Author's Note: Family is gonna be on vacation as of Friday, meaning that I'm going to be left alone in the house for a few days. Read, Review, Favourite and Enjoy!
Chapter 37: Chasing Shadows Part 3
Sam didn't really appreciate being given the task of cleaning up a mess the Council had created and Shepard dug up but orders were orders, and Sam was the closest to Parnack. The Citadel might've been content to leave the Yahg to it's own devices but the Union wasn't so much. Especially given the revelation that the Salarians were planning to 'uplift' the race in the event of an emergency. What emergency then led to this the Chozo wondered.
"Lemme guess." Sam stated as she rubbed her temples in the wake of the revelation. "You figured that 'uplifting the Yahg' and putting a few dozen million extra plus sized boots on the ground was a good idea to fight against the Reapers?" That was the most positive interpretation, she had a couple more less than generous interpretations of increasing severity that she could think of but thinking about that would just make her mad. "This is the third screw up your government has executed that we've had to clean up. My superiors have already informed your government about this mess, if you're lucky we might have more important things to do than look for the fourth. Get!"
The Salarian researchers were led out of the facility as Sam went looking through their computers. First order of business was determining the severity of the Yahg's cultural contamination and from there how far away they were from spaceflight. From there, Sam would implement 'the Dark Forest.' In truth, the Shadow Broker had the right idea considering the future of his race, keep their heads low, let the Reapers avoid them and take over the galaxy after they leave. They weren't the first race that they had made this plan with 'The Dark Forest.' It was named after Human Science fiction Novels, based on a at the time plausible explanation as to why humanity hadn't found signs of intelligent space faring life, and having reached the conclusion that the 'aliens' were hiding, that they were scared of everything including them and each other, that something is going out of it's way to destroy intelligent life.
Turns out they were closer to the mark that they thought, that there is a group out there that views intelligent space faring life as a threat not to themselves but to all life in the galaxy, so they exterminate them, for the greater good. That simple truth is the basis of the Dark Forest, of the book and the project that was named for it. Telling the people of the Pre-FTL civilisations what the Reapers are and arming them with as many of the tools as possible to kill them, to keep their telescopes pointed at the sky because one day, they were going to leave again, in a hundred years, in a thousand, and at that point they are going to have a very limited amount of time to get to work so that they can prepare to destroy the next group of them.
The Yahg weren't the only ones the Union was looking at, the Vorcha of Heshtok were regularly slaughtering each other in constant gang fights, the ones that weren't being bled out by intergalactic mercenary gangs, and the truly birdlike Raloi were the other Pre FTL civilisation in Council space, in Union territory the Knights of Rototavuul fought over the acid pits and radioactive core of their homeworld, the jellyfish like Sathyrelian's glided about their oceans hunting for prey and the Parasitic Pasharti was fighting a war against their ideal hosts the Jeferi. In truth, the Yahg had many of the characteristics the Union found ideal for the next cycle, physically strong, highly perceptive, extremely intelligent and one fatal flaw: They don't know fear, don't understand the concept of avoiding confrontation with a enemy and staying away from danger. And soon the Union would have a decision to make, concerning what the best course of action concerning these brutes are.
Liara had been looking for a new job, this really wasn't what she had in mind though. Somehow Shepard convinced her superiors to take over the Shadow Broker's information network and fold it into existing Union intelligence networks. That was all fine and dandy, but since Union intelligence was all need to know and top secret information that left Liara as the new Shadow Broker by process of being one of three people that the Union trusted who was part of the operation to take the ship, if only a temporary one. For now all the relevant facilities were being transferred over to the Normandy. Between the Stealth and weapons capabilities of the ship, the telepathic amplifier and the telepaths onboard the Normandy was the most ideal stealth and surveillance frigate in the galaxy.
Already the Union was being fed all kinds of tasty tid-bits, a slew of morally bankrupt criminal projects from across Council space, the least of which was being conducted by the Salarian's, and the Collector's operation in Union Territory. The infiltration was simple, hologram technology and reverse engineered IFF devices was all that the Collectors would need to bypass Union defences and infiltrate the front lines against the Prethoryn. Ships disappear there all the time, entire crews eaten by the Prethoryn, it's not unusual to see entire ships suddenly vanish and never recover anything from the crews, not even the grey boxes containing the last of their memories. The issue here was that after learning about this information the Collectors and the Shadow Broker cut ties with each other.
They would leave in a few days, resupply, finish loading and installing all the equipment on the Normandy from the Broker's ship, and tie up all unfinished business. Case in point.
"A fugitive?" Shepard asked looking at Garrus suspiciously who used his Omni-tool to bring up a file from his C-Sec Days.
"His name was Dr. Saleon, he might've had others before, the Broker has a file on him." Garrus stated as Shepard received the file on her tablet.
The Good doctor was a Salarian geneticist, one whom Garrus personally tracked down as the ring leader of a black market organ operation, he wasn't butchering people for parts though Garrus would argue that what he was doing was much worse. He had created, 'patented' a process of growing redundant organs inside of the bodies of his employees, all too desperate for money to resort to less horrific means. Asari, Salarians, Turians, the guy even operated on Krogan believe it or not, and if the organs weren't good enough to sell? Well that's the cost of mass production. By the time Garrus had gotten a warrant for his arrest the Doctor was already fleeing on a transport, with several of his victims/test subjects on board with him. He of course wanted to shoot the bastard down but Garrus's superiors were more concerned with the victims, victims who were likely dead or worse. The Broker had sold him some Union tech too, more of the hybrid citadel union stuff that he's been working on, with a dash of reaper tech thrown in for good measure, which means that whatever horrors he's working on has escalated in severity.
"EDI, are there any temporary ships available for us to use?" Shepard asked as she put down the tablet. The mad scientist wasn't too far away, they'll just pop over, put one in his head and fly back over to the Normandy in time to go hunting for Reaper Spawn. "The Burgundy is gassed geared and has the last known coordinates of Dr. Saleon already programmed into its navigational computer." The Former C-Sec officer and Dragoon both left for the next couple of systems over, leaving a note to EDI and Liara that they were going to be away for a bit.
Oriana was still on the Normandy though, as was Tali, the latter helping to figure out the ancient systems of the Shadow Broker's ship. Sure the Yahg had been working on upgrading the ship but most of the technology out here was really out of date, it made sense to a degree for the Quarian's, since up until recently no one wanted to sell anything to them forcing them to salvage, but this guy was supposed to be filthy rich. Well because of those same factor's the former Shadow Broker base was much more familiar than the Normandy's design, even if he was working to shove Union tech in different spots.
"How are you with programming?" Ah Yes, she's never going to get use to that. Tali turned around to face the console that Oriana was in front of.
"Should you be playing with that? I thought you would be scared of computers considering who your father is?" Tali had been given the bluff notes concerning the patriarch of the Lawson family. Oriana might've been born out of unusual circumstances but she doesn't deserve such a toxic family. While Tali can understand the feeling of being afraid of AI she can't imagine being afraid of tech in such a modern society as theirs.
"You are right. Computers do scare me." Damn telepaths. "This is a normal reaction when you live with the fact that a monster like my father can use all of them to chase me down. However as the saying goes 'know thy enemy as well as you know yourself and you will be the victor of a thousand battles.'" Oriana pulled out a book that she had on her person, well worn and well read, it was ironically enough titled 'Modern Computer Language and Programming by Henry Lawson.' "I've become quite familiar with my father's code over the years, so naturally I am quite certain when he is overriding the security protocols."
Tali looked at the computer Oriana had indicated and let out a sigh. Oh Damnit.
Henry Lawson was not having a good couple of years. Trying to track down his daughters would have that effect, he would just make another one but that would probably result in that so-called Admiral just hunting him down and taking her away again. So here he was trying to find Oriana before Miranda finds him, and while he was at it kill Shepard Senior. As a place to hide Oriana had found a pretty good spot this time. Hagalaz was one of those backwater black market infested worlds with a environment too harsh and prone to shifting extreme conditions for any proper civilisation to thrive that's not at least buried ten feet deep, probably why the mines are one of the few businesses to thrive here. Oriana wasn't in some deep bunker miles beneath the surface of the planet though, no that would make this much easier to deal with. Oriana was inside of a decrepit cargo ship built by those halfwit mad scientists the Salarians as it sailed through the equator of storms that followed the dusk and was chased by dawn.
Henry could think of two maybe three ways to tackle the engineering problems of trying to keep a ship like that in a lightning storm off the top of his head, course he mostly did software not hardware so he was not an expert. The logistics of engineering such a project, setting it adrift in a electrical storm and keep it there without it being destroyed was not why he was here, nor could he shoot it down if he wanted his property back, which meant going down there to get her. Luckily though he had money, and contacts with people who could be... persuaded to go down there.
Blue Suns had fit many of the criteria that Henry had required, a predisposition towards violent solutions to problems, a professional reputation towards obeying the letter of their contracts, and a tendency to not ask too many questions. Right now that same contract was summarised as 'Go into ancient war ship, retrieve daughter and bring her back out alive.' Easy enough to handle.
"Broker, it would seem that we are being invaded." The Broker's VI program informed Liara.
"What on..." Liara went over to the console and activated the holo-screens as she saw that indeed they were being invaded. "Huu. Are the weapons systems online?" Liara asked as she let out a defeated sigh.
"No Broker. Being part of the outermost attachments of the ship they were among the first to be dismantled." Of course they were.
"EDI is there anything I can do to prevent the imminent invasion of this ship?" Liara asked as she began rubbing her temples in anticipation of whatever nightmare she'd have to deal with.
"Prevent? No. Fend off?" The portable Hologram projector in the office disaplayed the outside of the ship, and the surprisingly large figure that was already on the move outside. "Tali has requisition a SCV unit in order to take the fight directly to the enemy forces."
"SCV?" Liara asked sounding unsure. "Space Construction Vehicle." The AI clarified. "It was one of several such vehicles that were being used to conduct the disarming of the ship."
"A construction vehicle?" Liara liked this situation less and less. "How effective is it going to be in a fight?"
"About as effective if one of your construction vehicles was used to fend off a group of C-Sec Officers if I had to guess."
So not very good. Tali's advantage is that she was in a much larger set of armour, the mercenaries on the other hand had actual weapons to back them up while Tali only had construction tools and the bulk of her suit. Contrary to dedicated combat mech's however, like most civilian vehicles, the suit is designed for 'selective crumpling' to break and bend in very specific ways that are guaranteed to not harm the pilot, which would be all well and good if not for the people shooting at her.
"She should be able to fend them off long enough to complete your surgery and fitting." EDI stated as Liara heard some pretty ominous words.
"Wait Surgery?" EDI then picked that moment to show Liara her proposed phase two.
Tali's personal SCV had been customised to her in several ways, the legs had been reshaped for compatibility with her own triple jointed legs to ensure that she could maintain smooth movement. Aside from that though both of the 'hands' of the mech were purpose built for construction, each one a pair of high frequency claws with built in electrolysis muscles fully capable of cutting, crimping and parting metal with built in Exotic Plasma Torch Welders and new and improved Omni-gel fabricators capable of creating customised parts on the spot. Aside from that the suit was built in with Living Metal plating designed to selectively crumple on impact and with a jolt of electricity reset itself, which wasn't too different from the metal muscle used in synth's but a little cruder, mag boots to stick itself to the side of ships, a jet pack to achieve short bouts of flight and a Eezo core to help improve fuel economy. Right now Tali was wondering how many of these systems she could re-purpose on the fly to fend off these mercs. For now though Tali employed another feature of the SCV: flood lights.
"Hello There..." Tali consulted with her computer as she worked to identify the mercenaries. "...Blue Suns! This ship is the site of a Union operation to salvage and decommission a ship belonging to criminal elements."
The Mercenaries looked at each other wondering about what to do, one then ambled up in front of the rest his weapon resting on his shoulder.
"Credentials, or move out of our way!" The apparent leader of the group shouted. "Our client has received intel that his missing daughter is being held on this ship!"
"Oh hang on where is that button." Tali went looking for the button that would allow her to deploy a holographic projection proving that this SCV was Union property, well was, Shepard was letting her take it back to the Edenian colony but still. Of course as Tali was remembering because it was being given to her to customise part of those customisation was installing a sound system where the holo projector use to be. "Ah Mot." Cursing under her breath Tali immediately deployed her plasma welder as a flame thrower against the mercenaries.
"Alright sweet heart you know what to do!" One of the figures in armour raised up her hand and deployed a biotic singularity in response causing the plasma to gather and then explode. Tali had put some distance between them in the mean time, rocket jumping backwards while the fabricators on either arm whirled to life and deployed combat drones. Each of the growing number of drones were small blue balls built around a gun composed of Omni-gel and suspended in the air via a small amount of Eezo, standard citadel drones weren't enough to do damage against Union armour, which is why Tali had a Tebrid Game console so that she could design one that could. The end result? The Clear blue Droid is full of concave lenses that gathers light from the surrounding area and concentrates it into the rare crystal core that Tali had prepared in advance, thus we have the laser drone, excellent at running interference and harassment against enemy forces. "Drones have lasers, spit a barrier out now!" Until they do that.
Tali landed several yards away while the other mercenaries aside from the biotic who was blocking her laser shots crouched down and took out their sniper rifles. Tali had to work fast for this one. Sentinels are biotic tech specialists who reinforce their barriers with several floating plates of Omni-gel, Tali wasn't a biotic, but by the crudest definition of the term her armour was, and it was equipped with a biotic field and fabricators. Thus a extra line of protection soon appeared as Tali was quickly covered by armour drones and charged forward, her SCV already working to crank out a third unit of drones, ones built around one of the unique weapons created by the Shadow Broker, the Recycler Drones. Tali used her own bulk to protect the line of suicide bombers that were flying behind her as she gave the Blue Suns a charge.
"Flamers now!" At once several of the mercenaries who were standing back stepped forward, carrying with them plasma throwers which they then used to light up the area in front of Tali's charging mech.
The boosters engaged and the mag feet disengaged, the Eezo core ran a negative current as Tali jumped over the flames, but the drones behind her kept going. The biotic field keeping the drones afloat suddenly picked that time to detonate. The imploding drones sucked up a large swath of the ship's hull and spat out several balls of raw material in the process. That wasn't nearly as concerning though as the fact that power was no longer being channeled into the kinetic barrier that covered this part of the ship. The thunder cracked, the lightning surged directly for exposed metal while Tali started making her way into the still shielded part of the ship to relative safety. Relative mind you, the force of the lightning storms were now directly striking at the part of the ship that was unshielded and the winds were allowed to rampage without interruption, so the ship was hit with a lot of force and naturally started to get broken apart it's pieces scattered on the winds. The rest of the crewmen working on the Shadow Broker's ship had already evacuated to the safety of the Normandy, which had flown away to escape the storm.
Though it had taken a couple of hours Liara had completed her surgeries with minimal complications. The usual combination of Bone, muscle and skin wire, connected to a internal supply of medigel, a set of artificial kidneys, improved biotic implants, Psi boosters and dampeners and unusually a grey box.
"I'm not sure about how I feel about you doing this EDI." The Union had highly sophisticated Data compression algorithms, taking the entirety of the Shadow Broker's data base and compressing it into a single grey box was quite easily within the realm of possibility. In layman's terms, detecting imminent loss of invaluable intel EDI turned Liara into a walking defensive force and shoved the information directly into her skull to keep it all protected. A not unusual tactic among the union, the information can be removed or transferred easily enough after all. "Tali is still somewhere in the wreckage of that ship." Liara pointed out. "We're going to have to go looking for her."
"Might I suggest the range and mobility of the Hugin?" The lights behind Liara turned on revealing the bird like tactical gear behind her and Liara sighed.
Funny how pissing off humans quickly turns into a bad idea. Tali was wondering what it took to kill these people, because so far they've survived being hurled by a hurricane through a lightning storm with nothing but their hard suits to protect them. The Passage of time was hard to tell on a planet where the days are three month's long, luckily Tali has the internal clock on her omni-tool, but Tali wasn't sure that these people had the same benefit. For the past 75 hours Tali's location has been subjected to bombardment, air strikes, artillery, grenades. There was only so much that Tali could accomplish recycling scrap from the ship and whatever she could salvage from the environment. If the wreckage had been flung two miles further south she would've arrived at one of the planet's mines and she would have a nice quiet Mine turned bunker that she could hide away in. Then a nearby shadow flew over the group of soldiers that were trying to take apart Tali's position dropping artificial biotic meteorites onto their position. The Hugin Tactical gear floated above them and glared over them, a few short moments later a hologram appeared in front of her, Union Credentials.
"You have interfered with a Union Salvage operation and attacked Union personnel."
"Your Personnel has attacked first." The Mercenary leader snapped leaning his rifle against his shoulder.
"Then this should be adequate payment for the damages in incurred." Liara dumped some money into the Mercenaries account, or rather transferred it over. "Citadel Credits? Do we look like paupers to you?" The Mercenary leader looked more insulted than anything else.
"The credits are merely a bonus. This is my compensation." The Hugin projected another hologram, a wanted poster for a middle aged man in his fifties. "Henry Lawson, your client, also a dangerous computer hacker and geneticist wanted by the Union. Also the creator rather than the father of the girl that I have in my protective custody."
The leader of the mercenaries checked his files. His employer took several measures to hide his identity, he did however give them a drop off point for the missing child in question, the bounty on Lawson's head and the money they saved not paying the fine and jail time for doing the grunt work of a known terrorist went a long way to paying off the grudge between them and the Quarian. The Mercenaries put their weapons away and called up a ship to pick them up and take them away, Liara went down and picked up Tali and called down the Normandy for the both of them.
"Oi you got Shepard's Ship? Why?" The Mercenary leader asked looking at Liara suspiciously before he just shook his head and took his helmet off revealing his heavily scarred face in the process. "Whatever I'm in." Zaeed Massani stated as he started walking towards the Normandy, his confused men following behind him.
Author's Note:
RonaldM40196867: Agreed. I don't recall being given the option of playing the squad members, unless you're talking about the multiplayer Mass Effect has always only had Shepard as the playable character. I think the first one was the best.
Gianfranco Cembran: And nearly losing too.