russian side but the strange part is, the American side is multilingual meaning either someone does not want anyone to know who was driving the subs…."

"Or someone is trying to purposely use the American subs as decoys to lure the other fleets into attacking each other," Dr. Alenkov finished.

"But Dr. Alenkov how are we going to deal with this?" asked Dr. Jenkins who was off to the side, looking at one of the side viewing screens. He was assigned to be ship's tech analyst, since both Dr. Kimber and Dr. Jackson are both below in the lower decks.

"Both submarine groups are currently outside of the fleet's sonar range. And, then again, so are we. We need to figure out which ships are they targeting first and if they are running silent. EDI, do your sensors detect sound better than the fleet's sonar?" she asked the A.I.

"My sensors do indicate many sound waves in the ocean so far, Dr. Alenkov. Give me a moment to isolate the sound waves you are looking for…..I have located the submarines signature sound signals. They are currently running silent without sonar or passive sonar. They are also running at the deepest levels near crushing depths. If they are planning an attack they are trying to go for a stealth approach," EDI said to Dr. Alenkov.

"Major Lawoski, Major Reynolds, did you hear that?" she said.

"Loud and clear Dr. Alenkov," both said at the same time.

"Dr. Alenkov, if I may?" said Hilary from her station to the left side of the holographic interface.

"Alright Dr. Ballard, let's hear what you have to say," Alenkov said, turning to Hilary. The dark skinned woman shifted her feet a bit before replying.

"You said that the two submarine groups are running silent, yes?" she said curiously.

"Yes, they are running silent. It means they are hunting. And from what EDI is telling us, they are targeting the main command vessels of each fleet. Most of them are aircraft carriers with the exception of a few countries. That means the largest ships would be the ones who become the prime targets. However, given the class of the submarines, if the other fleets see them or hear them they can identify who it is and the blame goes to that country," said Hilary.

"Indeed, Dr. Ballard, were you in any military service?" Dr. Alenkov asked.

"No Ma'am, my brother was in the Navy, that is where I got my interest in marine biology," she said. Now this, Dr. Alenkov didn't know, as she was aware that Hilary had family members that were in the military service. But she did not know which branch or which unit the family members served. Now, however, she would have to look into it further, but now is not the right moment.

"So what are you thinking, Dr. Ballard, besides the obvious?" Dr. Alenkov asked.

"Well, since they are running silent, that means they are trying to limit their sounds. So what if…." she said and then she had a look on her face to say that she was embarrassed talking about it to a military officer. Dr. Alenkov smirked, "You are free to speak Dr. Ballard, this is not a military vessel."

Hilary nodded, "Well, when some marine animals hunt, like orcas for example, they use sonar to find their prey. When that prey is located, they go silent to hide their presence before striking. However, other species, such as great white sharks, use a method that involves diving to depth before shooting out underneath their prey both surprising it, and killing it at the same time. What if we employ the same method of silent hunting on them." she said.

"Go on," Dr. Alenkov said to her.

"Well, why don't we use a method that is similar to that of a humpback whale. They dive deep, like the great white, but instead of shooting up and killing their prey in silence, they use a method that uses bubbles as a sort of net. But instead of bubbles we use their own communications against them. While at the same time, EDI and Jessica work a way around the signal jamming and deal with the problem of the fleets," Hilary said.

"It is possible, Dr. Alenkov, since they are unable to communicate with the outside," said Dr. Jenkins.

Dr. Alenkov looked down at the holographic map displayed below her. She could see the subs closing in and the communication's bubbles that each one had over them, giving real-time translations and feeds. Her mind was thinking as she widened the view to include the Normandy, which was still an hour's way out of active sonar range. However a thought came to her, "Jessica?" she asked.

"Yes, Dr. Alenkov?" was the answer.

"Isolate the transmissions from the submarines and bring up any transmissions from the fleets. I want to see what the outbound signals are and what we should be targeting. Then I want you to run that by Major Reynolds and Major Lawoski. Martha, all-stop once you've cleared the sea mounts. I don't want us to be discovered yet, and take us to the bottom, but not touching the ground. I think I have a plan," she said and walked away.

LATER

In the main meeting room, which was just off from the C.I.C. and in a narrow hallway between the weapons room and the laboratory, Dr. Alenkov stood with Major Lawoski, Major Reynolds, Hilary, Jessica, and Dr. Jenkins. They all wanted the same thing and that was to stop the submarines from possibly starting a war. Chairs were provided and the table lowered to allow them to use it while sitting. Even though it could be lowered to a more flat platform, this way, it could be used to help with papers being shuffled around on it.

"Alright, here is what we know so far about the submarines," Dr. Alenkov said as she produced a holographic map on the table. "The Ocean Odyssey is in a full stop here, just five hundred miles off the coast of Nah Trang in Vietnam. The naval fleets of several nations are stationed near the area and around the Odyssey. But due to the weapons the pirates installed in a recent resupply, they are well protected. However, they are also trapped and it would have been a matter of time before they do something desperate. In the recent 72 hours, they started killing hostages to keep the boats at bay. Each member of that crew is vital and so far, only six have been killed and that number is rising. Every attempt to rescue them, according to EDI's communications tap, has failed. The enemy submarines are located on two sides, here and here," she said pointing to the map where the two images of the submarines are located and the depth they are in.

"Somehow, whoever had acquired these submarines, had done so in a way that both the Americans and the Russians failed to notice. But my question is that why are they using Chinese, Indian, and from the latest communications report Swahili transmissions? That is what I would like to know," she said.

"Maybe they are not from any nation Dr. Alenkov?" said Major Reynolds. The British man was sitting straight as he held a report in his hand.

"What do you have for me Major?" she asked curious.

"Well, I was thinking that it can't be a possibility that both of these groups carry both American and Russian subs. But the direction of the submarines is wrong," he said and pointed to the North where the Russian Alfa Class Submarines are located.

"If they were from China and the communications is in Mandarin, they would have been broadcasting orders from the top. However I had EDI go through the translations and something does not make sense to me," he said and passed the folder to Dr. Alenkov. The woman read the folder and her eyebrows were raised.

"Are you sure about this?" she said.

"I'm positive. The signals on the submarine are wrong. They are lines from a Chinese military movie that I remember watching once on a website with my son a few years ago. I was watching that movie again during my downtime and I remember those lines well. When I heard the communications I had to re-watch the movie and well...this is what I found," he said and she turned to Jessica, "What about the American submarines?" she asked.

"When Major Reynolds told me about the Russian Submarines, I had to do the same for the Americans, and sure enough the signals are the same as well. The only exception was that the movie that is playing is The Hunt for Red October in both Russian and English," Jessica replied.

"So they are using lines from two movies to hide their signals meaning they must have some other form of communications. How goes the signals from the fleet?" she asked.

"We found one and it not the fleet, it's the Odyssey," said Major Lawoski.

"The Odyssey is broadcasting the signals?" Dr. Alenkov asked.

"Yes, we think they are using this as a form of giving orders to the subs to hide the targeting. EDI and I managed to get a breakdown of the communications being broadcast and analyzed where they are coming from and what is being said. This is the result," he passed another paper to her and she smirked.

"Very clever of them," she said as she read through the file. When she was done she turned towards the wall and then back towards the group.

"EDI, run a subliminal signal analysis I want to know what is under the layers of crap they put up?" Dr. Alenkov said and there was a brief bout of noise before the signals changed.

"Mission is clear break off the blockade and then secure the Ocean Odyssey. Once we are clear head south and then North towards Hainan. The fleets will be too busy to fight themselves once we put signals that make it seem like the Russians and the Americans wanted to start a fight. When we sunk the other fleets they will be too busy fighting each other to notice the Odyssey's escape."

"Negative, negative they have active sonar looking for possible submarine interference, do we use ballistic missiles?"

"Negative the higher ups will be pissed we screwed this up. Tao-Yun expects us to pick them up and we are going to do that by keeping them in one piece,"

"No, we stick to the plan we need to ensure that the fleets are fighting themselves before we make our move. Remember our mission is to cause chaos and maybe start a war in the process. With everyone fighting each other we can slip away with the world's biggest prize," that was the end of the transmission before it got to more mundane stuff. Everyone in the room was bewildered by the sounds of the voices coming from the submarines. The communications are tight but from what they translated Dr. Alenkov was far from pleased at this point and she was not about to let that go in silence.

"Those Sukin syn assholes!" she said standing up and glaring at the two highlighted forms.

"I would say the same, that is fucked up," said Dr. Jenkins.

"They are targeting the fleets with a very stupid plan," said Major Reynolds.

"Hey, sometimes the best plans are the very stupid ones," said Major Lawoski who shrugged and the British man rolled his eyes at his American counterpart. But when Dr. Alenkov directed a glare at them, the men shut up. Everyone was solemn as they looked at the moving holographic map it was Hilary who noticed the change.

"The one from the South has picked up speed, do you see that?" she said pointing to the holographic form of the American submarines. They did indeed start to look like they were coming in faster. And from the sound of it, going silent at that depth means in her mind that they are going for a silent run. The only thing that does not make sense is that in order to hit the aircraft carriers they would have to hit it at an angle from far below. That is too much to ask for such a crushing depth….unless.

"EDI do you think they are carrying any sort of Alien technology with them?" Dr. Alenkov asked, and everyone by the table turned to her.

"It is possible, but I do not detect alien technology. However, if they had reverse-engineered any of the Normandy's technology in what little they could scavenge, then it might be possible it is why they have avoided detection so far," EDI replied and Dr. Alenkov had to think about it before another thought came to her mind.

"Dr. Alenkov, the message I noticed is incomplete. Is this not a full translation?" asked Dr. Jenkins.

"No it is not, EDI was only able to get part of the message because of the interference given by the fake transmissions. It will take time before we can get a full analysis," Major Lawoski replied as he looked at the map.

"Dr. Ballard, you are the marine biology expert here. In order for an attack to happen on any sort of marine life from below, what are the key things the predator has to have to avoid detection?" she asked.

"They would need camouflage, for starters. A good tactic for sneaking up on prey in a three-dimensional environment. Some ways to detect the prey are sonar, lateral lines, a good sense of smell or keen eyesight, why?" she asked.

"I have a hunch, but these people are stupid if they think that someone is going to fall for something as simple as that. We need to know what's the real purpose here and in order to do that we need to know exactly why they are going to attack the fleets," Dr. Alenkov said.

"Got it, they are going for the alpha!" Hilary said and the others looked at each other confused. Hillary rolled her eyes as she explained, "In an orca pod, the leader of the group is known as the matriarch, because it is usually the alpha females who lead the group. They are the oldest and wisest females and they are the ones who normally are the mothers or grandmothers of most of the pod. The matriarch is the one who knows where the best hunting spots are and the best hunting tactics. Maybe it is the same for the subs. If we find out why they are attacking then maybe we can find out what is going on," she said.

"But first we need to find the sub and we need to deal with the other subs while we are at it, mate. Find the alpha and then get rid of the rest," said Major Reynolds.

"Good, but first, we need to figure out a way around the jamming and alert the fleets. If anyone has any ideas, let me know. As of right now, we need to clear our heads, and in the meantime Major Reynolds, Major Lawoski I need you both to inspect the combat gear in the lower decks. EDI has shown me earlier the combat armor you will be using when facing the men on the Odyssey. I will have Ichigo and Lucas take over your duties in the cockpit. That way, at least Martha will have someone other than Jessica to keep her company," she said and with a smirk on her face. Jessica made a face but it went unnoticed by Dr. Alenkov.

"Other than that, you are dismissed," she said getting up from her seat. The others followed as they too exited the room.

U.S.S. ALASKA

Now the Admiral was worried as he tried once again to get the Pentagon on the line with no results. Instead, he had been stonewalled by bureaucracy and politics at its finest. The person in charge told him that he has to wait with everyone else. That was ridiculous on all levels as they saw another ship go down with another blast from the Odyssey's rail gun. This was one of the things that was reverse-engineered from the alien ship. But it was twenty years of dedicated research that the United States military was working on but the results were less than satisfactory then.

So how the hell did the pirates get their hands on a working gun?

"Admiral, they are going to kill another hostage again," said the captain of the vessel. The admiral cursed as he looked through his binoculars. Ever since he came aboard the vessel, it has been one disaster after another. He spotted several people being killed by the men and their bodies thrown to the sharks that waited below to feed. He had to look away when it happened and when it did he was not too pleased by the results. He could just hear their screams in his sleep and anything he tries to do would only end up in disaster.

"Sir, I have the Admiral of the Chinese fleet on the line sir." He turned towards his men and asked him to send the call to his cabin. With a quick 'Aye, aye,' he walked away.

MEANWHILE

The Captain of the U.S.S. ALASKA was worried for his commanding officer. The Admiral looked tired and exhausted as he walked away from yet another slaughter. Taking a deep breath, the Captain looked out as the battle group just waited in silence. Many of them tried to get the ship in front of them to surrender, but with the advanced weaponry onboard, it was hard. But still, they could give the weapons credit, they are slow to recharge, and that gave them time. However, the shields and the pirates themselves with their smaller weapons is another problem. The ship's sensors made it so they can't get close, even with a submarine, to deal with them. The shields prevented any artillery from harming them. It was basically a fortress in the ocean. The only thing that could probably compare to that would be the alien vessel itself. But he had never been on it, so he had no idea what is happening.

"Sonar, anything new?" he asked his specialist and the man shook his head, "Nothing sir, they are still just floating there quietly and the other fleets are also holding their position," he said. Cursing his luck, he knew that this would be a long siege, but not this long. They needed supplies soon and fuel, if this was to keep going on. When the Admiral came back onto the deck and the Petty Officer made the call he, looked grim.

"Any news sir," he said.

"No, and the Chinese are calling for a supply run to allow ships to give us some much needed supplies. They are willing to share since Hainan is closest," he said.

"That's good to hear sir," said the Captain. He was skeptical at first of the Chinese, but when it comes to a common enemy they knew that something like this would happen. They would all have to share if they want this siege to keep going.

OCEAN ODYSSEY

Tao-Yun grinned when he got off the phone with his cohorts underwater. Finally, after three months of this bullshit, they are nearing their end. Their backup was on their way and all they had to do was wait. His lieutenant quickly ran up to him and handed him a piece of paper written in Cantonese. He quickly read through it before smirking.

"Finally some good news!" he said and quickly told the subordinate to spread the word. The man quickly ran off to tell the others. Many of them cheered as they could not wait to return home. However, Tao-Yun was still a man who waits till the job is done and quickly ordered his men to begin preparing for a large break out. For once the signal is given, he and his men would be able to sail freely away from the blockade and head directly towards the mainland to disappear. But all they need is time to prepare.

"I want every ordnance available now! Get the main rail gun ready for rapid fire. I want all the hostages on the deck for final departure!" he began to order his men. As they ran to get things done, he turned towards the blockade, smirking. If things go as planned, he can make a clean getaway while the fleets fight among themselves. It was a staged event willing to happen and he would be ready when it does.

NORMANDY

"Dr. Alenkov, I've managed to finally get a full translation of the transmissions as well as received a recent transmission from the Ocean Odyssey," EDI's voice said and Dr. Alenkov, who was on the platform overlooking the holographic display in front of her lifted her head. "Play the transmissions so that everyone can hear," she said.

"Acknowledged," was the reply.

"The mission is clear, Units three and five will break off the blockade, remember use only American and Russian transmissions understood?"

"Understood,"

"Good, Unit seven will come in from below deal with the main targets. The ships specified on your files are the main objectives. Target The command ships, take them out and then secure the Ocean Odyssey. Once we are clear head south towards Nha Trang and then head north east back towards the Philippines, but just before you enter their waters swing north by northwest towards Hainan."

"What about the fleets?"

"The fleets will be too busy fighting themselves once we put signals that make it seem like the Russians and the Americans wanted to start a fight. When we've sunk them, the other fleets will be too busy fighting each other to notice the Odyssey's escape."

"And if one should see through our disguise?"

"Sir I am detecting a signal...one of the fleets is sending active sonar sir. It's an American Sub, Do we fire torpedoes?"

"Negative, negative if they have active sonar they are looking for possible submarines sir do we use ballistic missiles?"

"Negative the higher ups will be pissed we screwed this up. Tao-Yun expects us to pick them up and we are going to do that by keeping them in one piece,"

"Tao-Yun? What about Wilcox what will she do once she finds out this is one big fuck up?"

"We need to come up with something this plan will backfire if it goes wrong,"

"No, we stick to the plan we need to ensure that the fleets are fighting themselves before we make our move. Remember our mission is to cause chaos and maybe start a war in the process. With everyone fighting each other we can slip away with the world's biggest prize,"

"Sir, incoming transmission its the Ocean Odyssey sir,"

"Patch her through,"

"Peluci you took your sweet ass time to bail me out!"

"Take it easy Tao-Yun we had to make our way out of Cambodia to get to you. Driving these submarines is not easy to keep undetected especially since they are equipped with specialized state of the art stealth equipment. It was lucky for us that Cambodia doesn't have the right detection equipment like the Russians or the Americans have. So we were able to avoid them. But this will be a first test of the new stealth equipment on a fleet as advanced as this,"

"Is the other fleet here?"

"Yes, they are on the north side of the armada just waiting for my orders. I am going to attack first hitting the Americans from the south. Lucien is going to come at us from the north and attack the Chinese and Korean fleets hitting the command centers before taking our time with the smaller ships. But we probably will only pick up pieces after the ballistic missiles have been launched."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Use that rail gun of yours to hit the American Command ship. My sources tell me it is a ship called the U.S.S. ALASKA a flag ship of sorts. Kill that creature and the rest will follow. The Yoshimune, The Tien Feng, Badaui Cheonyeo, Malacca, The Ho Chi Minh, and the Bangkok kill them and blame the conflict between the Americans and the Russians and we got ourselves a way out."

"Mainly the Americans,"

"Yes, the American ship will probably be one of the biggest. Kill that bitch and the other command ships will start firing on you but the shield will keep you safe. We will take care of the other ships. They won't know what hit them if they can't see or hear us,"

"Understood what will I do with the hostages? I was told to keep them alive but I have been killing the ones that are not scientists or engineers. We are running out and so far killing them has kept them at bay."

"Do what you have to but remember to keep the important ones alive along with the research that the ship provides. Their lives are worth more then your pathetic hide if you fail Tao-Yun. My investors and my superiors won't be pleased,"

"I understand, Tao-Yun out,"

Everyone on the bridge listened to the message and after it, the silence was kept at bay only by the sound of the ship's systems. Dr. Alenkov had a very dark look on her face when she heard that message, and she along with the others onboard felt that feeling too. It was something that can't be ignored and they are the only ones who can do something about it.

"Is that all the message, EDI?" she asked, her voice choked with rage.

"The translation was complete this time Dr. Alenkov. What was translated was what you heard. The most recent translation happened just twenty minutes ago," EDI's voice came over the loud speakers.

She looked down at the hologram and saw the submarines still heading directly towards the fleet. All of them are surrounded, but because of the shields, they can't detect what is going on. They couldn't see them, but the Normandy, with its far superior sensors, could.

"What about the jamming signal?" asked Dr. Jenkins.

"We don't know and it will take too long," Dr. Alenkov said.

"Perhaps I should look at it," said Major Lawoski from his station in the cockpit.

"Major?" asked Dr. Alenkov.

"I was an analyst for the C.I.A. so part of my job was decoding messages. If I can isolate the signals, then perhaps I can find the ship that is causing it. How long do we have?" he asked.

"Time estimates say about three hours give or take. The Normandy can make it there in one and a half hours on full speed," said Dr. Jenkins.

"Alright, let me see what I can do, give me an hour," he said.

"Alright, you have one hour, but when we go into action, it will be cutting it close," Dr. Alenkov replied.

NORMANDY COCKPIT

Martha watched as Major Lawoski worked from his station, typing away at the console like his life depended on it. He was looking at a hologram of the ships and their signals but he wanted to be frustrated with everything.

"You ok?" she asked.

He hissed as he turned to her and Martha drew back in fright, "Sorry," he replied and he slowly let out whatever breath he was holding.

"Need help with that?" she asked.

"No, no I need to do this, but it has been years since I left the C.I.A." Major Lawoski replied.

"Why did you leave?" Martha asked curiously as she sat there, going over the controls.

"I wanted to move around more, I guess. I mean, I knew everyone's dirty little secret and had that sort of blackmail right at my fingertips. But then, unlike that jackass Snowden, I had no intention of letting everyone else know. I guess everyone is entitled to their secrets." he said shrugging.

"So why didn't you transfer to be a field agent?" Martha asked.

"I never wanted that sort of action. I was not an action guy. I wanted the quiet and the silence." At this he laughed, "I was never the James Bond type of guy."

Martha started laughing as she turned towards Major Reynolds, "So what about you? First, Dr. Alenkov is revealed to be ex-K.G.B. and then Major Lawoski is C.I.A. And, what, you are M.I.6?" she asked.

"Nah, was never in the organization love, was an air force man true and true. Was always a fighter pilot for the Royal Air Force till I was assigned to the Normandy. I thought it would be a nice boring retirement for me. But then again, after you arrived things had been getting a bit too exciting for me mate," he finished laughing.

"Really? Did I ruin your vacation time?" Martha asked.

"Nah, I was getting bored this is just in the middle for me," he replied, then turned his chair to look at Jessica a her station, "Come on love, since we are here, sharing each others' secrets, why don't you share yours?" Major Reynolds said with curiosity.

"What can I say I am a typical white valley girl straight from the upside of Hollywood. My parents grew up in Beverly Hills and I went to private school. Nothing major and all boring," she said not saying anything else.

"Ah, come off it lass we are all here sharing each other's dirty secrets why not share?" he said jokingly.

Jessica rolled her eyes as she replied, "Ok, ok my family didn't have a screwed up life. We lived happily in Hollywood my mom is a businesswoman who sells makeup for some beauty firm. My dad is a lawyer, typical wealthy family, very boring life," she sounded bitter.

"You sound bored, sweetheart," said Major Lawoski, trying to mimic Major Reynold's British accent only for the other man to throw something at him laughing, "You suck at it and you know it, so why bother," he said.

"Hey man, just trying to cheer little miss Jessie up after all. Us Californians need to make sure that we look out for each other," he said laughing.

"Ok, ok folks back to work now," Jessica said as she rolled her eyes.

"I'm already done," said Major Lawoski, and presented the holographic chart for them to view. On it was the entire fleet, all of them with different colors.

"Major Lawoski, status report!" Dr. Alenkov's voice said over the intercom.

"I've finished what I could analyze captain, and I am sending it to you now," he said and, with a press of a button, it was sent. He kept the full copy for himself, but allowed himself a smirk of satisfaction.

"Asshole," Jessica said and Martha had to laugh at them.

NORMANDY COMBAT COMMAND CENTER

Dr. Alenkov looked at the colored patches in front of her. From what she could see, the signals were all identical. But the jamming signal was the only one glowing gold in a sea of blues, reds, greens, oranges and whites.

"So you are telling me that the jamming signal is coming from the Odyssey itself?" she said dumbfounded.

"Yeah, that is basically it doc, what we thought were the ship giving orders turns out to be the jamming signal," said Major Lawoski on the comm.

"Alright, we know what to do now," she said as she stood up straight.

"Everyone listen up! I know that you're tired and want to, more than anything, go home. But we have to fight for our fellows here. The Ocean Odyssey is our sister ship. She gave us food, water and supplies while we were down there at the bottom. So, when she needs us the most we will be there to save her. The other ships have no idea what kind of danger they are in, and they have no idea what sort of war this will cause. But I will tell you this; these fucking bastards, these Govnosos assholes, are not going to ruin our lives anymore. We have the very thing they are fighting over. And we will use its power to end this madness once and for all! I am not a tyrant, but I will not stand by and let someone destroy anymore innocent lives, who is with me!" she said and with the shout of her voice everyone cheered from within the C.I.C. to the intercoms below. She stood up proud.

"Major Lawoski, Major Reynolds prepare your men for combat; once we are through the submarines your men will be needed," she said.

At the sound of running feet, both men raced towards the elevator to get down to the lower decks where the armory was located. Several other men joined them, all of them from the security teams.

"Mr. Yamata, Mr. Bridger, you are to report to the bridge. You will be taking over Major Lawoski and Major Reynold's stations. Martha, fire up the engines and prepare for the assault, full stealth mode," Dr. Alenkov stated.

"Dr. Jenkins, I will leave you in charge of trying to deactivate that signal," she said and with a nod, the man got to work, "EDI, you will work with him to help deactivate the signal."

"Understood," was the reply from EDI.

"Everyone else, to your stations and prepare for battle. Sound the alert," she said and immediately an alarm went off as everyone rushed to get to their stations.

NORMANDY BRIDGE

Martha began to quickly activate the ship once again by firing up the engines. Both Ichigo and Lucas entered the bridge and went to their separate stations on either side of her. Jessica remained as she was at the communications, while the two gotten their stations online.

"Main thrusters online and engaged," Martha said as she engaged the thrusters and felt the ship move under her. The sounds that came from the engine filled her as she could feel the ship's need to protect. The power that the Normandy has was immense as the seabed below her started to move and they started to make their approach.

"Stealth systems online in 3…..2…...1….ENGAGE!"

OCEAN ODYSSEY

Tao-Yun was pleased that things were finally going to plan. His investors didn't abandon him after all!

He read the report and talked to the submarine captains before making the final plans on breaking through the assault. The jamming signal was working wonders on keeping the fleets busy. Their confusing messages were something that had him laughing at the idiocy of the world's military. Broadcasting their plans was pure genius on his part and the computers he has on his side were worth the effort. The billions his buyers were paying him were going to make him the richest man in the world. But first, there was a thing to do about the hostages.

He turned his head to the people he had left on the massive ship. The research vessel housed a helicopter pad that was empty, leaving everyone floating there on the surging swells. The winds had started to pick up again, but it was the norm in Southeast Asia. His original meeting place in the Philippines did not go as planned. Luckily for him, his contractor had already thought about that when they signed up for the job. The second point was ruined with the blockade and that left the third in China.

"Prepare the hostages and gather all the remaining weaponry. We will target one of the command boats. That will give our guys time to get in and get us out!" he said to them and his men quickly moved to bring out the hostages. Tao-Yun then turned to his lieutenant, "Make sure that there are no more enemy submarines in the area. We don't need them to engage our boys by mistake," he said and the man quickly rushed off.

When he returned, he had the hostages all gathered on deck as he walked up and down inspecting all those that are left.

"It seems to me that I had killed a few of you. Though my contract says that you are not to be harmed, it didn't specify if it was scientists, engineers, or all of you. So, I took the liberty to take a few of you off the deck for a swim with the sharks. Now, I looked at a few of you and saw your profiles as to what you are on this vessel. The reason why I kept you alive is because my employer demands it. I will not be paid if you are all dead, so tell me, which one of you gets to die first," he said laughing.

MEANWHILE

Enrique and Micheal both looked on with nervousness as Tao-Yun taunted them with his plans. He sounded like a cartoon character when he did this, making this situation a bit more uneasy with each passing minute.

"Micheal, amigo, tell me, does that fool think we are idiots?" he asked the filmmaker. Micheal looked at Tao-Yun's retreating form with nervousness as he walked up and down the deck, inspecting them all.

"No, he is hiding something, I know it. I bet it has something to do with the naval ships. I think he has a backup plan," he said.

"Are you sure?" Enrique replied.

"Yes, he has a plan and it is not good. He seems awfully happy about it I just hope that whatever it is backfires in his face so badly that….." Micheal was interrupted, hit from behind by a rifle butt. Micheal went down on his hands and knees. With his hands tied he could not lift them up to see if he has a cut or a bump in the back of his head. The man who did it shouted at him, drawing attention to both of them when Tao-Yun turned around. Walking towards them, he eyed them up and down, noticing that they were in fact with the submarine pilots.

The man who hit Micheal spoke to Tao-Yun in rapid Cantonese. The man nodded as he smirked at them. Then, with a jerk of his hand, the man picked up Micheal from behind and dragged him towards the makeshift plank. Knowing his fate, Micheal wished for his wife to know that he loved her and wants to be with her again. But instead of tossing him overboard of even shooting him, his shirt was ripped from behind and the first man started to beat him.

U.S.S. ALASKA

"Sir, they had just moved one of the hostages to the plank sir," said the Captain as the Admiral made his way back onto the main deck. He took the binoculars to see for himself what was going on, and to say he was not happy would be an understatement.

"Status?" he asked.

"Looks like they are beating him sir instead of outright killing him," the Captain replied.

The Admiral looked at his reports again and swore. He took a look at the person's profile from the list of crew members onboard the Odyssey and to say that he was a key crew member was an understatement.

"Micheal Cameron, filmmaker and photographer, was chosen for this expedition to do an underwater documentary of the alien vessel. Was certified as a submarine pilot and became a full member of the crew in 2007. Has been a crucial part of controlling the media feeds for several years. His documentary of the Alien Vessel and her effects on marine life has won him several awards, including a Sundance Award in Canada. OK so this guy is one of the pilots. They are going to waste a valuable resource when they should be treating him better," he said turning to his persons.

"Sir, still no signs of getting through to the pentagon or the president," said the Comms officer.

"Why the fuck is the President not responding!" he said out loud to someone.

"We don't know, but they seem to be quoting some sort of poem sir," the Comms officer said.

"Let me hear that," he said and got on the line. However, what he heard suddenly made his cursing a bit more then normal. It was then that the light of dawn finally reached his brain and he slammed the phone down on the handle so hard that it nearly cracked the handle.

"Sons of bitches have jammed us!" he said looking around, "Someone get the other fleets online, ask if they are hearing weird quotes from their governments as well," he said and the man quickly went through to check up on the fleets.

"Sir, confirmation on all fleets sir!" he said as he came back into the room.

"Are you sure?" he said.

"Yeah, someone thought to use Morse Code with their lights. I think it was the Koreans sir," said the executive officer in charge. He was a young man of mixed descent. He was short in stature but he was skilled in communications. That is why he was assigned to the Alaska's communications section of the bridge. The Admiral quickly rushed out and looked through his binoculars.

Sure enough, someone was flashing something... a mirror? He zoomed in and, sure enough, someone was using a mirror to reflect a message. Thankfully morse code is taught at the naval academy and he also learned it when he took an interest in it. The same probably could be said about the Koreans.

"What does it say, sir?" asked the Captain who had come to join him.

"It says, 'Do not trust the transmissions, false feeds are being given," The Admiral said, turning back towards them and then to the Comms officer.

"Alright, send a message back in Morse Code using the same method. Tell the Koreans that we understand them and that we got the message," he stated.

"Aye, Aye sir," said the Comms officer as he got a small mirror out to use. He also got flags out to use as a signal as well.

SOMEWHERE SOUTH OF THE BLOCKADE

A group of American Ohio Class submarines made their way towards the fleet and the blockade that kept the Ocean Odyssey from making its escape into Vietnam waters. At the head of the submarine fleet, a single sub was leading the charge. Its name was far from American as it was not American made. Instead it was made in Cambodia and the name Dav Robsa Sthansuokr which means 'Heaven's Blade' in Cambodian, was the head of the fleet. This clever plan of there's to use American technology to duplicate these submarines was pure genius. At her helm was the man in charge. He was dressed in white and was of European Decent. He smiled as he looked at the radar screen.

"Status?" he said in Cambodian. The man below him at the helm gave the report.

"We are going to be in range in five minutes sir," said the man, standing up straighter.

"Good, keep me informed of what is going on. I will be in my cabin, giving my report to my superior," he said before walking out of the room. The last part before he was out of hearing range was 'Aye, aye sir!"

When he had gotten into the cabin, he quickly shut the door, making sure no one was able to hear him. Once he sat down, he started to go over the reports of the course they would take and the plans he was to execute.

Just as he thought it, the phone rang from the side. He quickly booted up his computer and turned on the camera. There, a female face appeared with dark red hair and a tanned skin tone, though the tan looked fake and the hair, upon closer inspection, was a wig. The figure on the other side, however, was not someone that the person in charge was willing to cross.

"Is everything proceeding as planned?" the woman asked; though her voice was speaking English, a translation was provided below. The man quickly read what was being said before answer.

"Yes, ma'am everything is going smoothly. Soon we will have the Ocean Odyssey and her research," he replied to the woman. She smiled at him and he could see that she was wearing dark red umber lipstick.

"Very good, keep me informed of the mission's success," she said and the man nodded with an, 'Understood,' before closing the connection. Just as he leaned back into his chair, the Comms officer signaled over the P.A. that they were at their target. Getting up, he made his way towards the bridge to prepare for their final assault.

GONG TANG, HAINAN, CHINA

The connection was cut, leaving a woman smiling for the first time in months since her departure from the United States. After making several detours to get here to her safe house, Alexandria Wilcox sat there, smiling to herself. She was sure that her assignment to her superiors will help in getting the Ocean Odyssey to them. By destroying the fleets and starting a war she was sure to profit from, the weapons she plans on creating with the stolen research, and as for the scientists? She had plans for them and the secrets they had uncovered.

She laughed to herself as she looked down at her painted nails. The alien vessel was a loss after they had stolen the Odyssey. But it will not be long before someone catches on. By then she would be long gone with her prize and everything they would have worked for was nothing but another pile of bodies. Alenkov may have gotten the best of her but Wilcox will not go down without a fight. She will make sure that she has the upper hand in ensuring that she comes out the victor.

She will do whatever it takes to ensure that she will be the one on top. Even if it means to kill every last one of the crew members of the alien vessel. She will wait till they are all dead and gone. By now they must have all gone mad and started to devour each other, making things a bit easier once she has the submersibles to get down there. Then, she can make off with as many artifacts as possible and collect on the weapons cache that is sure to be there. What ever little she can get, she will find, and once she finds it….she will be the one to call the shots and nothing can stop her.

TBC

A/n: wow things are really heating up now that you know what is going on. Alexandria Wilcox is back and badder then ever. So you have been warned. Oh and please remember to leave a review and no FLAMES, BASHINGS, OR LORE MONGERS PLEASE! Thank you.