Quintessence Effect
ESKK: A brand new chapter and the beginning of Virmir. Lets get started.
(Start Hagar and Saren Virmir)
Saren glared at the screen as he got word of what had happened. Haggar stood behind him as she told him the news of what she had found. "Voltron has gained a new Paladin the Blue Lion." Haggar said as she gave Saren the bad news. "And they have regained the ability to form Voltron." Haggar said as Saren did not like this not one bit.
Saren stood there his rage coming to fore as he clenched his claws against the table. All his plans were hinging on this and now his worst fear was realized Voltron was on the way here. So, all Saren could do was rage as he tore everyone off from the table and let out a roar tearing the room apart. He then went after Haggar and pinned her to the wall.
"How can you let this happen!?" Saren yelled as Haggar just glared at the Turian. But instead of showing fear or even acting as Benezia once did Haggar summoned her power and blasted Saren off from her person causing him to hit the far wall.
"Do not speak to me in such a way, Saren." Haggar scolded as she glared down at Turian ex-SPECTRE. Saren growled as he got back up before Haggar got to what she was saying. "The Robeast is in position if or when Voltron arrives, she will be ready." Haggar said as she glared at Saren. It was no secret that the Salarian STG had managed to get a message out, but it was anyone's guess how it was received if it even was. This meant that they had to be ready for a possible fleet showing up with Voltron leading the charge.
With her part done Haggar left, and Saren was back on his feet. As he glared at Haggar an image appeared behind Saren as it saw the entire exchange that had taken place. Saren turned around to face the image as soon all was silence in the room.
(Scene Break Castle of Lions)
The Castle of Lions was at the moment flying alongside the Normandy as they were once more on a mission for the Council. Apparently the Salarian STG had gone silent in the Traverse on Virmire. From what can be gathered the team infiltration team there had been investigating Saren and by the sound of things they either found him or the found something. The message was static, but its origin point was tracked down.
"So, what do we know about Virmire besides the fact it's in the Traverse?" Leon asked as he was in full Paladin armor right now.
"Well according to my finding's Virmir has seen some attempts to colonize but due to its location in the Traverse and the issues spawned from it attempts eventually stopped." Penny said as she sat in her seat with holographic screens around her. "Kind of sad though, it has these nice beaches." Penny said as she took those from images of the planet in question.
"Sounds like it would have been a nice vacation spot." Hector said as he would have liked to have gone there if it became a colony.
"What are the chances of Saren's base being there?" Kalvin asked as he looked from his spot at the front.
"Pretty high if we've lost contact with a Salarian STG down there." Penny said as then Allura cut in.
"Once we arrive there we'll know for sure." Allura said as she knew that they had a job to do.
"Communication from Commander Shepard of the Normandy." Shiala announced and thus the group saw John appear.
"Paladins we're almost at Virmir." John said as the group nodded to this. "Our long-ranged scanners are picking up activity there, we're going to need to be careful." John said as he looked to the Paladins.
"We got as much but what's the call about?" Kalvin asked as he figured there was a reason.
"We may expect heavy enemy resistance, so we need to work as one unit this time around." John said as this made sense to the group.
"I was thinking about that." Kalvin said as he nodded to Penny who then proceeded to show a map of the area. "The Signal originated around this area." Kalvin said noting a location of equal water and forest by the coast. "I was thinking we can have Penny in green enter from the jungle and Allura in blue from the ocean." Kalvin said pointing to the areas the two Lions would have the best chance in.
"He's got a point; Blue works the best in the water and green is capable of camouflage." Penny said as she figured it would be the best deal.
"And while Allura and Penny are on the ground the rest of you can cover the Normandy with the Castle of Lions." John said seeing where this was going.
"But we need to be ready if a Robeast were to appear we'll have to act." Allura added which John agreed with. The Alliance was getting itchy about the Robeasts and so was the Council. The fact they were forced to rely upon Voltron was a major issue for both major government bodies.
"If a Robeast appears you each will have permission to leave your current objective if able." John said giving the Paladins free reign to do what is needed to eliminate the Robeast. "We all know the mission be careful." John said and thus he ended the call.
"Alright team get ready to saddle up." Kalvin said and thus the group went to grab their guns for what was to come. At least until Penny stopped them when she had something to say.
"Uh guys before we do anything... you know that decryption program me and Tali made?" Penny asked as she looked to the group.
"Yeah?" Kalvin asked as he recalled that program Penny and Tali had made.
"Well... it's almost done decrypting Zarkon's message." Penny said much to the groups shock.
"Finally, I almost forgot you had that thing." Leon said as Allura found this to be good news.
"With this information we can finally learn what had happened to Zarkon and his Galra Empire." Allura said as this was good news indeed.
"Yes, it will help us get caught up fully as well." Coran said with a knowing nod on his face. More so after their last stop they managed to get a working Eezo drive and can now use it to travel the Mass Relays. This meant they did not have to rely solely on Allura to open wormholes for the Castle of Lions.
"We can check out the data later." Kalvin cut in as they had to focus. "Right now, we got some soldiers to save." Kalvin said which meant it was time to roll out.
(Scene Break Virmir)
Soon enough both the castle of lions and the Normandy arrive near the planet as it seems Joker was picking up something as he said, "Commander, I'm reading a signal. Must be our Salarian infiltration team."
"Check out those defense towers," Kaiden said as he pointed out the AA-towers as Kalvin soon said, "Leon, Hector, and I will try and turn the towers attention away so the mako along with blue and green lion can drop in as well."
"Make it fast and get back to safe distant afterword's, until we can scout out the area and find a way to shut down those AA-towers," John said as suddenly the Voltron force launch as the black, Yellow, and Red lions flew in first and keep their attention on them as they begun to fire upon them as Kalvin said, "Alright you're clear to launch the Mako!"
"Roger that black lion," Joker said as he came in fast and almost loud as the Mako was launch with the green and Blue lion was behind the Normandy until they split apart and hid in their natural environments with Blue in the water and green in the forest invisible.
"We've made it, you guys can head back now," Penny said as Kalvin reply to her, "Roger that, Hector, Leon return back and be on standby!"
"Good luck you guys!" Leon said as they three lions flew away leaving the team, and the two girls by themselves as they travel down the way with Blue and Green taking out any Geth forces along the way with the Mako was safely passing through without enemy fire.
Soon enough the team made it to the AA Towers control system as the team face against Geth's forces, Allura and Penny are showing how well they fight against them as Penny use her Biotic to send them off with Allura coming in with her Bayard whip and take them down and shot them with her pistol as John quickly make it to the controls as he power down all system with Joker said, "I'm reading that the grid is down, Commander. On approach to the Salarian base now."
"We'll follow," Kalvin call out as soon enough the Normandy and the other lions came in as they seem to eb escorting the ship with the Castle of lion keep flying around keeping an eye out for any Robeast that may head their way with Shepard calling out, "We'll meet you at the Salarian base then, over and out."
(a little later)
Everyone had made it to the main base camp the Salarians had set up at, but it seem there was some bad news as Shepard team and the paladins were gathered together to talk with Ashley saying, "So what are we supposed to do now?"
"Stay put until we can come up with a plan," the Salarian leader, Captain Kirrahe just to everyone as Kalvin said, "I hate it when something unexpected come up like this."
Shepard walk up with Allura and Penny as he asked Captain Kirrahe, "Are you in charge here? What's the situation?"
"I'm Captain Kirrahe, Third infiltration Regiment STG. You and your crew have just landed in the middle of a hot zone. Every AA gun with ten miles has been alerted to your presence," the leader said to Shepard as he said, "That's just great. What now?"
"I don't understand, what going on?" Penny question as captain Kirrahe ask, "And who are they"
"I'm Princess Allura of Altea, the last daughter of the Alteans, and a paladin of the blue lion of Voltron, and this is Penny Holt, the Paladin of green lion," Allura said as she introduce themselves as Penny said, "If these guns are active, why can we form Voltron and take care of them?"
"Because it seem Saren has a guard standing by them, three guessed on what, with the first two don't count," Kalvin said as Allura said, "Saren has a robeast here already?"
"And that's not all as the captain here said his team had a run in with it and here's the Kicker, it has Biotic abilities," Kalvin said as the group knew what that meant as they cannot destroy the AA tower without getting attack by the robeast, and they cannot fight the robeast with the AA gun towers still active unless they want to get shot at many time without support, and the last thing they want to do in endanger the castle of lion for this as Kalvin said, "Until we can come up with a plan, we're gonna be stuck here for a little while."
"I have sent word to the council, we stay put until the Council send the reinforcement we requested," Captain Kirrahe said Kaiden said, "We are the reinforcement."
"What? you're all they sent? I'm grateful that the Voltron force is here, but you're all that, the council, had sent? I told the council to send a fleet," the captain said as Shepard explain the situation to him as he said, "We couldn't understand your transmission."
"So, They sent us to investigate," Kalvin said adding in his two cent as the captain said, "That is a repetition of our task. I lost half my men investigating this place, I almost lost my life when we found that creature."
"So, what have you found?" Kaiden said in a demanding tone as the captain said to them, "Saren's base of operations. He's set up a research facility here, but its crawling with Geth and very well fortified."
"What's Saren researching?" Shepard ask with captain Kirrahe said to him, "He's using the facility to breed an army of Krogan."
"How is that possible?" Wrex said as he came up after hearing that his kind was being breeding here when breeding was nearly impossible to do as the captain explain it as he said, "apparently Saren has discovered a cure for the Genophage."
"Wait seriously? Come on!" Hector said as he was scared enough as it was with Wrex but hearing there could be more as Shepard said, "The Geth are bad enough. But a Krogan army, he'd be almost unstoppable."
"Not unless we can take out before they can finish," Kalvin said as he knew the dangers of a cure for the Krogan virus as the captain said, "Exactly my thoughts. We must ensure that this facility and its secrets are destroyed."
"Destroyed? I don't think so. Our people are dying. This cure can save them," Wrex said as the captain said to him, "If that cure leaves this planet, the Krogan will become unstoppable. We can't make the same mistake again."
Allura was shocked to this as the Council would destroy something that could help save Wrex's entire race, but then again if it does become known, then no doubt there would be a lot of blood shed as Wrex came up to him and said to the captain, "We are not a mistake."
After that Wrex walked away no doubt angry of what he just heard with the captain said, "Is he going to be a problem? We already have enough angry Krogan to deal with."
"If you'd be more sensitive of other feelings, then it wouldn't be a problem," Allura said sounding upset by this too as she too walks away but to watch over Wrex and make sure he doesn't do anything, as the Captain was a bit surprise, feeling that he has made a mistake himself as Kalvin said, "Being the one of the few last of her kind leave a bad taste in her mouth hearing other people are slowly dying out as well… remember that."
"I apologizes," Captain Kirrahe said as Shepard said to him, "It's not us you should say sorry too."
Kirrahe looked for a moment but then noted that he had tasks to do. "I need to organize a plan with my people." He said and thus left the group. This left John with Ashley and Kaiden for a moment as Allura went to check on Wrex.
"Looks like things are a bit of a mess." Kaiden said as he hoped Wrex would be ok.
"Yeah, I wouldn't be so worried if it wasn't for Wrex." Ashley said as she looked to Kaiden.
"Looks like Allura is going to talk to him but Ashley be ready just in case." John said as he did not want Allura to get hurt.
"I'm always ready." Ashley said as they then went to assist Allura.
(Over with Wrex and Allura)
Allura found Wrex by the water shooting off his gun as it was clear that the Krogan was upset and for good reason. "Wrex... are you ok?" Allura asked as she approached Wrex.
"What do you think?" Wrex asked as he glared over at Allura.
"Wrex, you have to understand this is not an easy thing for anyone." Allura said as she had a good idea of what Wrex was feeling.
"That Salarian would disagree." Wrex snarled as he looked to Allura.
"Wrex, I know your upset, but we all know Saren is the enemy." Allura said trying to get Wrex to see reason.
"Is he? Saren created a cure for the Genophage seems to me the lines between friend and foe are getting blurry." Wrex said as Allura knew this as a fact.
"Wrex, I understand what you're feeling but if Saren is allowed to use this weapon you won't be around to reap the benefits none of us will." Allura said as Wrex decided to go for the big gun.
"Wouldn't you have done the same if our roles were reversed!?" He asked and this caused Allura to pause for a moment. "I've been loyal to Shepard, hell you lot have been doing a lot more for me then my own family ever did but if we're going to fight, I need to know we're doing it for the right reasons." Wrex said and in turn pulled his gun on Allura. But despite this Allura refused to draw her gun not out of confidence but because she refused to gun down a friend. The last Altean soon had her response to Wrex knowing that he was upset and rightfully so.
But Allura held strong as she had to say the truth. "Wrex if our roles were reversed, if I was being offered the chance to revive my people, I would have taken it... but not like this." Allura said as she stood her ground. "IS this what you want for the Krogan to be cured only to be slaves to Saren?" Allura asked as she glared at Wrex for a moment. Wrex considered her words carefully as she stood there.
Wrex then had his answer as he began to lower his gun. "No... we were once tools for the council when they needed help to wipe out the Rachni and as thanks they neutered us all." Wrex said as he knew Allura spoke from the heart knew she spoke as one who was from a species that was all but dead. "Alright princess you made your point I trust this team enough to follow the Shepard's." Wrex said as Allura nodded to this.
"Thank you, Wrex... and for what it's worth I truly am sorry." Allura said as Wrex grunted to this. He may not like what they had to do but he understood why they had to do it.
"Just one question why didn't you pull a gun on me when I had one on you." Wrex said as he knew Allura was quick on the draw.
"Because... I refuse to gun down a friend." Allura said and thus Wrex chuckled a bit at her words.
"You're a good kid, Princess." Wrex said as he was thankful to have someone this loyal backing his corner. Then again, they both came from similar situations their people once proud and strong dying out.
Nearby Ashley sighed in relief as she saw Allura made the right call. She and Corran were the last Alteans, and they knew what Wrex no doubt was feeling so she was the best one to talk to him. Still Allura had a kind heart, but a sharp mind and she may have figured she was the best one to talk Wrex down.
Nearby Leon looked confused as he noticed someone was missing from their group. "Hey, has anyone seen Penny anywhere?" Leon asked as he was trying and failing to find Penny.
"I'll go get her." Tali said as she then went looking for Penny as she was the last one who had seen her.
(Meanwhile with Penny and Rover)
"This is bad Penny." Rover said as he hovered around Penny. "All the Salarians here one of them is bound to put two and two together." Rover said making his concerns about this clear. "Plus, with the Quarian being suspicious as is we're one misstep away from having every gun firing at us." Rover said as he did not want to die like that.
"Look Rover don't worry I got this we managed to make it this far without getting caught." Penny said confidently as Rover rolled his optic to this.
"Yet." Rover added as he knew full well that this was getting risky for all of them.
"Rover we're not going to get caught; besides, I've calculated every possible method we could get caught and came up with several escape plans so you can run while I take the fall and..." Penny trailed off as she noted Rover grow quiet. "There is someone is right behind me." Penny said more then asked and thus Rover nodded causing Penny to turn and see a wide-eyed Tali. Well Penny was assuming Tali was wide eyed, it was hard to tell with that helmet on. "Tali... I can explain." Penny said hoping she can come up with an excuse.
"No, you can't." Rover said and thus Tali regain her wits.
"I KNEW IT!" Tali yelled and thus she ran to get Shepard.
"Tali wait!" Penny cried out as she gave chase.
"Wait don't leave me here!" Rover called out and flew after Penny not wanting to be left behind by her.
(The Shepard's)
"It won't be an easy fight, as if this Robeast can use Biotic, there's no telling what else it can do," Kalvin said as he and his father discuss on the battle plan, as they were talk with the only expert at the moment of the weakness of Biotic is Shiala as John ask her, "What would be the best idea to avoid a Biotic attack?"
"Biotic is powerful tool to have, but there are still limits to it such as line of site and total focus, if you can disrupt its focus Voltron may be able to defeat it in a single strike but it would have to be precisely timed, not to mention try not to stay in one place for long to be easily targeted."
"Okay so light on the feet and hit them hard before they even have time to react, but we still got the AA towers to worry about as well," Kalvin said as John suggest, "I think it would be your team were to destroy them as individuals first in the surrounding area before engaging the enemy."
"Right," Kalvin said as he roll his eyes at the obvious, then Suddenly Tali came up running up to them as she said, "Commander, I have confirmed my suspicions."
"You have?" John said sounding a bit concern as Kalvin soon said, "Suspicion on what exactly?"
"Wait Tali! Don't tell!" Penny said as she was running up to Tali to try and stop her with Rover behind her as Tali quickly tells, "Paladin Penny does indeed is in the possessions of an A.I."
"Wait what?" Kalvin said as he turn to Penny in shock on that as Penny suddenly stopped after what Tali said as John turn to the Green Paladin and said, "Is this true Penny?"
"Well… its complicated," Penny said as she try to think of a reason for it as Rover said, "No its not."
"Quite, are you trying to get yourself killed?" Penny said freaking out as he trying everything, that she can in order to save Rover but the A.I doesn't seem to understand that as John said, "Team meeting, right now."
(a little later)
After what happen the paladins and Shepard team had gathered for a team meeting as Penny stood mostly by herself with rover hovering next to her as John soon brought it up the issue to the whole group as he said, "It seem someone among us isn't being honest here, and I want everyone to know who."
"Who is it" Kaiden ask with Ashley spoken up next as she ask, "And what did they do?"
"You'll know soon, Paladin Penny, step forward," John said as Penny did so while rubbing her arm a bit looking very guilty as everyone is surprised by this as Allura soon ask, "Penny, what is going on?"
"She's in possession of an A.I," Tali points out to Rover as this shocked the group as Hector soon said, "That can be true, is it? Please Penny tell us that it isn't true."
"It is," Penny said as this shocks the team as John soon ask her, "Penny why do you have an A.I. You know that they are illegal, you could be imprisoned."
"I know, but Rover isn't like the Geth, he has a mind of his own, he has thoughts, feelings, and he hasn't attacked anyone at all," Penny try to defend Rover as she rub him as she really does care for the A.I possessed Drone with Garrus said, "But how would you know if not just trying to trying to get close and learn are weaknesses, what if it has been sending transmission to Saren himself?"
"I found him way after when we been fighting robeast, he was just an A.I that was someone else implanted in a machine that was pinching people credits, and it was just trying to find a safe place for himself to stay and live, and beside I've also been monitoring Rover sense I got him and he hasn't try anything like that," Penny said as then Leon spoken up next as he try to defend penny as he said, "Okay I sort of get Penny with how she is, and I know she careful with things, she wouldn't keep something if she knew it was dangerous."
"That still doesn't excuse her from having an A.I, if she had found it, she should have reported it," Ashley said as Leon spoken up again as he said, "As if she could. She's been a tech nerd sense as long "We've" known her." Meaning himself and most of the paladins team as he went on saying, "she doesn't interact with other people that often and she is still always shy about herself, but when it comes to machine and A.I, she can be more open with herself, so why are we to judge her? and beside just like Penny said, it hasn't done anything sense it joined us, heck it's been more helpful than those annoying V.I programs."
"IF you don't mind, even if V.I isn't a real A.I, they are still hard-working programs," Rover said sounding a bit upset and insulted by what Leon said as this sort of shock everyone as Penny said, "See, he has feeling, and he is right Leon, V.I are doing the best they are programed to do, to the best of their abilities as well, down to the last ones and Zeros."
The talks just went on as some people were against rover while others were with it, but it seem it was wasting more time and the arguments were getting heated with Kalvin did something unexpected. He took out his side arm and fired it off to get everyone's attention on him.
Everyone stopped talking as they turn to see Kalvin with his gun pointed straight in the air as he said, "Now that I have everyone's attention, I would like to say… this is a complete waste of time."
"But she is in the possession of an Illegal A.I," Tali said as Kalvin said, "So what? if it hasn't done anything then alright, but the more we talk about what's illegal and what's right isn't getting us anywhere. WE have a rogue SPECTRE still roaming around, a robeast that need to be taken down, and a base that need to be destroy, as the more we argue, the more time we waste as the enemy is preparing to unleash the reapers, as if we don't take them down now, then we pretty much doom everyone."
"He is right, we spend too much time talking about Penny's A.I that we gave Saren more time to prepare for all of us, we can discuss this after the mission, and "Rover" fate another time," John said as everyone understood as they got caught up in this whole A.I business they forgotten the main reason why they were there in the first place.
(Later)
The Group met up with Captain Kirrahe as they agreed to keep the information about the AI to themselves for now. "Thank you, Princess, for speaking to the Krogan and I owe you an apology for my lack of tact." Kirrahe said as he looked to the group.
"It's all well, but might I inquire if you've devised a plan of attack?" Allura asked with concern for what the plan was for them.
"Yes, we have of sorts." Kirrahe said as he got down to explaining the plan. "We can convert our ships drives systems to a 20-kiloton ordinance, crude but effective." Kirrahe said as it was their best plan at the moment.
"That Robeast won't make dropping that sucker easy especially with Biotics." Kalvin said as Kirrahe nodded to this.
"Exactly we'll have to clear out the Robeast first and afterwards place the bomb in a precise location." Kirrahe said which meant that this plan was going to need a lot of muscle to get through this.
"Where do we take the nuke and how do we get there?" John asked as he needed information to work with.
"The bomb must be taken to the far side of the facility your ship can drop it off, but we'll need to infiltrate the base, disable the AA Guns, pacify the ground forces, and deal with the Robeast first." said which meant Voltron Kirrahe needed to attack the base.
"Wow back up even with Voltron we don't have enough guys for that attack." Leon said as he had concerns about this.
"It does sound risky, is there any other way?" John asked as he was worried like Leon was.
"No but I think we can work around that." Kirrahe said as he knew Voltron can keep the Robeast distracted. "I'm going to divide my men into three teams and hit the front of the facility. At the same time Voltron will draw the Robeasts attention. During all of this you'll sneak your shadow team in through the back." Kirrahe said explaining his plan to John.
"It's a good idea but your people are gonna get slaughtered." John said as Kalvin had his own objections.
"Yes, can't you device a plan that doesn't involve your men being killed?" Allura asked with her concerns about this plan clear to see.
"We're tougher then we look but no I don't expect many of us to make it out of this alive and that makes what I'm going to ask even more difficult, Commander." The Salarian said as he got down to it. "I need one of your men to accompany me to help coordinate the teams." Kirrahe said as John knew it had to be one of his men. The Paladins were needed to face the Robeast, so he had to pick wisely on this.
"We'll need someone who knows Alliance communication protocols." John said and thus Kaiden was the first to speak up.
"I volunteer Commander." Kaiden said taking the lead on this.
"Not so fast Lt." Ashley cut him off knowing where he was needed. "Commander Shepard will need you to arm the nuke." Ashley said as Kalvin saw where this was going. "I'll go with the Salarians." Ashley said which meant she was ready to do her part.
"With all due respect Gunnery Chief, it's not your place to decide." Kaiden said and thus Ashley got annoyed.
"Why is it that when someone says, with all due respect, they really mean kiss my ass?" Ashley asked as Leon had a few ideas why.
"I think it's because in this case no one wants to be near a nuke." Hector said as he certainly didn't want to be near it.
"Who would be better suited to the mission?" John asked wanting a third opinion.
"Either of these two will do they both seem willing to sacrifice their lives if necessary." Kirrahe said as he looked to the pair. "Though if we are lucky such sacrifices won't be required." He added as Kalvin thought about it as well.
"Williams you'll accompany the Captain." John said making his choice to send Ashley in. "No heroics understood?" John said as Ashley was ready to serve.
"Aye-aye Commander." Ashley said as she was ready to roll out.
"I'll have the ordinance loaded onto the Normandy and brief its crew on its detonation sequencing." Kirrahe said as he looked to the group.
"So how do you guys plan to escape?" Kalvin asked as he wanted to make sure everyone got out of here in one piece.
"Once the bomb is in position, we'll try to move to a safe enough distance from the blast radius." Kirrahe said as he looked to Kalvin. "We should make it with acceptable casualties, but I won't lie when I say there is a chance that none of us may make it out of this." Kirrahe said as out of all of them Voltron has the best shot at that.
"What do we do if we managed to snuff out the Robeast first?" Kalvin asked and thus Kirrahe was actually hoping for that.
"Call it in and await orders on where to go." Kirrahe said and thus they got the idea of what to do. "Now if there are not further question, I'll need to prepare my men." Kirrahe said and thus Kalvin nodded to this as did John.
"I guess I'll go do the same with my team." Kalvin said and thus the Paladins parted ways from John, Jaiden, and Ashley.
(Later with the Paladins)
Kalvin was using a cloth to clear up his hair a bit as the messy locks were messed up by the helmet. As he tried to fix it Kalvin sighed as he looked at his reflection in the water for a moment. He knew he was due for a haircut but Kalvin had kept his hair like this so he would not look like his father. During this entire mission Kalvin had begun to develop something of an understanding of what his old man had to deal with especially after Sven had died.
"Hey kiddo." Ashley was heard as she appeared near Kalvin seeing what he was doing. "Having some trouble there." Ashley asked with concern for him.
"Oh, it's nothing just helmet hair is all." Kalvin said assuring Ashley that it wasn't important.
"Jeez." Ashley said as she then sat down behind Kalvin and grabbed his hair. "Hold still." Ashley said much to Kalvin's surprise. Ashley took out some cloth and proceeded to fix Kalvin's hair is all. "Trust me helmet hair is murder its why the military has you cut it short." Ashley said and soon enough Kalvin's hair was fixed up and pulled to a small tail. "There that should hold until we get you a haircut." Ashley said as she wondered why Kalvin had put it off for so long.
Looking back at his reflection Kalvin had to admit it didn't look half bad. "Thanks." Kalvin said as he let it be for now. He then got up and took out his knife admiring it in the sun light and how the crest at the hilt glistened.
"Nice knife." Ashley said noting the knife was odd but odd suited Kalvin.
"Yeah... it belonged to my mom who inherited it from her mother." Kalvin said revealing it to be a family heirloom.
"Huh... you know I've heard a lot about your pops, sorry, but I never heard much about your mom." Ashley said as she was actually a bit curious about her.
"She never did like to advertise herself." Kalvin said as he recalled her infamy or fame depending on who you ask. "But her actions did it for her." Kalvin added as he knew his mother's... reputation. "They called her the, Butcher of Torfan Jane Kogane." Kalvin revealed as Ashley was wide eyed by this.
"Wait your mom was Jane Kogane THE Jane Kogane." Ashley gasped shocked at what she heard. The infamous Jane Kogane the Butcher of Torfan was just one of many titles they had given her during her career. She was noted as one of the few Alliance soldiers who used a sword in combat a fricking sword. She heard the stories herself but never got to see her in action before her death.
"Yeah, but to me she was just mom." Kalvin said almost bitterly as Ashley realized what Kalvin had going for him.
Jane Kogane or as the case may be Jane Shepard nee Kogane was a woman of focus, commitment, and sheer will. Any combat mission normally ends with her leaving a trail of bodies behind. The stories they told about her was truly frightening even to Ashley and she respected the woman. They say she was born into the fire of war that it was her meat her sustenance. Others say she was possessed by the horsemen of war, others say she is the envoy of war and death. Her old commanding officer had seen her in action once and the way she moved in the fight it was almost like art.
If there was EVER a time to feel sorry for a Batarian was when said Batarian was met with Jane. Her commanding officer had the pleasure or horror of seeing what Jane did to the Batarian. He was the last one standing firing desperately to kill Jane. It did nothing her shields held, and she had even blocked the bullets with her own gun. The Batarian tried to run only for Jane to throw her sword at him and pinned him down. The Batarian was flipped over after Jane took her sword back only to use it to pin him to the wall running him through. Leaving him to bleed out would have been a mercy but apparently, she twisted the blade inside the Batarian slowly but surely carving out his innards.
Jane let some of them go that day and the Batarians came to know Jane as something other than the Butcher. She became something of a boogeyman to them. Her old commanding officer disagreed saying that Jane was the boogeyman's pimp. Ashley can recall how he had described Jane how her eyes seemingly glowed yellow and this grin on her bloodstained face like she had enjoyed every second of it the battle and the torture of her enemies. After Torfan she just left retired from active service. and seeing Kalvin here Ashley can understand why.
Jane's background showed that she was an orphan her mother died when she was small, and her father died a few years later in a fire. The damage had been done but it was a miracle she never became a deranged serial killer from that. Instead, she joined the Alliance Military and rose through the ranks where she would cross paths with Shepard amongst her several conquests in battle as well as the battle of Torfan that put her on the map. But it made her wonder how Commander John Shepard had tamed someone like Jane Kogane. Perhaps its best left as a question for a later date. If Jane were still alive, she'd likely be a candidate for the SPECTRE's as well.
"She wasn't what people said she was." Kalvin said as he got Ashley to focus. "It's hard to describe but it's like the version of her as a soldier and the version of her with her loved ones are two completely different people like a switch she can flip on a dime." Kalvin said as Ashley found it to be unique.
"What was she like… the way you knew her?" Ashley said as Kalvin thought back to the time he was with his mother as he said, "She was smart, kind, strict when she need to be, and loving, as she cared for me when I was sick, played with me when I was feeling alone, showed me things that I am always curious about, she was… beautiful."
"Wow, I just… I never really thought of what she was like as a mother… I guess some people can change for the better of things," Ashley said as to what Kalvin had told as he nodded and said, "Yeah, an angel for the family, and a demon to anyone that want to hurt us, as given there are time that some not so good people came to our home one time, and she took care of them without breaking a sweat."
"When you mean not so good people, you mean people who wanted to take revenge on what your mother or father had done?" Ashley said as she thought that some Batarians found out where they lived and try to kill them or any other races that could have, but Kalvin shake his head no, as he said, "No, just some people who just picked the wrong house to rob. My mom may have hidden me, and I couldn't see what was happening, but I could still hear what she did, it did scare me a bit."
"Right, I couldn't imagine what those robbers had gone through," Ashley said as she is also surprise by this as even after Jane had retired from the military to be a mother, she didn't lose her touched at all it seemed as Kalvin nodded and said, "Yeah, she got me a few minutes later and told me to cover my eyes… as after what happen, let just say that we had to move houses, but she stilled worried about me and always took care of me… even when she got sick and passed away."
"I'm… sorry to hear that," Ashley said as she couldn't believe such a thing as it seem she was un-killable on the battlefield, but a sickness brought her down in the end as Kalvin, "Its fine… I'm already used to it."
"Well… shall we get going, I think the teams are waiting for us," Ashley said as Kalvin nodded as he stood up and grab his helmet as he put his helmet on and no interferences from his hair as he nodded and said, "Thank again for helping with my hair problem."
"You're welcome," She said as she smile to this and about to join with everyone until Kalvin said to her, "And Ashley… Whatever is going on between you and my dad, is none of my business… but I wish you of luck."
This shock her very much as she thought she was careful being around Shepard, but it seem Kalvin was smart enough to notice the small details and sees how happy his father is around Ashley compared to other women that's on his team human or otherwise as Ashley could not help but to say, "Thanks… little skipper."
"Don't… don't call me that," Kalvin said as little skipper just too much to say as he still hate being compared to his father as Ashley came up to him and pat his shoulder and said, "Alright, I'll come up with something else then for you, lion cub."
"Oh funny," Kalvin said as Ashley could not help but laugh at that as they both made their way to the team.
(a little later)
All preparation were made as the paladins of Voltron, and Commander Shepard team gather together with the Salarians team as their captain was given a speech as he said, "You all know the mission and what is at stake. I have come to trust each of you with my life, but I have also heard murmurs of discontent. I share your concerns."
Everyone was silent as Captain Kirrahe went on saying, "We are trained for espionage. We would be legends, but the records are sealed. Glory in battle is not our way."
Lightning crackle across the skies an omen to say whether good or bad but it didn't stop the captain as he went on with his speech, "Think of our heroes: the Silent Step, who defeated a nation with a single shot. Or the Ever Alert, who kept armies at bay with hidden facts. These giants do not seem to give us solace here, but they are not all that we are. Before the network, there was the fleet. Before diplomacy, there were soldiers."
The paladin could not help but smile a bit, as the speech the captain is given is very inspiring as he keep on going as he said, "Our influence stopped the Rachni, but before that, we held the line. Our influence stopped the Krogan, but before that, we held the line! Our influence will stop Saren! in the battle today, we will hold the line!"
After that he turned around to face both Shepard's as he said, "Good luck commander. I hope we meet again, and you paladins good luck in your battle, but I believe you can win."
"Yeah, that makes one of us." Hector said only to be elbowed by Leon for that one.
"Just make it out at the end." Kalvin said and thus Kirrahe nodded knowing Kalvin wanted everyone to make it out alive. He did not want to lose anyone like how they had lost Sven.
(Meanwhile over in the Sovereign)
A powerful being stirred as it sensed a shift in the Cycle. Nothing within itself had escaped its watch save for one. The new ally of Saren had somehow protected her mind from its influence. It did not know how but it did know that she was not of this cycle. When she arrived, she had warned Saren of Voltron and so far, Voltron had become most irksome. But Voltron and the woman's own machinations mattered little to this entity. Only the cycle and the harvest mattered to this being.
Voltron was only a minor annoyance his power while great was miniscule in the presence of its kind. Just as the Protheans and all who had inhabited that era had fallen. Just as all those who came before the Protheans had fallen so to shall Voltron and all sentient life in this cycle. With his goals clear and his desire known this entity will do what is needed to bring its brethren out from dark space.
They were servants to the cycle organic life must be culled and harvested to bring order to the chaos they represent. The old woman machinations will be of no consequence despite her being from the previous cycle she too shall be harvested like all life in the known galaxy. Saren usefulness would come to an end at some point as would the woman and when that time comes it will begin the final harvest.
But it wax something of a pity, Voltron may have proven to be a more valuable ally to have then even Saren. Soon though the Harvest will begin it was simply a matter of finding and utilizing the Conduit to bring the rest of his kind out from Dark Space. Though a small part of him wondered what sort of secrets Voltron was hiding within. The woman had spoken of Voltron like he was more than a simply a mechanical construct forged by the Alteans.
No matter it was only a minor concern. All that mattered was the cycle. All that mattered was the harvest. And this being will do as he was made to do and enforce the will of the cycle and harvest life to bring forth order. This cycle was coming to an end and soon the skies shall blacken with its kind as they begin the harvest for the next cycle. Organic life is a genetic mutation that represents chaos, and this entity was the destiny of genetic life that would bring order to the chaos.
From deep in the darkness beady red eyes began to glow as the entity waited for its time to rise. It waited for the time of harvest to truly begin. And when that time comes chaos will be pacified and order shall reign supreme again.
(TBC)
ESKK: Hey ended up with two chapters instead of one. Expect chapter 12 to come out tomorrow. Anyway you all know the drill leave a review for me and as I always say here, ja-ne.