DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN MASS EFFECT IT BELONGS TO ITS RIGHTFUL OWNERS.
A/N: Now I know I had received a number of reviews that are not appropriate for both me and my beta. That being said as I said before CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM ONLY! That means no FLAMES, LORE MONGERS OR BASHINGS PLEASE! So for those of you who have nothing better to do that makes the others reviewers look bad a big middle finger to you. (whew)
Ok done ranting. The reason why I did this was because there is one or two reviewers out there who constantly send bad review and I know they are trolls. I figured out that there are two people judging by their writing style. The reviews that were given was so bad that I had to delete them seeing as they were targeting me and not the story itself. I don't like to be called nasty names or being depicted as something I am not. With that being said this is my warning to them. Keep it up and I will turn you in to administration. I've already taken steps and had those reviews removed. But if they start attacking me and my family again they will be facing administration.
To the reviewer who stated the obvious, though at the same time is way off the hook. Yes you made the correct assessment of Martha's eventual transformation, No, it is not going the same route as the first one.
With that being said I would like to thank each and every one of you for continuing to read my story. It means so much to me that you do. And to my awesome beta who stuck with me since this project began and for putting up with me, thanks man you are awesome in these troubled times.
Ok enough is enough and going back to the real reason you are here….THE STORY
and remember please no FLAMES, LORE MONGERS OR BASHINGS when you review. Thanks!
Beta's notes: And an apology for the long wait on this chapter to the readers. This one's 100% on me.
MASS EFFECT THE IMMORTAL SERIES PART 1: FLIGHT OF THE NORMANDY
Chapter 22: Take Us Home Martha
MARS
Martha opened her eyes to the world around her. The silence of the ship's engines haunted her. She liked the sounds of the engines running, it was soothing in a way. Maybe because Normandy became a home to her. She did not know, but as she sat up on her bed, she still took note of the dead silence of the ship, as well as the image of the roof above her. They were still something she was still getting used to. Just like she got used to the dark of the abyss or the blazing sun, Martha was still trying to get used to the fact that she can travel a lot more now that she is the pilot of an interplanetary ship.
"Good morning Martha, I hope you slept well?" EDI said to her as she stretched.
"Morning EDI," she replied with a small yawn.
"I hope yesterday's experiment into your newfound abilities hasn't damaged you too badly?" EDI replied her voice sounded worried.
"No, not too much, just wore me out," Martha replied.
"I just sent word to the ship's cook to have something brought up for you. Dr. Amari and Dr. Shenoy suggested you take the day off further to rest. And then, you are free to explore both the base and the ship. I've managed to get the psychic input dampened thanks to your omni-tool. It allows me to prevent certain wavelengths from penetrating your psyche." EDI replied.
"Ok, I get it, you have psychic shielding. That is cool, but why didn't you have it on when I got out of the ship?" Martha asked, glaring at the small platform where she knows EDI's holographic form would be.
"It had not occurred at the time that your mind might be prone to psychic attacks. But given that you have downloaded the ship's memories from my memory banks, it would be possible to be susceptible to it. So, I have taken measures to insure that you are safe. I have insulated your brain from certain wavelengths that could be from a psychic attack. Even though this one was harmless, the next one might not be," EDI replied.
"I understand," Martha said as she got dressed for the day and headed towards her desk. What sat there was a large bowl of chicken soup with a halved papaya on a plate beside it, with a bowl of rice and some bananas. Martha's mouth watered at the taste of home in her room. She took the tray to the table and happily began to eat, adding the rice to the soup. The aroma was delectable, but even more so when Martha added the pepper that was on the side of the tray and ate some of the banana.
When she was done, taking a moment to enjoy the feeling of a full belly, she carried the tray towards the elevator and down towards the mess hall. She barely felt the elevator shift and sink down towards the floors below. Once she emerged, she saw the activity going on with the various scientists and security types working or eating in the mess area.
"Hey Marty, are you ok?" asked one of the security people. He was a large dark-skinned man with a deep voice. Martha smiled at the man and nodded before putting her tray in the disk rack.
"Hey Mart, you feeling ok now?" asked a familiar voice. Martha turned to see Ichigo and Lucas there waving for her to join them. Smiling, she went over to her fellow bridge mates and sat down.
"Yeah, EDI said she had to put a barrier up so I get no more visions," Martha replied.
"Yeah, you had us scared there. When they told us you had visions it was creepy enough as it is. First the floating objects now the visions of the past. Mart, I think what ever happened to you has transferred to your brain," said Lucas.
"I agree with Mr. Bridger, and that is why I placed a barrier field around her to protect her from future attacks," EDI replied. Both boys looked at her with concern clear on their faces. But Martha ignored them. Instead, she was curious about the future.
"So when do they want us to depart Mars?" Martha asked them curiously. She was starting to wonder when they will leave the red planet.
"Well, that depends, the scientists are really cataloging the place and putting the bodies where they can be safely buried. It is a real hassle," Replied Lucas as he took a bite out of his apple with an audible crunch.
"Most of the people here just want things to go smoothly, Martha. Dr. Jackson wanted to make sure the transfer of Element Zero to our main drive core is working properly before departure. Some of the military guys are busy cataloging weapons and tech and we, well... we are stuck sitting here, getting bored while you got to play psychic," said Ichigo.
"Hey, how do you think I feel? You were not the one who had to see the bodies," Martha grumbled.
"So what did you see? Just out of curiosity," said Lucas.
"I saw the battle that took place here," Martha shot back. Her reaction and her facial expression went unnoticed by the two men in front of her.
"Whoa, there was a fight?" asked Ichigo. Martha nodded just as Dr. Alenkov emerged from her quarters. When she saw the group, she made her way over. All three of them stood at attention, giving her the respect she deserves.
"Oh please, when has it come to this?" Dr. Alenkov replied. The three of them relaxed as she walked towards them.
"We will be delayed for another day or so, seeing as Dr. Jackson is till converting the element zero crystals needed for the drive core. Now in the meantime, you three, since you are all on the bridge, will be joining Mr. Cameron on the station. Martha, EDI has informed me of the psychic shielding and I have requested to have it installed for all our devices to be on the safe side." she said and they nodded.
"Also: behave yourselves, this is an archaeological site. So be careful where you go, and if you find anything interesting, let us know," said Dr. Alenkov. They nodded before she turned and headed for the elevator.
Lucas and Ichigo both decided it was time to leave the ship and explore. So, before Martha could say anything, they both dragged the poor girl towards the elevator towards the hangar bay. While in the elevator, the conversation was towards the new tech that they just discovered.
"So Dr. Jackson and Dr. Kimber figured out the atmospheric controls?" Martha asked.
"Yeah, when you were sleeping, Dr. Jackson figured out the controls and directed the drones to fix the vents that needed repairs. When that was done, it was only a matter of time before we got some breathable air," replied Lucas as they exited the ship. The jet-way that led to the facility was strangely enough open aired. Other ships sat there waiting to depart, but Martha was worried just a bit.
"What about extraterrestrial diseases? Aren't you worried we could get sick?" she asked, feeling all those movies flooding into her head.
"The Normandy is equipped to handle such pathogens. Upon entering the ship you are scanned and decontaminated for unknown pathogens. As such, your bodies are able to safely come onboard the ship without worry of passing along any pathogens to your species," EDI replied through their omni-tools.
"Well, good to know," Martha said as they made their way further along the base towards the other parts that have been explored. "Why didn't you tell me before?"
"You didn't ask," EDI said, and Martha could swear there was a hint of teasing to her reply.
"Wow," said Ichigo at how much work was already being done while being cataloged. Many of the people were trying to take samples as well as sweep the area for more artifacts. Some even went to download information from the computers. Martha watched with both Lucas and Ichigo, all three of them unable to do anything as they were not scientists. But as they came to the main control room, they were surprised by the amount of activity around them.
"What is going on?" asked Lucas.
"We are just downloading the information needed to build and improve our own star ships," said Dr. Kimber who came out from the door on the far left.
"Really?" asked Martha.
"Yes, unlike the Normandy, which has an artificial intelligence. These designs lack it, but check this out; they also have terraforming information that we can use to help clean up our own planet!" she said in amazement. She was busy cataloging things to send back to Earth. The group quickly got out of the way of another cart with a body on it.
"Ok, what is that about?" asked Ichigo. He watched as the body disappeared around the corner through a set of doors that leads to who knows where. He wanted to follow it but the conversation was in full swing. To leave would be rather rude. So he asked the question instead.
"What is through there?" he asked.
"That is where we are storing the bodies for now till they are processed properly for our biology group," Dr. Kimber replied as she pointed to the doors.
"So why are you are storing the bodies in there?" asked Lucas with curiosity.
"We are just taking a few of the bodies with us for further study. The alien battle here has shown us that there is intelligence out there in space. But there are facts missing from what EDI was able to translate so far," said Dr. Kimber. She was holding out her tablet.
"Whoa? Really, like we are actually studying dead aliens?" asked Lucas.
"Only non-invasive study. We are scanning them and then burying them according to their customs. It would not be wise to just take them for further study," EDI replied.
"Yes, the V.I. that runs this facility has been most helpful in helping us bury the dead. If we were to take a body off this base, chances are it would deteriorate before we leave atmosphere. The reason being that some of the soldiers have self destruct systems on their persons, and special sensors throughout the base have been programmed to initiate self destruct should the body leave the base. So that means we have to do other means to keep the bodies preserved. Any attempts to dissect the body will also lead to self destruction. So, what is left is just taking detailed bio-scans with Normandy's omni-tools and then burying the body. Luckily for, us the race that built EDI and the ship has also built these things to take detailed scans of their environment." Dr. Kimber said to them.
Martha looked down at her own left arm. The memory of that day still haunted her, and this simple tool protected her from the monsters. As the screams filled her head, she quickly shut them out, instead focusing on what was being said in front of her.
"I also found it fascinating that such a station could be used to monitor our evolution," Dr. Kimber said to them as she walked towards a monitor and activated it with her omni-tool. What appeared before them was a series of video footages taken from the aliens of some ape-like animals. All three of them looked on in wonder at early man. There was even other footage of some classic cave people sitting naked around a fire, tending to a recent kill of a mammoth.
"Does this station need element zero to power its systems?" asked Ichigo curiously as he looked at a few of the monitors on the side, which indicated power readings throughout the station.
"No, according to the translations, the station is fueled by the same fusion as Normandy's reactor core. The only thing requiring element zero is the shield generator and that also powers the artificial gravity that keeps us on the ground and makes inside the base more Earth-like. This here is the kinetic barrier generator which powers the force fields that protect us from debris," said Dr. Kimber as she pointed out to the display with the system's circuitry.
"You mean there is a force field that keeps out the storms?" asked Lucas, whistling, his blond hair getting in his face.
"Yes, Mr. Bridger, that same force field keeps the storms out and locks the air in," said Dr. Kimber with a smile. Martha just looked around, curious, along with both boys. With his slanted position, Ichigo looked over the controls for the pillar in front of them. The alien symbols on them were something he had only seen in sci-fi movies.
"Wow, so EDI translated their entire language?" he asked.
"Yes, from what I understand, she managed to get a sort of Rosetta Stone program from the station itself. Then she translated the entire database faster than our own computers could," said Dr. Kimber.
"Whoa!" the three of them said all together.
"So, we now have this knowledge at our fingertips?" Martha said sounding skeptical.
"Not quite, there is still the analyzing and the cataloging and the actual testing of the knowledge before we can safely say it is good for everyone," Dr. Kimber replied.
"Ok… I am just going to look over here," Martha said and started to walk off getting bored with the long lectures. Both Lucas and Ichigo were intrigued, being as they are more interested in it than her.
Martha wandered off, exploring more of the room and trying to avoid colliding with others. Many people were busy taking pictures and samples from everything and that is what got Martha to move away from them all. She wanted to get away from the crowds as it was starting to feel tight in her chest. Entering a hallway, she started to feel better as there was more space to wander around.
"EDI, is there a storm still raging outside?" she asked.
"The storm has passed, but due to the fact that the other scientists are trying to take as many samples as possible, we wont be able to leave till the one approaching from the Northeast leaves," EDI replied.
"And how long does that last?" Martha asked.
"I am not sure yet. It could take days," was the reply.
Martha whistled as she looked out the window into the red wastes beyond. There was a whole planet out there for her to see and she was stuck inside a building.
"Is it possible to go outside and explore?" Martha asked.
"Yes, Dr. Ballard is out here as well as several other scientists exploring the geological samples. They wanted to take some soil samples before we leave. I will give you the coordinates as well as inform them of your arrival," EDI replied.
"Ah ok, thanks. Um, how do I get out of here?" Martha asked.
Luckily for her EDI loaded a floor map of the outpost to her omni-tool. This allowed Martha the ability to see where the group went. She had to stop at the Normandy first to get a helmet. As she did, she was now glad she was wearing an environmental suit. The armor and insulation underneath kept her warm from the freezing temperatures outside. As she stepped outside for the first time she became excited as she realized that she is in fact on another planet.
"Holy fuck, EDI, I so have to take a selfie!" she said, not liking selfies, but finding the need to do so. Martha then manipulated the omni-tool to let it take a picture of her. The image that came back as it was shown was in high definition which made her nearly squeal with delight. Here she was, on another planet, walking through the Martian desert like she was the only person there.
Looking around, she finally spotted the storm in the distance and realized that it was a ways off. But because of the team's exploration of the abandoned base, she was stuck walking a ways till she saw the top of a tent.
This must be where Hilary was taking samples, Martha thought as she waved. Down below Hilary was seen waving from her own suit which was covered in red Martian dust. The low gravity is also a factor. Luckily for her, the envirosuit helped in providing the right amount of gravity as well as making sure she is hydrated so she can't pass out with lack of water.
Leaping from the cliff, she felt herself float down towards the ground. If this was Earth, Martha could have killed herself. Instead, here, she just floated down unharmed. It wasn't quite as low as the footage of the astronauts on the Moon, but she still felt so light.
"Girlfriend, you are crazy!" said Hilary as Martha came closer.
"I know, but I had to try it," she said and Hilary she could see was rolling her eyes. She then turned back towards her research, which Martha found interesting. Leaning over, she saw that Hilary was moving something to a bottle before sealing it.
"So what are you doing?" Martha asked curiously as she watched Hilary take the bottle to a suitcase just off to the side.
"I am taking samples of Martian soil. I am trying to see if there was really an ocean here. And this spot proved to hold something promising. Did your visions show Mars with water on it? Or maybe a decent atmosphere?" Hilary asked.
"I thought... no it didn't show this world with water. It only showed what happened on the base and another world that is clearly not Mars," Martha replied. Hilary thought about it before letting it go with a wave of her hand. She then began to dig into the soil until she uncovered an interesting looking rock and placed it in the sample bag.
"Is it alright if I look around?" Martha said. She started to get bored again from the sample collecting. But at the same time, she wanted to see more of Mars. Knowing that you are on another planet and wanting to see more, Martha felt the itch to explore.
"Sure, just as long as you are back in an hour, because that is when we are leaving," she said. As she started shouting orders to begin packing everything up.
"Alright," Martha replied as she walked off to explore more of the desert that was Mars. She leaped up and down enjoying the sight.
"The outside temperature on Mars is negative 80 degrees with a winter temperature reaching negative one hundred and ninety five degrees. If it wasn't for your environmental suit, you would have instantly frozen to death," EDI's voice said through her headset.
"I know that," Martha replied as she looked around. The sun blazed down on her, but due to the low temperatures she couldn't feel a thing. It was most odd to her, as she looked around the rise that she landed on. Hilary and her group were in one of the many craters that litter the planet. The rock face was red just like everything else, including the sky. In the distance towards what she would assume was North on this planet, a large cluster of dust clouds was approaching.
That must be the storm they were talking about, she thought as she looked around. It was really neat to see as a slow rising storm was approaching. However, when Martha looked at it more closely she saw specks of lightning coming from it.
"Cool," she said out loud.
"Martha, I am detecting an increase in wind from the area of the storm. It is approaching much faster than anticipated, you must return to the outpost at once!" EDI warned as Martha suddenly realize the danger at the same time. The wind started to pick up, nearly making her topple as she felt its full force hit her from the front. Turning around, she started to run towards the camp.
"HILARY!" she shouted as she raced down the hill. Her legs going as fast as they could.
"I know, I heard!" Hilary shouted orders at the scientists there. They quickly packed up their gear and started to run. Martha was alongside them, racing back to base. Hilary tripped, but Martha managed to be right behind her, helping her up. The storm came rapidly across the grounds. The winds growing stronger as the clouds moved towards them.
"Hurry!" Martha said to her as they saw the outpost come into view.
"We are not going to make it!" said a scientist. Already, the wind had started to really blast at them, and it was not a gentle gust. Already the sounds of an alarm was going off as they leaped and flew across the low gravity landscape. The door that led to the outside started to close, and it did not look well for the group caught outside. Hilary managed to make it first to the door followed by one of the other scientists. As they filed one by one, they noticed that Martha had fallen behind.
"Fuck!" Martha yelled as she tripped and fell. Coughing, she struggled to get up, hearing Hilary screaming at her from the outpost. Getting up, she started to run towards the entrance that they used. She saw to her horror that the doors were starting to close. Hilary and the others were trying to force it to remain open, but the alarms were eminent. Lightning began to crash down on them as Martha nearly tripped again. Luckily for her, she managed to stay upright as she kept on running.
The storm was nearly upon her when she felt herself staring to speed up. Then, as if she suddenly leaped, she was at the door and nearly slammed into the wall. Hilary dragged her inside just as the door shut and the howling winds muffled. Huffing and puffing, the group turned towards each and everyone of member to assess the damage and the danger.
Then, as it started, they checked each other for injuries. Other than Martha's tripping episode and one of the scientists twisting his ankle, they were fine.
"Holy shit, that was something else," Martha said as she heard the sounds of the storm outside.
"Makes everything we saw on Earth look like a gentle rain," said Hilary.
"Is everyone else alright?" Martha asked. Everyone else reported in and just as they were about to get up, the lights changed and a beam passed over them.
"Please hold for decontamination. Please hold for decontamination," a synthetic voice said in their helmets. It was mixed with the alien language that was being spoken overhead.
"Translators must be working now," said Hilary as it took them a few seconds before they were allowed into the base. When they returned, they were met with medical staff upon their arrival. It took a few more minutes to make sure everyone was ok before they were asked to be debriefed by Dr. Alenkov.
The debriefing was only to speak on the event that happened outside and the theories on why the storm accelerated towards them. In the end, though, it was decided that the storm was only a freak accident that was waiting to happen. After the debriefing, they headed towards the main conference room of the base, where everyone was having a lunch as well as discussing other things about the discoveries that they found so far.
"What are we going to do about this?" asked one man his voice was highly accented and luckily the translators worked their magic to help with those who can't speak English.
"We are going to show our findings to the world. It would prove all the conspiracy guys right, of course, but it would help with what we are dealing with now. I mean, imagine an alien civilization watching us as we evolved on our planet! Right here, under our noses. Are there other bases here in the solar system?" asked Dr. Kimber.
"EDI has managed to find a few more outposts, one on Titan, one of Saturn's moons. Of course, the one here on Mars, and then there is a smaller one on the Moon. Titan's outpost was destroyed completely by the invasion that happened. Satellite images showed that the base received a blast from orbit that completely obliterated it, here, in this crater," he said pointing. The image was a lot more detailed than any found on Earth, and as it zoomed in towards the crater's surface, there was a very deep hole that had been filled in with Methane. In it, they saw parts of something, a structure of sorts, as well as debris of ships that landed there.
"Holy shit!" said another man, this one from Australia, judging from his uniform and flag patch.
"The only things that haven't matched up was the ages of these bases. Mars and Earth's moon are the youngest, most recent ones. The one on Titan is far older, but not as old as this ship. We managed to do a carbon reading from space thanks to the probes and it dates back to more than three million years ago. That is the dawn of human evolution!" said another scientists.
"Your name?" asked Dr. Alenkov.
"Dr. Daniel Gutierrez, I was on the Ocean Odyssey, studying possible alien life, when the attack happened," he said.
"And now?" Dr. Alenkov asked.
"I find this even more fascinating," he said as he looked at the holographic slides in the room. The images of modern day Mars was enough to make him nearly pee himself in glee.
"So the aliens have been watching us for sometime. But what I find interesting is this right here," said Dr. Kimber as she showed an image of another planet, and it was one they recognized.
"That's Pluto!" said Micheal as he looked on in awe.
"Yes that is Pluto. But it is what orbits Pluto that caught our attention," the image changed to that of one two images.
"This image was taken today," he said, showing an image taken by Prothean Satellites.
"And this is fifty thousand years ago." The image showed Pluto, but there was one big difference.
"That... that can't be right..." Dr. Kimber said, stunned.
"Yeah, we're not sure either. EDI, can you tell us if there was any difference when you were around space the last time," he asked their artificial intelligence.
EDI's familiar pawn-shaped image appeared in his omni-tool.
"I checked the ships records and found that there was indeed an oddity out there. What you see in the older image is called a Mass Relay, a large nine-mile, or fifteen kilometer long device, older than the Normandy. It allows for ships to travel near-instantly from one relay to another. These relays are scattered around the galaxy. The Normandy entered the system after being attacked by unknown invaders. The ship was heavily damaged as we floated for sometime before reaching Earth," she replied.
"So that thing floating there looking like some sort of odd moon around Pluto is this, 'Mass Relay?" replied Dr. Kimber.
"Correct, and the Prothean records shown that they had used it as well. However, as I am looking through these images the Mass Relay looked like it was inactive for over twenty seven thousand of your years. So that means that while Earth was still inhabited by your early civilizations some form of interplanetary life has traveled recently through the relay," EDI replied.
"Is there a chance they can do so now?" asked Dr. Alenkov worried for Earth's safety.
"Negative, according to the recent data coming in from the active probes, the Mass Relay and relays near it are deactivated. So it would be impossible for anything to travel into and out of the system instantaneously," EDI replied. "And in the case of this specific relay, it seems it has accumulated ice and rocks around it, forming into what you know as Charon. It would need to be excavated before it could be reactivated again."
"So if that is the case, then either whatever came through is still here or they left," Dr. Gutierrez replied.
"We don't know that for sure, we have to find out what and where it is," said Hilary. Her eyes were wide with wonder and her face is like that of a child wanting to know more about something exciting that happened today.
"Oh man, this is intense shit. I feel like I am in some sort of sci-fi movie," said Major Lawoski, speaking up for the first time in the meeting. His demeanor was like that of a man wanting to go out and fight. His finger twitched towards his gun or lack thereof.
"Alright so we know now that aliens are real and that they were once on Earth. NASA is going to shit themselves when they hear this," said Micheal.
"They already know because of the Normandy. They will really be alert after this latest report," said Dr. Jackson. In his hand he held what appeared to be a file of some sort.
"Alright, we have a lot to take back with us. So, tomorrow, we must chance this storm. Martian storms are said to last for weeks if not months. A global one is bad enough as it is. So Martha, at 7a.m. Tomorrow, be in the cockpit, understand?" she said to Martha who looked bored from this talk at the meeting. The mentioned woman had her head up and alert after being discovered drawing on a tablet.
She nodded quickly having heard her.
"Alright, everyone, dismissed, you know your duties so let's get it done," she said and everyone soon stepped out of the room, leaving Dr. Alenkov alone with her heads of staff. Martha was quick to leave along with Hilary.
When they got out, they made their way towards the mess hall of the Normandy to get something to eat. It has been a rough day for them, and for Martha, it was enough to let her know that her reserves are low. Her stomach was growling and she wanted something to eat.
After refueling, she headed back out onto the base again to see what else is there. She was amazed at the ships outside in the docking area. As she looked out from her platform and towards the ships most of them looked in pristine condition.
"Whoa," she said to herself.
"Most of these ships are undamaged, however there are some that have ceased operation due to lack of proper maintenance," EDI said and Martha could understand. Her grandfather was a mechanic before he passed away. He always taught her a thing or two about regular maintenance on vehicles. So when she saw them, she whistled.
"Will they be able to fly again?" Martha asked.
"With the right repairs and spare parts, it could be possible. Most just require fuel, others far more extensive repairs. All of them are unfit for space as they are," said EDI and Martha could understand where the computer was coming from. If she were forced to take any one of those ships out she would be screwed.
"EDI, how long will this storm last?" she asked. The howling wind could be heard from inside the bunker. As it was, she was not surprised by the answer.
"Unknown, Martian storms are shown to last for days, weeks, or in cases years. The storms can be isolated to a single area or global, depending on the intensity of the storm," EDI replied.
"What about the winds?" Martha asked.
"The winds can reach up to a category five earth hurricane. The dust clouds are very thick, so getting out would be a problem," EDI said.
"What if I reach maximum velocity with kinetic barriers at maximum?" Martha asked her as she looked at a balcony that oversees the large cylinder shaped archive. The people there were busy walking around, taking last minute pictures and samples, while others were busy moving bodies and taking tissue samples of them.
"It could work, but the amount of power needed to generate that amount of energy would tax the fuel and overload the drive core. Trying to ride the storm would also be inadvisable, as the storm would cause dangerous turbulence before we could align the ship with the direction of the winds, especially with your current piloting skills." EDI replied and Martha sighed. So much for leaving sooner.
"But do we have enough supplies to last that long?" she asked curiously and concerned for the amount that is needed to sustain the group.
"From my calculations, no. Fortunately, however, this storm does not have enough energy to last as long as it could. Even with the amount of winds, the dust storm has only enough energy to last about a day or so. Then, given another day, the dust should be settled enough for an effective departure," EDI replied.
Martha nodded in agreement. That is good news for her, as she had grown a bit concerned after her encounter with the storm itself. Which brought up another thing of concern, "EDI?" she asked.
"Yes?" was the reply.
"Earlier, when the storm was coming I nearly didn't make it to the door. Then, suddenly, I started to glow again like Sonic the Hedgehog. The next thing I knew, I was at the door being pulled by Hilary and the others. What was that about?" she asked.
"Your powers are growing, Martha. Your biotic powers are manifesting themselves when your emotions are high. You must train yourself to be in control or else a lot of people will get hurt," EDI replied concerned.
"I know, but at the same time, I don't know where to start," Martha replied.
"Perhaps I can see what I can find in my database to find a reference to biotic training. Maybe I can find something there," she said.
"I hope so, I sure as hell don't want nothing to happen to those I care about," Martha replied.
She remained where she was, up on the balcony, looking at the strange object. Thankfully, she had experienced no more visions of the past. She did not want to relive it, as it gave her nightmares. But as she turned and headed for the elevator, Martha could not help but think about what happened with those aliens. Her mind was in turmoil as she thought about it as well as what EDI had told her of her own race. The ones who created her.
It troubled her to no end when she entered the hangar again, looking out onto the platform just ahead of the Normandy. The size of the ship was immense compared to the ships on Earth. The normal Earth shuttles shatter easily compared to the armor of the Normandy. The silvery form of the ship was not suited to the ship at all. The lack of color made it seem dull and lifeless.
"Hey, what are you thinking about?" said a voice. Startled Martha turned to see Hilary there with Ichigo. Lucas was nowhere to be found.
"Oh nothing, I was just wondering what colors to paint the Normandy in. It looks lifeless right now and rather dull. That silvery look makes it seem like it doesn't deserve to fly," Martha said to her.
"I hate to admit it, but you are right on that one," Hilary agreed. She left soon afterwards, leaving Martha to her thoughts on what colors the Normandy would have worn in her heyday. Was it bright and colorful, no, that can't be right, if it was, then Normandy would have looked far different in her opinion. Who knows what Alien artistic tastes are.
Those thoughts seemed to have carried into the Martian night as Martha laid in her bed, looking out of the window over her head. There was nothing but metal ceiling, and for once, she missed the open sky. As she laid there, EDI's voice interrupted the solitude of her wandering mind.
"Martha?" she asked.
"Yeah?" Martha replied.
"I recovered a recording of your kinetic energy readings and they have proved what you told me. Your energy levels have been higher than their normal pattern. Can you explain this?" EDI asked her.
"Well, where do I start, how about I somehow went from being way too far from where I was supposed to go, to right in Hilary's face," Martha replied.
"It would seem that your biotics reveal themselves under times of extreme stress. Just like how your eyes and your skin changes form when you're exhibiting signs of emotional distress," EDI replied.
"Wait, I change form?" Martha said shooting up from the bed.
"I thought you knew. Under times of extreme stress, your biotic powers seemed to manifest themselves. Dr. Amari and Dr. Shenoy are greatly concerned. Given the nature of the nanites in your bloodstream, it would not surprise me that the alien DNA has taken hold," EDI replied.
"Alien DNA? You mean I am no longer human?" Martha said shocked. Her hands started to shake when she thought of this. Clearing her thoughts and taking deep breaths, she willed herself to listen. It was hard to ignore the voices in her head. The screams, the wails, and the sounds of the Reapers. She wanted answers, and to get them, she would have to listen.
"You are human and you are not. Not even I know the extent of your nanites capabilities Martha." EDI replied and Martha sighed in disappointment. If EDI knew the answer to her question, she could have told her by now.
"So is that why the two medical doctors are always looking at me funny?" Martha asked.
"Affirmative."
"Ai Ya!" Martha exclaimed, falling back on her bed. That would explain a lot of things now that she thought about it. Accelerated healing, the increase in biotic activity and the weird mutations she had been feeling lately. All of it started to come together in Martha's mind. It was something that she had not thought possible, but now, it all made sense. And today's activities confirmed it, with both her passing out and her episode outside. She was part alien, and to what extent, she didn't know.
She looked up at the dark ceiling window and the metal top of the hangar ceiling beyond. It was all so strange and new to her. What was supposed to be a banishment from society turned into an intergalactic adventure. But all that was just... well, that was beyond her comprehension, and she felt overwhelmed by it. Just as she was thinking it, she raised her right hand to bring up her photos that she downloaded from her now-dead phone. On it was a picture of her and Aaron. She missed him dearly and wished she could be home by his side. He had helped a lot when she needed it.
Just as she was thinking about her boyfriend, she suddenly shot out of bed like a rocket. The thought just struck her like a bolt of lightning.
"Does Aaron know!?"
LATER
Martha stared at her desk for quite a while. She was drawing the latest image that came to her mind. Music was blasting from the holographic display in front of her but what she was thinking about made her pause. She was thinking about what people said about her and compared images of what she saw in EDI's video feeds and what she was currently trying to do.
What am I? She thought as she tried to figure it out, when the clock chimed, telling her it was late, and probably time for bed. Knowing she had to get up early to prepare for departure, Martha figured she should take a walk around to clear her mind from such thoughts. So, getting up she made her way out of the ship to explore a bit more. As she did so, she noticed that others were also making final preparations for tomorrow's departure. As she left the ship, she looked at the thermometer on her omni-tool. It showed that Mars's temperature is nearly -90 degrees.
Damn, that is cold, she thought, putting on an environmental suit and some armor and checked the weather outside. Luckily for them, as EDI had predicted, the storm had passed. The wind had long since vanished so the air was still, but dusty. Martha walked outside into the cold frigid air like a fool one last time.
The Martian night was the same as that on Earth, but with less stars visible thanks to the dust cloud. As she looked up, she tried to guess which one was Earth and which ones were the other planets in the solar system. She looked up at Mars's two deformed moons, the bigger one taking her attention for a moment, as she could visibly see it passing the smaller one. It almost looked like the smaller one was going in the opposite direction. They didn't look like much, but they certainly looked strange over the vast sky. As soon as she could see the smaller one again, Martha decided it was time to head inside. That, and the fact that her oxygen was getting low.
When she returned to the hangar, she took a quick look at the Normandy before walking away, towards the large archive. The hallways were quiet, devoid of anyone walking in its halls. She knew the way to the archives thanks to her omni-tool. When she got there, the glowing object remained as it was this whole time. It was motionless and dormant, yet Martha could feel the power that radiated from the device. Just as she thought about it, the images from the day before flashed before her again. She could see the blood, the bodies and the monsters. She could hear the Reaper as it descended, and she could smell the stench of death in the hallways.
When she came back again, she was panting and she was sure she was struggling to breathe. Forcing herself to calm down, she looked around to see if anyone else was here, but luckily she was alone. There was no one left to see her panic.
"Are you alright lass?" said a voice and Martha jumped before turning to see Major Reynolds there with two other members of the security team.
"Ye-... yeah, just wondering around one last time before leaving," Martha replied, visibly shaking. Major Reynolds showed some concern when he saw this. The woman looked like she had seen ghosts...or worse.
"Care to talk about it, love? You know, seeing them aliens die is quite hard for one to process, even a war veteran such as myself," he said. Martha then looked at him with curiosity, her fear gone, but her voice still shaky, "You a vet?" she asked.
"Aye, been to several tours before settling down back during the Nigerian Civil War. It happened around the time the Americans fought the Vietnam war," he said and Martha nodded in reply.
"You know what? Why don't we tell stories back on the ship. I feel more comfortable there than out here in this place. I think we should head back, what do you say?" He asked her nicely.
"Alright, but I don't drink," Martha replied, pulling herself back from leaning against the rail.
"I don't either, but the boys might be able to go for one day without drinking, eh lads?" he said to the two men behind him. They both nodded as well with thumbs up before Martha followed them back to the Normandy.
DR. ALENKOV'S OFFICE
"What's the status of our supplies?" Dr. Alenkov asked EDI as she typed down her report.
"Supplies are within acceptable parameters for this voyage. We now have enough fuel for the journey back to Earth and for continued exploration of your system and others. I managed to download star charts from the Prothean archives and stored them to the navigational computers. There are several planets that are on this list that could prove habitable and safe for human habitation. Should the human race decide to expand its borders, these systems might prove useful, as well as aid in increasing food production and productivity," EDI replied.
Intrigued, she looked at the charts that EDI provided, and had to whistle at the amount of star systems the archives had stored. It held several systems that they could explore in the possible future. However, things must be put into prospective first and foremost before they could jump to any sort of exploration.
"These worlds are exceptional EDI, however, my concerns are if there are any potential viral threats to us as humans. I can see here that these worlds appeared inhabitable to use by Protheans, but for humans, it is an entirely different matter," Dr. Alenkov said with concern as she looked at the life form scans of the worlds, and the fact that several carried vital resources that Earth needs right now.
"I understand your concerns and I will see if I can find anything on human friendly worlds," EDI replied.
"Thank you EDI," she replied as the holographic ball disappeared, replaced by the form of Dr. Jackson as he stood at the doorway.
"Come in, Dr. Jackson, what can I do for you?" she asked as he sat down.
"I'm sorry, Elenna, for bothering you, but I came to tell you in person that the fuel has been fully converted into the drive core and we can depart as soon as Martha is ready to fly the ship again," he said.
"We can't depart yet, we are still converting a number of Prothean data to our own. And there are several scientists still doing last minute samplings before we can leave," Dr. Alenkov replied.
Dr. Jackson nodded, "I understand Elenna, but these people need also to understand that there will be a next time," he said. Dr. Alenkov agreed with him. With the Normandy they will be able to return to Mars at a much faster speed than what they were capable of doing before. Now with this new technology and the knowledge the Protheans gave them, they would make leaps and bounds into technology and maybe have a home for the excess of people in the world today. Probably get some of the hippies off the planet or something," he joked.
"I wish, maybe put the idiots who would no doubt talk to us like we are inferior," she joked back.
But, putting jokes aside, she sighed, indicating that he should go on. Taking a deep breath, Dr. Jackson schooled himself for the conversation ahead.
"You know that it would normally take us centuries to even get there," Dr. Jackson said.
"I know," Dr. Alenkov replied.
"I mean, now that we have this and possibly the other ships here, we could build our own fleet and use that to colonize new worlds," Dr. Jackson said, sounding excited.
"First thing's first, Dr. Jackson. We have to find out the cost of sending people to these new worlds. And second, the cost of making these ships according to the specifications indicated in the Prothean archives. We need to plan and to think carefully. To not do so would jeopardize the mission. Not only that, but it would send thousands of people to their deaths if not done right," Dr. Alenkov replied, thinking in terms of realism to their cause. The second notion is how to fuel the drive cores of such ships. So far, they had not detected any forms of element zero in the solar system.
Dr. Jackson sighed, knowing that she was right. It was foolish to just jump to the end goal. The whole thing was a big boon to them, but in the end, it all came down to money. If they could get it.
"Did you speak to Mr. Bridger and Mr. Yamada?" Dr. Alenkov asked, changing the subject.
"Yeah I did, they said that the navigation sounds good and sound, but the whole thing is just mind-blowing and these places here are begging to be explored. If we were not short on supplies, we could have gone now," he said sounding excited.
"We could, but what about the rest of humanity? What of them? The men and women who dreamed of coming to space, what then? Would we leave them in the dark? What about the families of the current crew members? Did you think about that? Or your own family back in South Africa? I don't think so, Dr. Jackson. The lives of the people on this ship are my responsibility, and it is my responsibility to see them returned home. Now, is there anything else you wish to discuss before we got distracted?" Dr. Alenkov replied.
"Yeah, sorry, I kind of got lost there. I was meaning to discuss the possible power output when reentering Earth's atmosphere. I mean, Mars was one thing, but Earth is a whole different ball game. The atmosphere is denser than that of Mars, so I believe that the power output is much greater. I mean, we have never tested this thing against a planet with a thick atmosphere. And I am nervous to see if she can hold up," Dr. Jackson replied, knowing when the previous conversation is over.
"Need I remind you of where you found the ship? The Normandy is able to withstand vast amounts of pressure, Dr. Jackson. The Solaris-armored hull is built to protect this ship against enemy attacks as well as the extremes of most environments, including the pressure of your deep sea trench. The Earth's atmosphere will not be a problem," EDI replied.
"If you say so, it is just that I am nervous as hell with us here on another planet. Mars is absolutely amazing, but you're right Elenna, I miss home and my family," Dr. Jackson replied.
"Trust me, Dr. Jackson, we all miss our families, including me," she replied, taking a quick glance at the photograph on her desk.
Dr. Jackson understood where she was coming from. Quickly as he could, he turned around and walked away, knowing that what she had mentioned will not be mentioned again. Dr. Alenkov watched as the man left her office. As the doors closed behind him, she could only stare at the doorway before turning to the photograph on the desk. She slowly got up and picked up the photo, going over each and every one of her family's faces. Sighing, she put the photo down and took a deep breath. The sounds of the Normandy's systems around her made her feel as if she were in an active freighter. Looking down, she could see the latest report she was writing to be sent back to Earth. She debated whether to actually send it or not.
In the end, she would send it once they got to back to Earth. It was amazing to think that with all the advanced technology they had onboard the ship, they still had to wait due to Earth not having the technology to reply to such a report.
"EDI?" she asked the A.I.
"Yes, Dr. Alenkov?" the blue orb said as she showed herself near the window.
"Are all the crew members accounted for?" she asked.
"Not quite, there are three teams still returning with their equipment, and Martha is currently visiting the Martian Archives. My scans do not detect any outside interference in her brainwaves, so there is no danger of her being near the archives. As a precaution, I have asked Major Reynolds to check up on her. Also, to note, I have mentioned her small bouts of transformation during times of extreme stress. She did not take it so well," EDI replied.
"I should have known as much. I would be freaking out too, if I just found out that I am no longer part of the human race," Dr. Alenkov replied.
"I see such distress could not be good for one's mental health," EDI said.
"I know, and that is why Dr. Zenger, Dr. Amari and Dr. Shenoy are keeping an eye on Martha, in case she shows signs of deterioration in health, whether physically or mentally," Dr. Alenkov replied. "Still, you should not have told her in such a blunt statement EDI."
"I understand and I apologize for my behavior if I have overstepped my bounds. It won't happen again." With that, the orb disappeared, leaving Dr. Alenkov alone once again. She was not inclined to indulge in drinking, but as of this moment, the situation called for it. Reaching towards a cabinet near her sleeping area, she pulled out a bottle of vodka. Taking out a glass, she poured herself a glass before sipping it like how one would sip wine.
"Ya nadeyus' uvidet' eto do kontsa,"
NORMANDY OBSERVATION DECK 3 STARBOARD SIDE
The door opened to allow both Martha and Major Reynolds to enter. It was, of course, dark when they entered, but when the lights turned on, they could instantly see the lounge and the closed shutters. Martha grew nervous when the lights turned on and a bar was shown just off to the side.
"Have a seat, don't worry, we are just going to have a chat, nothing more. So don't you worry, lass," he said as he sat down just in front of her. He was out of his armor and uniform, having removed them in the security headquarters in the C.I.C. Martha looked rather uncomfortable at the sight of the older male as he was just sitting in a chair in front.
"Now, where should we start, do you want anything to drink? You hungry?" he asked and Martha shook her head.
"Alright, I will pour some water and you can sniff it or sample it be my guest, but I just want you comfortable before we start talking, ok?" he said and she nodded.
Sitting down in front of her, he gave her a glass which she took and put on the coffee table in front. Martha was not too worried, but at the same time, being alone with an older male did not sit well with her.
"Now, where do I begin? How about starting with your visions. What did you see when you were in the base the first time you came off the Normandy?" he asked.
"I... I felt scared and excited, but mostly scared," Martha reluctantly admitted to him.
"Good, so when you got that vision, how did you feel, or are you still feeling it?" he asked her slowly.
"I… still feel it, the fear, the shock, the death, mostly the death," Martha replied.
Major Reynolds knew when someone has seen death. He had seen it himself, when he fought in the Nigerian War, back in the 60's. Sometimes, certain nights could wake him with feelings of those times. The memories never left. And here's Martha, someone who had never seen war in her life, never tasted it, but saw it through the visions of aliens long dead. Their memories transferred into her, and now, she didn't not know how to deal with it.
As he watched her, he knew the signs too well. The trembling hands and the distant look as she gazed at the wall with the closed shutter. It was all a clear sign of the underlining fear being fresh still.
"Tell me, what did you see in your vision?" he asked.
"I saw... aliens, the Protheans, fighting others that look similar and a Reaper, I saw it just like the last time," Martha replied looking distressed.
"Easy there, Martha, just calm down. Now, I'm not Dr. Zenger, I have no background in psychology, but I do know PTSD and I know what it is like. So tell me, what else do you see?" he asked her.
"I saw the monsters fighting the aliens. They were winning, some managed to get away in their ships, I don't know where they went. I also see the EZC again. I see the monsters coming after me... I-" Martha had to stop as the images started to flash again.
The fighting,
the burning,
the pain.
"I know what it feels like to fight for your life, Martha, in fact, when you are done, I can exchange a few stories of my own," he said, remaining in his place on the chair, leaning in to ensure her that he had her attention.
"I, well, I was walking among the battle as if I was a specter, watching every move as it played out. I saw the monsters come through the door and attack the Protheans. I saw them fall and die, it was... scary, to say the least... I was scared and I wanted to run. I could feel every shot being fired. Every flame that erupted from somewhere, and at one point, I could feel the bulkhead giving way. Then, as soon as it was over, I could smell the burning bodies and the stench of death. It was everywhere and I- I could hear them crying. The monsters and the dying, I saw them drag those that can't run or fight towards these things…" Thinking about that, she wanted to cry.
"Hey, remember, I am here, you are safe," he said and Martha nodded before she could continue, but before she could speak, she could feel the memory return. As she sat there, the feeling was immense. But then she felt a hand on her shoulder, anchoring her to what was real.
"I am here," Major Reynolds said to her and she sighed before continuing, "I saw them change into those monsters. That same device I saw in the EZC and on the Odyssey," Martha said.
"On the Odyssey? are you sure?" Major Reynolds asked stunned.
"Yeah, I saw it in one of the labs. There was a line that separates the rest of the lab from the object. Dr. Malcolm, one of the scientists on the ship, told me it was to protect the people from the electromagnetic pulses that it give out. It tends to give hallucinations," Martha replied her mind still remembering the events that led to her death.
"I see… Martha, do you still wake up from slumber covered in sweat? Feeling scared of ghosts or things that are not there?" he asked.
"Y... yes, I tend to send shockwaves out sometimes," Martha shakily replied, not liking where this was going.
"She is lucky the Normandy is built to withstand great amounts of electromagnetic pulses. Dark energy is a dangerous thing. Should she have been anywhere else, she could have killed someone," EDI replied.
"Thanks for the tip, love," said Major Reynolds. There was no response from the A.I.
"Martha, look at me," he said, forcing Martha to look at him as he sat directly across from her. He could see her eyes shift and change from her distress, but he held her hand in a fatherly way. It was one that was given by a father to comfort his child when they are feeling scared.
"When I was in Nigeria in 1967, they declared war on each other. Now me, being a Brit, it was my duty to protect my country's interests. We defended the federal government and I was on surveillance mission, when my helicopter was shot down near Enugu, the capital of the enemy forces. Myself and one other officer, a fellow Brit, were taken to be tortured. It was the most horrendous thing I could remember. I had never experienced torture in my life," he said and Martha shuttered.
"Did you see or feel the people as they were transformed?" he asked, and Martha could only nod, too afraid to reveal her answer.
"I sat there in my makeshift cell, tied to a chair, as my companion was gutted while being pressed for information. They cut him, pulled on his organs and even poisoned him till he talked. But I gave him credit, he never told them of our mission. When they tortured me, I didn't get what they did to him. They instead burned me in small spots on my back, my belly and anywhere it can hurt. I had to endure hours of being in the hot sun and feeling the blistering heat. Then they threw me into the river and hoped the crocodiles didn't eat me before I talked," he said looking at her with all seriousness.
"All those and much more. I'm not telling you this to scare you. I'm telling you, so that you understand that I've seen horrors that would make a normal man kill himself, and yet, here I sit, in front of someone who not only died, but endured some form of torture herself. I mean, look at you lass, you've been burned, you've been cut, beaten, and mobbed. Fuck, I've heard that your vision contained horrors that I only wished I never knew. But I asked EDI to show me some of her records of the Reaper attacks. Well, at least the files she can give me," he said.
"But why are you telling me this?" Martha asked him. Major Reynolds sighed, "Because at times like these, it takes guts to survive such ordeals. And it takes a very strong heart to remember the reason why you survived. For me, it was my wife and two kids mate. I wanted to get back to them and even fought hard to get back to them. In the end, not all of me got back to them," he said, looking down sadly.
"What did they take?" Martha asked.
"My soul," he replied before sighing, "War, takes things from you. Even though you had only been a specter, a witness to it and not a participant. You were still there at the front, seeing the torture and the killings. Same as me, it affects us greatly, whether we admit to it or not. That is what makes us stronger. It is our loved ones that give us strength and it is our strength that allows us to move on. But my soul will never come back. That much war has taken from me. And, in a sense, has taken from you too. Even though you are just a spectator from the future," he said as he got up. Martha watched as he grabbed a drink from the bar, before walking towards her again.
"Now do you see why I asked you to come here?" he asked.
"It is quiet," Martha replied.
"Yes, it is quiet, just like that room of yours, probably. Quiet and only the sounds of the ship's engines to keep you going. The quiet helps when you want to clear things. Working and moving helps in others. But just holding onto a picture of your family or reminders of them is the greatest healer. That, and a damn good bible," he replied.
Martha could not help but crack a smile at that. Looking at her phone, she realized that it was getting late, "I better get going, I have to start the ship first thing," Martha said as she stood up.
"If you need a listening ear from someone who understands, let me know. Dr. Zenger helps as best as he can, but he had never been a soldier. So he don't get what we go through on a daily basis. I hope you remember that," he said and Martha nodded before she walked out, leaving the other man alone in the room with nothing but his memories and a stiff drink.
THE NEXT DAY
The elevator to the C.I.C. Opened, with Martha exiting, ready to take the flight home. She was accompanied by Micheal, Lucas and Ichigo. All four of them eventually made it to the C.I.C. and sat down in their respective chairs. As she looked back, Dr. Alenkov had taken her place once again, on the command platform by the map of the solar system. There, Mars was highlighted, but she said nothing as she gave Martha a nod. Turning her chair back around, she faced the front where the blank station was at.
"We're ready when you are, Martha," said Lucas from his chair at Martha's right.
"All communications online," said Micheal.
Martha stared at the blank slate, knowing that she has to pilot the Normandy once again. Taking a deep breath, she put her hand on the interface. As if by magic, the interface lit up and holographic tables began to appear around her. Shifting and waiting, she finally saw the controls for the cockpit appear in front of her.
"Alright, running preflight checklist now," Martha said, going over diagnostics with the rest of the bridge crew.
"Drive core is active," said Lucas.
"Main engines online," Martha replied.
"All systems are online and ready," EDI said from her holographic platform.
"Alright, everything checks out. How's our fuel input?" Martha said to Ichigo, who was monitoring feeds from the engines.
"Fuel is good, element zero has been fully integrated into the drive core. Helium-3 processors are at maximum," he said.
"Alright, activating landing thrusters now," she said and they could hear the ship coming online.
"Releasing landing clamps," EDI said as Martha felt the ship give a lurch before she was free to move. Reversing the ship away from the landing dock, she turned it to face the door. Luckily, there were not a lot of ships, so turning was manageable.
"Drive core online," said Ichigo as he looked at his data charts.
"Alright, when the doors are opened, I want five percent output until we've cleared the bay," said Martha as she hit a few buttons.
"Engines are charging up, Helium-3 cells are online," said Lucas as he looked at the charts beside him.
"Everything looks good," said Micheal.
"Alright, life support is online, artificial gravity online, inertial dampeners online," said Lucas.
"Engines one through four online and ready, power readings are stable," said Ichigo.
"Alright, opening up the front doors," Martha said. With the Mass Effect, they didn't need maximum velocity to get back into space, but... Closing her eyes, she willed herself to open them again. Taking a deep breath, she looked at the engine outputs and those of the drive core. Powering up the main engines, she was ready.
"Switching from landing to main now," Martha said as she flipped a few holographic switches.
She could feel the thrusters come online as the ship started to move. The window's didn't let her look back, but on the displays, she could see the ship slowly ease out the doors. When she was out, she activated the forward stabilizers on the side. Then, moving onto the thrusters, she gradually increased the intensity till they were at one hundred percent thrust, a barely noticeable tremble in the ship as it zoomed through Mars's thin atmosphere. As they moved faster and faster, she pulled the Normandy up and outwards towards space. Another glance at a display showed the base disappearing behind them, and she rerouted power from noncritical systems to power the engines. Just in case.
As she saw the first signs of space, she breathed a sigh of relief. They made it back out into space again.
"Whew," Martha said as she checked her controls.
"Coordinates are in," said Ichigo as he passed them along to Martha. Looking at them, she was surprised that they were to go to the moon instead of straight back to Earth.
"What's with the pit-stop?" asked Lucas.
"We need to investigate the lunar site. According to the archives, there is an outpost there. If it is still active, or as intact as the one on Mars, Earth needs to know about it," said Dr. Alenkov on the intercom. Martha was convinced that she just wanted to see planet Earth from space again. So, she started to run the warm-up for the FTL drive.
"Alright, prepare to enter FTL on my mark," Martha said as she double checked the coordinates for the moon.
"Destination set: Earth's lunar satellite. Time till arrival: 10 minutes 37 seconds," Martha said, hit the button and threw back the switch. Watching as the stars elongated, their small forms changing into that of long strings before disappearing, she was graced once again with the lit tunnels of hyperspace.
"Autopilot is activated and will deactivate upon arrival to the moon," Martha said.
"Good work, once there, activate the probes. I want to see what we can find on the moon," Dr. Alenkov said, Martha raising her hand in a mock salute. Turning around, she went back to checking systems.
"Got some pressure loss in the number two hydrogen tank," said Lucas going back to it.
"EDI, lock it down," Martha said to the A.I. Looking at the charts of the Normandy's systems, the charts changed to compensate the loss of pressure. Then, in a matter of seconds, the pressure stabilized and it was as it should be.
All too soon, the lights changed, and they were returned to normal space. The moon came into view as they looked down on the silver surface. A stark contrast to the reds of Mars, the Moon had no atmosphere to interfere and buffer Martha's approach. When she saw the moon come into full view, she was stunned at the sheer size of the moon. But that was before her sensors went off.
"What was that?" Martha asked Lucas.
"Unknown, it is coming from the northern hemisphere," said Lucas.
"Alright, running sensors now," Martha replied.
"I got something," said Micheal and forwarded his findings to Martha.
"Got it, it is a ship or what's left of it. Running full diagnostics now," he said, and when the results came back, he was shocked.
"What is it?" Martha asked.
"The ship is dead and in pieces, but that is definitely where we should start looking," said Ichigo as he looked at the monitors.
"Have you found anything yet?" Dr. Alenkov's voice called over the loudspeaker.
"We found remains of what appears to be a ship, no sign of the base yet," Martha replied.
"Deploy the probes, I want this moon checked for any signs that the outpost is still here, or if it was completely destroyed," Dr. Alenkov replied.
Ichigo and Micheal were busy with the scans, while Martha made way to position them to remain in orbit. Once there all they had to do was wait, until….
"Ok I got something, looks like ruins of some sort," Ichigo said as he showed the image to everyone on the bridge and the CIC.
"I'm going to take the Normandy in for a closer look," Martha said.
"Negative on that, Martha," said Dr. Alenkov. Her image showed up in front of them.
"OK, what's up?" Martha asked curiously.
"I will send a team over to investigate in the Kodiak. When the coast is clear, the Normandy will land. Stand by for further instructions," she said and the image went blank before showing all the charts again.
"Aye, aye captain," Martha mocked as the others looked grimly at the moon.
LATER
"Alright, routine exploration, people, so remember the drill," said Major Lawoski as he sat in the cockpit of the Kodiak. Starting it up, he waited till the hangar door opened, and blasted from view towards the moon.
"Alright, coordinates puts the ruin near the Copernicus Crater, so we are heading in that direction," said another man of lower rank, a Sergeant, from his badge.
"Alright boys and girls, helmets on, we will be landing in three," Major Lawoski said them as they followed orders. It did not take them long since they already had their armor on. However, they did not have their weapons ready, so they waited until the shuttle landed before arming themselves. When they emerged onto the moon, the shock of seeing it firsthand was enough to distract them from their primary objective.
"Alright people, let's go!" said Major Lawoski as he and the team walked or hopped up the incline. With their new hardsuits, it was easier to travel than with a normal space suit. And Lawoski had to admit, a lot sexier.
"Crater at eleven o'clock," said one of their new recruits. He was a man from Australia, that much he could tell from his accent. With guns ready, they neared the crater rim and peered over into the crater.
Not as big as Copernicus, the rim still was an impressive size. In the middle were the ruins of what looked like a small building, parts of it just barely sticking out from the ground. It was no surprise that NASA had not picked up on it with their inferior equipment.
"Careful, in case there are cave-ins," said Major Lawoski. As they looked around, they spotted what might have been an entrance. But, upon closer inspection, it was buried and the roof had collapsed on it.
"Kodiak One to Normandy come in," he said over his piece.
"This is Normandy, what is our status?" came Micheal's reply.
"Normandy, we found the entrance into the building, but it has caved in, and the rest of the building looks as if it was obliterated from space. Maybe the same thing that got the Mars base had gotten the moon base as well?" said Major Lawoski.
"Have Dr. Kimber do a carbon dating to make sure that it is indeed Prothean and not something older," said Dr. Alenkov.
"Roger, that will do, right doc?" he said to the person behind him. Dr. Kimber gave a thumbs up before she and Hilary, who had joined their team, went to collect samples. When they returned a few minutes later, the shuttle was ready to head back up, but not before Hilary spotted something.
"Hey guys, check this out!" she shouted and they all rushed to see what she was pointing at.
There, just off to the side, hidden by the shadow of the crater wall, was what appeared to be a space ship. It was protruding from the side the debris scattered around like a paper doll.
"Normandy, do you copy," said Major Lawoski.
"Normandy here, go ahead Kodiak," Micheal's voice could be heard over the intercom.
"Hey, we just found something here that you might be interested in," he said and sent them the video feeds. The ship itself was massive in size, looked to not be as old as some of the others. But, from what they had seen at the Prothean ruins, appearances could be deceiving.
"I am going to take a sample and send it back up," said Hilary as she approached slowly with two men with her. As they came into the ship, they saw some of the damage it took.
"Normandy to Kodiak: be careful and collect the samples. I am having the ship land at your coordinates," said Dr. Alenkov.
"Roger that Normandy, awaiting your arrival," said Hilary. As she cut the connection, she saw the bright star approaching.
NORMANDY
Martha steered the ship towards he area the Kodiak was in. The excitement was building as she neared the landing zone where she saw the Kodiak waiting for them. Upon landing on the Moon, she found that it was an amazing sight to see, the Earth looming in the distance with its bright blue light. When she landed the Normandy, a lot of things came to light about what they just discovered. Even from the window of the bridge, Martha could see the ship and its massive size.
"That is one big fucking ship," said Lucas as he looked at it in awe.
"Well, that answers the question of 'are we alone'," said Martha and the others glared at her.
"What?" Martha replied with a grin.
"Kodiak returning to shuttle bay," said Micheal and Martha saw on a side feed the ship returning to where it was originally docked. Once there, she saw the others disembarked before being greeted by Dr. Jackson and the team responsible for decontamination.
As she watched, they were being led to another part of the ship, most notably the labs here on the first level.
"EDI, what can you tell us from your scans of the ship," Martha asked.
"The ship itself is around twenty seven hundred earth years old," EDI replied.
"Holy shit!" said Lucas and Micheal as they both examined the wreckage.
"Is it the same one that might have passed through the Mass Relay?" asked Ichigo.
"It could be the same one, but my scans show no signs of the crew. Normally in deep space, the temperature would have preserved bodies like they did on Mars. However, I found no signs of any life forms. Further analysis is needed. I've conducted a thorough scan of the ship itself, searching for any sort of organic material. But there was none and the ship's drive core does not contain element zero. It was heavily damaged, meaning something, or someone, hit the ship with enough force to send it here. If they were alive, they might not have lasted very long on planet Earth at the time of impact," EDI replied.
"Explain," replied Micheal.
"I am unable to do so at this time without further analysis. Furthermore, Dr. Ballard and Dr. Kimber are working with the other scientists on analyzing what they had found so far between Mars and here. I had been asked to withhold any information until the results come in." EDI replied as she logged out.
Martha turned to the rest of the group, "I guess that leaves us out huh," she said with a laugh.
"Yeah, I guess so." said Ichigo sadly. Martha felt for him and wanted him to know more but as it was, the lab was closed and he stared at it longingly. Now she understood as he sighed and went back to his station.
"Relationship trouble, Ichigo?" Martha asked.
"Not really, it is just that she is spending more time in the labs and I miss her," he said sadly.
"Hey, maybe I can help drop a hint or two," Martha replied.
"Nah, it's my problem Marty, you don't have to get involved, even if she is your friend," Ichigo replied.
"I was not talking about me, I was talking about EDI," Martha smirked and Ichigo looked at her as if she had grown two heads. But then, as he thought about it, a smile began to form on his face and he started laughing.
"You are crazy Martha, but thanks for being there," he said.
"Got that EDI," Martha said.
"Affirmative, the conversation has been recorded and sent to Dr. Ballard's omni-tool," EDI replied.
Just as she said it, she received a new round of coordinates, signaling their departure from the moon.
"Well guys, I guess it is back to work, we just got word to depart for home," Martha replied just as Lucas gave a whoop of joy. It was followed by others in the CIC as they too started to cheer and yell at full volume. Rolling her eyes, Martha did the main startup and pulled the ship off the surface of the moon. It was too bad that she could not spend time to explore it as she wanted to.
"Alright, starting up main engines. Engaging Mass Effect. Destination: home." Martha said and hit the thrusters.
It was around ten minutes later that they slowed down a little, just to enjoy the sight of Earth growing as they approached. It was good to be home. And as they started to make final preparations to enter the atmosphere, Martha could not help but feel that something big was about to happen...she just don't know what yet.
TBC
A/n: Now I know this is sort of a filler chapter but I wanted to point out a few more story builders as I went along with this. So go along with me and hope you all stay safe during this pressing time. And as always please leave a review and no FLAMES BASHINGS AND LORE MONGERS PLEASE! Thanks