Chapter Twenty-Five: Tartarus
"Life is hell"
The ship's loading ramp closed, and Martin and Velpia stumbled aboard, their bodies caked in mud and their armor heavy with grime. Dez sat at the helm, hands steady on the controls, glancing back at them with relief and concern. The engines hummed softly as the ship lifted off the ground, taking them away from the chaos below.
Martin wasted no time. He pushed past the loading area and into the main corridor, removing his helmet and wiping the sweat from his forehead. The air inside the ship felt cooler, but it wasn't enough to ease the adrenaline pushing his body. He could still hear the distant sounds of gunfire from the Geth, though it was becoming fainter with every passing second.
Velpia followed behind, limping slightly as she approached the bridge. Her face was a mask of exhaustion, her legs trembling with the effort of every step. She collapsed into one of the empty chairs, her chest heaving as she struggled to catch her breath. The mud on her armor clung to the seat, but she didn't care. Not anymore. "Remind me... not to follow you... next time," she panted.
Martin shot her a quick grin despite his aches. "You did good out there, Vee." He finally noticed her. She was already spent, and Martin started to doubt that she could be of any more use. But maybe a few more moments of rest might get her back on her feet.
She gave a weak nod but didn't respond. Instead, she let her head rest against the back of the chair, her eyes closed. Dez moved the ship back into the air, weaving through the occasional bursts of small arms fire from the Geth below. The ship took a few minor hits, the hull rattling briefly but nothing serious enough to cause alarm. "They're not giving up, are they?" Dez muttered, her fingers flying over the controls. "Small fry. Nothing to worry about."
Martin stood behind her, leaning against the wall as the ship gained altitude. He glanced down at the console, catching sight of several distress signals lighting up across the planet's surface.
"Three other ships made it to the planet," Dez said, her voice tight. "Two are completely destroyed, their crews calling for help. The third is crash-landed, probably temporarily disabled, but they still have some fight left in them."
Velpia groaned from her chair, removing her helmet, still trying to gather her breath. "Great. Just what we needed." She breathed in heavily. "More people to deal with."
Martin shook his head. "No, that's a good thing." He pushed off the wall and moved closer to Dez, studying the signals. "The Geth will be too busy searching those ships and their crews to focus on us. We can use that distraction to our advantage." Velpia opened one eye, her expression a mix of skepticism and exhaustion. "You sure about that?"
"As sure as I can be," Martin replied, his tone confident. "The geth are being pulled in eight different directions, and with us jumping around them, they have to be confused. It's how we survive."
Just as he finished speaking, Athria's voice crackled over the comms. "Dez, we're ready for pickup. Get over here before this situation turns worse."
"On it," Dez said, adjusting the ship's heading. The engines roared to life as she pushed the throttle forward, sending the ship hurtling toward Athria's position. The minutes stretched as the ship sped across the landscape, dodging occasional bursts of fire from the Geth on the ground. Still, Martin focused on the console, watching the flashing signal that marked Athria's location.
They reached the designated pickup point within minutes, and the ramp again opened. Athria and Rinn climbed aboard; their armor scuffed but intact. Athria barely glanced at Martin as she strode past him, her biotic amp still sparking faintly from the recent fight. Rinn followed behind, her visor gleaming under the ship's interior lights.
"Everyone Listen," Athria ordered, her voice calm but firm. "We're not out of this yet." They all assembled in the cramped bridge as Dez brought the ship back into the air, climbing higher and higher as the ground fell away beneath them. The Geth presence below grew smaller, disappearing into the thick jungle canopy as the ship gained altitude.
Athria stood at the center of the bridge. Her arms crossed as she surveyed the planet below through the viewport. Her expression was hard, focused, as if already planning the next step. "Dez, take us to the bunker. We need to get to that artifact before anyone else does."
"Aye, aye," Dez replied, her fingers already working the controls to set the new course. Martin watched as the ship banked gently, angling toward their next destination. The sudden flash hit him like a shockwave. For a moment, the world around him vanished. His vision blurred, and his ears filled with static. Something twisted in his head, a piercing pain that felt like a clawed hand ripping through his thoughts. Images of violence, memories long buried, surged to the surface. He couldn't make sense of them—faces, voices, chaos.
"Martin!"
He snapped back to reality, Athria's voice cutting through the haze. She stood before him, her hand gripping his shoulder, shaking him firmly. Her expression was hard to read, a mixture of concern and frustration. "Are you still with us?" Athria asked, her gaze steady as she searched his eyes for any sign of clarity. Martin blinked, shaking his head slightly, trying to clear the lingering fog in his mind. He forced a grin, brushing off her concern. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just... thinking." Athria's hands let go of his arms, studying him for a moment longer. "You need to stay focused, Martin. We can't afford distractions right now."
"I'm focused," he replied, his voice more convincing than he felt. He tried to regain control of his thoughts, pushing the flash to the back of his mind as he listened to Athria give orders to the crew. But something else tugged at the edges of his consciousness, pulling him away again. Her words became muffled and distant like they were coming from underwater. The faint murmur of her voice barely registered as his mind drifted.
Martin clenched his fists, forcing himself to snap out of it. He couldn't afford to lose focus. Not now. As Athria finished issuing her orders, Martin shook off the lingering disorientation and squared his shoulders. He took a deep breath, mentally steadying himself for what lay ahead.
"Everyone, helmets on," Athria called out, donning her own as the ship approached the bunker. The others followed suit, securing themselves. Rinn didn't have to, of course—her Quarian suit was already sealed, and her helmet was fixed as usual.
Martin clipped his helmet back on, the familiar HUD lighting up as it locked into place. His breathing steadied as the cool air filtered through the suit's environmental systems. He felt more grounded now, his thoughts sharper as the reality of the situation closed in. He pounded his fist into his chest and kept doing it, waiting for the ship to land. He was trying to push the whatever that was out of his head while also getting his adrenaline pumping harder.
They gathered at the back of the ship as Dez brought them closer to the ground. Martin stopped his literal chest-thumping as the viewport revealed the chaos below—figures in black-and-white armor engaging the Geth in a brutal firefight. Explosions rocked the landscape as both sides fought for control of the bunker, their forces clashing violently in the thick mud and rain-soaked terrain.
"Looks like we're not the only ones interested in that artifact," Velpia muttered, her voice laced with a little remaining exhaustion. "We'll let them kill each other for now," Martin replied, his tone cold and practical. "Once we hit the ground, we're moving fast. Dez, get us down close, but not too close."
"On it," Dez answered as the ship hovered just above the surface. Small arms fire pinged off the hull as they caught the attention of both the Geth and the unknown forces. "Go, go, go!" Athria commanded, and without hesitation, Martin, Velpia, Athria, and Rinn leaped from the ship, landing hard in the mud and gunfire. The ground felt unstable beneath Martin's boots, but he didn't falter. He raised his Viper rifle, firing controlled and measured shots as he advanced, Rinn by his side. The two moved like a well-practiced unit, covering each other's flanks as they approached the battlefield.
Dez pulled the ship back into the air, making tight, controlled attack runs on the distant forces. The roar of the engines filled the air as the ship's smaller autocannons lit up, ripping through the enemy lines with precision fire. The chaos intensified, explosions blooming across the field as Dez strafed the battlefield, targeting the more distant combatants.
Martin focused ahead, his rifle barking at his targets, with the others using their talents to push back the enemy from both sides. The enemy forces broke off, some turning their attention toward him and the others as they closed in on the bunker. He kept his pace steady, moving with a lethal calm, his shots finding their marks with every step.
"Dez, keep them busy up there!" Martin shouted into the comms as he moved to flank the nearest group of enemies, Velpia covering his back. The mud clung to their armor as they pushed forward, each step heavier than the last, but they didn't stop. There was no room for hesitation. Just as Dez made another pass overhead, the once-disabled ship flew into view on the horizon. Martin barely had time to process it before a large missile streaked through the air, headed straight for Dez's ship. "Missile incoming!" Martin yelled.
The Guardian laser on Dez's ship activated, firing rapidly and striking the missile mid-flight. The explosion was deafening, the shockwave ripping through the battlefield. Martin was thrown off his feet, crashing into the mud as debris rained down around him.
Dazed, Martin groaned and forced himself up, his vision spinning. The world around him was a blur of mud, and dark clouds, Metal still raining down from above. He wiped the mud from his helmet, spotting Rinn face-first in the muck. Without hesitation, he ran toward her, grabbing the straps on the back of her suit and hoisting her up like a duffle bag as the others sprang to their feet while the enemy started closing in on them.
"Come on, Rinn. You're not dying face-first in the mud," Martin grunted as he carried her behind cover. He set her down, and after a moment, she coughed and wiped the mud from her visor, trying to regain her bearings. "Thanks," Rinn muttered, her voice strained as she struggled to steady herself. Martin gave her a nod, quickly scanning the battlefield around them.
They weren't far from the dark concrete-like Entrance. Neither side had made it there yet, which delighted him. The Entrance was partially sunken into the ground. "Once we make it to the bunker, we can't dwell at the door. We'll take too much enfilading fire down there!" Martin yelled over the comms. "I don't care. Get us to that bunker, Martin!" she shouted, her voice steady even as she hurled biotic waves into the advancing Geth forces. Martin grunted in response, turning back to Rinn. "On your feet, Rinn. We need to move!" He fired several quick shots, suppressing the enemy to give them a window. "Let's go!"
Rinn, still unsteady, nodded and clambered to her feet, wiping the last bit of mud from her visor. Martin wasted no time, laying down suppressive fire to cover her advance. His Viper rifle barked as he fired in rapid succession, the rounds cutting through the chaos. The enemy fire faltered under the assault, giving them enough time to break free. Athria and Velpia followed close behind, their movements fast and precise. Martin could hear the ping of rounds deflecting off his armor, the force rattling him but not slowing his pace. He loved it—the chaos, the thrill of the fight. He fired again, pushing back the Geth with every well-aimed shot, laughing under his breath. It was almost too easy.
"Rinn, get to the door!" Athria commanded as she darted ahead, clearing a path with a sweeping biotic strike. The enemies scattered like leaves under her assault, giving the team enough time to reach the Entrance. Rinn scrambled toward the control panel beside the bunker's Entrance, her fingers shaking as she began to analyze it. "I've never seen anything like this," she muttered, panic creeping into her voice as she struggled to make sense of the alien technology. "This is... it's not Geth or anything I've ever encountered."
"We don't have time for that, Rinn!" Athria shouted, still fending off the incoming fire. "Get it open!" Rinn frantically pressed several buttons, her hands moving faster, but the control panel remained unresponsive. "I'm trying, but—" Martin fired off another burst from his rifle, keeping the enemy at bay. Geth forces were advancing in greater numbers now, their endless march showing no signs of stopping. The black-armored team was being pushed back, but the Geth were a relentless force.
Athria and Velpia joined Martin further up the slope, laying down fire to suppress the enemy. Martin was in his element, the adrenaline pumping through him as he laughed defiantly at the Geth. He gritted his teeth, firing round after round, barely noticing as the rounds bounced off his armor. "Come on, you bastards!" he yelled, his voice filled with a mixture of anger and exhilaration.
Martin's rifle overheated, interrupting his fun fest. He looked at his feet and spotted a fallen Revenant machine gun half buried in the mud. Without hesitation, he grabbed it, feeling the heavy weight in his hands, and propped it on the cover in front of him. A manic grin spread across his face as he held down the trigger, spraying rounds into the enemy with reckless abandon. The satisfaction of tearing through the Geth lines was almost unbearable; each shot bringing a twisted sense of triumph.
Athria glanced at him from the corner of her eye, a sliver of worry crossing her face. "Has he lost his mind?" she thought, watching Martin cackle as he unloaded on the Geth. But she pushed the thought aside. They needed every bit of firepower they could get.
Despite their efforts, the Geth were closing in, deploying larger units. Primes loomed in the distance, their towering forms marching ever closer. The firefight was shifting, and Martin knew it. No matter how many Geth he took down, more kept coming.
"We're about to get overrun!" he shouted, his voice strained as he fought against the endless waves of Geth.
Athria heard him and, with a flash of anger at their progress, broke away from the fight. She rushed toward the control panel, where Rinn was still struggling. "Move!" she ordered, shoving the Quarian aside. Athria focused her biotic energy, her fist glowing with raw power. With a fierce shout, she drove her charged fist into the control panel, smashing through it with a powerful strike. To her surprise—and everyone else's—the door slid open with a loud hiss. "Get inside! Now!" Athria yelled over the comms.
Martin blinked, snapping out of his adrenaline-fueled frenzy as Athria's voice cut through the chaos. He glanced toward the now-open bunker and realized they had seconds to get inside before being overwhelmed. "Velpia, fall back!" he barked, covering her as she sprinted toward the bunker.
He held the line for a few more heart-pounding seconds, the Revenant in his hands overheating from constant fire. With one last glance at the approaching Geth, he tossed the overheated weapon aside and ran for the bunker. As he reached the Entrance, Athria grabbed his arm, pulling him through just as the heavy thud of the bunker doors closing echoed through the narrow stone passageway as it sealed behind them. Darkness immediately swallowed the team; the weight of the stone walls felt like a tomb. For a moment, no one moved or spoke. It was too dark to see anything beyond vague shadows.
Martin clicked a button on his chest plate, and the light affixed there flickered on, cutting through the darkness in front of him. One by one, the others activated their Omni-tool lights, casting dim glows that merged into a faint circle of light around them.
"Stay close," Martin muttered, his voice low but steady. He glanced down the passageway, eyes narrowing as he tried to make out details beyond the shadows. The walls were rough, but something about them didn't sit right. As they moved forward, their footsteps echoed faintly against the stone floor. The passage was wide but empty, save for the occasional stone pillar rising from the ground to the ceiling. The further they went, the more Rinn seemed to study the walls. Her Omni-tool scanned the area briefly before she spoke.
"This stone..." Rinn's voice was thoughtful, her tone slightly surprised. "It's been carved out artificially. Someone did this a long time ago." Martin glanced at the walls, squinting. He could see it now—subtle markings, tool lines carved deep into the stone. The place was ancient, but there was an intelligence behind its design, something that made it feel almost too precise.
As they ventured deeper, Martin felt the hair prickle on the back of his neck. A faint whisper drifted past his ears, but it was too soft to make out. His brow furrowed, and he glanced around quickly, half-expecting someone to be behind him.
Nothing.
He shook his head, dismissing it as just the wind running past his helmet—a draft through the ancient corridors. It had to be. There was no wind down here, but he couldn't think of another explanation. Martin forced himself to focus, though the feeling of being watched gnawed at the back of his mind.
They pushed deeper into the complex, the light from their Omni-tools flickering across the pillars. When they entered the second chamber, their lights swept over something that made the group pause. Massive, strange statues lined the room. They were tall and imposing, shaped in a form that was alien to anything they had ever seen—towering figures with elongated limbs, faces partially obscured by ornate helmets, tentacles flowing out of the mouths, their hands outstretched as if grasping at something lost to time.
Athria approached one of the statues. Her Omni-tool raised, its holographic interface snapping images of the statues. "These are... incredible. I've never seen anything like them," she muttered, her voice filled with an almost scholarly curiosity. "This architecture... I wish we had more time to study this."
Velpia, leaning against a nearby wall, gave the statues a wary glance. "I don't know. I think they're creepy. I prefer the ones I saw on Elysium. These... give me the chills."
Martin walked past the statues, his gaze fixating on the large stone door at the end of the chamber. His mind felt heavy like something was tugging at it, pulling him toward the door with an unseen force. He tried to shake the feeling, but his vision locked onto the control panel beside the door. His body moved on its own, his hand reaching out toward the panel.
He wasn't thinking—just acting. His fingers danced across the buttons, inputting commands he couldn't possibly understand. He felt something deep in the back of his mind guiding him through the motions, a ringing sound in his ears, unlocking the door before him.
"Martin?" Athria called out, but he didn't respond. His eyes were glazed over, his focus locked entirely on the control panel. The door began to rumble as it slid open, revealing the final chamber beyond.
Suddenly, Martin blinked, snapping back into reality. He stared at the door, confused and disoriented. "How the hell did I...?" Velpia stepped forward, her expression uneasy. "How did you know how to open that?" Martin shook his head, his chest tight with unease. "I didn't. I... I don't know what just happened. It's freaking me out." Athria exchanged a glance with Velpia, worry flashing in her eyes. She didn't press him further, but the tension in the room was disturbing. They cautiously stepped into the last chamber.
The room was wide and cavernous, with walls of smooth stone. But what caught everyone's attention was the massive wall in front of them—a towering structure that looked like a supercomputer, long shut down and half destroyed. The once-powerful machine was a skeleton of its former self, wires, and Metal hanging loosely from its frame, dust coating its surface.
Martin's eyes wandered away from the wall, landing on something else—something smaller. A slender device floated above a small pedestal in the center of the room. It looked delicate, almost elegant, its smooth, dark surface shimmering faintly.
Martin's mind was drawn to it, the pull stronger than before. Without thinking, he stepped forward, his hand reaching out to the device. "Martin, wait!" Athria's sharp and commanding voice cut through the haze. She rushed forward, grabbing his arm and pulling him away from the pedestal. Her eyes searched his eyes through his helmet's window, concern powering her every movement. "What are you doing?"
Martin blinked, his mind foggy. "I... I don't know. It's like... I can't explain it. Something's pulling me toward it." Athria kept a firm grip on his arm, her voice steady but worried. "We can't take any chances. Don't touch it. Not until we know what it is." Martin nodded, but as he stepped back, pain exploded in his mind. His vision swam, everything around him twisting into chaos. A low, rumbling voice echoed in his skull, screaming one word over and over:
Kill.
Images flashed before his eyes—vivid, violent images of hurting Athria, tearing into her with savage rage. His hands trembled, his teeth gritted in pain as he fought to push the images away. He grabbed his head with both hands, hunching over as the pain grew worse. Everything was spinning, the voices growing louder, more insistent. And then... everything went white.
"""""""""""""""""""""""""
His body was disconnected. A bright light or room surrounded him. He couldn't feel his body, breathe, or do anything. His mind was a shattered space of panic. His thoughts were broken, strange, and unusual. He couldn't speak as if his mouth no longer existed. Images started to flash. War, death, his war, his death, his destruction, his loneliness, his contempt. Thoughts were broken, fractured, pieces of what they should be. Other flashes, a different war, machines, death, things taking others, pain, suffering, machinery, broken pieces. Shattered thoughts, cries for help, rage, despair, anguish.
More things, alone, darkness, contempt, experiment, pain, war, death, end. End everything. End of all things. His end.
He was trying to make sense, no sense, every sense on fire. Doom, broken, fire, taken apart, destroyed. Martin struggled against the thoughts. Thoughts, wonder, mind, terror, fight, must fight. Struggle, resist, war, broken, home.
The light faded.
Cold... pain... his lungs convulsed, bringing in air, the pain of ten thousand needles ripped through every muscle in his body. His breaths were ragged before his eyes began to focus. His vision was focused on the dark ceiling. The others stood over him. His eyes darted to Athria, holding out her glowing arm, covering the object in a blue biotic glow.
"It must be doing something to him, Rinn. Do you have the case?" Rinn nodded before pulling out a small clamshell case with a handle. Athria took the case with her other hand and opened it, then put the object in and closed it, sealing it shut.
Martin continued to lie on the floor, trying to process the vision. Whatever it was rattled his brain, and it was angry, very angry. Velpia stood over him, holding out her arm. He grabbed it as she helped him to his feet.
"What happened?" Athria asked. Her voice was mono-toned with a hint of heavy, focused concern. Martin stood there for a second, not knowing how to put it into words. "I saw, I don't know what I saw." He paused for a moment. "It was trying to tell me something. I felt my own memories, then flashes of something else with the same feeling, but not my own. Like it was trying to say something. Or relate. And it did not like you."
Athria held herself still, shifting her eyes to the others. "Are you still in there?"
Martin tried to clear the unease in his mind, "Yeah, I think. I don't feel peachy, though. Just keep that fucking thing away from me." He moved his hand over his pistol on his left hip, his hand shaking. He un-holstered it, flipped it around, and handed it to Athria.
"If I lose it, shoot me." He said, walking away.
Athria stood in place, her mind rushing with worry and concern. Martin let almost no one handle his pistols. There was no doubt he wasn't serious about what he wanted. She felt the weight of the gun in her hand before magnetically locking it to her back. The Barbarian lost the boombastic enthusiasm he had earlier. She could see-hell everyone could see-something was terribly wrong. She had hoped that sealing it in that box was enough to keep it from doing whatever it did to him. They had come too far and been through too much for this... rock to hurt him now.
"Barbarian?" She yelled across the chamber. He turned around in her direction. "You still good enough to get us out of here?"
Martin looked at her before walking to the other wall, his light illuminating another control panel. He stared at it for a few moments as the others took his side, watching him. He took a deep breath, a large enough one that played over his helmet's vocalizer. She placed her arm on his shoulder, listening to his loud whispered chanting, "I'm still me, I'm still me," he repeated to himself as his hand ran over the controls.
She watched as the other doorway in front of him opened, grinding across the ground. Athria looked back to the others; a feeling of foreboding came over them. They silently watched as Martin turned back to them. "There's a path out this way, I think." He breathed deeply again, closing his eyes before opening. "It leads to an exit, don't know I know that. But at this point, I'm not gonna ask." His voice was shaky and quiet, almost embarrassed.
"Alright, let's keep moving," Athria said quietly. "Wait, are we sure this is the thing we're looking for?" Velpia protested. Athria waited a moment, thinking over her discussion with Derek. "The scout team described a small object, an AI or something; considering what just happened, I say it fits the bill. If the Initiative doesn't like it, they can come and figure it out themselves." She retorted, looking at Martin.
For an hour, Martin led them through empty chamber after empty chamber until he opened the last door. A crack of light slowly opened, and the gray rain clouds greeted them again as the large doors opened. The team readied themselves, their weapons drawn. The distant sounds of gunfire wafted in the air. Martin stepped out first, his guard lowered but still alert. His mind still hurt from the intruder, but its pain was slowly fading. It seemed like it wanted to leave, like it wanted him to make it out, showing him how to escape but not actively telling him, instead through implanted memories that weren't his.
Athria quickly passed him and climbed the slope in front of them. "Dez, I'm sending you our coordinates; we need a pick-up."
The comms stretched at their ears: "I'm...bound, ...TA ... five minutes." They understood the message enough to prepare themselves and wait.
The ship descended. While dropping the loading dock door, everyone quickly made their way into the ship, their suits covered in mud and dirt. Athria headed to the bridge while Martin sat his rifle down in a crate in the cargo space and sat down, removing his helmet. "Dez, get us off the planet."