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The middle of a jungle was definitely the worst place for a stakeout, he decided. Yep, definitely the worst. The heat drained the life and liquid out of everything, suspending it in an awful humidity that left them panting, permanently damp and dazed. An endless sea of vines dripped from the canopy above, entangling limbs and tearing at armour at every opportunity with razor-sharp leaves. The only life came in the form of insects, some small and biting, others large and glittering, almost beetle-like, waving odd-numbered limbs as they crawled lazily over the sticky foliage. While slavers were not known to be picky when choosing places for their vile hideouts, why anyone would choose to live here of all places was still beyond him. Not only was the planet already in the ass-end of nowhere, but it was about as hostile as it could get while still supporting life. This particular band of slavers had buried themselves so deep in this spirits-damned jungle that the only landing zone was a few days march, and fighting their way through the hostile environment had added another two.He scratched at his neck as a bead of sweat tickled its way into his undersuit, before glancing back at the turian warily scanning the trees behind him.Days of hacking their way through the dense underbrush, mud sucking at their boots and tiny biting insects had left him exhausted. Nihlus was a Council Spectre, mentored by the infamous and unforgiving Saren Arterius. He was used to the endless days as predator or prey, the long, relentless, hours that came with the role of Spectre. C-Sec however, did nothing of the sort for Garrus. The Turian Millitary’s survival training had embedded the resolve that kept him standing, but he had never made it to the Spectre program. His father had made sure of that, and now he couldn’t hide the shaking limbs and faltering gait that betrayed his weariness. “How far now?” he asked as he turned, stumbling as his boot caught on yet another vine twisting its way around his feet. He managed to collect himself just short of crashing into Nihlus as he came to a sudden stop in front of him, and the Spectre gave him a hard glare before returning his attention to the trees.He still wasn’t sure why Nihlus had requested him specifically to accompany him on this mission. His reputation at C-Sec wasn’t exactly great, with his “overly fluid interpretation” of rules and regulations, as his father so kindly put it. He had just received his week of suspension when Nihlus had first approached him. After the debacle that was his case against Dr Saleon, a black-market organ dealer who had been growing his products inside his employees. Garrus had first ordered, then shouted and begged, but Citadel Defense refused to fire on the ship containing Dr Saleon and his hostages. Pallin had shouted at him until both larynges were hoarse before simply shaking his head and gesturing towards the Executor’s office.
“Garrus..” the Executor sighed, rubbing the familiar blue markings on his face as if he could scrub away his son’s transgressions.
“Garrus how many times are you going to have to come into my office before you realise that these antics do nothing but waste my time and everyone else’s here?”
The grey-blue eyes seemed to bore through Garrus’s defence, fatigue etching deep lines into the dulling brow plates above them. He clenched his fists, talons pricking his palms as a hot flush of embarrassment crept its way out from under his collar, boiling the anger he had been struggling to keep in check since Pallin had dragged him from the docking bay.
“My ‘antics’ are the only thing that is actually making any kind of difference around here! You sit here, buried under your beloved red tape, letting men like Saleon go because paperwork is more important than people’s lives!”
Trembling with rage as a low growl rumbled through his chest, his mandibles fluttered wildly against his jaw and he spat the words with all the vitriol he could muster.
“All you had to do was let me do my job, and we could have had him. One of the most prolific organ dealers on the Citadel, gone!” The chair clattered to the floor as he stood, talons digging into the soft wood of the desk as he leaned in uncomfortably close.
“Officer Vakarian, contain yourself!” barked the Executor, what little warmth his father had replaced with the cold, hard demeanour that befitted the Executor of Citadel Security. Garrus jerked upright into a stiff soldier’s stance, a little taken aback at the sharpness stabbing through his father’s voice. His eyes flicked briefly to the floor and he fidgeted uncomfortably, shuffling his feet from side to side.
A flicker of guilt caught in his chest. There was nothing like his father’s “officer voice” to make him feel like a child again, caught dismantling his father’s rifle mods or sneaking his mother’s special pastries from the pantry.
“You are suspended for one week, starting now. All your current cases will be transferred to other officers capable of following C-Sec and Council laws and regulations, and upon your return, you will be assigned to a senior officer at all times. Is that clear?” Castis Vakarian calmly punched his instructions into his console before regarding his son with a heavy gaze, mandibles tight to his face and fingertips pressed together.
Garrus gaped as if to say something, then decided better of it. In the back of his mind, he noted that if he were anyone else he probably would have been demoted, or even fired, but it did little to mute the outrage colouring his subvocals as he sputtered out a “Yes sir.”
“Good.” Nodded Castis, before waving one hand lazily towards the door. “Now get out of here.”
Garrus didn’t need to be told twice, storming forwards and almost punching the console in his anger.
That anger carried him aimlessly through the halls and alleyways of the wards, down into Chora’s Den, the seedy nightclub at the bottom of the wards that most C-Sec officers had the tendency to avoid. No one wants to end up having to work on a night out, after all.
The stench of sweat and despair hit him as he stepped into the dim light, the dirty glares from the other patrons oozing over the film of dust and grease coating every surface. He flared his mandibles in a grimace and glanced down, realising he was still in his distinctive C-Sec issued armor. That explained the looks.
He was still contemplating whether or not to go home and change when a large, red-plated shoulder barged into him, toppling into a booth as the krogan attached to it continued on his way towards the bar despite the obstruction.
“Watch it, pyjack” he growled, and Garrus caught a glimpse of three gnarled gashes carving their way past reptilian yellow eyes narrowed into slits.
For the second time that day, Garrus opened his mouth to say something, then thought the better of it. He sighed and hauled himself up off the sagging bench, eyes darting warily as he dusted himself down and made his way to the bar. He slid into a stool in the corner, as far away as possible from the angry red krogan who was now shouting loudly at the krogan next to him, ryncol sloshing over the edge of the tankard as he waved it about.
He growled under his breath as the asari bartender meandered her way over with his order, slamming down the grubby glass of watery-looking brandy with a thud.
How dare they suspend him! Assigned babysitting when he was reinstated? Handing over all his cases? He could forget about busting the brand new red sand ring that popped up only a month ago. Or finally nailing down the volus smuggling mods in with the so-called “toothbrush” parts. What kind of toothbrush needs mass effect fields anyway?!
It was unfair and outrageous and exhausting. Mostly unfair. He tilted his head and gulped down the rest of the sour-smelling brandy, sputtering as it still managed to burn its way down his throat in its watered-down state.
“Garrus Vakarian.”
It was a statement, not a question, and it turned the sputter into a full-blown coughing fit. The newcomer snapped his mandibles tight with disapproval and stepped delicately out of the way of the sudden spray of spittle and almost-brandy.
“Y-yes?” he choked out, gasping for breath. The newcomer fixed him with a withering stare that matched the harsh white lines of the markings tracing his face. His plates were an unusual reddish brown, his armour laced with red lights glowing eerily in the dim light of the bar. Garrus had the sinking feeling that this was all somehow familiar.
“Nihlus Kryik. Spectre.”
Oh shit.
This was it. For whatever reason, the Council had caught wind of what had happened at the docks and had decided to get a Spectre to bring him in. Not just any Spectre, but the one he had embarrassed himself in front of when he shouted at his father in a very un-turian like manner over his application to the Spectres.
He was so screwed. He took a deep breath and squared his shoulders.
“Look, if this is about the docks, there are a few things you should know-”
“I’m not here about your little incident at the docks.”
His mouth snapped shut in surprise, teeth clacking together as he furrowed his brow. Not about the docks? “Little” incident? He wanted to point out that “little incidents” didn’t result in suspensions, but Nihlus had already taken a deep breath to carry on.
“You will be accompanying me on a highly classified mission on behalf of C-Sec. Report to dock D24 for a full briefing at 21:00 tomorrow. A full armoury is provided, although you are welcome to bring any personalised weapons or tech.”
Garrus stared, slack-jawed, as a watery laugh bubbled its way out with a breathy “ha”. Joining a Spectre on a mission? This was little 10-year-old Garrus’s dream! A chance to finally do some real good, without being blocked by red tape and buried in paperwork at every turn. But as quickly as it appeared, the joy vanished with a pop, and he slumped, deflated against the bar.
“Sir, I was suspended, for a week. I’m not sure C-Sec wants me representing anything right now.” His eyes flicked downwards and he stared glumly at his empty glass.
The white markings twisted into a smirk, and Garrus had the feeling that he and Nihlus shared something in common when it came to the matter. “Well, this Spectre says you’re un-suspended. Consider it on hold, for now.”
Nihlus turned and began to merge back into the throng of patrons when Garrus caught him quickly by the shoulder. Nihlus’s eyes flashed as he stiffened, only for a second, and the sensible part of Garrus’s over-excited brain noted that it probably was not the best idea to take a Council Spectre by surprise.
“But why me? No offence, but I am not exactly the embodiment of C-Sec values.” The slightest hint of bitter frustration seeped through his subvocals and dissipated under his breath.
Nihlus shrugged, and Garrus’s hand fell limply to his side. “I don’t need C-Sec values. I need keen eyes with a brain between them. Your records show you won’t disappoint me with either.”
Within the space of a salarian heartbeat Nihlus melted back into the crowd, and Garrus was left staring into empty space, heart racing and mandibles flared in a crooked grin.
The soft buzzing of the small insectoid creature crawling its way over his cowl pulled him out of his reverie, and he grimaced as he swatted it away. Despite Nihlus’s insistence on his presence, he had seen absolutely nothing that would warrant a Council Spectre dragging him out into the wilderness of the Terminus Systems.He chuckled under his breath. Maybe if he had known about the jungle part he wouldn’t have bounced his way onto the Spectre’s ship quite so enthusiastically. “I’m getting a bit of interference so they can’t be far.” Nihlus rumbled, low and quiet amongst the soft clicking and chattering of the jungle’s inhabitants.“Should be just up ahead, the perimeter array is just before the edge of that clearing.” The Spectre huffed in a low breath, only the soft glow of his markings betraying his presence in the gloom. “Might as well hole up here for a bit, wait for dark,” Garrus whispered, gesturing towards the uneven yet dry patch of land they had been lucky to stumble across.“Agreed.”As they hunkered down into the rough underbrush, Garrus couldn’t help but feel his sense of unease grow as the day trickled slowly into dark. Nihlus seemed more on edge than usual, eyes flickering, never stopping, darting from one dark shape to another.Garrus didn’t believe in the Spirits, not like some of the older Vakarians. But he could have sworn that the jungle itself came alive that night, twisting, bearing down over them, pushing them towards the compound that lay just through the trees.Whatever lay in that compound, he would be damned if the Spirits didn’t want him to find it.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The compound was tall, dark, and menacing, just the kind of thing you would expect from a fortress, controlled by slavers, hidden in the darkest depths of a hostile jungle planet. The plain grey walls were almost stark against the richness of the surrounding foliage, small slits of windows glinting in the pre-dawn glow.A slight hum of electricity betrayed the presence of the shield webbing arcing over its borders, tiny sparks igniting at the ragged edges of the hole Nihlus had made for them to slip through undetected. He had nonchalantly mentioned the webbing was set to pump a mere 100,000 volts through whatever unfortunate soul tried to cross it, a grin plastered to his face as he described how it would instantly overload suit shielding and probably ignite whoever was within it.
Garrus had let out a strangled yelp, taking a few deep breaths to calm his shaking limbs. He muttered curses, mostly the interesting ones he had learned from a drunk asari at the bar, before continuing his climb through the gap.They crept forward, inch by inch, as they made their way towards the front of the compound, expecting the clang of mercenary armor and heavy boots to greet them at any moment.Their greeting didn’t come as expected, however.The sentries were waiting for them, as predicted, as good mercenaries should be. Guns and grenades were grasped in clammy, three-and-five fingered hands, the last vestiges of suit shields flickering weakly. They wouldn't be protecting much, unfortunately. Not with the small bullet holes placed very precisely between varying sets of eyes. Nihlus clasped his mandibles tight in a frown, nudging the arm sprawled across the walkway with the muzzle of his gun as he crept his way towards it.“Clean hits, precise, no time to react before they died,” he muttered under his breath, quickly rising to scan the surroundings with his omni-tool. “They haven’t been dead long, whoever seems to be ahead of us might still be here.”Garrus knelt beside the body of a batarian sprawled against a doorway, the look of surprise still etched into his features. One hand was clenched tight against his chest, and the gleam of something small and shiny caught his eye. He crinkled his nose in disgust as he carefully pried away the stiff fingers, revealing a small metal rectangle.“Hey, Nihlus? Come over here, I think I found something.”He stood just as Nihlus appeared by his side, twitching uneasily as a soft breeze rustled the jungle behind them, causing shadows to jump, and shift. Garrus turned the small device over, marveling at its lightness. Its design was unfamiliar, nothing like anything he had seen pass through the weapons department at C-Sec, both legal and illegal. It was tiny, fitting snugly into the palm of his hand, with smooth curved edges thin enough he could easily snap it in two if he accidentally closed his fist. It seemed to be made of some kind of aluminum alloy, surrounding a smooth glass panel, with a single, tiny button almost hidden along the seam between materials. “Glass, not holographic? Seems like older tech, but its design looks somehow... newer?” Nihlus mused out loud, mirroring the questions flying through Garrus’s brain. “Is it batarian maybe? Some kind of new tech?”“I doubt it” the Spectre scoffed. “Could be geth, but it doesn’t look like any geth tech I have ever seen”.Garrus’s eyes widened a little in surprise. “You’ve seen geth? I thought they never left the veil?”Nihlus twitched his mandibles in a cracked grin. “Let’s just say... I might have visited the Migrant Fleet on the odd occasion over the years. Dropped off a few ‘collectables’ as it were.” He chuckled at the slack-jawed amazement plastered across Garrus’s face before turning back towards the batarian crumpled on the floor. His brows furrowed and he let out a disconcerted hum. “Come to think of it… I don’t think I have seen anything like this place.”That snapped Garrus out it, and it took him a second to process what exactly it was Nihlus had said. That's when he really saw it. Under the distinctly batarian additions and tech the slavers had made to the place, there was something unmistakably other. Not quite turian, or asari, or anything that reminded him of any of the council races. It was unique, and it was subtle. It was in the way the compound seemed to demand its place in the jungle, unwilling to yield and surrender its claim. At first glance, it was functional, plain and brutish but soon the elegance of its design began to emerge. Dated, but somehow newer.Just like the little box tucked away in his pocket.He looked up to see Nihlus hunched over a tiny control panel that had been hidden on the edge of the doorway. The hallway lights flickered as Nihlus hacked through the door control, panels sliding open with an uneven groan. “Alright, Vakarian you take point. Nothing is showing up on my scans yet, but someone was here before us. I wasn’t the first to bully my way through that door today.”Garrus nodded, silently stepping through the low doorway into the dimly lit hall. It was obviously designed for someone a bit shorter than a turian, they had to duck uncomfortably and his fringe sent the odd spark skittering whenever it had the misfortune to scrape along the ceiling. He almost regretted retracting his helmet, but the inside was cool and refreshing, a paradise compared to the sticky heat of the jungle.It appeared to be some sort of science outpost, abandoned long before it had been found and stripped bare. More bodies lay buckled against walls and doors, necks at odd angles and limbs askew. Chairs were overturned and equipment scattered from tables, some new, some not so much.Old, but new.“Looks like whoever it was is low on ammo, snapped necks instead of bullets. This guy was fried by his own shields” Garrus murmured, cringing at the blackened flesh.“Hmm,” Nihlus nodded in approval. “Single infiltrator, doesn’t want to be overwhelmed by security. Uses stealth and takes them out one by one. Pretty standard.”Professionals then. Just great. Garrus sighed inwardly as they stepped quickly around the bodies, before continuing their way through the darkened corridors. Bodies became sparser, the time in between each gruesome discovery growing longer. Even the slightest noise began pinging Garrus’s nerves like a live wire, gripping his rifle tighter as his sense of unease grew. Nihlus had kept his omnitool out through their entire journey into the compound, its orange glow reflecting eerily off the glazed eyes and the odd blood spatter. His eyes flashed as they jumped from their surroundings to the screen and back again, his incoherent mutterings growing more frequent at each empty room they encountered. Garrus flicked his mandibles in irritation. Clearly, the Specter was expecting something here, yet didn’t feel the need to enlighten him. He could see why his dad disliked the Specters, although disliked was not quite right. Garrus jumped when Nihlus barked a loud “Hah!” and the door panel slid open with a soft whoosh.The stench was the first thing they noticed.The smell of death and decay hit Garrus’s nose like a battering ram, stomach threatening to empty itself onto his boots. Even Nihlus took a step back as the smell assaulted him like a physical blow.The room was small, nothing but rough concrete and tiny slits for windows to illuminate the space as they slowly stepped forward, revealing the source of the smell.Four bodies lay sprawled haphazardly on the floor, limbs askew where they had fallen. Garrus’s keen eye roamed over the krogan closest to the door. He was surprised to see the decay hadn’t fully set in yet, instead the stench rose from the filth and diseased flesh that encrusted him. The plates on his forehead had been chipped away in large chunks, exposing the grey flesh beneath. He was gaunt, the hollows beneath what remained of his eyes sunken and drawn. Garrus definitely regretted retracting the helmet this time.“So they starved them out, then beat them to death?” He queried, nodding his head towards the other turian hunched over another unmoving form.“Uncooperative slaves, needed something to take their anger out on? Or something else?”“I think it might be something else.”If he hadn’t been paying attention, he wouldn’t have noticed the sharp intake of breath and the rumble of satisfaction that just managed to escape the Spectre’s control.“What do you mean?”He strode over just as Nihlus rolled the figure onto its back, hitching his breath in a stifled gasp, his disgust at the stench forgotten.At first glance, it seemed to be asari. It had the same form, long limbs with too many fingers and short stubby toes, and a torso with the same curves and shapes. When he looked closer, he saw that the bright red fluid covering the creature appeared to be its blood, and the skin underneath was a sickly mottled pink. Smooth, not at all like the rougher, scaled blue he expected. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Nihlus stand back to observe his inspection of this strange new creature.The head was rounded, like the asari, but long ragged fibers hung from patches growing around the skull. Two bizarre swirled, conical flaps sat either side, although he suspected a chunk was missing from one, judging by the lopsided appearance and dirt encrusted edges. One eye was missing, and so were a few of the short, blunt teeth.He sat back with a sigh. As emaciated, bloodied and beaten as it may be, there was no doubt that this was no asari. This was something new, something unknown and exciting.His heart raced as he leaned forwards to greedily drink in every detail. Excitement and wonder and a touch of sorrow blended into a heady cocktail that left him breathless, fueling that fire, that morbid curiosity. If this were C-Sec, he would have been mired in regulations and paperwork before he could blink. It would be scooped up, taped up, and filed away with a glaring “restricted access only” tag. This was his opportunity. A new species. Maybe even the ones responsible for the strange device and the stranger compound.He didn’t miss the way Nihlus watched him carefully, scanning for the slightest reaction as he spoke. “We need to inform the council. They’ll want to know where the hell the batarians dug them up, seeing as they look pretty close to the asari.”The Council. Ah. Somehow, he forgot about the Council. He dipped his head sharply in agreement as he jerked upright, followed by a huff of irritation. Nihlus tilted his head quizzically and opened his mouth to say something when he was interrupted by a soft thud and the muffled clang of metal.They spun around almost simultaneously, guns at the ready, pointed towards the small, unremarkable door at the other end of the room. Garrus had merely glanced over it before, preoccupied with the state of the rooms other occupants. He chastised himself silently as they quickly stepped around the bodies to flank the door. Number one rule in C-Sec, always be aware of your environment.Nihlus crouched in front of the panel, fingers flying as he worked quickly to disengage the doors locking mechanism with a muted click. He ducked to the side, crooking his fingers at Garrus in a surprisingly accurate C-Sec hand signal. Spent enough time with C-Sec to learn commands. Noted. Garrus filed that one away for later. Filed it away with everything else for later. A new species. A hidden compound filled with mysterious devices and an unknown infiltrator. It had been a busy day.He took a deep breath, braced himself, and charged at the door just as Nihlus slammed a fist into the panel.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The screaming had gone on for hours, maybe even days now. Who knows, time seemed to work differently in this place. Spend enough of it locked in a cell slightly larger than your closet and it all seems to blur together. But still, as disgusting and cramped as it was, its better than the alternative.Out there, with them.Shepard blinked slowly, eyes unseeing in the darkness as she brushed the lanky ragged strands from her face with trembling fingers. It had been so long since their last visit, she almost wondered if they had forgotten her. Her stomach twisted in a protest that seemed near-constant these days. Sometimes it seemed like it, others... well. An involuntary flinch caused her broken, battered leg to flare with the pain of memory. She just hoped they didn’t remember her right now.She shuddered as the hollering of the giant lizard-like alien - Spikes, she had called him in her head - suddenly cracked and fell silent. Another gone in as many days. Frozen in place, all senses buzzing on high alert, she strained trying to make sense of the strange, cloying language filtering through the gap beneath the door. She had tried to piece it together, make some sense of it all. So far, her efforts had been relatively fruitless. It was rough and abrasive to her ears, and her tongue struggled to wrap around the shapes when she had tried to imitate it. Not good enough to communicate, but enough to pick up general intent. Mainly, if it was going to be a good day or a bad one.The voices seemed to argue for a few minutes, becoming more heated before finally, blessedly, drifting towards the door. She let out an audible sigh and slumped further into the dirty mattress at the soft sigh of the doors behind them. The silence left behind was deafening after the screams, and she took a deep breath, filling her lungs as she had not dared to while they were there. Tears of relief prickled at her eyes, and she wiped them away quickly with the corner of her ragged shirt. Shepard liked Spikes. Something about him reminded her of the grumpy old man that had lived down her street as a child. Sure, he had ignored her every attempt at communication, but he still made sure she got her share of the mystery rations they were fed on occasion. In this place, that was outright affection.Exhausted, she huddled into the mattress and let her eyelids flutter closed.
Sirens blared through the streets, and streetlights swung haphazardly as explosions rocked the compound. Jane Shepard scrambled from her bunk, stumbling as she struggled into her boots and pulled her old sweater over her head. Feet thundered their way past the door, one pair stopping to fling it open with a bellow.
“On your feet, we are under attack!”
“Under attack from who?”
He paused, and she could see the fear bubbling just under the surface as he spoke, light from the hallway drawing shadows long across his face.
“Unidentified assailants. Not… human.”
She blinked in confusion, opening her mouth to ask just what he meant by ‘not human’ but he was already gone, and the footsteps had quietened to reveal the shouts and broken screams coming from the prefabs outside. The colony was relatively new, only just having got to its feet after its first year, another to be added to the Alliances long list of successfully colonized worlds. Humanity had been exploring the stars for decades now, ever since the discovery of the relay had propelled them further than they ever could have imagined. But the stars had been empty, void of other intelligent life, only the leftover scraps of whatever great civilization had come before them.
Until now, apparently.
Her heart pounded as she hastily made her way through the building towards the armory. She had walked those halls a thousand times over the last year, she could walk them in her sleep if she had to. Now it was like a living nightmare, the air thick with smoke and debris that poured in through gaping wounds in the walls, exposing the twisted metal remains of the skeleton beneath. She rounded the corner to what was supposed to be the armory, and her relief was shattered as she caught a glimpse of limbs tangled beneath a pile of rubble. The fear that had kept the adrenaline pumping through her veins threatened to overflow. She paused, taking a deep breath that hissed through her teeth. The warm, familiar hum of the biotic energy sparked through her fingertips as she forced herself to calm. No use losing your head now, Shepard. That was only the main armory. Each building has its own, just need to get to one of the others.
Before she could take a step, a crackle of blue light leaped from behind the remains of a mangled door.
“Shepard! Oh, thank god.”
Shepard huffed a sigh of relief as Kaidan rounded the corner, unclenching her fist from over her non-existent pistol. He looked wild, face streaked with soot and blood, black like tar under the blue glow of his biotics. She felt his eyes heavy upon her as he quickly looked her up and down, assessing her for injury before crushing her into his arms. “We need to go, Jane, we need to get out of here!”
She mumbled into his shoulder.“I’ve told you before not to call me that.”
“I'm sorry I just…” He huffed a ragged sigh, breath tickling the fine hairs on the back of her neck. She let her heart take a moment to steel itself with his warmth before stepping back. “Kaidan, what’s going on? Who’s attacking us?”
Kaidan took a moment to take in the desolate remains of the armory, one hand raking through his hair while his biotics continued to crackle and spit with agitation.
“They came out of nowhere,” he groaned, swallowing the words thickly, and she heard them catch within his throat. “We were just starting our patrols when a ship just… appeared over the south gate. Before we knew what was happening, they were on us and… and their firepower…”
He began to pace back and forth amongst the tight confines of the rubble, and Jane felt her heart sink with each step.
“Shepard, their weapons, they’re unbelievable. They took out the entire southern prefab in an instant! We can’t compete with that! We couldn’t -”
“- Alenko!” She cut into his downward spiral with a sharp bark. If their guns were useless they still had their biotics, but that is no use if their best one worked himself into a frenzy.
Her fingers brushed the new N7 pin that clung to her sweater. It was a little ridiculous, but since she had earned it a few weeks ago, she couldn't bear to let it leave her sight. Ash and Kaidan had teased her relentlessly when they gathered at the mess to play poker the night before, but now its cool metal soothed her nerves and cleared her head.
She had earned this. Time to put it into practice.
“Right, first things first. WHO was attacking us?”
Shepard saw him flinch as the words left her. He shook his head and looked away, a burst of biotics sending sparks from his fingertips. “I don’t know… but they’re not human.” He shuddered, taking a breath before continuing. “Humanoid maybe. But too many eyes.”
A shiver crawled its way down her spine as the implications hit her. Part of the colony protection training had involved the concept of a first contact scenario, but as humanity had expanded through the empty stars it had fallen to the wayside until it was reduced to a lecture or two and a chapter of an Alliance textbook. She pushed the thought aside with a grimace. Textbooks were never her thing anyway.
“Well then. Too many eyes or no, we round up who we can, find ourselves some nice things to shoot with, and find somewhere to hunker down.” She let her face slip into a wry grin and saw Kaidan’s shoulders shrink back a little from their quest to climb up to his ears.
His face twisted into a grin of its own, and he let out a stifled laugh. “Just like that huh.”
“Just like that.”
The murmur of voices cut through the cacophony, and she scrambled for his arm, pulling him roughly into an alcove set deep in shadow. They only had to wait a few minutes, hearts pounding in their ears as three figures crept around the corner and picked their way carefully over the debris.
They were humanoid like Kaidan had said, but… off. Shoulders just a little too broad, just a little too tall. The head was larger, slightly bulbous, with large bony ridges cutting through the face and down the sides of the mouth. Where the nose should be, curved ridges trailed down toward thin-set lips and a large broad chin. A small part of her chuckled at the pointed, elf-like ears, but was quickly stifled by the eyes.
Too many eyes, deep-set and utterly black, gleaming beadily within their sockets. The first set, large and wide apart, all-seeing amongst the soot and the smoke, while the smaller, shallower pair seated above the first darted from one thing to another, never settling for long.
Their armor was rough and well used, and their weapons glinted viciously in the light as the one at point stopped to kick at the boots peeking out beneath the rubble. He muttered something to the others in a deep, guttural voice that echoed the crackling laughter in response.
As they moved towards the alcove, she felt Kaidan tense beside her, and she quickly threw up an arm and a stern look. The hairs on the back of her neck tingled as she drew from the energy that had clouded her fingertips, the amp in the back of her neck growing warm with the effort.
She motioned to wait for her mark, and as she felt the energy coalesce she leaped from the alcove with a shout, shockwave driving through the intruders.
Kaidan followed with a roar, his own throw sending the alien at the rear sprawling, landing with a wet thud against the wreckage. The remaining two had been knocked off their feet, and Shepard took advantage of their surprise by yanking the gun from the flailing alien's grip. He shouted, all four eyes focused on her as he scrabbled for purchase, while his remaining companion clambered to his feet
It felt almost familiar to her hands, but now was not the time for admiration.
Shepard leveled her new weapon at the scrambling alien, praying she was at least holding it approximately right, her voice rough and cracking as the thickening smoke scraped the sides of her throat. “Stay right where you are - “
The alien froze, his lip crinkled into an undeniable sneer. Huh. It seems waving a gun about and barking orders were pretty universal signals. File that one away for later. She took a second to take note of Kaidan’s position and adjust the weapon humming cheerfully in her arms - shit, it was heavier than she thought - and what did this flashing light mean? Flashing lights usually aren’t good right?
CRACK
Sparks skittered over the dusty floor, and biotics surrounded the second alien, illuminating him in a soft glow before hurling him across the room to join the first, his scream cut off as abruptly as it started.
“Kaidan!?” Shepard called, only the slightest waver betraying her fear. She spared a quick glance only to see him doubled over, breathing heavily with an arm wrapped tentatively around his side.
“I’m fine Shepard,” he gasped between breaths “he shot me, but I’ll live.” He eased himself upright, one hand still clasped at his side, and her brow furrowed as she saw the stain spreading slowly across his stomach. “We just need to get moving.”
Shepard nodded in agreement, jerking the muzzle still aimed at the alien watching their exchange, a mix of amusement and disgust splayed across his features. “Get up.”
He responded with a grating laugh, followed by a flurry of words no doubt less than pleasant. None the less, he laboriously hauled himself to his feet, sighing as she nudged him forwards through the corridor. Fear flooded through her veins as they crept back through the rubble, lights flickering overhead. First, find a med station. Then deal with the captive.
The first med station they came across was empty, and Shepard felt a lead weight of worry begin to settle in her gut. The second and third were too, and by this time she could hear Kaidan’s breathing becoming more labored, and the biotic glow of the barrier surrounding them started to waver.
“It’s ok Kaidan, we’re almost there. We just need to make it across to that next building.” He nodded grimly, and she slowly peeked open the exterior door, determining it was clear before waving them out, giving their captive an extra prod forward for good measure.
The sizzle of electricity was the only warning before her knees buckled, writhing to the floor as her spine screamed and fire raced along every nerve. She was vaguely aware of Kaidan’s muffled yell, and the thump of his body hitting the dirt, while the hazy form of her attacker leaned over her, needle-sharp teeth bared in a vicious grin. The fire cut out abruptly, her vision spinning as her stomach emptied itself in the dirt.
Her eyes flicked towards Kaidan, just in time to see a boot deliver itself into his guts, the resulting howl clawing at her senses, wrenching a hoarse scream from her throat.
Four sets of black eyes upon her, four crooning laughs crawling over her skin like greasy fingers, before the fire licked at her nerves and her mind retreated down, down, into the blackness.
BANGShe jolted upright, scrambling off the side of the cot as her pulse thundered in her ears and veins flooded with adrenaline. How much time had passed? Were they back already? Did they remember her? Come back to tear and prod and laugh at her screams like the others?Throwing herself to the ground, leg screaming in protest, her fingers clawed at the underneath of the filthy mattress, prying the sharpened steel wire from its hiding place. She ran the edge flat against her palm and sighed. It probably wouldnt do much good, but it would be better than nothing. There was nowhere to take cover, so she settled with sliding between the end of the cot and wall, cool concrete pressing hard against the ridges of her spine while her bad leg twisted awkwardly of her.And she waited. The walls were thick, but Shepard could still make out the odd thump and shout. It sounded like whatever it was, it was making swift work of the occupants, and most importantly, moving away from her tiny darkened prison. A small part of her grinned at the thought of her captors at the other end of the stick for once. The compound had been attacked before, but the aliens - batarians, they called themselves - had run off the intruders with relative ease. At one point, what felt like hours later, she swore she heard a sound from overhead, the almost imperceptible rustle of fabric coming from the small grate in the ceiling. But as soon as it came, it was gone again, and she began to wonder if the weeks of torture and sitting in the dark were driving her mad.Her legs had long begun to cramp, and she was starting to wonder if she had been left to rot in a closet when she heard an unmistakable “Hah!” and the soft woosh of the doors opening. A wave of fear threatened to rise up again, but she crushed it down, gripping her makeshift weapon tighter as she strained to make out the voices filtering through the doorway. Smooth and flanging, they were decidedly different to the harsh, guttural barks she was used to.The source of the earlier commotion? A spark of hope dared to flicker in her chest. She swallowed, dry tongue rasping at the roof of her mouth. Gotta find out sooner or later, right?Quick and careful, she tucked her legs back under herself and tried to stand, gingerly testing her mangled limb. Only to be betrayed as it trembled and collapsed, sending her sprawling, dropping her beloved wire and grabbing the frame of the cot with a loud clang.She froze as the voices cut off abruptly, stomach dropping into her boots. Quick light steps. The soft beeps of the console outside the door, the click of the lock.She straightened, fist clenched and teeth gritted in a snarl, and braced for what was to come.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Garrus wasn’t sure what he expected to find in the tiny, nondescript room. More of a closet, really. Part of him hoped it would be their mystery assassin, who had been kind enough to clear their way through the compound.What he did not expect was the small, angry creature, eyes bright and snarling like he had just walked into a varren’s nest. A survivor, judging by the scraps of cloth clinging to the thin, emaciated body, and the bruises that looked almost black in the blue biotic light as it bloomed across its skin.A creature just like the strange body outside. Alive. Very angry, very alive, very biotic.He squashed down the thrill of excitement and took a moment to evaluate the cramped, filthy room. Nihlus’s breath was hot on the back of his neck as he felt the Spectre sidle in beside him, pistol steady and omnitool at the ready.The room was tiny, most of the space taken up by a cot that had seen better days, a filthy mattress, and an empty bowl. The creature was braced against the wall with one hand, eyes darting warily as the other brandished a sharpened scrap of wire. It sucked in a hissing breath as the light streamed in from behind him, blinking furiously before swiping away the strands stuck limply to its brow. Beaten and starved certainly, but the look it gave him was calculating. Desperate and ready to fight.His gaze was drawn to the mangled leg, and he cringed internally. The remnants of a pant leg formed a filthy bandage, the flesh mottled and discoloured, with the joint bent at a strange angle and booted foot dangling limply below. Slowly, he lowered his rifle, raising one hand in supplication. For once on this mission, it looks like some of his C-sec training would come in handy after all.“Easy now, we’re not here to hurt you.” He rumbled, subharmonics projecting as much calm into his voice as he could muster. He adjusted his stance, limbs held loosely, looking at a spot on the wall directly above the head rather than straight on. Unthreatening and unassuming, but still in control.Nihlus readjusted his pistol with a huff. “Don’t be making promises you can’t keep Vakarian.”Garrus rolled his eyes at the Spectre, making sure to keep at least one on the figure at the end of the bed. “Just ignore him, he’s just grumpy because he forgot to bring his tupari.”“She has a weapon.”“It’s a bedspring!”“Fine. If she stabs you with it I’m not patching you up.”Nihlus’s mandibles twitched restlessly as Garrus took a deep breath and a tentative step forward. “She, you reckon?”Whatever she was, she glowered suspiciously at both of them, brow furrowed as she pressed herself back against the wall as if she could melt through it. Emotions flickered across her features faster than he could register them, and for once he really wished he had completed that XenoAnthro101: Emotions and Motions eLearning module Pallin had distributed to the whole department the month prior.Nihlus gestured with his omnitool, sending the orange glow skittering across the ceiling. “I scanned her while you were busy gawking. It’s just preliminary, it can’t tell me much, just that she is probably a she, and that she’s levo. I’ll be able to tell more once we get her back to the ship”.“Huh.”He glanced back to find her watching them carefully. She had lowered her makeshift weapon a little but quickly raised it as he took another step towards her. She was within arms reach now, but he kept his arms up and loose, only lowering them once she had settled. Her throat bobbed up and down a few times before a raspy, croaking voice came out, stumbling over words as if they hadn’t been used in a while.He tapped one talon to the side of his head. “Sorry, I can’t understand you, and I am guessing you can’t understand me either”. Her brows furrowed, making a little v in the centre of her face. It suddenly hit him just how different she was, how alien those two little fuzzy stripes made her.Garrus Vakarian, making first contact with a new species.When Nihlus had pulled him for this mission, first contact protocols weren’t exactly what first sprang to mind.He sighed as she remained silent, eyes still flitting between him and Nihlus, resting on his pistol for a second before darting away. No implants. So, not processed yet. He thanked the spirits for that much at least, grimacing a little at the prospect of trying to communicate without a translator.Garrus fumbled for the spare water pack he usually kept tucked into his suit, cracking open the seal and dribbling a little onto the filthy mattress to reveal its contents. His heart beat double time as he leaned towards her, pack clutched lightly in the tips of his talons.“Here, it’s just water, I promise”.Garrus and Nihlus watched as her thirst warred with her fear and won out, quickly snatching the pack and sniffing its contents, then downing it so fast it dribbled over the bruises on her chin. She tossed the empty pack into the corner with a sigh.
BOOM
The ground shuddered, and her eyes flashed wildly as they darted between Garrus and Nihlus, holding the wire back between them as if it were a knife ten times the size.He started as Nihlus shoved a medigel pack in his hands before whirling to sprint out the door.“Uh, Kryik?”“Get her patched up best you can, we’re leaving!”Garrus turned back to the survivor, and his breath caught as blue biotics crackled down the length of thin sharpened wire inches from his throat.Mistake. Castis’s voice rumbled in his head. Never take your eye off the enemy.Her teeth were bared, fury plain across all her features, betrayed only by the tremor of exhaustion that shook her. She barked another string of words, rough and scratching.Garrus stepped back slowly, raising his hands to show her the medigel pack before gesturing to her injured leg.“It’s ok, I just want to get that leg patched up, then I will get you out of here.”Her eyes narrowed as he pointed again at the pack, then at the ruins of her leg. Another explosion shook the compound and she stumbled, bracing herself with one hand on the edge of the cot with a yelp. Glancing down, she let out a heavy sigh before awkwardly perching herself on the mattress. When Garrus looked at her warily, she rolled her eyes and tossed the wire into the corner with the empty water pack.Garrus knelt best he could in the confined space and unwrapped the bandaged joint carefully, tossing it aside to reveal a mess of blood and bone. The stench of infection filled his nostrils. Not good.He glanced up at the survivor watching him with bated breath.“This is gonna hurt a little bit, but it won’t last long”.Although she couldn’t understand his words, she seemed to get the gist of what he was saying. She squeezed her eyes shut with a nod.Garrus quickly smeared the thick gel over the grisly wound, ignoring her gasps and grunts of pain. He took a moment to inspect the limp foot, trying to figure out just how he was even going to do this when a small hand knocked his aside and deftly began undoing the awkward contraption of knots and straps that formed a boot.The rattle of gunfire echoed from the depths of the compound, followed by a shout, and Garrus scrambled to his feet as the survivor gingerly worked her foot free of her boot, abandoning it as it clattered to the floor and bounced under the cot.Nihlus’s voice crackled through the comms, tinny and weak.“Vakarian… breached… have jammers…”He swore under his breath. No doubt some kind of distress beacon had been triggered during the first attack.He glanced back at the survivor.There was no way she would be able to move fast enough with that leg. He swiftly scooped her off the cot and hefted her over his shoulder and she let out an indignant squawk, fists flailing at his back.“Look, I’m sorry but we gotta go!”.She spat an undeniable string of angry curses and he shuddered as her biotics crackled angrily across his skin. A part of him wondered idly if any of them would be worth adding to his repertoire.Sparks skittered as he dashed through into the room where the other bodies lay. Or should have laid. Someone had moved them, and the other strange alien was gone. Nihlus? He shook his head, filing it away for later.Shouts echoed as he rounded the corner to the hallway and skidded to a halt.“Not that way then,” he said dryly, and he felt her freeze at the clamour of voices echoing down the hallway.He took off back towards the cell, his long strides eating up the ground even as he hunched awkwardly, drawing small grunts of pain from his cargo.Suddenly she let out a squawk, frantically slapping at his cowl and pointing down to a tiny vent grate to his left as he skidded to a stop.“That way, really?”He eyed the hatch with trepidation. She must have sensed it, as he felt her head bob up and down as she grunted in what sounded like an agreement.He sighed. There weren’t a lot of options.“Sure alright, let’s stuff a 7ft turian into a 3ft hole and see how that works out.”As gently as he could manage, he lowered her to the ground, keenly aware of the speed of the voices approaching them. She was too, and she quickly popped the latch, then shuffled to the side, gesturing for Garrus to go first.He crawled inside best he could, wincing as his armour shrieked and ground against the metal shaft, ending up sprawling awkwardly on his back, one arm tucked behind as he shifted to allow himself to bring his other arm and pistol up to face the grate. Spirits, he was already beginning to ache.She scrambled in after him, surprisingly agile despite the injuries to her leg. He watched as her fingers trembled slightly, fastening the door back in place just as the clatter of boots rounded the corner. She silently scooted herself back as far as his bulk would allow, tucking herself between his legs with her back against his chest. She glanced back at him, her face turning a surprising shade of pink and he was suddenly very acutely aware of just how close she was, pressed up against him in some twisted parody of an embrace, a flush quickly climbing up his neck as she tried to wriggle further out of view.
What?! No, just, ugh, deal with it Garrus, you weirdo.
They froze as the voices drew up alongside their hiding place.“Where did they go? There’s nothing down there but more cell blocks.”“The vent maybe?”“Both of them? No way, the turian wouldn’t fit in there.”They watched in silence as three batarians skulked past the vent, their bright blue armour glinting through the vent grate.Blue Suns?Garrus furrowed his brow. None of his citadel contacts had mentioned anything about the suns moving away from their usual choices of red sand and arms and mods of dubious quality.They both listened intently as the batarians searched the remaining cells, kicking down doors and ripping the cots away from the walls. He felt her tremble through his armour as the stomach-curling stench of fear rolled off her in shallow waves. But still, she was focused and determined, every inch of her taut and ready.Finally, their pursuers gave up their search, seeming to have come to the conclusion that their quarry was not so tiny as to be able to fit inside a mattress.Both of them held their breath as they passed, only letting go once the sound of their footsteps had faded.They both jumped as the omnitool on his wrist gave a loud chirp, the glowing orange illuminating the cramped space. Garrus grumbled at where his forehead had hit the roof of the vent and she let out a tiny bell of laughter before clamping a hand over her mouth, a huff of breath that washed away the tension.He wriggled his arm out from underneath her best he could, grunting as he struggled to reach the interface around her without dropping the pistol.“Can you give me a hand here? Just hit the button for me.”She twisted her head around in what was surely an impossible position to stare at him, confusion lacing her features.He waved the omnitool towards her best he could without smacking her in the face with it, gesturing towards the blinking button with the butt of his pistol. Her eyes sparked with realization, and she gingerly poked at his wrist with a trembling finger, jerking back as the large glowing interface materialized beneath her nose.It was a map of the compound, with notes beside what looked like a hastily scrawled pathway directing a way through the maze of rooms and corridors to the outside. Finally, Nihlus must have found a console to hack, which meant the spectre was still alive and kicking, somewhere.
Voice comms are down, reinforcements arrived with some kind of jammer. Injured, but safe for now.
Use the map, head to these coordinates.
Garrus let out a sigh of relief he didn’t know he’d been holding, the small tufts on her head fluttering across her face as he did so. He looked down to see her carefully studying the map through the back of the interface, brow scrunched in concentration.“Ok, looks like we gotta go.” He gestured to the grate at his feet. “If you wouldn’t mind letting us out, that would be great.”The corner of her mouth turned up in a small smile, and she quickly scooted to the end of the vent, plucking the grate out of its socket and placing it carefully on the floor before hopping out. Garrus grimaced a little at the noise his armour made trying to shuffle himself down, taking her extended hand gratefully as he hauled himself out and slopped down onto the floor like that old unidentifiable foodstuff he found in the back of his refrigeration unit that one time.He stood slowly, groaning as his cramped muscles protested at their freedom. She chuckled, commenting to herself with something that was surely at his expense as he dusted himself off and unhooked the assault rifle from his back.Trying to carry her and escape from the base was definitely going to be more of a “spray and pray” kind of situation. Unfortunately he was not the spraying type, preferring to err on the side of obnoxiously accurate, and his father was the one into all the spirits garbage. The only reason he even carried the AR was at Nihlus’s insistence that enemies did, in fact, exist in large quantities at mid range.She sensed his uncertainty, and held a hand out expectantly.“You don’t think I’m just going to give you my gun, do you?”That earned him another scowl and he laughed before tucking the AR under one arm, unholstering his pistol on the other side and turning it over in his hand. The heavy pistol would pack a lot more kick, but the AR could lay down a lot more suppressive fire…He started as she let out a sharp ahem and his mandibles snapped to his jaw with an audible clack. She rolled her eyes at whatever expression was on his face, before gesturing to the pistol, and taking a surprisingly accurate shooting stance despite the leg.Ok so she knows how to use a gun but that doesn’t mean she knows how to use this gun. Besides, he was pretty sure giving trauma victims guns was right up there in the list of Bad Ideas. Unfortunately, he was also out of good ones.“Do you even know how to use something like this?”She doesn't dignify him with a response, just continues to bore her eyes into his skull, grumbling to herself as she tries to distill all she was trying to say down into a withering stare.For what seemed like the 4715th time that day Garrus sighed heavily, offering her the weapon, cradling it with one hand as if it were his own newborn child.Lightning fast she reached under his arm and foisted the AR out of his grip and into her own with ease. For a moment, Garrus couldn’t decide whether to be offended or impressed, so he settled for a sputter of indignation.The bulk of the weapon contrasted with her stick thin limbs and sunken cheeks. She grinned as the AR hummed to life in her arms, and for some odd reason it reminded him of holos he’d seen of young krogan proudly displaying their first arm cannon.Her grin was infectious, and he flared his own back at her as she flushed the heat sink, a fierce gleam in her eye as it clattered to the ground.“Alright then, let’s get ourselves out of here.”