Title: Ship of The Line – Effect 31
Author: Knife Hand
Feedback: Constructive feedback appreciated, flames unappreciated
Spoilers: Nothing Specific.
Rating: R
Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy, Star Trek or Mass Effect... I would buy them all but I am broke.
Summary: Bored with how things are going to play out, Janus interferes more directly in Halloween, making things more interesting and changing the course of the entire Galaxy. (Buffy/Star Trek/Mass Effect)
Miros stood at attention in front of Commodore Harris, Captain Summers and Captain Rosenberg, flanked by Tinsa and Karilla, the two other Asari who were rescued with her from the Batarians. Tinsa was a medical Doctor and was learning Section 31's advanced medical technology and techniques. Karilla was also a Doctor, but a Psychologist. She was stationed on Refuge, the colony that was set up for the rescued slaves, and was counselling the other former slaves. She insisted that helping others also helped her deal with her own trauma.
The meeting room was not on Haven, or on Refuge, or on New Rannoch where the Quarians had settled. It was on Tycho, an airless moon where Section 31 had set up a subterranean military base.
"Corporal, can you please explain why your initial briefing did not include the fact that Batarians enslave their own?" Commodore Harris asked.
"Sir, it did not occur to me to mention it." Miros admitted.
"If I may." Tinsa said, getting a nod. "It is common knowledge. Everyone knows but no one really thinks about it. Batarian Slaves are generally not seen outside of the Core Batarian Worlds, and not many who visit those are allowed to leave."
"How are the liberated slaves coping?" Captain Summers asked.
"Most are relieved to be free." Karilla said. "Some have been slaves for a long time, so they are wary of tricks. The five Batarians are mostly just confused. They seem to have attached themselves to a pair of Drell rescued in an earlier action. We are keeping a careful eye on them to prevent exploitation or adverse reactions."
"I guess it is a good thing we have only hit Batarian Slave Ships so far." Captain Rosenberg observed.
Commodore Harris started rubbing his temple.
"I want each of you to write a full briefing package on every race." Harris ordered. "Include every detail, no matter how small or seemingly irrelevant. Assume we know nothing. Start with the Batarians and the Quarians."
Tinsa and Karilla simply nodded while Miros snapped off a salute.
"Dismissed." Harry said.
The three Asari turned and left the room.
Kemi'Zorah sat nervously on the medical bed. A blond human in the uniform of Section 31 Medical Personnel.
"Kemi'Zorah nar Kellos?" the woman said with almost perfect Quarian inflections, to which Kemi nodded. "I am Doctor Maclay, but you can call me Tara."
"Ummm… ok." Kemi said.
For some reason the shy smile of the Doctor put Kemi at ease.
"Just let me take a final scan and then we will get started with the treatment." Tara said.
Kemi lay down on the medical bed and the scan wand moved over her. Section 31's technology was so amazing.
"Ok, now sit up and take of your helmet." Tara instructed.
Kemi blushed under her helmet. Bearing your face was extremely intimate for a Quarian, something only really done with family and the one you intended to mate with. Reaching up, Kemi hit the release on her helmet and slowly removed it. Placing the helmet on the bed beside her and casually ran her hand through her long, dark hair as it spilled out from under the helmet. Kemi's half closed her eyes, as the room was brighter than the personal quarters on a Quarian ship.
Doctor Maclay noticed the discomfort and touched a control that lowered the light level until Kemi's eyes glowed with the usual Quarian brightness.
"Is that better?" Tara asked. "I did not realise the reflective index of the Quarian cornea was that high."
"Huh?" Kemi said, confused.
"Your eyes have a reflective coating at the back that concentrates and amplifies light to allow you to see in semi-darkness conditions." Tara explained. "It is a result of your species' ancestry as a nocturnal predator, and is what causes the distinctive glow in your eyes that can be seen even past your visors."
"Oh, ok. I've never really thought about it before." Kemi admitted. "So how does this immune booster thing work?"
Tara smiled and pressed a hypospray to Kemi's neck and depressed the trigger to a soft hiss.
"There you go, all done." Tara said. "You can put your helmet back on if you like."
"That's it?" Kemi queried, surprised as she reached for her helmet.
In a quick and effortless move, Kemi swept her hair up into a loose bun at the back and put her helmet on so the hair rested inside without interfering with the helmet's function.
"That's it." Tara confirmed. "I just injected a collection of synthetic phagocyte cells into your bloodstream. They will find and consume any foreign cells that enter your bloodstream, preventing or at least reducing the effects of any infection. These new cells will replicate themselves from excess resources in your system, but you should not notice much of a change, maybe a slight increase in appetite or a reduction in waste expelled. They are also designed to cross the placental barrier, so will be passed on to any children you have."
"Keelah, I am not ready for that." Kemi exclaimed.
"I was merely pointing out that if the mother has the synthetic cells, then any offspring will not require an injection, instead getting the treatment directly from their mother." Tara explained.
"Oh, right." Kemi said.
"You can go, if you like." Tara informed casually.
Kemi jumped off the bed and made her way to the door, stopping at the threshold and turning back.
"Thank you." Kemi said and then left.
"What snacks do you want?" Joyce asked.
"Popcorn!" Both Buffy and Willow said together from the opposite ends of the couch.
"Any chance of brownies?" Xander asked from his position in the middle.
"I have not had a chance to bake and I am not replicating them just for you, Xander." Joyce said.
"Popcorn's fine." Xander replied.
Joyce returned a moment later with a big, steaming bowl of popcorn that was put down on the coffee table in front of the couch and turned on the viewscreen as she sat down in the single-seater.
They were in Joyce's two bedroom house on Haven, as it was also technically Buffy's home as well, having a relaxing movie night. Like all Haven accommodation it was modular. All homes has the base module, which contained a living room, a kitchen/dining room, a bathroom and a bedroom. Those who needed a second bedroom got a secondary module that contained a staircase, to make the structure two story, a bedroom and a bathroom. For larger families that needed three or four bedrooms, or those who did not want a second bathroom or a second story, there was a tertiary module that just contained a hallway and bedroom that could be added in a variety of ways to existing modules.
Willow's parents had not been in Sunnydale at the time of the incident, having been on month sixteen of a 'two week book tour', and by mutual agreement Xander's parents were living in a one bedroom house while Willow and Xander had a two bedroom assigned them. Usually Willow, Xander and Buffy were not on Haven, either being aboard their Ships or at the Base on Tycho. Xander never went to see his parents, but Joyce let him know that they were doing well. Tony had found that he was well suited to the life of a farmer and had become one of the most respected farmers on Haven and had given up drinking. Jessica was working part time at the medical centre.
"Ceres, can you please link us to the entertainment database?" Joyce asked.
"Of course, Governor." Ceres replied.
Ceres was the civilian AI who had been cloned from Athena, and was now primarily responsible for the oversight of the farming production and local infrastructure, including database access. The civilian clone of Ares had renamed himself Mercury and had responsibility for the Communications Systems and maintaining the power distribution and tracking systems. The clone of Artemis was now called Carmenta and was responsible for overseeing medical and technological development in the colony. No one chose to mention the fact the Ship AI were named after Greek Deities and the Colony ones took the names of Roman Deities.
"Oh… They made a Deadpool movie in 2016." Xander observed with a grin, looking at the listing of movies in the database.
"No!" All three females replied instantly.
There had been some fans of 20th and 21st century entertainment amongst the crews of the Task Force back in the Star Trek universe, so there were films ranging from the 'golden age' of the 1920s all the way through to the late 2080's.
In the end Joyce insisted that they watch Casablanca, so both Buffy and Willow tucked their feet up under them as Xander put his arms over the back of the couch and the movie started.
TBC…