John stood behind Joker in the cockpit as they made their approach run to Noveria. John didn't know much about Noveria other than what the Codex provided on the planet. He knew it was cold and rocky, and that it was a privately-chartered colony world owned by Noveria Development Cooperation. The company that owned the planet ran it using an Executive Board composed of parties from their investors. The facility was rented out to private labs for dangerous, and suspected illegal research. He was informed that by special arrangement with the Executive Board, Citadel Spectres had been granted extraterritorial privileges. According to the records, though, they had never had to deal with one. Yet. John had a feeling he was going to meet resistance, which is why he wanted to be in the cockpit for the approach.
"Approach Control, this is the SSV Normandy, Requesting a vector and a berth." Joker said over the radio.
" Normandy, your arrival was not scheduled. Our defense grid is armed and tracking you. State your business ." Noveria Approach Control replied.
"Citadel business. We've got a Council Spectre aboard." Joker stated flatly.
" Landing access granted, Normandy. Be advised: we will be confirming identification on arrival. If confirmation cannot be established your vessel will be impounded ." NAC replied.
"What a fun bunch," Joker said to John. "I think I'll take my next leave here."
"Aye, I'm hoping the reception on the ground is a bit friendlier," John said with a sigh.
John Shepard Port Hanshan, Noveria 1125 hours
John needed a full ground team, so he'd brought Liara and Garrus for his team, and Mia had chosen Tali and Kaidan. He was making a habit of allowing her to choose her team before missions, wanting her to get back in the saddle of leadership. He led, Mia a step behind him as they headed up to the dingy, grey building ahead of them.
He'd had a conversation with Liara after the Therum debrief. She'd expressed an interest in him quite clinically, and then gave him some intel on the asari he couldn't have gotten from the Alliance. She'd also talked to him a bit about her mother. And her fears. It was why John had decided to deal with this issue first.
"Have I mentioned I hate the cold?" Garrus asked, and John looked over to see the man nearly shaking from the cold.
"Sorry, mate. I'm sure they'll have heat inside." John said, then turned his attention to the armed soldiers- that was odd- in front of him.
"That's far enough," An Asian woman barked, looking between them.
"We're not here to cause problems." John said, frowning at the woman and her two companions- a human and a turian. They were clearly guns for hire, maybe a private security company. They were holding their weapons, aimed at the ground for now, but nonetheless it seemed they considered the crew a threat. Were they expecting trouble?
"This is an unscheduled arrival. We need your credentials." She said, her tone even.
"You first." John challenged. He wasn't going to give his creds to someone who was potentially working for Saren.
"We're the law here," The other human woman chimed in, motioning to her gun. She fiddled with the trigger and John shifted uneasily. "Show some respect!" Mia laughed once, a harsh bark.
"Last time I checked, Council Spectre trumped private security companies. We announced who we were upon landing. You people are just mercs with a superiority complex." Mia piped up. John wasn't looking at her, but he swore he could hear her roll her eyes. He had to fight the urge to snort and remain professional, despite wholeheartedly agreeing with Mia.
"I'm Captain Maeko Matsuo, Elanus Risk Services." The woman said, ignoring Mia's comment. John heard a chuckle from Garrus.
"John Shepard, Council Spectre." John said, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Load of horsecrap, ma'am." The other woman informed her captain.
"Wow. Not even gonna bother verifying something before dismissing the claim. You're right, Mia, they are just rent-a-cops." Garrus replied coolly, seemingly reading the hostility in the woman's body language as much as John had.
"We will need to confirm that," Maeko replied to John.
"They keep saying these words," Mia said to Garrus, and even John was enjoying the banter. "I don't think they understand what they mean."
"Also, I must advise you that firearms are not permitted on Noveria. Sergeant Stirling-" The Captain was cut off by John, lowering his arms and straightening his back.
"And I must advise you, ma'am, " John said, holding up a hand to keep the rest of his crew from reacting. He knew the second Mia heard them suggest taking her gun, she'd want to pull it on them. "That anyone trying to take our weapons will be shot, and the Council will consider you at fault for obstructing justice. Would you like to proceed with whatever order you were about to issue?" John asked, raising a brow at her. The Captain placed her hands behind her back in a parade rest. Wow, they really thought they were hot shit . John tried not to roll his eyes as she spoke again, narrowing her eyes at them.
"We are authorized to use lethal force." She said.
"Ooo, scary." Tali said, and John cracked a smile.
"By the goddess, these people are dense." Liara remarked.
"We keep telling you lady, we are too ." Mia replied, grunting in frustration.
"Cut them some slack, Mia. Their IQ is clearly lower than this windchill." Garrus quipped. Not one of them had drawn a weapon, but at a hand signal, both of the Captain's companions raised their guns at John and the crew. His mood shifted, staring her down.
"You have until the count of three to surrender your weapons," She said.
"Oh, so we're children now?" Mia asked, rolling her eyes.
"Three…"
"You get to one, you die. They really paying you enough for you to feel comfortable gambling like that? Wouldn't be worth it to me, and I work for the military." Mia deadpanned. John glanced at her, watching her for tells. She was poised to spring into action the second someone pulled a trigger, and he could tell the rest of the team's demeanor had shifted alongside his.
"Two…"
"These guys just like to feel important, Shepard." Garrus said, and John wasn't sure if he was talking to him or Mia. He had a feeling it didn't matter. "You know, because they couldn't make it doing what we do."
Stirling fired, and as quickly as the round had gone off, the team had sprang into action. A biotic field sprang up in front of them, deflecting the shot, and when John looked around for Mia, she was gone. She'd bolted headfirst for Stirling, shoving her against the wall, disarming her, then turning the gun on the turian while she held Stirling there, her feet dangling off the ground.
"I suggest you hold your fire, kid." Mia told the man, then a voice over a loudspeaker interrupted her.
"Captain Matsuo! Stand down! We confirmed their identity. Spectres are authorized to carry weapons here, Captain." a woman announced.
"It's almost like that's what we were saying the whole time." Mia said, shaking her head. She released the woman, moving back to stand next to Kaidan.
"You may proceed, Spectre. I hope the rest of your visit will be less confrontational." Matsuo said.
"Doubtful, knowing this team," John said, meeting the woman's eyes. "Not that this fight was their fault at all. That's on you and your team." He said, then proceeded inside. They headed up to a security desk where another woman, the voice they'd heard, was calling them over. Alarm drones were going off due to their weapons, but she waved them through.
"Don't mind the weapons alarms, please, come on through." She waved them up to her desk. "I am Gianna Parasini, assistant to Administrator Anoleis. We apologize for the incident in the docking bay." She said, sounding artificially cheery. He was sure her happy-to-serve act worked wonders on their investors and shareholders, but John wasn't having any shit from this planet.
"Your security personnel opened fire on a Council Spectre, after being advised of our authority several times and being warned to stop. I'd like to advise you, ma'am, that if you or any of your staff try to get in the way of my investigation, I will arrest you for obstructing justice and transport you to a prison ship myself to await sentencing by the Council." he informed her matter-of-factly
"This planet is beyond the jurisdiction of the Council. The law is what the Executive Board says it is. Do you know how valuable this planet is? How many advances in genetics and artificial intelligence got their start here?" The woman said, looking at John like he was crazy. He took a deep breath, but before he could reply, Liara chimed in.
"I know those research topics are banned by every Council race and the Council itself for ethical reasons." She said quietly.
"Illegal at best. Great." John said, shaking his head. "Regardless, we're here because there were reports of inorganics on Noveria. Have you seen anyone unusual pass through here recently?"
"Unusual? An asari Matriarch passed through a few days ago. Lady Benezia." She said with a frown. John heard a gasp and looked over at Liara.
"She's here? Benezia?" She whispered.
"We're going to need to speak with her, ma'am." John informed Parasini.
"Benezia left for the Peak 15 research complex days ago. To the best of my knowledge, she's still there." Parasini said unhelpfully.
"Can you tell me how to get there?" John asked, feeling his patience thinning.
"You'll need to ask Administrator Anoleis for permission to leave the port." She told him, and John heard Mia clunk her forehead against Kaidan's shoulder in frustration.
"I thought we already established our clearance level." She grumbled.
"Can you tell me where he is, then? Maybe he can expedite this for us." John said.
"His office is on the main level. Left at the top of the elevator." She said happily, and John fought the urge to comment.
"Great. Can we go in now?" he asked.
"Of course. If you need any help, you can ask me at the administrator's office." She replied cheerily.
"Something tells me we won't be asking." Mia replied as she passed the desk, heading further into the port.
Before they fully entered, John pulled Liara aside.
"She's here," She muttered, looking down. "I can't believe it."
"We talked about her before but things change when you're up against something. If it's her or me, Liara, who would you shoot?" John asked seriously.
"I meant what I said before." Liara sighed, but met John's eye. "Her actions are wrong. If you'd feel safer leaving me on the Normandy, I will stay. But I would like to see her. Maybe I can persuade her to come peacefully." Liara said hopefully.
"I hope so, too." John said with a smile. "I accept your word, Liara. Let's get going."
"Thank you, Shepard. That means a great deal to me," Liara replied.
Garrus Vakarian The Mako, Inbound to Peak 15, Noveria 1445 hours "A cold wind was blowing from the North, and it made the trees rustle like living things." -George R.R. Martin, A Game of Thrones
Garrus was freezing his ass off. He could barely feel his fingers as he operated the heavy guns of the Mako, the cold sinking bone-deep. They'd said there'd been a blizzard, but Garrus was wholly unprepared for this weather.
The administrator had been anything but helpful, and after John chased down leads from one shady, self-interested business person after another, they'd finally secured access to Peak 15 in the Mako. Getting there, though. That had been another story. They had to fight off geth all along the path, and then security turrets to boot. It had been anything but a peaceful journey, considering John's driving was impaired in the icy conditions. If it were possible for his driving to be worse.
Garrus had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. This place gave him the creeps. It reeked of illegal, probably unethical experiments. The fact that a planet like that was allowed to exist at all disgusted him. The fact that the people here thought they could pay to exist beyond the law disgusted him more.
Garrus sighed as the Peak 15 facility came into focus ahead of them. His thoughts went to the team behind him. Liara had been remarkably quiet and Garrus could imagine why. He didn't know what he'd be feeling in her shoes, but he wouldn't be keeping it together nearly as well as she seemed to be, that was a fact. Tali had been fiddling with her omnitool since they got into the Mako. Garrus was surprised that Kaidan hadn't tried to spark up a conversation, but he had a feeling the man knew it would fall on deaf ears.
Mia had been zoning out, doing her usual pre-battle ritual of listening to old Earth music through her visor. John normally didn't mind too much, but he did get onto her a bit back at the port. In her defense, by the third person John talked to, Garrus himself was having a hard time paying attention. The private sector bored him, but beyond that, it was a little hard to bring himself to care about the third-world problems of these first-class citizens knowing that at least a few of them had their hands in illegal genetic and bioweapons research.
Peak 15 was suspiciously empty at first glance. They made their way through to the elevator, but unsurprisingly, it didn't take long for them to encounter geth patrols stationed there. They dispatched them quickly, following the signs posted above the doors when a bloodchilling screech tore through the air. Garrus looked around, and saw the rest of the crew doing the same.
"By the Goddess," Liara murmured, looking around her for the source of the noise.
"What the hell was that, Commander?" Kaidan asked, his biotics encasing him in a glowing blue aura.
"Animals?" Tali asked hesitantly. "The wind? This place is in pretty bad shape."
Suddenly, from an upper level, a huge insect with pinchers and some kind of retracting tail jumped out at them.
" Spirits , what have they been doing in these labs?" Garrus said, lining up a shot.
"Nothing good," Kaidan muttered as he biotically lifted one of them into the air for Mia to shoot.
"I've never seen anything like them." Tali whispered as the last one burst into flames.
"Xenobiology is not my field. Maybe someone in the lab knows what they are." Liara suggested.
"If there's anyone left in the lab. No weapons on Noveria." Mia reminded them, darkly. "They signed their own death warrant with that rule."
John called them to push forward and they found themselves crowding into yet another elevator, into yet another monster filled room. Strangely, Garrus looked around at the people he found himself with in this nightmare and realized that he finally felt like he was doing something. Even if they had to fight for every scrap of evidence and pulling leads out of people was like pulling human teeth. Even if he was following this man into hell. He had a purpose. And Garrus was damn good at this job.
The elevator doors opened and more monsters jumped out at them, but what Garrus noticed first was the alarms going off.
"Great. Another problem." He said, sighing.
"Just our luck," Mia agreed, sharing a smile with him.
"Just once , I'd like for one of these things to be easy, in and out," he muttered.
"No, you don't," Tali commented. "You'd get bored." Garrus nodded his head at that, conceding.
"Tali, you may have a point." He chuckled as they finished off the last of the beasts. "Let's figure out these alarms."
