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

by black dragon

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

33. Mind Boggling

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN MASS EFFECT THEY BELONG TO E.A. AND BIOWARE.

A/n: Ok now that the so call Kaiju fetish is over in the last chapter now we move on to some fun stuff. I will keep this short….

EMBRACE ETERNITY….just kidding. But it is a hint so on with the story.

Mass Effect The Immortal Series Part 1: Flight of the Normandy.

Chapter 32: Mind Boggling

ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA

"I don't know why we had to haul her all the way back to Australia," said Major Kowalski as he stood up from the main observation window overlooking the holding area of the Normandy. Among the many cargo crates that had been sorted stood a perimeter of armed weaponry and soldiers. Right at the center was a massive creature sleeping soundly as if the world meant nothing to her.

"We had no choice, the Normandy is the only vessel that has enough strength and firepower to keep her contained. Besides, after what we saw back in China, I would rather have this thing here than rampaging across the world," Major Reynolds replied. He looked solemn, like something in him was taken.

"How's the family," asked Major Kowalski. He too looked solemn.

"They are doing fine; Kathy's shook up that I left in such a hurry. In fact, she's still shocked by the sight of the Hammerhead appearing out of nowhere," Major Reynolds replied to him. Major Kowalski laughed at the reminder. His own wife and family were surprised by the sight of the Kodiak.

"Speaking of surprises, how are our guests faring?" Major Kowalski asked Major Reynolds as they stepped away from the activity and headed towards the elevators.

"From what I understood, the alien council had sent a team of their own people to look into the matter of the aliens. I was as shocked as you to learn that they had been with us for thousands of years, living together in secret," Major Reynolds said to him.

"Kind of shocking isn't it, but here we are in the twenty-first century coming to terms with what is out there," Major Kowalski replied as they gotten to the crew deck and exited the elevators. It was eerily quiet save for the occasional scientist and crew. The normal crew all went home save for a skeleton crew who remained to monitor things. They walked towards the medical bay where they saw Dr. Alenkov's bed with her resting against the pillows. Her breathing coming in and out in shallow breaths.

"Hey EDI, how is she still alive after being swallowed by a dragon?" Major Kowalski asked the platform to the side of him.

Almost instantly a holographic orb appeared, "It would seem as if Martha had deliberately swallowed Dr. Alenkov whole and then held her in her gizzard. An organ just below the esophagus normally found in birds. This helps store food until a time when the bird grows hungry enough to eat. Then the food is taken to the stomach. However Martha's gizzard has a way of preventing food from going directly for the stomach. So if she swallowed Dr. Alenkov that would mean that she was actually protecting her instead of out right eating her like the other humans she killed," EDI replied.

"I have to agree with EDI there. Martha did somehow save her and from what the doctors have told me she has suffered some serious trauma. Her arm it looks like has been severed at some point as well as grievous wounds and signs of torture. Intense torture," Major Reynolds told him and handed him a tablet which he read and was shocked at what he found.

"Holy dear Mother of God," he said looking at the tablet. It showed different medical charts for Dr. Alenkov including traces of what was in her blood.

"They experimented on her!" Major Kowalski was now outraged by the sight of the charts. On it also showed images and photos given to them by their investigation. It was taken from the ruins by EDI when she manged to hack into the computer networks of the facility. She broke down firewalls that was though to be impenetrable for someone of her caliber and thanks to the scientists who are now with them. She easily manged to access the information that she needed.

Sure enough the experiments were shown in vivid detail making a few in the room very sick.

There were photographs, charts, videos and of course huge amounts of data about the experiments that went on in that room on both her and Martha. But what was done to Dr. Alenkov was not as bad as what was done to Martha. They watched her get raped, beaten, hacked to pieces, starved and tortured in ways that most people would not have survived.

"How the fuck did she manage to survive and become that," said another voice and they all turned their head to acknowledge the new people that arrived.

Both Major Reynolds and Major Kowalski were relieved to see both Dr. Shenoy and Dr. Amari both arrived at the same time. Along side them were of course the four Chinese scientists that had arrived with them back to Australia after smuggling them out of China.

"Did you summon them EDI?" Major Kowalski asked the A.I. as he looked upwards.

"I had brought them both here for their knowledge with Martha's biology. Dr's Wen, Wei and Zhou wish to assist since they were the ones who studied Martha's genetics on the cellular level," EDI replied to them.

"Alright get them security clearance and we can see where we can go from here," said Major Reynolds. He looked tired and exhausted after flying all the way from the United Kingdom to China and then to Australia. The jet lag that would normally form wasn't there thanks to the technology of the Hammerhead, but the battle had worn him out.

"Will do sir," said an officer from off to the side of him and the man led the group towards a desk on the side of the room which they waited till he gotten them.

"So, EDI, how do we get this thing to transform back into Martha?" he asked her.

"I don't know. My programming does not specialize in the human mind," EDI replied.

Both men cursed their luck at the remark. It was true that EDI does not know about the human mind, but they don't know how to get Martha to recognize them.

"Um excuse me," said a voice and they turned to see an Asari standing there behind them. They didn't recognize her, but they remember her species because of the events in Shanghai.

"Can we help you?" Major Kowalski said to her.

"Yes, I am Daphne N'Teri I worked at the hospital that Martha resided in before the attack," she said and both men stood up straight.

"You were there at the hospital?" Major Reynolds said to her and Daphne nodded, "I was there. I helped with the resistance. I am an agent of the Council and a trained nurse," she said to them. The two men stared at her.

"How are you able to help Martha there?" asked Major Reynolds not believing what he is seeing.

"Asari, Protheans and Rachni have psychic abilities that surpass human ones. If anyone is able to help her we can," she said to him. They all looked at her strangely but it was a new voice that pierced through the silence and the machines.

"You should listen to her," a new voice said and they turned towards the door to the medical bay. There Dr. Amari stood with a hand on his hip and a clipboard in his hand. He gave them all a displeased look for disturbing his patients.

"Malik when did you get over there?" Major Kowalski asked him. Dr. Amari shrugged as he walked past him to check on Dr. Alenkov as she laid resting on the nearby bed. The Normandy's medical equipment were keeping tabs on her vitals and ensuring that she is in good health.

"I came here when you were distracted. Jackson and Kimber has notified us that they will be here tomorrow," he said as he hit a few buttons above a sleeping Alenkov to see other results.

Both men having been used to the technology of the Normandy were not phased by it. However Daphne was not, and she only stared at it in shock and surprise.

"That device? Is that an M.R.I. being performed on her?" she asked. The Asari was not wearing her disguise. Dr. Amari turned his head to stare at her and only when he finally got her into focus his clipboard dropped and his mouth hung open.

"Someone please pinch me or knock me out or hit me what ever it is you do to ensure that I am not dreaming," he said to the other man. That earned him a laugh from both security officers.

"Well Malik, I should introduce you to Daphne N'Teri she was the nurse at the hospital that Martha and the other biotics resided at." Major Kowalski said to Dr. Amari. The Arabic doctor was shocked to see an alien such as her in front of him.

"I think he has lost his tongue," said Major Reynolds that earned a slap on the back of the head by Dr. Shenoy as he stepped into the room. Nodding to Daphne and asked her to repeat the question.

"Well it acts like an M.R.I. but it also acts like a C.A.T. and an ultrasound at the same time," Dr. Amari replied as he finally found his voice. he plugged a few commands into the computer and scanned again showing them different results. While he was doing this everyone else in the room snickered at his response. Even Dr. Shenoy had gotten on the joke and could not help but tease his companion.

"Holy shit," said the Asari. The readings were off the charts as Dr. Alenkov's body came into view over her own. It hovered over her showing her the recent injuries and what has been healed.

"From what I saw, the nanites that were in Martha's body went over to Dr. Alenkov to do some extensive repairs. Repairing the tissue and regrowing the bones. However," with that he waved his hand and the image changed. It showed a body that was clean of the nanites after the body had been fully repaired.

"None of the nanites remained in Dr. Alenkov's system. It was as if they were only 'borrowed' to allow repairs and then dissipate when they leave. As if Martha's body was only allowing her to repair Dr. Alenkov before discarding her again," Dr. Shenoy said to them.

The others looked on in worry at the sight of their commanding officer asleep on the bed. Her breathing was barely a hoarse whisper as her lungs slowly recovered from their ordeal.

"It is a miracle she is alive," said Major Reynolds.

LATER

With a grunt and a moan, dark gray eyes opened to the world of the living. The bright lights of the I.C.U. and the sounds of the many medical machines made this person aware that they are no longer in the hands of her captors. Turning her head, the figure blinked slowly as she took everything in. The last thing she remembered was being held captive somewhere in China and then the torture from Alexandria Wilcox. The woman was vindictive when it came to torture. She winced when she looked at her now healed arm.

Wait?

Her arm!

Looking at the appendage, the woman started to remember things that she wished she didn't, things like her name. Dr. Elenna Alenkov, and why she was taken.

Then another image came to her head that of someone who was with her.

"M..Ma...Martha!" she said out loud her voice a hoarse whisper.

Suddenly another face filled her vision. This one familiar.

"Malik?" she said to Dr. Amari as he checked her over.

"Elenna how are you?" he asked her. She gave a blank look while Dr. Amari began checking her vitals.

"I feel like I have just been hack to pieces, smashed by meteor and beaten by a tree," Dr. Alenkov replied as she smirked up at Dr. Amari.

"Well Doctor, the good news it that you are no longer held captive by Alexandria Wilcox." Dr. Shenoy said as a joke when he also made an appearance in her vision and all three of them laughed at it.

"It is good to see you on the mend Dr. Alenkov, you had been missed," EDI said overhead. Dr. Alenkov smiled at the familiar orb floating off to the side of her bed.

"You have been missed too EDI, I had missed our discussions about alien life outside of Planet Earth." Dr. Alenkov replied to the comment. She felt happy for the first time in who knows how long, and the feeling of home filled her mind with peace.

In a way she felt more at home on the Normandy than anywhere else on Earth. Even her home country of Russia no longer felt like home to her. Maybe it was the fact that the Normandy had been her home for over ten years of her life. Though at the time the ship was buried under the ocean and under the illusion of being filled with rocks and coral. Then it had transformed into its true form. That had Dr. Alenkov seeing that the ship was in fact alive. It had shown her things that she could only imagine. Taken her and her crew around the solar system in less time then it would have taken a normal ship.

Hell, she even went to Mars!

She had seen alien vessels and signs of alien life. She had seen dead aliens out there and much more! This ship had in a sense become her home and the people here her family.

"I had missed you too Dr. Alenkov. As commander of the Normandy it was my job to keep you safe...and I apologize for I have failed in my mission," was the reply she got from EDI. It sounded like regret and, was that guilt?

"EDI, you don't have to apologize for something out of your control," Dr. Alenkov said to her. The computer only glowed red and sounded sad.

"I have neglected my duties and my programming. One of my core functions is to ensure the safety of the crew. I have failed that function," EDI replied with much remorse in her voice. The orange red tinge in her orb showed her sadness.

"Nonsense, EDI, if it wasn't for your fast thinking, then we would have been dead," Dr. Alenkov replied to her and the device seemed to be ashamed.

"Look, EDI, you have to know that we are an unpredictable species and as such, even with the best programming and variables out there, one does make mistakes," Dr. Alenkov replied as she looked at the orb. EDI still flashed red as if it was a mark of shame with her.

"I am beginning to understand where you are coming from Dr. Alenkov. To be able to perceive the worst even among the best scenarios. My programming does allow me to make decisions on my own in case my masters or my hosts are compromised," EDI replied and Dr. Alenkov smiled as she leaned back on her bed.

"Good, do you know how long will it take for me to be back on my feet?" she asked Dr. Amari who stood to the side listening in.

"As a matter of fact, you should be back on your feet in a matter of hours, doctor." Dr. Shenoy answered her but he looked rather skittish his posture was that of a child afraid to tell their parent that something is wrong.

"Malik, Raman, what is it?" she asked them.

"Elenna, what do you remember just before you passed out?" asked Dr. Amari. His voice was just as hesitant as Dr. Shenoy's when he relayed to her what happened withing the past week or so. When Dr. Alenkov stared at them as if their heads has cut off she could not believe her eyes when she heard this.

"Are you telling me that Martha changed into a monster and ate me." Dr. Alenkov said to them as she swallowed the bitter pill. At the nods of their heads she fell back into the bed and stared at the ceiling.

"Martha has restored you using the nanites that are in her body. Your body was stored in her gizzard an organ that holds food just below the esophagus. Normally this organ is found in avian lifeforms, but Martha seems to have inherited it when she changed. She inadvertently directed them to heal every wound on your body including restoration of your arm. It was also a factor that Martha's original genetic code did not interfere because she is no longer human. However, when we examined you your body is fully human and any trace of alien DNA was no where to be found. So it is quite possible that because your body's DNA was still intact, the nanites used your original genetic code to rebuild the parts that were missing." EDI replied her voice sounding sure of what she recommended.

"I see, so it was as we discussed earlier that Martha's genetic code was already destroyed. The nanites just simply rebuilt her using the DNA of a monster," she said to EDI.

"That is correct. However my processes are trying to figure out how Martha is able to keep her mass in one form when growing into another. That has remained a mystery to me and I wish to elaborate even more," EDI said to Dr.'s Alenkov, Amari and Shenoy.

"Well we are not the experts on genetics, those we have to figure out when we do find them. Perhaps our Chinese friends can help. If I remember one of them was an expert in genetics perhaps he might have some insight as to how Martha is able to suddenly change her mass into a gigantic creature," said Dr. Amari.

SOME TIME LATER

Dr. Alenkov stood there in the hangar staring at the massive creature that laid before them. It was asleep that much she can tell as the deep breathing of the creature was the only sound besides the normal sounds a ship like the Normandy makes. Its deep breathing was the only sign of life from it, yet the barely visible field around it was any indication that it was under heavy guard.

"This...this is impossible!" she said looking at the creature.

"Believe it or not Doc, this is Martha," said Major Kowalski as he stood guard along with some of their alien friends.

"And to have aliens among us this whole time in human history...I...I am humbled," she said to him.

Major Kowalski and Major Reynolds stood there observing the people coming and going on the Normandy. Many people pass by the massive creature without so much as a glance while others try to avoid it at all costs. The cargo that was loaded onto the ship was a means to survive if they took off into space again. But they in turn found it hard when their pilot...was not human anymore.

"Humbled by what she has become or humbled that she even was transformed in the first place?" asked Major Reynolds. His smirk on his face showed the joke for what it was...a joke.

"Both actually, I mean I am not happy that she is like this, but at the same time I am happy to finally answer the question of whether or not we are alone," replied Dr. Alenkov. She turned to look at a Krogan if she remembers correctly talking to a tech while a blue alien called an Asari was busy checking on Martha's vitals.

The more insect Rachni were busy moving about the ship checking every hardware system and ensuring that it was up to speed while the strange ones if she remembers correctly Protheans were also checking for software problems.

"I am surprised that there is no mass panic here?" Dr. Alenkov said to them.

"Oh trust me doc the media shit storm that is out there is a lot louder than you would think. It is just that because of Martha most of the media has stayed well clear of the Normandy. They are afraid that Martha could be set loose anytime to deal with them...well that was the threat that Dr. Jackson has told them." Major Kowalski has said to her.

Dr. Alenkov was impressed as she walked around the cargo hold. Martha's restraints had so far prevented her from lashing out at people but at the same time the monster has not woken from her sleep.

"How are you keeping her under?" asked Dr. Alenkov as she gotten closer to the cage.

"Delta waves from the Mass Effect fields are what is keeping her asleep. She has fed on many people in the city of Shanghai and the digestion does take time. However, because she was once human, her panic is what has made her go on a rampage in the first place," said a new, feminine voice. Turning around Dr. Alenkov met the alien that was taking notes next to Martha. Is she recalled she was an Asari from what her briefing told her.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to sound rude I am Dr. Alenkov and you are?" Dr. Alenkov was trying to be polite of course but she does not know the standards of alien protocol.

"I am Daphne N'teri I am the main medical personnel assigned to take care of our friend here," she said looking at Martha.

Dr. Alenkov was impressed with the observation of the alien in front of her. Martha remained asleep throughout the whole ordeal, and as she did so she took note of the size that Martha has reached. In fact she is so large that one could mistake her for a mythical dragon.

In fact she does look like a dragon.

It was then that the alarms started to go off as workers started running for their lives when a large car came rushing into the hangar and rammed itself into the generator that powered the whole array. When the sound of something went pop Dr. Alenkov realized that she was in fact in danger when the field that surrounded Martha disappeared and the creature began to stir.

"Oh shit! Get that GENERATOR BACK ONLINE NOW!" Major Kowalski roared and men and women scrambled to try and get it working.

Martha slowly started rising and shaking her head groggily before her large red eyes opened. Martha rose onto her hunches and roared so loud that it shook the ship. Dr. Alenkov had to cover her ears to avoid the sound making her deaf. Security personnel rushed into the hangar to try and subdue the monster as she fought with her tail and slashed with her teeth. When she tried to breathe fire several people duck to get out of her way.

"Fuck on all sorts of levels and all sorts of languages!" cursed Major Kowalski as he shot another round at Martha making the creature turn to him and try to burn him. Thankfully he ducked behind a group of crates that were originally on the ship. They were at least fireproof and held when Martha's flames reached them. However the air around them was very hot as it started to cook the people behind the crates.

Suddenly there was a blast of blue light as Daphne came rushing out from behind her cover with her biotics at full power.

"HEY!" she shouted as she sent another singularity at the monster. Martha turned around and roared at the Asari. She then sent a pulse back which sent Daphne flying. Luckily for her she did a back flip and used her own biotics to land safely away from the angry dragon.

Martha started ramming the walls of the ship trying to get out as someone managed to get the generator going but Martha's tail destroyed it. She then turned on the poor worker who tried to get it going much to the horror of the worker.

She then went to burn the worker but a Prothean got there just in time and used his own biotics to protect himself and the worker from Martha's flames. He was clearly struggling from the force of the flame but thankfully Daphne managed to get to him and provide her own shielding. Others quickly joined them to try and fend off the monster.

Others tried to shoot tranquilizers into Martha to slow her down. The monster was too much to contain as she tried to escape again. Turning she swept them all with her tail. Thankfully everyone managed to duck just in time before she tried to head towards the now open doors. As she started to orient herself and head towards the doors. They suddenly shut leaving her inside the hangar once again. Enraged she rammed it a few times and trying to rake it with her wing claws. But the doors held firm.

"EDI!" said Major Reynolds as he tried to shoot at her again.

"I have deployed Mass effect shielding throughout the room so she can't damage the hull of the ship. Their capacity is at maximum. She can not escape," EDI said to them.

"Well, she sure as hell did some serious damage, EDI, if you haven't noticed," Major Reynolds said looking at the haul of the ship there are some major dents and there was a tear in one of the holes.

"I have repair drones at standby for emergency repairs once you have Martha contained. I managed to gather enough raw materials to begin extensive repairs," EDI replied to them as Martha charged.

"Aw shit!" Major Reynolds said as he rolled out of the way of Martha's snapping jaws. Her wing claws nearly gotten him as he rolled out of the way.

"God damn it, girl, we are your friends!" he shouted at the dragon, but the creature was in no mood to put up with anyone's crap. Suddenly someone started running towards the monster guns blazing.

It was one of the krogan.

"Come on you mother fucker!" he shouted as he shot at the dragon.

He was a large male with a yellow crest and several scars along his body. He was accompanied by several others of different species including humans. Major Kowalski was alongside him.

"Hey Liu glad you could make it!" he shouted at the Krogan. The Krogan gave a brief smile as he started opening fire on the dragon.

"Alright you overgrown lizard, you will settle down!" he said as he hurled cables at it. Martha breathed fire but being made of much sterner stuff Liu leaped over it and landed right on the dragon's head. Martha thrashed with him on her and even managed to repulse him twice with her biotics. Flying across the room he hit the observation windows and went through them like they were made of fragile glass. Getting up Liu was surprised by the amount of power the dragon had.

"Shit that bitch is tough," he said as he jumped out of the window again and began to charge. Backing Martha into a corner the dragon threw her tail at them again. Thankfully the Kodiak and the Hammerhead was well above ground in their secure hangars. Snapping at them Martha managed to get one unlucky person but it was only a quick graze before the man managed to escape minus his pants.

Dr. Alenkov in the meantime was trapped between two crates. Martha was not pleased by this and smashed them away. When she did Dr. Alenkov found herself with her back to the wall. Martha went to strike at her but paused.

Stunned she watched as the dragon started sniffing. Growling low she turned towards the elevator and it was there that Dr. Alenkov saw why.

There at the elevator with his face very pale was Aaron. He was dressed in uniform, but his face and the wetness at his front showed how scared he is. Martha turned towards him and suddenly but slowly started advancing towards him.

Then like lightning she struck at him as if to eat him but stopped. Aaron fell backwards on the ground and was sniffling and crying when Martha was above him. She came closer as if to eat him. But suddenly she didn't do so. She started to sniff him. Aaron was curled up into a ball, too frightened to move as the creature nudged him gently.

Aaron could only look up at Martha as she sniffed him up and down. Everyone in the room stood there stunned as she took in his scent. Aaron had clearly soiled himself further in fear when a very large tongue came out and started licking him. Surprised Aaron was further stunned with Martha tore his clothes off with her teeth. She was being very gentle when she did it too. She grabbed him from his belt and lifted him in the air being careful of the walls and moved him towards the center of the hangar.

Lowering him down she dropped him in the center and continued to tear his clothes off with her teeth. They were surprised when Aaron started screaming. Martha didn't take heed of this as she stripped him naked and started to lick him like a mother cat. Crying for help Aaron was smothered in dragon spit as he was licked clean and nearly nuzzled to death by the monster.

"Help!" Aaron said to them but no one wanted to help him for fear of incurring the dragon's wrath again. Aaron for the purpose of doing so gave up and let her lick him.

Stunned by the sudden turn of events it was Liu who broke the silence when he started to laugh a loud bellowing laugh. The others joined him soon after and then the entire hangar started to laugh at Aaron's expense much to the misery of the said person.

LATER

After about an hour Martha was settled down again. This time to his embarrassment Aaron had to be escorted to the restrooms where he could take a shower and get some fresh clothes on. Still everyone laughed at him at his own expense. The poor guy didn't want to come back down but was ordered to by Dr. Alenkov and escorted by armed security. He was just afraid of the Krogan as he was of Martha. Though the Krogan did it for their own amusement.

The man was busy shaking in the bedroom aware that the monster that attacked him was his girlfriend after being briefed by EDI. He looked out the window towards the hangar. Crews were working to repair the damage alongside the hull and observation windows. The robots that were repairing the outer hull protected the alien occupants on the inside from being seen by the media.

Already, the media coverage from around the world that came from China was confirmed to not be a hoax, since several state and media broadcasting companies had filmed Liu and the others who escaped the prison. Already, it was being shown through the nations that there are aliens or at least genetic experiments going on inside that building. They even posted wanted lists for the people involved, but those people had proven to be nothing more than average citizens. As for the aliens, more and more people wanted to meet them. Very few wanted them gone or tried to riot against them only to find out that the truth hurts when they had been here for thousands of years.

"Man, the world is a nuthouse right now," said Major Reynolds as he looked at the news feeds.

While Aaron was changing, the security team was watching the news feeds from multiple holographic windows that EDI has posted. Martha had settled down and was on the far side of the cargo hold. Thankfully the blast doors were shut, but the creature which they dubbed 'dragon' was watching things with curiosity.

When the doors opened again and Aaron came back in, he nervously went up to Martha and the dragon leaned down and took a sniff at him. Daphne who stood to the side with Dr.'s Alenkov, Amari and Shenoy watched in fascination as Aaron slowly reached up to stroke the creature. A soft rumble could be heard as the dragon was being petted by Aaron.

"Fuck, I pity the poor bastard," said Major Reynolds as he watched the scene played out.

"I wouldn't," said Liu as he stood there to the side with his arms folded neatly. Major Reynolds turned towards the Krogan.

"And why the hell not lad?" he asked. His voice betraying his curiosity as they watched Aaron take a deep breath to show that he was no longer scared.

"Because if the girl that you are looking for is still in there, then there might be a chance to extract her mind and return her to normal, right?" Liu said to him and Major Reynolds suddenly understood where the Krogan was going.

"Are you suggesting that the real Martha might be in there?" asked Dr. Alenkov. She was curious as well, watching Aaron slowly pat down the dragon.

"I would think so, because she could have killed him along with everyone else. Maybe she knew him longer than any of us and so her deepest memories of him and maybe her family are still there. We just have to bring it out to extract her full consciousness. I don't know what that human did to her, but to get her to transform into that form must be excruciating," Liu said. His voice was firm and bold as he spoke.

"It would be possible," said Dr. Amari as he observed them.

"What about the four scientists that we rescued in Shanghai, do you know anything about them?" Asked Dr. Alenkov.

"Well, from what I know, they are into xenobiology and xenotechnology. They might know a thing or two, I doubt it, but we could ask them. That one guy we met in Shanghai might know since he mentioned something about cells." Liu said to them.

"We could ask him, what was his name again, Wei something," said Major Reynolds (his forgetfulness of foreign names really bugged him) as he scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.

"Wei Kexing is his name," Liu replied. The others laughed at the now red faced Major Reynolds.

"Well how are we going to get Martha's mind back? From what I understood, most torture patients withdraw into themselves. So much so that it takes a really skilled psychiatrist to draw them out," said Dr. Shenoy. They all looked distraught at how they are going to proceed.

That is until Daphne decided to step in.

"Perhaps we could ask my people to help, along with the Rachni and the Protheans. Our species have psychic abilities and perhaps we can help bring Martha's mind back into herself," said Daphne; she had been thinking about it and it could make sense.

"What about her family, has anyone informed them about what happened to Martha?" asked Dr. Alenkov. Dr. Amari raised his hand and looked sheepish.

"I did and they are on their way here," he said. The others turned to him as if he was insane.

"I mean, if it worked for Aaron, maybe it would work with them," he said to them. Major Reynolds was not amused by it as he glared at the doctor.

"Malik you and I are going to have a SERIOUS talk about security protocols," he said to the doctor. Dr. Amari looked a bit sheepish as he shuffled his feet like a little boy.

A deep rumble broke them from their thoughts as they turned towards the two in the cargo hold.

There Martha lifted herself up and stretched her wings a bit only to hit the sides of the bulkhead. Caught by surprise they were taken back by the sheer size of those wings. But because it was so cramped she could not spread them fully. The monster then eventually laid back down since she couldn't move much and needed space to stretch. But there was no where to go, so sleep it was.

LATER

"No, no and NO ABSOLUTELY NOT!" shouted Mrs. Kahalewai as she screamed at the security officers who wanted to take her youngest son and present him in front of a monster.

"But ma'am if there is one possible chan…." he did not get to finish that sentence when Mrs. Kahalewai screamed again.

"I WILL NOT LET MY SON BE EATEN BY A DRAGON!" she screamed and everyone winced when that happened. It was days like these that both Majors hated their jobs.

"But ma'am you must understand it is important that we restore Martha's human mind and get her to change back into her human form," Dr. Amari tried to reason with her.

"OVER MY DEAD BODY!" Mrs. Kahalewai screamed at him. The poor man looked lost as he tried to reason with the woman while her husband and children are nowhere in sight.

"But ma'am….."

"I WILL NOT ENDANGER MY FAMILY BECAUSE OF SOME STUPID EXPERIMENT!" Mrs. Kahalewai again screamed at the doctor. The man winced when he heard this.

It was at this moment that Dr. Alenkov chose to wisely retreat, causing the doctor to flip her off while she smirked and gave him a one fingered salute. As she entered the elevator to take her back down, she spotted Daphne there taking notes on her tablet.

Walking up to the Asari, she was greeted politely while they looked at the resting Martha.

"You told me once that Asari can enter the minds of other beings, is that true?" she asked the Asari and Daphne nodded.

"It is a dangerous procedure outside of mating, but we usually only do it with the permission of the one we are entering. To the Asari to enter one's mind is a sacred and, should I say, pleasurable experience. Well if done right," she said to Dr. Alenkov.

"And what if it doesn't? Say you mind rape someone for information or try to force someone back from being feral?" Dr. Alenkov replied.

The Asari turned to stare at Martha's resting form again.

"Well, it could lead to death. The entering of one's mind is not a simple feat. There are natural mental defenses that are created to protect the mind from other factors, like someone trying to steal information. Those things do tie in to what could and would happen." Daphne said to her which caused Dr. Alenkov to think for a bit.

At least until something else happened.

"Hey, has any of you seen my son Koa?" asked Mr. Kahalewai when he entered the room. The rest of the family was with their screaming mother in one of the observation rooms.

"No, we….shit!" Dr. Alenkov said as she rushed towards the observation area of the hangar. When she looked, sure enough, a little boy was seen walking towards the large dragon sleeping in the hangar.

The soft snores of the dragon could be heard when the boy approached. Aaron was nowhere to be found because he was in the cockpit training in his new duties.

"EDI?" Dr. Alenkov stated.

"I am monitoring the situation and have alerted Major Reynolds and Major Kowalski. They should be there in five minutes," EDI's reply was automatic.

They watched in horror as the boy came close enough to the monster that he put his hand gently on its muzzle. Martha didn't move, but one eye opened and she looked down at the boy. She sniffed him and started making high pitched noises that sounded like a close to a croon and a pig's squeal. Her slitted pupils widened as she enjoyed his patting.

"Does she recognize the boy?" Dr. Alenkov asked.

"I don't know, but she at least doesn't see him as a threat," said Daphne. Intrigued, they watched the creature look at the boy in curiosity as she sniffed him, unsure of what to do in a situation like this with one so small.

It was then that the doors to the hangar opened and Major Kowalski and Major Reynolds and their men entered. When they did, they spread out to make sure they have enough coverage. Martha made no move to attack, her attention completely on the little boy stroking her snout.

It was a beautiful sight to watch. A small child and a large dragon, until…

"CULLEN NAKOA KAHALEWAI!" a shriek was heard and Dr. Alenkov cursed when Martha became alerted as her eyes returned to slits and she roared. This made the boy in front of her back up in fear. The elevator opened and Aaron quickly rushed in, grabbed the boy and ran for the door right when Martha unleashed her fire breath. When they were at the door he turned an angry glare at Martha's step mother. She quickly rushed to embrace her son, only to be stopped by Aaron, who pulled the boy back from her. Koa hugged Aaron's waist as there was a standoff between the man and his future mother-in-law.

"How dare you," he hissed at her. Just as he said it Martha's father rushed in and Koa rushed to him.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Your wife decided to startle the dragon outside." said Aaron as he stormed past them back to his room.

"Aaron is correct, Mr. Kahalewai. Your wife startled the creature. If Martha wasn't startled, Cullen would have been just fine." EDI interjected.

"But...but that's my son!" she nearly shouted in hysterics. Mr. Kahalewai, Martha's father, turned towards her his eyes hard.

"You nearly got my son KILLED!" He said, his voice just as hard when he glared at his wife.

"I did not!" she said and Dr. Alenkov held up her hand, "I don't care whose fault it was, the boy is fine and unharmed. Though he is a bit shaken up by the ordeal. Perhaps when Martha is calmer, we can have him go meet her." that nearly gotten Mrs. Kahalewai into hysterics again, but Mr. Kahalewai, the voice of reason, was the one who spoke silencing his wife with a glare.

"Understandable, but I want him supervised, because my son tends to do things he isn't supposed to." Mr. Kahalewai said to them.

"I'll go, since she obviously knows me," Aaron said to him and the older man nodded his thanks to him.

With that settled and with Mr. Kahalewai leading his wife out of the observation area Dr. Alenkov and the two heads of security turned towards the sleeping monster down below. The mass effect field that surrounded Martha's form kept her from escaping and, thankfully, knocked her out again. This was due to the back up mass effect generators that were thankfully held in storage.

"How is she, EDI?" she asked the A.I. it was quite for a few seconds before EDI finally answered.

"The Vaimphull is sleeping just fine. She is showing signs of minimum brain activity," EDI then showed the life signs that was being made by the dragon.

"That is good, at least we can monitor our progress when trying to return her to her original form. Any ideas as to how she got that big?" Dr. Alenkov said as she turned to the two doctors that are waiting to report.

"I spoke to our Chinese friends and they asked to see Martha in person. So I brought them with me," Dr. Shenoy said indicating behind him. Alenkov looked up to see three of the Chinese scientists with them.

"Where is the fourth one?" Alenkov said to them.

The third one began speaking and the overhead began to translate.

"My wife is with our twin daughters right now. They are only a few days old and in need of mother's care," he said to them. Dr. Alenkov softened her gaze as she remembered when she gave birth to her children many years before.

"Of course, my congratulations to you both," she said to them. Wen Cheng chuckled at the happy greeting of new fatherhood.

The other two men had held hands with each other, which meant in Dr. Alenkov's experience that they were gay. She then made her face into her professional self before addressing them.

"Gentlemen, I have brought you here to discuss this creature. You three, or four if you include your wife Dr. Cheng, have researched our companion's genetics and biological aspects from a cellular level. Can you tell us more about it?" Dr. Alenkov asked them.

"Well….from what we researched of her genetic code you said at one point she was your pilot yes?" the first man said to them. Dr. Alenkov wanted his name and asked him.

"What is your name?" she wanted to know whom to address.

"I am Wei Kexing and this is my husband Zhou Wangji as well as our friend and companion Wen Cheng and his wife Wen Yizuan, we are here to help. I specialize in xenobiology while my husband is a specialist in Astrobiology and Astrotechnology. Wen Cheng specializes in Microbiology and genetics," the man explained. His hair was disheveled from their ordeal and they had yet to get accommodated to Normandy and the way she worked around her crew.

"What about Wen Cheng's Wife? I heard she is a scientist as well?" Dr. Alenkov stated and Wen Cheng answered for her,

"She also studies Microbiology and Genetics."

"Alright, so I've heard that you had been able to decipher some of the genetics of our alien companions is that true?" Dr. Alenkov said to them and they nodded their heads in return. The translation going on allowed them to understand what was being said. It was a plus on this alien vessel.

"We were not allowed to see the aliens in person because our clearance would not allow us to do so. However, our benefactor had given us samples to study and we reported back to her about what we were able to find," Zhou Wangji answered for her.

"They speak the truth Dr. Alenkov. Our Rachni friends have given me evidence of their doings in and out of the buildings. After hacking into their files, they discovered that Alexandria Wilcox only had those are securely in her pockets actually seeing the aliens. It really brings out the worst to see so many not involved with this project, but they are at least honest," EDI stated as she showed the evidence to Dr. Alenkov's omni-tool.

"I see, so that is how she operated. Well then folks, if you would follow me, I would like to have you all fill out some paperwork to ensure that you are, in fact, going to be our newest members of our team," she said to them.

The three of them looked stunned, "We had worked for your enemy and still you want us here?" asked Zhou Wangji.

"Of course I do. After all, EDI had checked your backgrounds to ensure us that you would not betray our trust. And you did do us a favor and do detailed research into our friend over there," said Dr. Alenkov. She pointed towards the window where Martha was sleeping. The three scientists rushed over to the window to see for themselves what they are looking at.

After much cursing and bewilderment Dr. Alenkov smiled when they turned towards her. "Are you serious!? Is this the alien we have been researching all this time?" asked Wei Kexing since he was in the lead.

"She is one of them. The others are in the hangar as well as behind you," Dr. Alenkov said pointed behind her. They turned their bodies to see both Daphne and Liu behind them. Gasping in surprise, they were stunned by the size of Liu.

"They are our new friends. You will be fully briefed once you signed the agreement papers. What goes on in this room is, after all, confidential and when you do sign, you are also under our protection. Further details will be presented to you all when everything is taken cared of. Your wife, Dr. Wen, will also get a copy for her to fill out. It will be in Mandarin, of course, so you don't have to worry about us translating anything for you. Any questions will be deferred to EDI. She is the ship's artificial intelligence." Dr. Alenkov said to them.

Still stunned, they made their way out of the room towards the elevator that would take them back up to the research labs. Dr. Alenkov turned back towards the window to where Daphne and Liu were waiting.

"Liu, keep an eye on our friends. If they have any questions about yourself, please, feel free to answer them if you wish. Daphne and I have much to discuss still," she said and the Krogan nodded before following the scientists towards the elevator. When he was gone, Dr. Alenkov turned towards Daphne.

"Would you mind repeating what you told me earlier about your mental ability? You could enter the minds of others, right?" she asked.

Daphne nodded in agreement, "Yes, but we need permission to do so, at least the Asari do. As I explained earlier entering one's mind without permission could lead to mental damage or worse from the strain of entering a resisting mind. I don't know how the Rachni or the Protheans are able to do so, but I know that the Asari have to ask permission first. It is better if the person went willingly to allow one to enter. It is also how we mate."

"I don't need a biology lesson but thanks for that tip. So who would you suggest to undertake this journey?" Dr. Alenkov asked her and the Asari turned towards the window once again.

"I can't do it, because I have don't have the strength or experience to force my way into a mind. But let me get a hold of the council and see who they might recommend to do so. If it were helpful, we can see someone sent here to hopefully have Martha change back to normal," Daphne said to her as she walked out towards the elevator that would take her to the communication's room. Dr. Alenkov then turned out towards the hangar where Martha slept once again. The security teams were working hard to ensure that the mass effect generators that were provided by the ship were holding up. So far so good.

At least she never had a dull moment. It was times like this that she was glad to be home. But looking down at her right arm and what she had lost for a time she owed the girl that much. In fact if it wasn't for her she would not still be alive. If they can find a way to help her then...then they might have a chance.

TBC

A/n: Sorry this is taking so long but I am waiting on my Beta. He has been having problems with his computer lately so beta reading my work is slow. So don't fret at least I am still on it.

Also as a note don't forget to review and no FLAMES, BASHINGS, OR LORE MONGERS PLEASE! This is fanfiction after all so if you don't like it just don't read it.

B/n: The lack of motivation is also working against me. Depression is a bitch, but it's getting done.