Feared Reverence
[Standardized human date: October 21, 2552.
At the human embassy, after the meeting with the Council, the group gathered to discuss the events. They headed to the embassy after leaving the Council Chamber and met with the Alliance ambassador, Inokou Yamanaka, in the secret room reserved for their private meetings.
"Then that is the Council's decision," Inokou commented on the recent events. "The Kages are already aware of this, and Tsuchikage-Sama has provided us with information on where to begin our search for Venix."
"Do we have a direction to go yet? We just left the Council meeting." Jane was surprised by the speed of the information. She knew about the efficiency of the Tsuchikage's spy network, but she was still impressed.
"Commander, we know how to find information quickly, even if it's fresh, and Inokou is an expert in this, along with Tsuchikage-Sama," ChoKuma explained, looking at Inokou, who smiled proudly.
"Exactly, but the bottom line is that we discovered that Venix was involved with a Volus banker known for collaborating with the Shadow Broker. This Volus is called Barla Von, and he provided valuable information to one of our undercover agents, who contacted us to pass on this information." Inokou explained while projecting a holo-image of Volus and the infiltrated agent. "This is Alex Lim, better known as Fist. Publicly, he is one of the few human civilians in the Citadel and the owner of Chora's Den, a club in the lower section of the Wards, near the Markets."
"But as Fist he works with the Shadow Broker collecting and selling subpoenas at the Citadel." Hana continued. "He is one of our main information networks in the Citadel and has been working undercover for almost a decade so you will get this information but you must keep his cover intact."
"But this is going to be difficult, ma'am," Anderson said worriedly. "Most people know how we treat humans suspected of treason."
"True, Captain," Inokou replied. "That's why you'll be identified as civilians. Any ninja would be considered a missing-nin, and we would have captured you a long time ago. But as a civilian, we can't just arrest you. And that's what makes your role so desired by the Shadow Broker. They think they have a slight advantage over us."
"The mission is to get this information from Chora's Den, Captain," ChoKuma announced.
"My team and I will do it, ambassadors," Anderson replied, leaving the room with the others.
...
-Chora's Den-
Chora's Den, situated in the lower section of the Wards, close to the Markets, was a busy public space. Although the Citadel space station did not follow a natural day and night cycle, the club was open 24 hours a day. There were times when everyone agreed to simulate day or night normality, and right now, Chora's Den was relatively quiet, something ideal for Anderson and his team.
When they entered the club, they made their objective of talking to Fist clear, which made most of the customers leave when they realized the situation.
A Krogan was waiting for them, indicating that the Fist was waiting for them. He promptly instructed other men to close the club and send everyone away. In a short time, the place emptied, including the employees, leaving only Anderson and his team in the entrance hall.
Going up to the club's VIP area, they were led to the room where Fist was waiting for them. He was sitting on a spacious sofa, surrounding a glass table.
"Sit down, we have a lot to talk about. Would you like a drink?" Fist indicated the couch, while one of his men served him a drink. "My men informed me that you were looking for me on the streets, which makes me want to know what Alliance officers want with me, a simple club owner."
"Now, Mr. Fist, we know that you are not a simple civilian and that owning this place is not the only thing you do," Anderson said, taking the offered cup.
"You're talking about my little help for other species to know more about humans. This is no big deal, after all, even after years, people have very little knowledge about us. I just help alleviate this lack of information a little." Fist replied arrogantly.
"You know that if you weren't a civilian, I would be allowed to put a bullet in your head, right?" Anderson threatens and then Fist's guards react by drawing their weapons, but suddenly, the situation is interrupted by a twist. All the guards feel something touch their heads from behind.
Behind each guard, there is a clone of Jane pointing a gun at their heads.
"I think everyone should remain calm so we don't have any unpleasant problems." One of the clones said, while another shot, destroying the front of the room's bar counter, indicating to the bartender not to try to get the gun from under the counter and not to make any more suspicious movements.
Fist seemed calm in the face of the situation. "Wow! I guess that means the others can do it too. I've never seen a Shadow clone but they are impressive."
Still, with a calm and firm posture, Anderson looked at Fist, his eyes conveying a clear message. "Mister Fist, I'm not a man you should be joking around with, I'm just here looking for information. If you can make my job easier, I'd appreciate it. Otherwise, I may need to resort to other methods to get what I need."
Fist pondered for a few moments, reflecting on the situation after a brief moment of reflection, he quickly signaled to his men. The guards, understanding the indication, promptly left the room, leaving only the imposing Krogan who had initially brought Anderson's team into the room next to Fist.
As soon as everyone left the room, Fist's posture instantly changed, adopting a more serious expression. "Captain Anderson, now we can speak freely. Don't worry, as soon as they left, the room sealed itself and everything we say here remains completely confidential," he assured. Captain Anderson directed his gaze to the Krogan, still present next to Fist. "Ah, are you worried about Saniz? No need to worry, he works with me on my cover. It's not a problem. However, I think we should deal with what brought him to me, don't you?"
Anderson relaxed upon hearing this. "You're right. I came to you because Ambassador Inokou said you might have information about where we could find the traitor specter, Venix."
"Yes, I have some information, but it's not exactly about Venix's whereabouts, Captain. I discovered that in addition to sending assassins after the witness the Alliance brought, he also sent his men to look for Dr. Liara T'Soni, an Asari researcher of Prothean technology and culture."
"Dr. Liara T'Soni? Who is she and why does Venix want to find her?" Anderson asked.
"Dr. T'Soni is the only daughter of Matriarch Benezia, but beyond that, I haven't discovered anything else alarming, other than that she spent the last fifty years of her life studying the Protheans. But Venix seems very interested in finding her, and if he's interested..." Fist began.
"We need to find her first," concluded Anderson.
Fist smiled at that. "Exactly, Captain, but I think our conversation is over. You can't stay for long without creating distrust in the Shadow Broker agents who are infiltrated among my guards." Anderson agreed and got up with his team to leave, but Fist called them back. "Before you leave, could you please break my nose and shoot my friend the Krogan? Just to keep up appearances."
Anderson raised an eyebrow at the request. "Is it just to keep up appearances? I understand." Anderson got in front of Fist and punched him in the face.
"POW!!"
...
- Human Embassy-
"So Venix is looking for this Dr. T'Soni. Tell me, Inokou, have you figured out why yet? Besides the obvious connection to matriarch Benezia", Hana asked Inokou.
"Not yet, we haven't discovered anything. But we believe this may be related to the Prothean beacon, as she is an expert in their history and technology", informed Inokou, then turning to Anderson. "Captain, I have a message from the Kages. They want you to return to Arcturus Station, but only you, Captain. Your team will remain in Normandy."
The reaction from Anderson's team members was immediate. "What? But Sensei was the main person in charge of everything since Eden Prime", Jane exclaimed.
Jenkins also expressed his displeasure with the situation. "Yes, Jane is right. Sensei cannot be removed now."
"Let's calm down a little. Lady Inokou hasn't explained the whole situation to us yet," said Kaidan, trying to calm the mood due to Sensei's departure.
"I want you to know that this removal is not a punishment. Quite the contrary, Captain Anderson is being called because we are in a state of alert and preparing for a war. Therefore, we need our most qualified ninjas."
"But if I leave, how will the Normandy mission continue? I'm the Captain of the Normandy and my men won't take kindly to suddenly receiving orders from someone unknown," Anderson questioned.
"The mission will not be abandoned, Captain. Your team will continue the mission and whoever we chose is not a stranger. I'm sure the crew will accept the change without any problems." Inokou explained.
Curious, Anderson asked, "Who could this person be?"
"Well, the Kages have proposed Commander Jane Shepard for this position, with her status as a Spectre. Everyone believes she would be an ideal choice." Ambassador Hana explained.
"But... But I don't... know if I'm ready," said Jane, uncertainly.
"Jane, stop. You're more than capable of doing this," Anderson replied, encouraging her.
"But, Captain..."
"There's no room for 'buts'. You can and you will, Jane, that's an order," Anderson emphasized. "You two will also accept without any further protest", he said to Jenkins and Kaidan. "This is a direct order from the Kages and if they want me to leave, then there is nothing more to discuss."
"Exactly, Captain," ChoKuma agreed. "And that is the reason why you were recommended for your next mission because you are an excellent ninja and soldier. But now that that is out of the way, Commander Shepard, you are now the captain of the Normandy and are also a Council's specter. You know your mission: to find and bring back, if possible, Venix alive."
Jane, knowing she could no longer deny it, decided to accept her mission, straightened her posture, and looked at Ambassador ChoKuma. "Yes sir, I understand."
"That's good, Commander Jane." The ambassador smiled satisfied. "Right now we don't know where exactly Venix is, but we do know that he sent his men after Dr. T'Soni. We don't know the exact reason, but we know that her work took her to Knossos in the Artemis Tau cluster on the mining planet Therum. And despite it being a large planet with many ruins to get lost in, Venix has the help of the Geth to locate Dr. T'Soni
and for that reason, the Normandy must set sail today to find her."
"But you won't go alone," Hana intervened shortly after. "As you know, the Council decided that Specter Nilhus should also go with you. But not just him, they also decided that Garrus Vakarian, an agent from the C-Sec Investigation Division, will go."
"I'm sorry, ma'am," Jane began, uncertainly. "But why send someone from the C-Sec Investigation Division?"
"The reason for this: do you remember the assassins sent to kill Miss Tali?" Hana asked, and Jane, her team, and Anderson confirmed that they remembered. "Not only did they tell us that Venix wants Tali killed, but also that he is part of the terrorist organization Entropy. Officer Garrus is the lead investigator. He knows a lot about Entropy and the suspects who work with them, and Venix is one of them. "
"He will be of great help in finding out if we will find more people from Entropy trying to cover up Venix. There is someone else on the mission that I didn't know about", asked Jane.
"Well, Captain, you've barely received the position and you've already started asking the right questions. I like that", teased Inokou, laughing.
"If I am going to be responsible for the lives of the Normandy crew, Madam, I must know who will accompany me on the mission and whether I should trust them", Jane pointed out.
"You're right," Inokou approved. "Remember, information is power. If you continue on this path, no one will be able to catch you off guard."
"Thank you, ma'am," Jane thanked.
"Now, about your question, yes, there will be three more members on the mission," Inokou continued. "Officer Ashley Williams as a field soldier, Tali'Zorah as an engineer and technology specialist, and Urdnot Wrex. We don't even need to tell you why."
"You have your mission, Jane, and I hope for the sake of the entire Alliance that you fulfill it," Hana said, seriously.
...
-Normandy-
"It's incredible! The Normandy is wonderful," said a Quarian, admiring one of the ship's main corridors.
"You haven't seen everything yet!" Ashley exclaimed, pulling out a large box and placing it next to the others already present. Panting, she asked Tali, "What are you carrying in those boxes?"
"It's equipment for engineering work. I thought I'd prepare better, so I made some purchases. The deliveries from the Ryokō conglomerate are the best in the galaxy, they arrived before we left the Citadel", Tali explained.
"I think you emptied their stock, Tali. Those boxes are so heavy you could hide a dozen bodies in them," Ashley joked.
"Only a dozen, I knew I should have bought more." Tali teased.
"It's good to see you having fun after all, Tali." Smiling, Ashley said.
"I'm better, Ashley. Eden Prime still haunts me, but I won't let it get me down." Tali declared. "Look where I am! On the Alliance's newest ship, built in conjunction with the Hierarchy. And you know, I can talk a lot about the Turians, but they know how to build a warship."
"Well, I think you're right about that." Ashley agreed. "But unfortunately, this also means we must work with the Turians because of this."
Laughing at the expression her friend made when she said the word "Turian" as if it were something terrible, Tali continued: "Yeah, look on the bright side, there are only two Turians, instead of the mixed team they had at the beginning of the construction of the Normandy." Seeing Ashley's frown deepen, Tali walked away, laughing.
...
"It wasn't a lie when they say Alliance ships are bigger on the inside than on the outside." Garrus smiled, examining the details of the room as he walked towards the central couch, where he observed Kaiden and Jenkins playing pool in a corner of the room.
"You have to see the fellowship halls, they're even bigger than this," Kaidan said and hit ball number 4, eliminating it along with balls number 7, 2, and 9 in a single shot.
"You could easily turn it into a dance hall, a lively party," Jenkins commented, eliminating only ball numbers 3 and 5.
"How is this possible? I know that Alliance ships are larger than those of the Council species, but there shouldn't be room for a room that size without compromising more important areas", asked Garrus.
"Well, normal Frigates are around 156 meters, but the Normandy is 216 meters externally",
Kaidan began, looking for a good position for the next move. "Internally, the Normandy is 523 meters, almost the size of a Cruiser. This is due to the space-time displacement jutsus that were incorporated into the ship's construction, as well as additional measures implemented later to ensure redundancy in case the main system fails", explained Kaidan, eliminating balls 6, 8, and 12.
"That's a huge difference! How is it possible? And if it's possible, why does only the Alliance have this?" asked Garrus, surprised by the internal size of the Normandy and intrigued by the Hierarchy's lack of attempts to replicate such technology in their ships.
"Do you think you're the only one wondering why we're the only ones capable of having such large ships?" Jenkins smiled wryly as he hit balls 15, 12 and 13.
"The answer to your question is simple: Chakra," Kaidan replied, aiming for the last few balls on the table.
"Chakra?" questioned Garrus, confused.
"Exactly, Chakra," Kaidan confirmed as he prepared for his next move. "The other races can't do this because they don't have Chakra. Even if they had a ship with this capability, they wouldn't be able to make use of it, as it would also run on Chakra, which doesn't combine well with Enzzo. Furthermore, the Normandy is the only ship that can utilize both energies. At some point, it would be necessary to renew the seals that maintain the ship's internal size, and only humans have this ability." With one last move, Kaidan won the game, hitting balls 1, 10, 11 and 14.
"Damn! You win again," Jenkins complained, dropping the bat.
"Better next time, Jenkins. But look on the bright side, it's not often that I win," Kaidan replied, laughing.
"I can count on one hand the times I've beaten him since we were 11 years old. At least I can say I always win when we train Chakra control," said Jenkins.
"You're an Iryō-nin, Jenkins, it's your obligation to have better control than mine. Besides, you can't brag so much, I don't have that much Chakra", said Kaidan smiling.
Garrus, sitting on the couch, watched the game the humans were playing and became interested.
"Can I play too?" Garrus asked.
"Of course, but I think you have somewhere else to be before or you forgot," Jenkins responded.
"Another place?" Garrus asked.
"You should be in the Medbay or have you forgotten that you were ordered by Doctor Chakwas to report for a medical evaluation." Jenkins reminded Garrus.
"I received it, but I can do it later. I'm fine," Garrus assured.
With a serious expression, Jenkins scolded, "I don't think you understand. If Doctor Chakwas told you to, you'd better go."
"He's right," Kaidan agreed. "Chakwas is the Normandy doctor. In other words, she will have your life in her hands, and so you shouldn't anger her." Kaidan finished.
"I... I'm going to find Doctor Chakwas."
Garrus noticed the expressions on their faces and decided to go find Doctor Chakwas.
...
"So now it's my turn?" Wrex asked as soon as he entered the Medbay. There, he saw a human woman waiting for him.
"Yes, now it's your turn. I'm Dr. Karin Chakwas and I will do your assessment, Mr. Urdnot."
Wrex frowned upon hearing about the assessment. Like any other Krogan, he rarely needed a doctor due to his unique biology. In contrast to other species, Krogan possessed multiple organs. These secondary (and in some cases, tertiary) systems ) functioned as backups in case of damage to primary organs. For example, they possessed two hearts and four lungs. Additionally, Krogan had a secondary nervous system, utilizing a neuroconductive fluid, making them nearly immune to paralysis. Their ability to Regeneration was also notably superior to many species, surpassed only by the Vorcha.
For that reason, Wrex barely remembered the last time he underwent a 'medical evaluation'.
The mention of 'doctor' evoked memories of 'scientists', which in turn sent him back to the Salarians, strangely bothering him. He decided to assess the human woman in front of him and determine if she posed any threat. Despite the human's fragile physical structure, Wrex noticed agility in her movements. She did not appear to be carrying any weapons unless the medical instruments on her desk could be used as such. Her attire was simple, with a white shirt and pants, as well as a lab coat. The only thing that caught Wrex's attention was a strange symbol on his forehead, a mark with a diamond-shaped appearance.
Still watching for any suspicious movement, Wrex sat in the chair opposite the human, which not only supported his weight but was also comfortable.
"It's a pleasure to meet you. As I said, I'm Doctor Karin Chakwas, but you can just call me Doctor Chakwas. I'm the Normandy doctor and I'm in charge of looking after the entire crew, which now also includes you, sir. Urdnot." Chakwas said.
Wrex made a dismissive sound as if her words were incoherent. "Listen carefully, doctor. I don't need any evaluation. I'm a Krogan."
For the first time since Wrex entered the room, he saw the smile on the human's face disappear and a more angry expression appeared on her face. "Well KROGAN listen carefully, I am the doctor on this ship and it is exactly because you are a Krogan that I need to make this assessment. Everyone else on the ship is human. You and the new three members are not. For that reason, I need to know about your biology. So you're going to leave it or else..."
Standing up and making the chair fall, Wrex looked straight into the human woman's eyes.
"Or?..."
Smiling now in a much colder way. She grabbed his arm, and when he tried to pull away, she squeezed, which made him feel like his bones were going to break. Then she looked at him and said, "Or else I'll break all your bones and leave you on the verge of death. And then I'll do the assessment and then I'll fix you. What do you think of that, Mr. Urdnot?"
He noticed that the mark on her forehead seemed larger, and with the pressure building on his arm, Wrex nodded. She then released him.
"I'm glad we resolved that issue, Mr. Urdnot."
...
On the ship's bridge, Nilhus watched the great golden portal they had passed through, always fascinated by the beauty of humanity's FTL. His thoughts were interrupted by someone.
"Alright. I told Joker to get us out of the Citadel and gave him the closest coordinates we had to the planet Therum. Since we don't have markings for the planet, we should be able to get there in an hour and a half tops. I also asked to keep weapons ready in case we encounter any problems on the way", Jane explained, moving away from the control panel where Joker was piloting the Normandy.
"Ah, I noticed that," muttered Nilhus, watching the pilot. "This ship is really fast. In such a short time, we will reach Therum, despite you only opening a portal to the Knossos system."
"That's right. A good ship is nothing without a good pilot, and Joker claims to be the best pilot in the Alliance." Jane admitted, smiling.
"Yes, I've heard him say that about three times now," Nilhus said, frowning as he remembered the cocky pilot.
"Oh, you didn't like his attitude? Don't you guys in the Hierarchy have pilots with big egos?" Jane asked, noticing Nilhus' expression.
"We don't usually have it, and we discourage it," Nilhus replied, shaking his head. "Attitudes like that are frowned upon, not good for any crew member. Your ego must be pretty big to claim to be the best pilot in the Alliance. But while we're on the subject, I have questions about some things regarding the crew."
Curious about the change of subject, Jane motioned for him to continue.
With permission, Nilhus expressed the doubt that had been bothering him since embarking and leaving the Citadel. "I know why I'm on the mission and so is Vakarian, but what's the reason for the Krogan and Quarian on the mission?"
"The reason is simple: Tali will work in engineering, and Wrex is an experienced mercenary with connections that could be useful."
"Yes, the Krogan can be useful, but is Quarian going on this mission just to work on engineering? I don't understand, and I don't think her presence is necessary..." Nilhus tried to continue but was cut off by Jane.
"You think nothing, Spectre Nilhus. I am the captain, albeit temporary, of the Normandy and I lead this mission. Therefore, I know who is needed and who is not. For your information, Tali - not Quarian - is an excellent engineer and was recommended by the ambassadors themselves. Furthermore, she knows more about the Geth than anyone else on this ship. Tali is a citizen of the Alliance; she does not need permission from anyone, not even the Council, just the Alliance, to be part of this mission."
Before leaving, Jane approached Nilhus, her words filled with ferocity. "Oh, and yes, MY BROTHER IS THE BEST PILOT IN THE ALLIANCE!"
...
-Normandy, Above Planet Therum-
The entire team preparing for the mission was gathered in the Normandy's hangar, awaiting the latest information.
"Listen everyone!" Jane shouted, dressed in her armor and armed. "I know everyone is aware of our mission to Therum. What we don't know is why there was no response when we tried to communicate with the planet. We must be prepared for possible hostilities down there. Additionally, our target, Dr. T'Soni, may be in danger." The last part Jane doubted because of Dr. T'Soni's mother, but it was a chance to get information before Venix, or at least keep that information out of her reach.
"Therum is a vast planet, filled with ancient dig sites and unknown technologies," Nihlus added. "With the Geth at Venix's side, we cannot underestimate the possible threats they could use against us. So no one touches anything down there. Our mission is to locate Dr. T'soni and ensure her safety." Nilhus ended his words, emphasizing the importance of the mission.
"Therum is a volcanic world with many active volcanoes so the heat will be high down there. You will need heat resistant and breathing equipment on your helmets like mine if the volcanoes release ash which believe me they do a lot." Jane explained by showing that the helmet she was using had a respiratory filter in case it was needed.
"There will be two teams, an assault team, and a support team, each with 4 members. Shepard will lead the assault team. Their mission will be to advance quickly, eliminating any obstacles in our path. I will be with the support team, and our role will be to provide support, shoot at and eliminate targets of opportunity, and ensure that there are no threats that follow us." Nilhus began to detail the advanced strategy.
"Exactly, I need firepower," Jane said. "That's why Wrex, Jenkins, and Garrus will go with me." She ended up looking at them, waiting for their agreement.
"Great, I'm on the attack team. I need some action and I think my friend does too." Wrex said with a smile, holding his weapon like a treasure.
"I normally prefer to be on the support team, but I have no problem with that," Garrus said, adjusting his sniper rifle.
"From my side, no complaints, Jane." With a smile, Jenkins replied.
"I'm going with Kaidan, Ashley, and Tali, and I hope they're good," said Nilhus, addressing his team.
"Oh, believe me, we're good," Kaidan replied, while Ashley made a remark at his side that provoked a reaction of displeasure from Tali, earning her an elbow in the side.
...
Hours before, Planet Therum, Excavation site
At one of the Colony's archaeological sites, a small team of six people was examining the latest discoveries. Among them, Liara was examining the latest holographic images taken by the tomography machine of a part of the underground city, called the city below. Gently rotating the holographic image, she identified what could be statues symbolizing the entrance to this underground city.
Liara's assistant, a Salarian named Sinli, let out a sound of admiration. "That's crazy, right, one city beneath another. Have you ever seen anything like that, Doctor?"
"Actually, yes, but never in any world that belonged to the Protheans. It goes to show that even after all this time, we still don't know anything about what they were really like. Like this," Liara said, smiling as she showed off the symbols carved into the statues. She recognized some of them from a famous book, classifying them as symbols used to symbolize blessings.
"They're beautiful, Doctor. Who would have thought we'd find this under our feet?" Silin spoke, his eyes shining as he observed the images of the statues.
"Yes, that's true. They're truly magnificent. But it's not just the big things that are impressive.
Look at the latest images the excavation team that went north sent me," Liara said, changing the hologram to an image of seven other archaeologists working at a site further north, excavating a possible commercial center.
In the image, they were cataloging jewelry found in a possible jewelry store, which ranged from necklaces, rings, earrings, headpieces, and other items that have not yet been identified.
"Yes, you're right. We have a long way to go before we know what they were like." agreed Silin, shaking his head. "But I'm sure we'll find out. Ah! I almost forgot! I finally managed to translate the inscriptions in the cave... Well, not quite a cave, since the rock formations formed on top of the building." Silin started rambling about the formation of caves until Liara made a sound in her throat, making Silin feel embarrassed. "Sorry, I got carried away again."
"No problem, I do this all the time too, and I only interrupted you because what you were about to say seemed more interesting than cave formations," Liara replied, without judgment, trying to reassure him as he sometimes got carried away when talking about the Protheans.
Seeing that he was not being scolded, Silin felt free to tell what he had discovered. "As I was saying, I translated the inscriptions we found in the 'cave'. From what I understand, the cave was formed around some ancient building or tower, and I discovered the password to open the door we found. I just came to warn the lady to open the door. Maybe we can find an intact Prothean facility!" exclaimed Silin, excited about the discovery.
Liara, also excited by the news and wanting to get to the cave quickly, almost tripped while running to get her things. She signaled to one of the archaeologists, who was a little ways away, crouched down and examining a small round metal object.
"I'm leaving for a moment! Please keep an eye on my equipment," Liara called out, seeing the archaeologist nod before turning to her assistant.
"Come on, Silin! I want to see this in person!", Liara said.
Silin, although a little surprised by Liara's quickness, followed her. "I'm coming, Doctor!." he replied, trying to match Liara's pace.
As they walked towards the cave, Liara and Silin excitedly discussed the various archaeological finds they had made. They commented on the artifacts found, the translated inscriptions, and the ancient structures unearthed. However, amid the lively conversation, they noticed something strange - the absence of movement and silence in the colony.
"It's strange, doesn't it seem very quiet around here?" Silin asked, frowning.
"Yes, it does. There's usually a lot of movement and noise from the other archaeologists and the digging machines," Liara agreed, worried about the situation.
Before they could understand the reason for the quietness, an alarm sounded, informing everyone on the excavation team that the colony was under attack.
"Quickly, Silin, we need to get back to camp!" Liara exclaimed, pulling Silin by the arm.
On the way back, they found fellow archaeologists fleeing in the opposite direction, breathless and terrified.
"The camp is under attack! We need to find a safe place!", shouted one of the archaeologists as he passed them.
Silin looked at Liara, wide-eyed, and remembered the cave they had discovered earlier.
"Doctor, the cave we found could be the ideal place to take shelter! Few people know about it," suggested Silin hopefully.
As they fled, Liara tried to understand who could be attacking a group of harmless archaeologists. However, he reasoned that at that moment, his anger and confusion would not help anything.
"Keep running! They're getting closer," shouted one of the archaeologists, as gunshots rang out in the distance. In the middle of the race, Liara observed the other members of her team also running and falling, victims of the gunfire. Looking back, he realized that the attackers were Batarians.
The realization of who was responsible for the attack didn't help the situation one bit, it only brought more questions and doubts to Liara, who increasingly saw the team of archaeologists being shot in the back, and she knew she needed to act quickly to protect herself and Silin.
"Silin, don't stop! The cave is our best chance for safety," Liara said, pulling her with more determination. The Batarians' incessant gunfire echoed as Liara led Silin towards the cave. Liara's heart was racing at the growing tension of the situation.
"Silin, stay strong! We need to get to the cave as quickly as possible," Liara insisted, maintaining the running pace.
The sound of gunfire was deafening and Liara felt the urgency to find shelter immediately. As more archaeologists fell, she struggled to remain calm, focused on ensuring their safety.
As they approached the cave entrance, Liara saw something that almost stopped her heart.
"it's … it's the Geth!" Silin stuttered, noticing the group of Geth approaching in the direction they were running in search of the cave.
"We can't stop now! We have to keep going! This is our only chance," Liara exclaimed, persisting in her run.
The metallic silhouettes of the Geths were quickly approaching, advancing towards them.
With quick and determined steps, Liara advanced toward the cave entrance, ignoring the approaching Geths. Concentrated only on reaching the possible safety that the cave offered.
As they ran toward the cave, more archaeologists fell under Geth's gunfire. The chaos intensified, and Liara's despair grew with each colleague who fell.
"Inside the cave, Liara asked Silin to open the door, desperate to find safety. As Silin tried to open it, a shot hit his shoulder, as he made his retreat. Even though he was injured, Silin managed to open the door and push Liara inside, saving her from the gunshots.
Falling to the ground, Liara watched helplessly as Silin, still in the doorway, was hit again. Desperately, she tried to get up, trying to reach Silin, but an intense glow suddenly appeared, flooding the room. She screamed her friend's name in anguish:
"SILIN!"
The glow intensified, enveloping everything around Liara. The blinding light made her close her eyes, plunging her into a sense of uncertainty about what was to come.
...
-Planeta Therum - Normandy Team
The ship landed on the planet Therum and as soon as the team disembarked, they were greeted by gunfire, the whine of weapons resounding in the air.
Despite the immediate attack, the attack team proved to be efficient, slaughtering the enemies quickly. After the brief confrontation, only the bodies of the enemies lay on the ground.
"It's over, everyone has been shot down", declared Jane, signaling for the shooting to stop. "Jenkins, disable the barrier and file a report on possible injuries," she requested, turning to her teammate.
Jenkins agreed and undid the barrier, quickly checking the condition of the team members for injuries. "No one was hurt during the attack. It seems I was right to prepare the protective barrier around the ship in case we were attacked during disembarkation."
"Good, strike team. prepare yourselves. We will move in and eliminate any hostile presence without restraint. The colony was attacked hours ago, and we have confirmation of a hostile presence, Batarians and Geths. We do not expect to find survivors." declared Jane. Wrex readied his weapon that in anyone else's hands would look like a hand cannon, Garrus adjusted his equipment, and Jenkins did the same.
"Hehe, show time! Let's kill something," Wrex commented, smiling.
"Kaidan, Ashley, Tali, we will maintain a position just behind the strike team, watching for any movement. Be prepared to open fire as soon as you identify a threat." Nilhus said, addressing his team. Each member confirmed and prepared.
Everyone started moving towards the place where they knew the Doctor was working. On the way, they encountered several Batarians, but the attacking team did not miss a single shot, eliminating each threat efficiently.
Wrex advanced, destroying everything in front of him, an unstoppable force. Garrus, an accurate shooter, eliminated more and more Batarians with his accurate shots; he aimed and a body fell to the ground, remaining agile as he progressed.
Jane and Jenkins followed closely behind Wrex, efficiently neutralizing any threats with gunfire, but anyone who came close was killed by their blades.
Jane wielded her katana skillfully, making quick and precise cuts, while Jenkins, equipped with knives imbued with Chakra from the wind element, threw them masterfully, wreaking havoc on nearby Batarians, as the winds emanating from the knives were equally lethal.
The support team, strategically positioned behind, ensured that no threat escaped or surprised them.
Nilhus and Kaidan, positioned behind, eliminated the first lines of each group that appeared, preventing them from approaching the attacking team. Ashley focused on targets in the distance, while Tali dealt with any escape attempts.
As they advanced, the number of obstacles they faced decreased.
"Tali, check the last place Doctor T'soni was working," Nilhus instructed Tali to check.
Quarian, with her omni-tool, quickly located the area on her holographic interface. and guides the group in the correct direction.
When they arrive at the site, they only find the bodies of fallen archaeologists and scientists, victims of the attack.
Jane checked the entire field for Doctor T'soni, but didn't find her body, and then turned to
Tali.
"Go ahead and see if you can find any clues as to where Doctor T'soni might have gone before the attack."
Tali accessed the local network data in her omni-tool. After a few moments, he raised his gaze to Jane.
"It appears that Doctor T'soni's assistant was working in a cave, which formed over a
Prothean structure. She may have headed there."
Kaidan, observing the desolate landscape around him, pondered, "If they were heading to the cave and the attack happened halfway, it's possible they sought shelter there."
Garrus added, "My experience in C-Sec is that in situations like this, people look for places they consider safe, where they believe they won't be found. The cave may be just that, as few knew of its existence."
Nilhus nodded, making a decision. "Let's go to the cave. It's the best way to find Doctor T'soni and her assistant. Stay alert; there may be more hostiles along the way."
Everyone left and as they approached the cave, they could glimpse the presence of the Geths, it was the first time they had seen them since they arrived. The metallic silhouettes stood out against the cave entrance, they seemed to be on guard.
The Geths, as soon as they realized their presence, attacked. Shooting at the team trying to prevent the team from getting closer.
Wrex charged ahead, firing at the Geths while Garrus sought cover to fire accurate shots with his rifle. Jane, agile with her katana, dodged enemy attacks, slashing the Geths who dared to approach. Jenkins, with his knives imbued with Chakra, threw them with precision, hitting the weak points of metallic enemies.
Amid the battle, Tali tried to invade the Geth's programming to confuse them, it lasted only a short time but was distracting long enough for Kaidan, Nilhus, and Ashley, with their sniper rifles, to eliminate the Geths from a distance.
When everything was over, they entered the cave cautiously, checking for danger, but there was only a large ball of energy, which had what they were looking for. An Asari in a state of distress floated inside the ball of energy.
The Asari's voice echoed through the barrier, clearly distressed. "Please help me, I'm trapped!"
"Nihlus Kyrik, Council Specter. Are you Doctor Liara T'soni?" said Nihlus as he walked up to the barrier.
"Yes! It's me, please get me out of here before the Geth sends others here." Liara responded, continuing to beg for help.
"Calm down, Doctor. We're going to get you out of there, but first, you have to calm down and tell us how you ended up in this situation." Jane spoke, standing next to Nihlus, trying to calm the Asari.
Liara looked a little surprised by Jane's presence and stuttered a little in response. "A... Human?"
"Focus, Doctor. Tell me how you got here and what's around you." Jane cut her off, trying to get her to focus.
Liara struggled to recount the events, her crying intensifying as she remembered. "I... I don't know. When the planet was attacked Silin and I fled to the camp but when we saw the camp being attacked. We ran to the cave, and on the way... they shot everyone. When we arrived at the cave Geths was waiting for us, Silin opened the door, but... He was shot, and even so, he threw me here to save me. When I tried to get up to help, I must have triggered something, because... I activated this energy bubble and I saw...
I saw Silin dead, then the Geth came and took all the bodies and left."
"I'm sorry, Doctor. I know this is difficult, but I need you to tell me more details about what happened next." Nilhus tried to calm her down.
"I... I don't understand why you want to know! The colony was attacked! And you show up asking about me. Why?" Liara, confused, tried to understand but started screaming in anger.
"We're here because of your mother, Doctor," Nilhus said.
"My...my mother? I haven't spoken to her in decades. What does she have to do with this?" Liara questioned.
"We believe your mother may be involved in an attack on the Eden Prime Colony, at the behest of a traitorous Specter named Venix," Jane explained.
"A... Attack? My mother did this ... I don't know anything about this, but if you get me out of here, I can help you find out whatever you want, but I can't stay here and die. Silin died saving my life, and I'm not going to die here after that."
Confused, Liara tried to understand what they had said to her, but she also knew that there was no point in trying to think about it at that moment. Now she had to leave that planet; she wasn't going to waste the chance she had gained at the cost of her friend's life.
"That's what I was worried you might not know," Nilhus said, sighing. "But you're right, Doctor. We can sort this out later when we get you out of here. Tell me, do you have any idea what this is like around you?"
"I don't know exactly what that is. I just know that when I was pushed into the cave, I ended up trying to get up and touched something that triggered this bubble of energy, which swept away the Geths that were in the cave." Liara told me what happened.
"Okay, I guess it's best not to bring it up, but we still need to get you out of there," Jane said, moving away from the force field a little. "But if we can't touch, we'll push you, Jenkins! I need you."
Jenkins walked over and stood next to Jane. "I need you to use one of your wind jutsus to push her out of that energy bubble," Jane explained the plan and Jenkins confirmed, placing himself in position in front of the barrier with everyone moving away from him. Concentrating his chakra, he released a gust of controlled wind, carefully directing it towards the energy bubble where Liara was trapped. The wind hit the barrier hard, starting to push Liara out.
Liara, initially surprised by the approach, began to be pushed out of the energy bubble. His body gently floated as Jenkins' wind jutsu continued to exert pressure on the barrier.
"It's working, Jenkins! Keep going!" Jane instructed, closely watching the operation as Liara was slowly released from the energy prison.
"Ouch," Liara groaned as she fell and hit the ground beneath her, the field that was previously around her disappearing. As she stood up, she remained momentarily stunned looking at where she was before and then at Jenkins, her face showing her surprise at what had happened. "How do you do that? Did you just create a gale out of nowhere?"
"We will have time for detailed explanations later, Doctor. Right now, our focus is on getting you out of this situation." Nilhus replied to Liara as everyone headed out of the cave.
Outside the cave, Jane communicated with Normandy. "Joker, do you hear me? We found Doctor T'Soni and we're on our way to the ship. In five minutes, we'll be off this planet."
"Positive, I hear you," replied Joker aboard the ship. "Jane, we have a problem. A ship of Geth design is approaching the planet. You need to rush to the ship. I'll catch you as soon as you clear the atmosphere."
"I hear you, Joker. Let's try to get out as quickly as possible. Over." Jane ended the communication and addressed the rest of the group. "We have a problem. Joker warned me about an approaching Geth ship. We need to get out quickly."
"Damn it! We should leave now." As soon as Nilhus uttered the curse, an explosion echoed behind them. Everyone turned to see the Geth ship in the sky, freshly fired. However, that wasn't the only problem, as after the shot, the ground began to shake.
"What is happening?!" Tali exclaimed, trying to stay upright as the ground shook violently.
"Shit! This earthquake isn't good!" Liara screamed, scared. "The planet is still full of volcanoes and underground volcanoes, and most of the surface is still active! If this shaking continues..." Shots from the Geth ship rang out, followed by debris, rocks, and dust flying through the air like a great geyser, and soon lava began to rise from the cracks in the ground.
"This place is going to hell," Ashley concluded by observing more cracks forming, although the shaking had subsided.
"Damn, I don't think I'm made for this heat." Garrus joked nervously upon seeing the situation. "I'm glad I brought my sunscreen."
"Really, man? The joke was good but now's not the time. We're in trouble now." Kaidan retorted, surprised by Garrus.
"Ha! You're funny, Turian, maybe the first Turian I might like." Wrex let out a small laugh at
Garrus' joke. "But the human is right, we're screwed."
"This is no time for jokes. Keep going, we have to get to the ship!" Nilhus ordered, and everyone snapped out of the little shock they were in, running as if their lives depended on it because they did.
"Kaidan, can you see our ship?" Jane asked, aware of her friend's exceptional vision, making him an excellent shot.
Concentrating, Kaidan tried to spot the ship they had used to reach the planet, 3,730 meters away, while his vision reached up to 4,050 meters. He saw the ship, but there was a small problem.
"The ship is useless. Some cracks have opened beneath it, and now it is almost submerged in lava." Kaidan replied.
Cursing her luck, Jane contacted Normandy again. "Joker, you have to come get us. Our ship is no good anymore, and the planet seems to have decided to go into destruction mode."
"Don't worry, Jane. As soon as we realized that the volcanoes where you were were activated, I moved, and I was on my way. Hold on, I'll get you, but I need you to get to a high place so I can get you... And Jane be well." Before hanging up, Joker spoke worriedly about his sister.
"Kaidan!" Jane shouted, trying to override the sound of the explosions behind them. "What's the highest place near the ship? Joker will catch us there."
"Further to the west, at 2,300 meters, there is a very high hill," Kaidan replied.
"Guys, the lava is getting closer!" Tali screamed, almost being hit by lava that splashed through the cracks in the ground that opened up near them.
"I have a plan!" Jenkins shouted, getting the group's attention.
"Which one? Because I can't think of anything other than running right now." Further back in the group, Garrus retorted.
Stopping running and letting everyone pass him when they reached the hill that the Normandy was hovering over waiting for them, Jenkins positioned himself facing the lava.
Stopping her run to reach the top of the hill, Jane looked back and screamed. "Jenkins, what do you think you're doing?"
"I'll delay the lava. Keep going, I'll be fine, you guys catch me later!" Jenkins shouted back.
Seeing Jane standing still, Ashley pulled her to continue. "Jane, come on, he knows what he's doing."
Standing in front of the lava, ready to execute his plan, Jenkins began releasing a massive amount of Chakra that he had been storing from his Byakugou seal training over the past few years. Concentrating, he performed the sequence of hand seals, shouting the jutsu. "Wind Style: Vacuum Wave!"
Taking a deep breath and exhaling several waves of air and vacuum, moving his head in different directions, several waves hit the lava, cooling it and solidifying it as soon as they came into contact.
A few minutes later, Jenkins almost collapsed from exhaustion when he managed to stop the lava. Exhausted after performing the jutsu, he looked up and saw the Normandy hovering above him, with Jenkins and Jane at the hangar door holding a ladder that they threw down as soon as they saw Jenkins. He gripped the ladder tightly as he was pulled into Normandy.
Once aboard the Normandy, Jenkins was welcomed by his friends.
"You're a big idiot, Jenkins! A noble and brave idiot, but still an idiot." Kaidan commented, relieved that his friend was safe.
Jane, also relieved, punched Jenkins to ease her anger. "I'm going to kill you, you idiot."
"Hahaha, you can kill me later." Laughing, Jenkins threw himself onto the hangar floor, with
Kaidan and Jane join him. "But first I want to know if everyone is okay."
"Everyone is fine, no one was seriously hurt, but they were sent to the infirmary. And be happy to know that that Geth ship is now nothing more than scrap metal. Joker blew it up as soon as he came down to the planet." Jane replied.
"So it's over?" Jenkins asked.
"Yeah man, it's over," Kaidan replied.