DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN MASS EFFECT IT BELONGS TO BIOWARE AND E.A. GAMES.
A/n: OH MAN! It has been busy for both me and my Beta. This summer is a mess of activity for both at work and in real life. I had to move out of my house just recently so the time I spent on fanfiction was next to nothing except to edit and post a couple of chapters that I had already written. My landlord sold the house I was living in so that means I had to move out. I was hectic trying to find a place but eventually I moved in with my boyfriend and his family till I find a place of my own. But now that I fully moved in and all the drama with my previous land lord is done I can concentrate on my stories more. As for my beta he had a busy summer with holiday and work problems so trying to get this chapter up was a pain.
But it had been done so anyhow here you go finally the next installment of…..
Mass Effect the Immortal Series Part 1: Flight of the Normandy
Chapter 18: Normandy vs. Odyssey
OFF THE COAST OF VIETNAM
Tao-Yun was not impressed as he looked over at the light of dawn that was cascading over the horizon. The battle of the submarines had lasted through the night. The blasts from the rail gun had been the only source of light aside from the various lights of the many ships that littered the sea. Some of them had long since vanished towards the nearby Vietnam shores and others had stayed to stand guard over the Ocean Odyssey. Already, his men had been waiting with guns pointed at the various people they had strewn along the deck. Among them was the man they were going to sacrifice first: the filmmaker Micheal Cameron.
When the sun had risen just high enough for them to see, the waves started to pick up. The ocean was no longer calm as the debris and the once-burning oil had been gone from the surface. Instead the waves started to show their anger at the war that was brewing on the surface and down below. The sounds of the wind in his face a sure indication that there was a storm coming for them.
"Sir, what are you going to do now? The subs have been destroyed!" said his lieutenant. Tao-Yun turned to him, his voice a dangerous whisper: "What?" he said. His subordinate backed away slowly with fear evident on his face.
"They are gone sir," was the reply from the man, and Tao-Yun turned towards the ocean, his rage evident on his face. Then he threw his cigarette into the ocean screeching. First his plan went to shit, with the blockade forcing him to abandon his original meeting place in the Philippines for Vietnam. It was as if whoever this 'Alenkov' is planned it all along.
Now, even with superior firepower, he is overcome by one submarine! He was at his wit's end after nearly a month of being blocked from the shore. He was not about to go down without a fight. Turning towards his officers, he made the call.
"I want the patrols doubled! Keep that rail gun ready and primed, I don't want anything to get through, and if that bitch wants to fight, then by the grace of the ancestors, we will give her one!" he said and the men went to work. The battered crew that was held on the deck were tired and worn out. Their skin sun burnt and red, their lips chapped and some showed signs of bleeding. Many were bruised and a few females looked as if their clothes were torn. This was a sign of some of them being raped for the pleasure of many men onboard. Thankfully, they were not dead yet that was for sure.
Just as Tao-Yun neared the plank, sitting there, waiting for its next victim, a crewman came rushing out.
"Sir, an incoming call from our benefactor," he said and Tao-Yun nodded before walking towards the main communications hub. Taking the phone he answered, "Tao-Yun here," he said in English.
"It is about time you answered the damn phone," a male voice said on the other end.
"I am sorry, sir, but it was difficult to keep communications with several ships attacking," Tao-Yun replied, his voice nervous.
"Where are the submarines?" The voice on the other end said to him. Tao-Yun swallowed. He was not going to like being the bearer of bad news.
"Gone," he said, his voice quivering with fear.
"What do you mean gone!?" his benefactor asked him, the voice sounded demanding, as if he expected Tao-Yun to have the answer.
"We were attacked by an unknown entity, sir. It came out of nowhere, a submarine of phenomenal size and it killed all of our subs," Tao-Yun replied. His voice was not like how it sounded just an hour earlier, where it was confident. In the confines of the communications room, with the phone in his ear, he could almost see the anger off his boss. The man who funded the whole raid and gave him every resource. All Tao-Yun had to do was deliver the package to him, but he never counted on the U.N. coming to the rescue or the fact that one ship had taken out all of his supporters.
"This entity you speak of, what is the size of it?" asked the man on the other line. Tao-Yun swallowed before answering, "Massive, about the size of one of the American Aircraft carriers, maybe larger," he said.
There was silence on the other end, but before the benefactor could speak Tao-Yun continued, "We had one transmission from the sub sir by a woman named Alenkov she said to surrender or else," he said.
Still there was silence, as if the man was speaking to someone, but at the mention of Alenkov the man was surprised, "Alenkov? Are you sure it was a female voice named Alenkov?" he said.
"Yes sir, she said her name was Dr. Elenna Alenkov of the Normandy and she said to surrender the Odyssey or else," Tao-Yun replied not sure where this is going but then the man gave an order.
"I will contact you soon. This could pose more problems for us." With that, the man hung up and left Tao-Yun to his devices. As the Asian man placed the speaker back onto the hold, he was afraid of letting it go as if he knew the answer.
SOMEWHERE HIDDEN IN AN UNKNOWN LOCATION
Alexandria Wilcox was on the screen, looking at one of her many contacts. The man was dressed in white and spoke with an English accent. He had been her ally for a while on the black market, selling special goods.
"Are you sure that is what Tao-Yun said?" she asked the man.
"Yes ma'am, that is what he said; Elenna Alenkov, but I don't understand. He mentioned a 'Normandy.' I've not heard of it. Last I heard of Dr. Alenkov, she was in charge of the Challenger Deep Project in the Marianas. What would she be doing on a submarine of that scale?" he asked and Alexandria took a cigarette from the side and lit it.
"Elenna was always a clever woman. What do you expect from a former member of KGB? She has resources available to her. I would not be surprised that she had somehow gotten off the alien vessel. Even when she was fully expecting to die," she said as she leaned back in her chair, her mind in deep thought as she considered what this would mean to their operation. The research aboard the Ocean Odyssey is the most sought after treasure the world could ever want. The knowledge of an ancient civilization not even from Earth. All that knowledge at their fingertips. The weapons that could be produced such as the rail gun or the shielding. It would make millions to those around her. And to think that the people who gave them the tech was on that ship. But the name of Elenna Alenkov was one that would burn Alexandria with such hatred that she wanted to burn the woman in hell. The Russian woman has been a menace since they both were in their respective agencies.
Now, however, Alexandria has to be in hiding, because Alenkov somehow discovered her baggage onboard that vessel. No matter – if she was here to fight back after being locked up at the bottom of the ocean, then let her fight. Alexandria could play fair, or not.
"Tell Tao-Yun to kill the scientists... but do it slowly, I don't want anything damaged. That should send a message. The research, we can salvage, but she would want something in return." Alexandria said to the screen.
"She would want blood, wouldn't she?" the man asked.
"She is probably here to save the lives of the Odyssey crew. I want all that research for myself, but it seems that she doesn't want to give it up. No matter, I've wasted enough time playing. Tell him that all the weapons at his disposal are his so long as he kills Elenna Alenkov and everyone that works with her," she said to the figure on the screen.
"It will be done," he said.
"Good, report to me when the deed has been carried out," she said and closed the link. Alexandria puffed on her cigarette. She was intrigued that Alenkov could pull this off on her. Well, she wouldn't last long against the latest weapons tech onboard the Odyssey. Of that much, she was certain, as she leaned back against her chair. Her now dark hair hid her features from anyone not looking in the right direction.
No, she could wait as long as she needed to.
NORMANDY
"Dr. Alenkov, we should tell the ships that they need to move or else they could risk the Normandy accidentally banging into them," Martha said into the console.
"I am well aware of that and had EDI broadcast my message to them. In about ten minutes, we will be at the surface; that gives them plenty of time to get out of our way," Dr. Alenkov replied from the speaker, but her voice was strained, as if trying to contain her anger.
She has a right to be angry, Martha thought to herself. She then began to run the sequences that she managed to memorize on the way up from the Challenger Deep. Fingers flashing across the holographic screen like it was something out of a magical fairy-tale.
"Alright, ready to begin ascent," Martha said to her.
"Begin countdown of surfacing sequence when the ships are moved away to a safe distance, EDI will tell you when it is safe to surface," Dr. Alenkov's voice said over the speakers. Martha nodded as she looked towards her monitor.
"Alright, switching from main thrusters to landing thrusters and beginning surfacing sequence," she said as she flipped a few switches.
"All ships are evacuating the area to allow the Normandy time to surface," EDI replied.
"Good," Martha replied.
U.S.S. ALASKA
"Captain we got an unidentified submersible coming in hot from a depth of….2600 feet and closing fast sir!" said the sonar specialist. Just as he said it, alarms began to blare, and Captain Chadwick hurried to the sonar screen to see for himself what was going on. As he looked, his face turned to one of horror as the ship that was mentioned was the one that took out the submarines.
"All hands evasive maneuvers! Evasive maneuvers!" he shouted and alarms began to blare as the ship was suddenly lurched as it moved out of the way. This was followed by the movements of others ships as they too moved away from the rising vessel.
OCEAN ODYSSEY
"Sir, something is happening!" said a sonar specialist as Tao-Yun emerged from his cabin. He was not pleased to be summoned here so quickly after retiring for the moment. It was at times like these that he cherished his sleep. And now, it seemed, sleep would once again not come to him.
"What is the status?" he demanded as he looked at the sonar. The front end of that massive submarine was rising according to the sonar report. Rushing towards the deck he went to see what his nemesis would look like. As he looked out through the binoculars, he saw several ships retreating from the immediate area, as if something was coming to the surface. The water was stirring, as if the seas were boiling. He was worried as they took on a new appearance as something was emerging from the depths.
"What the hell?" he asked himself as the sounds of the many alarms began to be heard over the sound of the windy seas. The waves began to stir as if the ocean was welcoming a new champion. He looked over the railing, waiting anxiously, and looked down. The sharks that had been circling the Odyssey had long since vanished, as if they knew that whatever it was that was rising from the sea was a new and bigger threat. Tao-Yun waited with baited breath, both nervous and excited to see this foe.
MEANWHILE
"What is happening?" Micheal asked Enrique as the two watched with the rest of the hostages, the many ships suddenly moving away from a spot on the ocean.
"I don't know, señor, I think something is surfacing," Enrique replied as he, too, waited. His face was already red and sunburned, his lips cracked and blistered, and at some point started bleeding from the cracked skin. His eyes were puffy from the salty water. His hair was crusted with salt from the sea spray. Micheal didn't fare any better and neither did the rest of the crew. One man looked to be unresponsive and Enrique feared that he had died of exposure to the elements.
As if reading his thoughts, the sounds of the many sirens from the distant ships had captured his attention. He turned his head away from Micheal to look over the ocean. Already, the sounds of something happening had alerted him. Ship sirens could be heard and more than a dozen ships from America, Korea, and Japan began to move out of the way from a certain spot in the distance. As the bubbles began to clear, it became obvious that something was enormous.
NORMANDY
"Dr. Alenkov, we are at depth of 1000 feet and rising," Martha said over the comms.
"Good, keep me informed of when we are near the surface," Dr. Alenkov's voice broke through the intercom, and Martha continued their rise to the surface. Already at a depth of 1000 feet, she could only see trace amounts of deep sea lights, caused by some species of fish. But as the Normandy's systems were doing checks, she kept an eye on the ships above. She didn't want to accidentally damage them even further.
"EDI, are there any ships that are currently sinking?" she asked the A.I.
"Two Korean ships are taking on water. One Chinese battleship is unresponsive due to damaged propellers and will most likely be towed. The American aircraft carrier also sustained damages and will most likely need to go through extensive repairs. Their aircraft launch pad and storage elevators are currently offline. The control tower seems to have suffered the most damage as it seems to no longer have access to some of the lower floors," EDI replied.
"Is there any way to help them?" asked Lucas from his seat.
"I don't think we can help at this point," said Ichigo as he looked at his charts.
Looking outside, Martha could see the water begin to turn lighter as they reached the last point rays of the sun could penetrate the depths. She grew excited as the thought of finally seeing the sun again warmed her. She could see the others on the bridge were starting to get excited too.
"Hey, look, I can see the light," said Lucas.
Jessica and Ichigo both joined in the excitement and Martha could hear chatter from other parts of the ship as more crew members started to take notice of the seemingly sudden change in the water outside. Looking down at the console, Martha was determined to see for herself how deep they were compared to earlier. The chart said 450 feet, meaning they were getting close.
"Alright we are near the surface now Dr. Alenkov and we can see the light of day," Martha said, her voice sounded excited.
NORMANDY COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER
Dr. Alenkov gave a smile at the opportunity to finally see the light of the sun once more. After several months trapped in the depths, the sunlight was something she sorely missed. And it was something she was dreading.
"EDI, power up shields and keep them on, I want to make sure we don't run into any surprises," she said.
"Acknowledged," was the reply from the artificial intelligence as Martha put in the final checks, before the light became too bright for her eyes.
U.S.S. ALASKA
"Sonar has detected the anomaly! It has reached the five hundred foot mark and rising, sir!" the sonar specialist said to the captain. Captain Chadwick had been keeping an eye on the rising ship and wanted to make sure the ship was indeed rising to the surface. Already, several other naval vessels had moved out of the way to ensure that they would not be hit by the larger submersible, nor get hit by a stray shot from the inevitable attack from the Ocean Odyssey. He walked out towards the door. They finally managed to get the door removed to allow them to leave. That way, the crew members could finally get to facilities when they needed, and for the medical team to come up to deal with the injured. It also allowed them to remove the bodies of the fallen to help with cleanup.
As he looked at the new state of his command, he walked down to the nearly destroyed flight deck. Huge craters were sitting where a runway used to be, making flying impossible. He couldn't get any planes in the air anyway, due to the damage to the elevators and the planes themselves. The rail gun from the Odyssey had done a number to the ship. He was lucky that the Alaska was still floating.
But as he walked across the deck, being careful to avoid the holes, the wind sweeping past his face, he looked down towards the waters below on the starboard side. Already, the sea began to boil with the rising of the ship. The ship itself would be massive once it got to the surface. Such a submarine should be impossible to build, but he was about to find out just how formidable this craft can be.
NORMANDY
"Dr. Alenkov, we are about 60 meters from the surface, ma'am, and I can already see the light," Martha said over the intercom of the Normandy's bridge.
Over at the Combat Information Center, or the CIC, of the ship, Dr. Alenkov stood over the raised platform, looking at the holographic display of the fleet around her. Already, she could see the ships moving out of the way for her vessel… her vessel... she could already see this place as her vessel. The thoughts that started to stream into her head were quickly squashed as her mind focused back on the present.
"What is the distance between us and the Odyssey?" she asked.
"About five miles or just over 9 kilometers from our position," Martha replied.
So that would put us at a reasonable distance from the ship. Good, the Normandy can get there in seconds, now that the water will no longer be an obstacle, she thought as she looked at the holographic chart, "EDI, what is our status on the exact location and power output of the shield?" she asked the artificial intelligence.
"The shield generator is located here, at the peak of the ship," the image that was shown was that of the ship itself zoomed in. Where the blue light was at the top of the hologram.
"The rail guns, where are they?" she asked.
"The rail guns are located in several locations around the ship, including both sides, the stern and the aft. The pirates also possess explosives of equivalent firepower as a depth charge, located here and here," she showed where the explosives are located.
"The hostages?" she asked.
"They are located along the deck as a warning to the other ships, though some of them are no longer with us due to exposure. If we want them to live, I recommend haste" EDI confirmed this, when she zoomed in on the people tied up on the deck. She even went so far as to show their vital signs. Alenkov knew these people, and the thought of seeing them harmed made her blood boil. The actual sight of them was worse.
She looked at the Normandy's arsenal and then at the holographic form of the Odyssey. Her mind raced as she tried to process the best laid plan. It was then that she noticed something.
"EDI, there are two smaller ships in the cargo bay, what are they?" she asked.
"They are the Kodiak and the Hammerhead, two vessels used for exploration of unknown worlds that the Normandy can't land on. Due to our size and mass, the Normandy can't land on most worlds. Some worlds are too inhospitable for the ship to land. So in its place, we send the Kodiak and the Hammerhead. It was the best translation to the actual names of the ships. If I have done my research into human languages correctly," EDI replied.
"Does Martha have to fly these vessels?" asked Dr. Alenkov.
"No, she is only required to fly the Normandy itself, these vessels have basic flight functions and weaponry for defense. If you are thinking of letting Major Lawoski and Major Reynolds fly these vessels, then they are more than capable. The flight controls are similar to that of a normal human aircraft. The only difference is that is has a holographic interface, just like the Normandy, with the exception of the steering mechanism," EDI replied.
Dr. Alenkov smiled as she activated the intercom, "Major Reynolds, Major Lawoski, EDI has just informed me that the two smaller vessels can be piloted by you both. Each of you will take the smaller craft before we reach the surface. That way, when the shield is down, you both can take out the ship," she said.
"Aye aye, captain!" they both said before closing the comm.
"Alright Martha, slow our ascent, we want to give both Major Lawoski and Major Reynolds's teams time to leave the ship for their run with the Odyssey. I assume they also have stealth capabilities?" she asked EDI that last question.
"No, they do not. However, if they remain at this depth until the shields are down, we will be the much greater threat, and they are unlikely to be targeted," EDI replied.
"Did you hear that?" she said, and with the confirmation that they had, Dr. Alenkov smiled before she gave the orders.
"Dr. Jenkins, lock on to the exact source of the shield. Martha, wait till the smaller ships leave the docking bay, then resume your ascent for the surface. But do so with kinetic barriers at full power. I want all weapons primed and ready. Dr. Ballard, I want sensors ready and watching for any more enemy ships. Jessica, I want you to monitor all comm channels from the Odyssey to make sure we know for certain that whoever is on the ship is the one in charge. I want channels monitored on all fronts and translators at full capacity, I don't want any mess ups, people, we are going to be fighting for our lives," Dr. Alenkov said.
A chorus of acknowledgments went throughout the C.I.C. as people went back to their stations to get ready for the upcoming battle. Dr. Alenkov remained at her station, waiting for the worst.
NORMANDY SHUTTLE HANGAR
"Alright boys, listen up! These suits have barriers that protect you from bullets, but they will only hold for a short period of time against the alien rounds. So be careful how you use them, and don't take one for the team, understand!" Major Lawoski said to his men. The group of men in front of him saluted, showing that they understood what is at stake.
"Good, we will split up into two teams. We will call ourselves Hammerheads, after that smaller machine there. And before you ask, EDI told me that yes, it was a normal hovercraft with jump capabilities, but was modified to also work elsewhere. I didn't ask for details. Hammerhead One, you will be with me, and you will ride in the big shuttle. Hammerhead Two, you will ride with Major Reynolds in the smaller craft. Once we get clear of the Normandy, we will begin our approach to the Odyssey from below. There we will wait till the Normandy gets the shield down and then we will make our move on the ship, understood?"
"SIR, YES, SIR!" was the reply from the group of security personnel in front of them.
"Good, now move out!" he said and the band of soldiers ran towards their ships. Major Lawoski hit a series of buttons on his newly acquired omni-tool. He was happy for the present from Dr. Jackson and Dr. Kimber, both of which were now looking at them from the windows above them. When the two ships were lowered, both men led their teams aboard.
Major Lawoski was just glad to finally be able to pilot an alien craft. Too bad it wasn't the Normandy itself. But, he would settle for the larger shuttle, which EDI called the Kodiak, which is the best translation for the alien name it was originally given. Looking at the controls, the ship's holographic interface was simple enough to understand. He saw where the engines are, the fuel, and so forth.
"Alright, boys, are we strapped in?" he asked, and got affirmatives from the soldiers, helmets held in their hands. The suits themselves were environmental hardsuits that could survive any environment and almost any combat situation, though it was quickly made clear that they weren't invincible; stupid risks wouldn't be tolerated. It was a good thing they all read the instructions given by EDI about the suit's use. The omni-tools on their arms also helped to determine bodily functions as well as environmental impacts.
"Alright, everything set?" he asked. When he gotten affirmatives from the people in the back as well as the one from the smaller vessel next to him, he relayed his connection to the Normandy.
"Normandy, this is Hammerhead One, we are ready for launch," he said over the comm.
"Hammerhead Two, ready for launch," was the reply from the second vessel.
"Hammerhead One, Hammerhead Two, this is Normandy, you are good to go, I repeat: you are good to go, and good hunting," was the reply from Dr. Kimber as the launch bay doors opened. The mass effect fields formed a protective barrier from the outside, so there was no fear of water rushing into the ship. Just as that happened, the two craft began to move as Major Lawoski put instructions into the controls. He could feel the ship rising before the shuttle's own inertial dampeners kicked in. This killed the feeling of the shuttle shaking as it rose from where it was placed on the ground. The smaller vessel was the same as it, too, lifted.
Looking out the window, Major Lawoski spotted Major Reynolds and gave a thumbs up. The gesture was returned as Major Lawoski went, first followed by Major Reynolds, into the now purple waters of the open ocean. The light filtering from the sun came in as a welcomed sight, but the mission at hand took priority, and he engaged the engines.
Both he and Major Reynolds steered the ships away, while the Normandy began to rise once more towards the surface.
"Alright people, listen up! We got one shot at this. We wait till Normandy has the shield down. Then we go in for the kill and rescue the people trapped onboard." said Major Lawoski.
"Once we have the shield down, I can deactivate their systems with a well-placed EMP pulse. That would give you the advantage against their rail guns. It should disable them to protect the ship." EDI said as she appeared on a small screen next to the controls.
"Roger that, you heard that one, Hammerhead Two?" he said.
"Loud and clear," was the reply from Major Reynolds.
"Alright, people, let's move out!" Major Lawoski said as he pushed the throttle of the shuttle, and the two ships followed each other towards the Odyssey. They could see the faint pulse of the shield around it. They could also see the floating debris from the various ships that were sunk by this vessel. It was supposed to be a research vessel before the pirates took over and turned it into a weapons arsenal. Now, all they had to do was wait it out and then strike when it becomes vulnerable.
U.S.S. ALASKA
Captain Chadwick looked over the deck towards the ocean below, he ocean swells caressing the still aircraft carrier. It was quiet as the many men and women onboard his ship were busy with cleaning up and trying to repair the deck. Already, the wind had started to pick up as the day wore on and he frankly enjoyed the feel of the sea breeze against his skin.
In all his years serving with the military, never once in his life had he encountered a standoff such as this. One thing had led to another during this standoff; because of these events, nations shared the same goal, to seize back the Ocean Odyssey and rescue the researchers that still were on that vessel.
Just as he looked over the horizon towards the ship in the distance, alarms began to blare. As he looked up a crewman ran towards him.
"What is it?" he demanded to him.
"Sir, it is moving again," said the crewman, and Captain Chadwick walked to the deck's edge. Peering into the deep and the swells, he looked for any signs of something. So far, there was nothing to see. And just as he was about to turn away, something caught his eye. Looking down towards the deep blue, something began to appear.
It was faint at first, and he almost thought it was a figment of his imagination. But as the thing moved closer towards the surface, he could make out something large. And it was it was getting larger. As it was getting larger, more and more people began to gather along the deck to see for themselves. The water's roiling increased as it approached, not only pushing it out of the way, but also giving off heat. As it did so, more crew members rushed out to see what was rising from the depths.
Then, the distant sounds of alarms began to blare across the American fleet. The other fleets also began to blare alarms as something broke the surface of the ocean. It was then that Captain Chadwick realized that what they were dealing with was not a submarine, it was a massive vessel of unknown origins. As it broke the surface, people began to back away in shock and awe. But not Captain Chadwick, he kept his cool as the ship rose higher and higher from the water, and he could make out its massive engines along its wings, the two tail fins that resembled airplane fins and the smaller tapered front. The silvery outline of the ship showed its age as it had no paint or coloration on it. But the details were something that went beyond anything short of a Hollywood movie.
"Holy Mary, Mother of God..." he whispered as the ship continued to rise slowly from the sea. Only when it was floating just above the surface, did Captain Chadwick realize what he was seeing.
"Sir, isn't that the alien vessel?" one of the seamen asked as the ship rose just above the surface of the calming waters, the water cascading off of its sides as it floated just above the surface. Shocked and bewildered, Captain Chadwick had his mouth open and could not speak a word. The light of the sun reflecting off of the ancient ship was a marvel to behold as he stared at the vessel along with several seamen. Already, a crowd was gathering along the deck, as well as in the tower. He could only imagine the looks on the faces of those on the other vessels and the look on the faces of the pirates on the Odyssey.
OCEAN ODYSSEY
Tao-Yun was at the tower after waking to see for himself what had risen from the ocean. When he did, he was shocked to see a massive vessel rising from the depths and the other ships steering clear. His shock turned to horror as he realized what he was dealing with, when it became apparent that the ship was well above the waves now.
"Get the weapons systems online now!" he ordered as he ran towards the deck. Already, he saw the ship just standing there, as if waiting. Then, as if launching from the ground, it started to head towards him. Its speed was unlike anything he'd ever encountered as he ordered the rail guns to fire upon the ship. When they fired, the ship steered away from them at incredible speed. Then it fired its own weapons at them. The shield luckily held off the attack, but more came from it.
The ship rocked at the sudden impacts of the ship's weapons. No other weapon systems could do such a thing to them so far, but this ship had proven to be the bane of his existence. Shocked to realize this, he ordered his men to target the ship.
MEANWHILE
"Oh my God!" Micheal called out as he and Enrique saw, for the first time, the ship they had been going to the past several years, finally emerged.
"It is magnificent," Enrique said, seeing the ship for the first time in its entirety. The alien vessel shone with a silvery glint, but the significance of it radiated with power. It was a sight to behold and it was also then that both men started to laugh.
"What is so funny?" Tao-Yun said as he walked up to Micheal and hit him in the gut. This caused him to fall and the taste of blood to emerge from his mouth. But the smile never left him.
"You fuckers are screwed! You know where your tech comes from? It comes from that!" Micheal said, indicating with his head in the direction of the Normandy. "That vessel is the mother of all alien tech, the alien vessel itself! And frankly, fucker, if she is online then you might as well surrender and die." Tao-Yun's face was priceless as Micheal and Enrique both smiled with glee at their savior. The other surviving members of the Odyssey crew were both stunned and shocked to see the vessel come to life in front of them.
"How could they have done it?" asked a woman beside them. Her sentence was silenced when Tao-Yun no longer tolerated talk and began to bark orders to his men. Suddenly, weapons began to power up as they aimed at the vessel. But both men knew that it was a battle they had long awaited for.
NORMANDY BRIDGE
Dr. Alenkov's plan was to lower the shield or weaken it enough for Major Lawoski and Major Reynolds to sneak onboard the ship and disable it. Then, they would disable the rail guns that threatened the other vessels. Or, that was the plan that Martha heard. All she and the bridge crew had to do was lower the shield, but it was not going to be an easy task.
"Is everything ready?" Martha asked both Lucas and Ichigo.
"Torpedoes locked and ready," Ichigo said.
"GARDIAN lasers online and ready," Lucas said.
"Thanix Cannon primed and ready," EDI replied as she, too, was ready for action.
"Dr. Alenkov, the Normandy is primed and ready for action on your orders," Martha announced.
"I am detecting the Odyssey is powering up weapons and the shield is still online," EDI added.
"Martha, you know what to do. Activate main thrusters, begin the attack sequence," Alenkov said and Martha hit a few holographic switches before taking controls.
"Switching off landing thrusters and engaging main drives now," she said and leaned back. Taking a deep breath, she looked at the monitor in front of her of the Odyssey. Zooming in, she could see the many rail guns already powering up and aiming at the Normandy.
"Alright, activating primary thrusters now and engaging enemy," Martha said and pushed the Normandy forward. The inertial dampeners proved to be useful as the supposed G-forces kicked in. Martha could not feel the G-forces but she could feel the vibration of the engines as they kicked in behind her. The push of the massive engines engaging showed that this ship indeed has power to her outside of the water. The distance between the Normandy and the Odyssey began to shorten rapidly as Martha pushed the ship towards its goal.
Suddenly, shots began to fire from the Odyssey, hitting the kinetic barriers at the front of the ship. Martha looked down at the meter that showed that the barriers had gone down a lot more than what was anticipated, but she couldn't guess why. Maybe the water had something to do with it? Coming to her senses, she steered the ship clear of the next projectile - or two, as a second one came from the opposite side.
"Shit!" she cursed as she maneuvered the ship again, away from the blasts of the projectiles. This was going to be one intense battle.
"Warning, incoming missiles detected," EDI warned, and Martha pushed the throttle as the missiles came closer. Just before they hit, she pushed down, allowing the ship to dive underwater once more. She could see them fly harmlessly by her. Then, turning the ship, she pushed it upwards towards the surface. When she got there, she launched them in a straight line up above the ship, engaging the main thrusters as she did so, propelling them higher. Then, she angled it down again for a dive.
"FIRE!" Dr. Alenkov yelled over the loudspeaker. All three weapons fired, hitting the shielding at the same time. The volley made the shield ripple like fireworks, but thankfully didn't punch through to destroy the ship. It also blocked vision of some, allowing Martha to pull up just in time to avoid a retaliation, causing a massive wave in response, along with a sonic boom. She saw the ship shake as she turned the Normandy around.
"Martha, go for a strafing run again, draw their fire to you, but don't dive this time. I want their attention on us. EDI, what is the status of our kinetic barriers?" Dr. Alenkov said to the A.I.
"The Odyssey's kinetic barriers are down to fifty percent. Our kinetic barriers are down to forty percent, due to the constant bombardment from both the missiles and the torpedoes we had been hit with earlier," EDI replied.
"Shit," Martha cursed.
"Do not worry, Martha. For a first-time pilot, you are doing exceptionally well" EDI told her in what could only be described as comfort.
"What are we going to do now?" asked Jessica, her voice full of fear as the Normandy shook once again under the pressure of another shot from the rail gun hitting the ship. Martha knew they can't play dodge ball with the Odyssey forever. So while avoiding another hit, an idea struck.
"Give me the Thannix Cannon," Martha said.
"WHAT!" said all three of them turning to her.
"Trust me, I've seen this in the movies, I can pull this off. Then we would be able to get that shield array down," Martha said.
"No way, it's too risky! You just started driving and now you want to shoot, you're crazy!" said Lucas staring at her in disbelief.
"I just need one shot, and I think I can make it count," Martha said, sounding sure of herself, as she looked at the ship while maneuvering the Normandy away from another rail gun blast.
"Martha can you really handle the strain of flying the ship as well as handle the Thanix Cannon?" Dr. Alenkov's voice asked, sounding concerned.
"If my plan works, then this could be our one chance to get rid of the shield, but it will take a concentrated shot from all three to work its way down… I think," Martha said.
"Explain" Alenkov said.
"Well… hold up!" Martha said and maneuvered the ship again to avoid a blast from the rail guns. Lucas shot at it with the torpedoes while Martha watched the shield.
"Well, I got an idea, it's crazy and stupid, but it just might work," she said.
"Go on, we are all listening," was the answer. Both Lucas and Ichigo looked at her as if she went mad. But Martha sighed as she thought this through.
"Ok, I got the idea from a movie. Ok, have you seen Return of the Jedi? Or perhaps the original Star Wars movie? Well, this stupid idea is simple, and since I studied the Normandy's tech, I think I know how we can bring that shield down." Martha said while pulling the ship up and away from another blast, but she was too late and felt it hit.
"Our kinetic barriers are down to thirty percent," EDI said to Martha's left.
"Shit! Martha, you better know what the fuck you are doing?" said Jessica as she monitored the ship's shielding as well as communications this battle.
"Martha, even if your crazy idea works, that would leave us exposed!" Dr. Alenkov replied, her voice worried and thoughtful at the same time.
"Think about it; EDI even said that it is part of my job to handle weapons if a situation calls for it, and this calls for it!" Martha replied, sounding desperate. If they were going to give the strike teams any sort of success, then sometimes crazy has to be done.
"Then what is the plan?" asked Lucas, not liking this argument any more than anyone else.
"Well, Normandy's kinetic barriers work on power with arrays moving in time with the blasts of the Odyssey. But what if it works the same way? Or, better yet, where the energy is most concentrated. They can't work on direct heat and projectiles. The only reason why the ship's missiles are ineffective against it is because of the kinetic energy used to deflect the missile. If we can somehow divert the energy from the array, that would leave it exposed. Unlike the Normandy, where it has several arrays to protect it from projectiles, the Odyssey probably has only one or three. But all of them answer to one main computer, find that and it's game over," Martha said to them.
There was silence coming from the group, no one said a thing while Martha maneuvered around a Japanese vessel.
"Your plan could work." Surprisingly, it was EDI who spoke.
"What do you mean?" asked Dr. Alenkov, sounding curious.
"Martha is correct in that the kinetic barriers on the Normandy do move in time with the projectiles coming in. Standard kinetic shielding only protects against debris or minor projectiles, and are useless against extreme heat and radiation. However, the Odyssey is using a rail gun that consumes far more energy than standard projectile weapons. If we were to use the Thanix cannon we can overpower their shields. The extreme heat from the cannon can penetrate the shield at full power. Once it overloads, we can destroy the array, allowing the strike teams to attack," EDI replied.
"How many hits from the cannon can the Odyssey's shield take?" Dr. Alenkov asked just as another rumble was heard, this time, thankfully, the projectile hit the shield and not the ship itself.
"Whatever it is, come up with it fast, because they are getting better with their aiming," Jessica said just as the ship shook again. Martha was sweating with steering the ship away from the shots.
"If my calculations are correct two hits should do it. One at full charge the second at ten percent. That should take out the shield and the array," EDI replied.
"Alright, Martha you have the cannon, but make each shot count. You have two shots. Don't miss," Dr. Alenkov said before signing off.
"Alright, putting up Thanix cannon tactical display on screen. Hammerheads one and two, be advised, once the shield is down, you will be cleared for attack," Martha said and got an affirmative from both ships, before she started to move away from the ships. Pushing the ship a bit of a distance from both the fleet and the Odyssey, she traveled a full ten miles before turning around. It was well out of range.
"What are you doing?" asked Lucas.
"I need a running start," Martha said as she zoomed in on the Odyssey. She picked up where the signals were coming from thanks to EDI, and diverted power from non-critical systems to boost the kinetic barriers. Then she pushed power into the engines and with maximum force, she surged the Normandy forward. She could see them breaking the sound barrier as she started towards the ship, and even hear it, when the boom made the ship tremble. The other vessels did their best to steer clear of the Normandy as it made its approach. But the entire time, Martha held her gaze on the HUD screen. The Odyssey came into view, and all the while, shots ran wild as the ship began to fire back.
"Kinetic barrier down to twenty percent," EDI said, but Martha paid her no mind. She trusted the Normandy and her capabilities. But she was prepared as she looked through the monitor. Both Ichigo and Lucas offered support as they kept the rail guns off with lasers and torpedoes. The entire time Martha waited and waited.
"Ocean Odyssey now quarter of a mile and closing," she said, and Martha fired the shot she was waiting for. A beam of light shot out and hit the Odyssey's shields, the waters visibly boiling around the superheated stream of metal. The shields absorbed it, but managed to hold. Martha maneuvered the Normandy away again for another run. Turning it around, she took a second shot, this time with the power a fraction of its full blast. The shot went out…..
"Direct hit!" Dr. Jenkins said over the intercom and repeated the phrase three times. A loud cheering went on throughout the ship just as Martha pulled away. The explosion on the top of the Odyssey was enough to cause a ship wide cheering that had many people dancing.
"Hammerheads One and Two, you are clear to strike, I repeat: you are clear to strike, shielding is down, I repeat: shielding is down, you have a go," Martha said between breaths as she relinquished control of the Thanix cannon to EDI. She leaned back, allowing the sweat that built up on her face be wiped away. She then felt something trickle down her nose and went to wipe, only for it to return red. The amount of focus she had to deal with had caused a nose bleed. But now that she no longer controlling the Normandy's primary weapon, everything went to normal.
"Shit! Martha!" shouted Jessica when she turned and finally noticed the blood on Martha's shirt.
Almost
OCEAN ODYSSEY
Enrique and Micheal could not believe it when they saw the explosion in front of them. The ship they had come to know for over a decade had just blown the crap out of the shield generator that the pirates had installed on the top of the main control tower of the Odyssey. Both men struggled as they were thrown to the ground along with the other hostages. The pirates themselves fared no better, as some were thrown overboard. But what made matters even more astonishing was the rise of two smaller ships from the water and men and women pouring out. Guns blazing, these folks with their helmets on began to fire on the pirates. Reacting quickly, Tao-Yun and his men began to fire back, while Tao-Yun himself yelled instructions.
Micheal, who was closest to the plank, was quickly hauled away by one of their rescuers and secured next to Enrique. Both men had their bindings cut loose and were forced to remain down.
"You guys alright?" said a very familiar voice. It was then that these men knew exactly who they were dealing with.
"Senor Lawoski?" asked Enrique, surprised at the sound of the American that came to their rescue. He and several others had joined from the opposite side as shots were fired. Flashes of light were seen coming off of Major Lawoski's suit as he fired back at the pirates. It was then that both men realized that the gun he was carrying was one of the alien devices.
"I knew it!" said one of the scientists as he saw him lift up from where he was hiding and fired on several pirates on the tower. He was yelling into his device at someone. Suddenly, a loud BANG was heard from the distance behind Lawoski, and the man on the tower went down, his head exploded along with the wall behind him. Shocked, they watched as this group of men surged forward, both of them too stunned to move. They had not realized just how many pirates there were to shoot. But still, being unable to fight, the two men could only watch as Major Lawoski and several men disappeared into the ship's interior. Hoping to get a look at the ships they came in, Enrique slowly got up from his hiding place and using the lifeboats as cover he managed to peek over the side to see the ships himself.
He suddenly felt someone push him down just as a bullet came flying by. Enrique cursed his carelessness and turned to see Micheal. The man was holding him, but the blood on his face shown that the bullet had hit him. Thankfully, after a flare of panic welling up inside him, he noticed the bullet had only grazed Micheal's forehead, leaving a burn and a possible scar. Both men quickly remained behind cover, while guns were going off on the deck and interior of the ship. Several other crew members were also hiding and hoping to get away. One person, however had gotten an unlucky bullet to the head just as he was about to move spots due to the fighting. The floor was littered with his gray matter, giving a hint to just how powerful these guns were.
Just as things had gotten worse, the large mothership fired a single shot that landed just beside the ship. That caused all around them to cease fire. The alien vessel came closer as its shadow loomed over the ship. Enrique now got a good look at the very vessel that he had passed by many times before. It was even more beautiful than he had ever seen with its large wings and sleek body. It lowered itself to just above the vessel and its large cannons pivoted to point directly at the ship. Suddenly, a broadcast came from the vessel.
"This is Dr. Elenna Alenkov of the Normandy. You are to surrender yourselves now, or this vessel and all on it will be vaporized," she said and just as she said it, the cannons that Enrique were staring down at began to glow a bright blue. Both he and Micheal became nervous as the air around the barrels became ionized by heat. He could feel it as he felt a burning sensation.
Then, as it started, all the pirates began to raise their hands in surrender.
All, that is, except Tao-Yun. He raised his gun at the nearest man, but not before being surrounded by a blue light. Paralyzed, he could not move as he floated there, waiting for something to happen. Just a few seconds after, the cannon shut down and was pulled back into the ship. A door was then lowered from the part of the ship that protruded from the main body, becoming a ramp. There stood Dr. Alenkov with several other people, all of them armed and dangerous, and all of them had their guns trained on the pirates. Beside Dr. Alenkov was a man with his hand out and glowing blue. He was the one holding Tao-Yun. Enrique could not hear what was being said, but the man eventually lowered his arm as his concentration faltered, giving the armed men enough time to put Tao-Yun in handcuffs and drag him off. Shocked that it was finally over, both men, along with the other hostages, came out of hiding. Dr. Alenkov walked down the ramp calmly, but he could see the tension in her eyes.
In fact, he could see more of that, now that he got a good look at her. She had clearly lost a lot of weight, and the bags under her eyes were more noticeable than ever. Her skin was deathly pale from lack of sunlight and her blond hair was no longer the healthy sheen it once was. She was pretty much a mess, they all were, but now that they were here, both men were glad they could finally end this nightmare. The wind picked up when the ship finally got close enough to touch the Odyssey. It was placed on the rear helipad of the Odyssey, which allowed the people on the ship to get off. As they had done so, the smaller ships moved away and then back into the ship, leaving them alone at the entrance of the largest and, so far, the only space-faring vessel of its kind on Earth.
Enrique was entranced as people began to filter out, carrying stretchers and medical equipment they had not seen before, and began to help those in need. Both men walked up to Dr. Alenkov as she stepped onto the helipad. The people who wore the armor then took the pirates, gathering them all together, and held them at gunpoint. As they had done so, more ships began to gather around them. Meaning, the other vessels from other nations had finally been able to offer their help in securing the ship. Enrique and Micheal both had a sense of new-found hope now, that things will get better, at least for them.
KAILUA KONA, HAWAII
"We interrupt this program to bring you the latest in happenings from around the world," the broadcaster said, interrupting a sports game that was playing on the television. Getting up, Aaron looked at the screen to see the man that was broadcasting being panned in front of the screen.
"Aloha everyone, thank you for joining in. We just received word that the Ocean Odyssey has been reclaimed by the international efforts of the U.N. navy. The crew members who had been kept hostage onboard the Odyssey are now being treated for shock, nutritional needs and injuries obtained during their time onboard the ship. Many of them are finally able to return home after months out at sea. Unfortunately, there are confirmed reports of those that have lost their lives as well. They will be remembered. Their families are likely being notified as I speak. Also in our broadcast, the vessel that made the rescue happen just happens to be the very vessel that the Odyssey was studying in the first place. The newly-christened Normandy has risen out of the ocean and, in a daredevil rescue effort, broken through the barrier that the Odyssey had set up, to mount the rescue themselves. Even though some say it was a gutsy move, others condemned the commander of the vessel, Dr. Elenna Alenkov, for putting her crew in danger, though she assures people that the vessel could handle herself."
Aaron was in shock at the sight before him as the vessel floated just above the Ocean Odyssey, its doors open, with people pouring in and out of it. Medical teams from other ships had docked with the ship to enter the cargo hold, and even a camera came into view. The footage that they shot showed the people onboard the Odyssey getting treated, as well as those on the alien vessel getting looked at. Food and supplies were going around, and then the scene changed again to show the broadcasters as they went on about other things relating to the incident that happened, the announcements that were taking place in the world governments, and the science community in total. Now things are looking different and Aaron now wanted, more than ever, to see Martha again. His hope was coming to light just as the broadcasters told them that there will be more in the six' and ten o'clock news broadcasts.
He was overjoyed that they made it, and now he just couldn't wait till later, when they finally could get back together again.
Because all he could do is hope.
TBC
a/n: Whew writing action sequences are hard to do! Trying to get the angle of things correct can be painful on the hands as well as on the mind. I had to write this chapter separate from the rest to give the Normandy its own action sequence. Though I hope it was satisfying enough I had to look up how the Normandy would react to a situation such as this without killing everyone onboard. It was a scenario that played around and around in my head and then I realized that the games might provide the answer. So I played Mass Effect Andromeda which my boyfriend gave me the year prior for Christmas. I played the game and the ending sequence is what got me thinking about this strategy with how the Normandy can play a role in rescuing the Odyssey. So what do you guys think? Please leave a review and remember no BASHINGS, LORE MONGERS AND FLAMES PLEASE! And thank you once again to my ever so awesome beta for helping out as far as staying on track with M.E. tech is concerned you are the best.