Buried Beneath ch20: The Distress Call
Normandy, 2185, October 10th 8:25 AM
I step out of the shower, grab the nearest towel and roughly dry my hair. I dry off quickly, my mind already racing. Riley will kill me if I don't make it to the shuttle bay on time.
Throwing on some pants and a tank top, I leave the bathroom- and freeze. Miranda's standing by the desk, her eyes locked on me. That's- weird. Why is she here?
"Hey," I say, trying to keep things casual. "Something going on?" Hopefully, this isn't about Riley finding out about us again. I thought we were done with that conversation.
"Vex." She takes a step forward, and I notice something unfamiliar in her expression- hesitation? That's not like her.
A knot forms in my stomach. Okay, this is serious. "Is something wrong?" I drop the shower bag and give her my full attention.
"No," she says, but it's more of a breath than a word. She brushes a hand through her hair and straightens her posture. "But we need to talk before you go on the mission."
"Oh?" This doesn't sound good.
"I need to be honest with you." She holds herself with her usual confidence, with a subtle hint of vulnerability in her voice. "I have feelings for you, Vex. And it's more than just- physical attraction or stress relief."
I open my mouth to reply but quickly close it again. What am I supposed to say? 'Sure, Miranda, let's just ignore the giant Cerberus-shaped problem between us and get together?' We had a good thing going, why does she have to complicate it now?
I have to say something. "I- what?" Really? That's the best I can do? Great job, me.
She lets out a sigh, her eyes flicking away for a split second. "I'm not expecting you to feel the same. I just wanted you to know." She places her hands behind her back, like she's forcing herself to stay composed. "Feel free to give your input."
I blink, my brain scrambling. "I- uh, look, I need to get ready. I'm supposed to be at the shuttle bay soon." My voice is more rushed than I want it to be, and I can see the look of disappointment on her face. I force an apologetic smile. "I'll think about it, okay?"
Without waiting for her response, I turn and head for the door. That look on her face makes me feel so guilty. But what was I supposed to say? It won't work. Even- even if I might feel something for her too, there's this massive Cerberus-shaped problem standing between us. She owes everything to them. It'll always be Cerberus first.
I shake my head, trying to clear my thoughts. I have a mission to focus on. Today's about helping Jacob. That's what matters right now.
Aeia, 2185, October 10th 9:21 AM
"Vex?" Riley asks, pulling me out of my thoughts.
I snap my head up to look at her. "Yeah?"
She shifts in her seat, looking slightly irritated. "You weren't listening, were you?"
"Sorry." I smile sheepishly. "What were you saying?"
Riley rolls her eyes but continues, "We're landing in under a minute. Get ready."
I nod and then glance at Jacob. He looks determined, focused even, his gaze fixed on the floor. I know this is important to him, so I need to put my own shit aside for now. At least this planet looks nice. Lush trees, clear blue water- a real tropical paradise.
The shuttle touches down on a cliffside, and we file out. I glance back as the shuttle lifts off, it looks kind of nice against the morning sky. Not a bad view. Definitely nicer than Zorya, by a long shot.
Our comms crackle, and EDI's voice comes through. "I have run a scan on the ship. I detect no life signs, but there may be useful technology or information still inside."
"Understood, EDI," Riley gestures forward, starting along the cliff's edge. "Let's move."
We walk for a few minutes before a massive crashed ship comes into view, half buried in the cliffside. This must be the Gernsback.
"There it is. And mostly intact," Jacob affirms. "They could have survived impact- but it's been years."
"Looks like they stripped the thing," I add, shrugging. "I doubt the crash did that."
"You're right." Jacob nods, seeming more enthusiastic. There's a good chance someone's alive. I mean, we already knew that someone had to activate the beacon.
We head toward the wrecked ship, spotting a ramp leading inside, with a beacon standing nearby, surrounded by scattered, open crates. The beacon is a VI, glitching slightly and rambling about the local toxic flora. Judging by the condition of the crates and the wear on the machinery, it's been here a long time. Riley and Jacob make their way straight to the beacon, ignoring the ship for now.
"Seems it's been here for a while," Riley says, inspecting the VI with a frown. "Why hasn't anyone used it before now?"
The VI turns its head towards her. "Pause in beacon protocol: eight years, 237 days, seven hours. Pause is recorded as- RECORD DELETED by Acting Captain Ronald Taylor."
"That's not right." Jacob's brow furrows. "My father was first officer."
The VI's gaze fixes on him. "Captain Harris Fairchild reported killed following unscheduled suborbital descent. First Officer Ronald Taylor promoted in field to acting captain. Other flagged issues: Unsafe deceleration. Local food and neural decay. Beacon activation protocols."
Jacob stares hard at the VI. "Where is he now?"
Riley steps closer. "And the rest of the crew?"
The beacon lags for a moment before responding. "The location of the remaining crew of the Hugo Gernsback is unknown. This beacon has been unattended for several maintenance cycles."
Riley sighs, stepping back and glancing at Jacob. "We'll have the beacon retrieved. Maybe we can question it further later."
Jacob gives her a nod. "Sounds good, Shepard." He turns to the Gernsback. "Let's check the ship. My father had the beacon for almost nine years. Maybe- that neural decay affected him."
"You two go ahead," I say, adjusting my grip on my mantis. "I'll scout a bit."
Riley shrugs, already turning to the ship. "Just don't get yourself into trouble."
Giving her a lazy salute, I head off alone, following the cliffside. The terrain is rough, littered with more supply crates, they seem mostly weathered and cracked. As I inspect the crates, a figure emerges from behind a few of them, a woman, dishevelled, with wild eyes.
"You came? From the sky?" she blurts out, her voice frantic.
I instinctively raise my sniper, aiming at her. "Uh, what?"
"The leader said someone would come! He delayed for so long, but he still has power!" She moves closer, glancing over her shoulder nervously. "Some have lost faith. The hunters! They will have seen your star. They will not let you help him."
I'm confused, she's not making any sense. "What hunters? Who's this leader you're talking about?"
"I- I, uh- I don't remember how to say it," she stammers, smacking her head. "He's our leader, and we serve so- we can go home. But some want to fight him. They were- they were cast out. He exiled them, so they hunt his machines and-"
Suddenly, people appear behind her, sprinting up the path, carrying guns. I push past her to aim at them. "Get down!" I shout, stepping forward.
They fire at her, narrowly missing as she dives for cover. "Hunters! They won't stop until the leader's dead!"
Damn it. There's no avoiding a fight. I get behind my own cover, gripping my rifle. There are four of them, it's manageable alone, but they're well-armed.
Without hesitating, I pop up, fire, and my shot lands in one man's shoulder. He falls to the ground, but the others immediately fire at me. I duck behind the crates just in time, hearing the impact thudding against the metal.
I look up in time to spot Riley and Jacob charging down the cliffside toward me, weapons ready. It's about time they showed up. Not that I couldn't handle this myself.
"Go left!" Riley calls over comms.
Jacob breaks off, running up the left side, firing to keep their attention. I use the opening to line up another shot, hitting the next hunter in the chest. He goes down hard.
Riley shoots at the last two, taking one of them out. The last man standing starts to retreat, just as Jacob moves in and finishes the fight with a clean shot.
I exhale and lower my rifle, giving a nod to Jacob. Scanning the area for the woman, I don't find her anywhere. "Where'd that woman go?"
Jacob frowns, giving me a confused look. "What woman?"
"Just- never mind." She probably took off during the firefight. I can't really blame her.
Riley quickly inspects the bodies before turning to us. "Who are these people?"
I shrug. "Hunters, allegedly."
"Hunters?" Riley arches an eyebrow.
"We don't have time for this," Jacob cuts in, sounding frustrated as he walks down the cliffside. "My father wouldn't let this go on. Something is very wrong."
As we follow Jacob, I look out over the ocean to our left. The deep blue waters stretch out far leading to some other islands. It's strange how peaceful the place looks, besides the toxic plants and hunters.
Apart from a stripped-down mech and some supply crates, the path is pretty empty. After a few minutes of walking, we come across an opening in a rock wall. Spotting the outlines of tents and some kind of statue inside.
"Is that a settlement?" Jacob mutters, picking up the pace. "They'd better be friendlier than the beach group. I need answers."
We step into the settlement and it becomes very obvious this place is old. The tents are ragged, patched with whatever materials they could find and everything is dirty. There's a campfire burning a little ways ahead, surrounded by a group of women. Which, now that I think of it, there's only women here.
"No one's attacking us," I say, my voice low, feeling uneasy. "Why?"
Riley looks around, her expression unreadable before she throws me a glance. "Maybe it affects genders differently?"
"It doesn't matter right now." Jacob steps closer. "One of these people must know what my father has to do with this."
"You have his face!" one of the women suddenly shouts, eyes wild as she points a trembling finger at Jacob. "He promised to call the sky, but he sends nothing."
Another woman backs away. "He forced us to eat, to- decay. You are cursed with his face!"
Jacob locks eyes with them, but they flinch away, avoiding his gaze. "What?" He asks, shaking his head. "Why would my father force his crew to eat toxic food? Whatever's happening here needs to stop."
I nod, patting his shoulder. "Couldn't agree more. So what do we do?"
"Look for clues, be careful, and stay out of trouble," Riley orders before walking away from the group to look around.
Right, easier said than done. I head for the statue in the middle of the settlement. It's some sort of effigy or something. It just looks like a bunch of scrap to me though.
These people have been here for nearly a decade. That's insane. We can't expect them to be completely rational, but maybe someone here can help us, or at least give some context.
I approach one of the women nearby, and luckily, she doesn't back away like the others did with Jacob. "Hi, do you think you could answer a few questions?"
The woman's gaze shifts warily in Jacob's direction. "He keeps us. Protects us. And we please him like he demands."
"What?" Uh- gross.
Before she can respond, a shot hits the ground just a few feet away, sending dust into the air. I spin around, and sure enough, a group of LOKI mechs has entered the settlement, already firing at Riley and Jacob.
"Your captain demands obedience. Weapons are forbidden," one of the mechs says, turning to me.
I quickly duck behind the effigy. "What the fuck is this?" I ask through my comms.
"Defence, by the looks of it," Riley replies, already firing back at the mechs.
Rolling my eyes, I raise my rifle and get a clear shot, taking the head off one of the mechs. First hunters, now mechs. They sure know how to make someone feel welcomed.
As I reload, I sight in on the last remaining mech, a well-aimed shot drops it. I make sure the coast is clear before stepping out and rejoining Riley and Jacob, who are inspecting one of the mechs.
"So," I start, approaching the group, "what's our next move?"
Riley straightens up and glances at Jacob. "Your call, Jacob. What do you want to do?"
Before he can respond, a woman cautiously approaches us. Her gaze lingering on Jacob. "You- have his face- but you fight his- machines. You might stop this."
He turns to her, a serious expression on his face. "How?"
"This- I forgot how to- read, but this- was the start." The woman hands Jacob an old datapad, her hands trembling slightly. "What he promised, and what they did to us." Her eyes drift to the ground. "We need the sky. Take us back to the sky." She steps back, eyes still lowered, and slips away quietly into the settlement.
Riley watches her go, then turns to Jacob. "What does it say?"
Jacob powers up the datapad and scans the page. "It's a crew logbook. Some of them thought the beacon repair was taking too long. They were afraid they'd run out of supplies and lose their minds to the decay."
"Looks like they were right," I mutter.
Jacob sighs. "My father restricted the ship food for himself and the other officers so they wouldn't be affected. Everybody else had to eat the toxic food and hope for treatment later." He presses his lips into a thin line. "The rest is a casualty list. A few mutinied over the decision. My father and the officers turned the mechs on them."
Riley shakes her head. "Sounds like the pressure of leadership got to him."
Jacob's eyes snap to her. "It didn't stop there. More incidents, harsh punishments. It's like they're cattle. Or toys. In a year, all the male crew members are flagged as 'exiled' or dead. They separated out the women." He grits his teeth. "Assigned them to officers like pets."
My stomach drops. "That's disgusting."
"Agreed." Jacob nods, scrolling further. "And after the beacon is fixed, the officers appear in the casualties, too. After! My father took control and didn't stop it." He looks away, repulsed by the datapad in his hand.
Riley tilts her head. "What happened to them?"
"They were killed within the same week," Jacob replies tightly, trying to stay calm. "About a month after the beacon was repaired."
"Do you see an explanation?" She watches him carefully. "He's your father."
"Is he?" Jacob's hand tightens around the datapad before he hurls it to the ground. "None of this fits. Maybe the initial decision, but the rest? Abuse of power doesn't get any clearer than this. What he allowed here. I don't see any justification." He glances towards the settlement, his jaw clenched. "I need to find this man."
Riley picks up the datapad, scanning it to her omni-tool for evidence. "Then let's go."
We follow the path the mechs came from, arriving at the bottom of a steep slope. Riley spots a few dead bodies nearby and hurries over to inspect them, while Jacob and I glance up the incline. The sun sits directly at the top, making it nearly impossible to see what's ahead.
There's a sudden click, and a voice comes over hidden speakers. "This is Ronald Taylor. Thank god you're here! My crew went insane. I only just got free!"
"Goddamnit. It's really him." Jacob's fists clench, his jaw tight. "Just got free? He's covering his ass." Without waiting, he storms up the slope.
"Jacob!" Riley scrambles to her feet, rushing to keep up with him.
I do the same, following them to the top, where we see nothing but scattered debris and half-open crates. Stepping into the area, we're immediately shot at by more LOKI mechs.
We run for cover, preparing to take them out as the speakers come on again.
"Careful, I automated my defences after the crew turned violent," Jacob's father says. "They keep attacking! I had no choice."
"He had plenty of choices." Jacob fires off a shot, hitting a mech square in the head. "Little late to blame his victims."
The voice continues, "I had to keep them busy, distracted, but it's getting dangerous. Thank god you've come!"
"Son of a-" Jacob grits his teeth, reloading. "He had his fun, and now he wants out."
"Jacob!" I call, firing at one of the mechs. "Keep your head!" The last thing we need is his father getting to him.
After finishing off the last of the mechs, we press onward to another cliffside. There's so much tension coming off of Jacob. Losing a parent is one thing, I know what that's like, but learning they've become this? That's a level of betrayal I can't even imagine.
Up ahead, we see wooden gates, another settlement maybe? We hurry towards it, hearing the faint sounds of gunfire beyond. We enter through the gate and find a second, larger gate that leads further inside.
His father's voice comes over the speakers again. "It took years to train my guards. I'm afraid you'll have to fight them to rescue me."
Jacob shakes his head. "Throwing people away. This- thing- is not my father."
We step inside, seeing more debris and crates lying around. A YMIR mech in the distance battles with a group of hunters. As we move in to help, both sides turn their fire on us. I can't say I didn't expect this, but it's still rude.
Even though we're left with no choice, it still doesn't feel good to take down these people. But with disruptor rounds and quick shots, we disable the mech and stop the hunters without much trouble. If it's this hard for me to stomach, I can't imagine how Jacob's handling it.
"Enough with the toys," Jacob mutters as the YMIR mech crashes to the ground. "I need to look my father in the eye and hear him justify this." He heads toward another gate across the area and gives it a hard tug. "Vex."
I move to help him, with Riley close behind. "What's up?"
He glances back at me, then takes a step back. "It's locked."
I open my omni-tool, but Riley places a hand on my shoulder. "Hold on a second, Vex." She steps up to Jacob, looking him in the eye. "Before we go in there, I need you to stay calm. Don't give him any power."
Jacob clenches his jaw, but nods. "I can do that, Shepard."
"Good." She nods, gesturing for me to open the door.
I do as I'm told, and we walk up a short slope to what looks like a makeshift command post on a cliff's edge, overlooking the ocean and some rocky formations. Ronald Taylor stands on the edge, leaning against the railing.
Jacob hangs back, giving Riley the lead. Probably trying to calm himself down.
"You're here!" Ronald turns and straightens, walking towards us. "I knew a real squad would blow through just fine. Sorry if the mechs scuffed your pads."
Riley walks past Ronald, ignoring him, and leans against the railing, looking out over the ocean. Jacob and I stay behind Ronald, who turns to stare at her.
He tries to catch her attention again, a fake warmth in his voice. "I'll get you something nice when we get back to Alliance space. I've got to have some back-pay coming."
Jacob takes a step forward. "What about your crew, Acting Captain?"
"Total loss." Ronald gives him a brief glance before lowering his head. "The toxic food turned them wild. They propped me up here in some kind of ritual behaviour. Waiting for a chance to signal has been hell."
Jacob shakes his head, crossing his arms. "That's the best you can do?"
Ronald turns, finally meeting Jacob's eyes. "What- who are you to question me like that?" He stammers, his tone faltering as he realises. "Jacob?"
Riley speaks up, "I'm Commander Shepard of the Normandy. I believe you're acquainted with Mr Taylor?"
"Jacob." Ronald's eyes fix on him. "No, not Jacob."
"Why not me?" Jacob steps closer, voice hardening. "Would ten years of this look better to anyone else in the galaxy?"
Ronald frowns, looking back at Riley for support. "You have to understand. This isn't me. The realities of command, they change you. I wasn't ready for that."
Riley, with a blank expression, responds, "A decade of this. How could you let that happen?"
Ronald sputters. "I- I-"
"Goddamnit." Jacob gets in his face. "Why did you do this to your crew?"
Ronald's mask slips as he tries to hold his ground. "There was resistance to the plan. Mutiny. We had to take a hard line to keep order. And things settled down. As the decay set in, we made sure the crew were comfort-"
Movement catches my eye, and I see hunters approaching. I leave the conversation and head towards them, gesturing for them to drop their weapons. They look between me and the others before nodding and complying.
"That's it?" Jacob shouts, regaining my attention. "You created a harem and played king? Ten years in a juvenile fantasy?"
The hunters linger, watching, while Ronald looks defeated. "I can't point to where it all went wrong. But when the beacon was ready, revealing what happened didn't seem like a good idea."
Riley steps forward. "We'll contact the Alliance and have ships here to pull everyone out."
Jacob pulls his pistol and aims it directly at Ronald, who flinches. "He's not worth the fuel to haul him out, or the air he's breathing. He's damned lucky I don't even think he's worth pulling the trigger."
Riley steps between them. "Jacob, stand down. He'll face Alliance court and spend the rest of his life in prison."
He sighs, lowering his gun, "I don't know who you are. Because you're not any father I remember." He turns, facing the ocean. "Give him all the time in the galaxy. The man who did this doesn't know right from wrong."
Ronald stares at Jacob. "I'm sorry, Jacob. I did the best I could."
Without looking back, Jacob replies, "I'm ten years past believing that."
Normandy, 2185, October 10th 1:42 PM
I follow Riley out of the armoury after we've changed into casual clothes. We're headed for the debriefing room, since our mysterious boss, The Illusive Man, wants a word with us. I'll admit, it feels strange working for someone I've never actually met. I'm looking forward to it.
As we approach the door, Joker's voice comes over the ship's intercom. "Alliance ships are inbound to secure Captain Taylor and his crew, Commander. We'll be long gone by the time they get here."
Riley pauses and smiles. "Don't even give them the taillights."
"Roger that," Joker replies.
Riley opens the door, revealing Jacob standing in the centre of the room within the holographic interface. He looks tense, caught mid-conversation.
"What do you mean, it wasn't you?" he asks, glancing over his shoulder as Riley and I join the call.
A moment passes as a hologram appears, projecting the figure of an older man seated in a shadowed room. The planet behind him gives a supernatural glow to his silhouette. His piercing blue eyes sweep over us. "Jacob, if I had leaked the information about the Gernsback, I would be smiling at your resolution of the situation. I am not smiling."
"Seems unlikely," Riley cuts in. "Nothing happens on my ship without someone reporting to you."
"I had no more reason to believe Jacob's father was alive than he did." The Illusive Man takes a calm drag from his cigar, exhaling smoke before continuing. "But I'm happy to know the situation is behind you."
"Fine." Jacob waves a hand dismissively. "You didn't forward it. So who did?"
"I did." Another figure steps into view, and I glance over as Miranda's hologram appears next to me. My pulse picks up a bit as I try not to make eye contact with her.
Riley crosses her arms. "I suppose that should have been obvious. You would have access."
"It was hardly classified. Just obscure," Miranda says softly, her gaze lingering on Jacob. "There was a time when it mattered to you. Sending this along seemed like keeping an old promise. I keep my promises."
Jacob meets her eyes before The Illusive Man's voice interrupts. "Miranda, we'll discuss your liberal interpretation of security protocol in private. Shepard, Jacob, Ward." His hologram fades, along with the interface.
Miranda's eyes flicker between Jacob and me briefly before she turns, heading out. For a moment, I'm surprised- impressed, even, that she went against her boss.
Riley watches her leave, then turns to Jacob. "You good?"
Jacob lets out a sigh. "It's all bull, Shepard. Captain Taylor can rot in prison- it doesn't change who I am or what I know. I've already mourned the man he used to be." He shakes his head. "I guess he was a good enough father that even he can't screw up what he taught me."
"You should be proud of who you've become," Riley says, giving his shoulder a pat. "If you need to talk, you know where to find me."
Jacob nods. "Thanks for the help, Shepard. You too, Vex."
Riley offers him a supportive smile before leaving. Jacob remains, seemingly off in his own thoughts. I step forward, breaking the silence.
"Did you really not know Miranda was behind it?" I ask, feeling curious, and a bit awkward.
Jacob glances over at me. "No. She's got a good memory. Selective, but good." He shakes his head slightly. "I haven't thought about those days in a long time."
I rub the back of my neck, trying to come off as casual. "I guess you two do go way back."
"Yeah." He nods. "We were together once, but- I can't figure out which promise she meant. Not sure I really want to know." He sighs again, looking away. "She- requires a better man than I."
Wait, what? They were together? I manage to keep my expression neutral, though my thoughts are anything but. "I didn't know you were together."
"It was a long time ago." He shakes his head, taking a step towards the door. "I won't take up any more of your time. See you in the armoury tomorrow."
"Will do." I give him a lazy salute, watching him leave. As the door closes behind him, my mind's already made up- I need to find Miranda.
Normandy, 2185, October 10th 2:13 PM
I stand in front of Miranda's office yet again, but this time feels different. I want to avoid this conversation, and there's no way around it. I brace myself, drawing in a deep breath, trying to shake the feeling that I'm about to step off a ledge.
Steeling myself, I rest my hand against the door and knock. It opens a few seconds later, and Miranda's there at her desk, as always. Her expression changes when she sees me, it's subtle, but I see the hesitation in her eyes.
The door closes behind me and she rises from her chair and meets me in the centre of the room. Up close, I can see she's smoothed out her features, appearing more calm. But not completely, the way she's looking at me, I can tell she's worried.
Finally, she speaks, her voice softer than I thought it would be. "Did you think about it?"
I feel myself hesitate but I manage to speak. "Why did you give Jacob the information?" The question surprises us both, but I need to hear her answer.
She nods, looking away for a moment before finding my eyes again. "Jacob and I have a complicated past, one that did include a brief romance," she begins, but she pauses, catching something in my expression. "Which you- already know about."
She takes a breath, holding my gaze as she continues, "He was an important part of my life. Helping him find his father-" she looks down, weighing her words. "I needed that closure as much as he did."
"Oh." It's all I manage. I'm not sure what else I could say.
After a few seconds of silence, she breaks it first, her voice quiet. "Help me out here, Vex. Where do we stand?"
I'm internally panicking. The walls I've put up around my feelings, the doubts, all the 'what ifs' start to come undone in an instant. "I have feelings for you too." Admitting it feels fucking amazing, but- "But Miranda- I can't- Cerberus." I take a deep breath to calm down and sort my thoughts. "I can't ignore Cerberus. I don't know if I can pretend it doesn't matter."
She gives me a sad smile. "Can't we at least try?"
I pause, my mind racing. I- don't know. Going against protocol on one small thing isn't enough for me. May- maybe it could be a start. But I know that when it comes to Cerberus, she'll always pick them. Yet here she is, looking at me with this glimmer of hope.
I reach forward, hesitating only for a moment before I take her hands in mine, feeling their warmth. "Yes."
For now, I'm choosing to take that step into whatever this might be, just as I feel her fingers tighten slightly around mine.
Thanks for reading.
