Mass Effect - A Hero Rises Ch. 13

I had been hoping to discover someone in charge, but while we killed a lot of their soldiers and scientist, either the person in charge had escaped or they'd been killed during our assault. Entering what I assumed was their main chamber, they made their last stand. That's when we took a few hits, as they threw everything at us. All we did was launch grenades, tech and biotic attacks, while Wrex seemed to simply psyche himself up then simply charge forward. Watching an enormous krogan smash through their barrier and start flinging people around is amusing until you realise their fire turned form you to him. Basically, he was the perfect distraction at that moment, and we started to mow them down.

Only when I approached him and murder remained in his eyes was I concerned. He turned and grabbed me by the throat, the look in his eyes suggesting he had forgotten who I was. I didn't do anything for a moment and didn't say a thing as I knew it wouldn't do anything. He'd told me all he was experiencing. I felt his hands squeeze my throat. All I did was reach forward and place a hand on his shoulder. It took a few seconds, but that seemed to calm him down. A second hand on his shoulder, this one from Tali, calmed him further.

"It's okay, Wrex," Tali said quietly.

"Huh?" Wrex asked, shaking his head.

"It's us, Wrex. You're.... um, holding... Shepard."

Wrex looked at me and immediately removed his hand from my throat. "Oh..."

I merely clasped his shoulder tighter. "You okay, my friend?"

"Oh, I'm fine, but... Shepard..."

"Don't worry. You told me it happens sometimes. I'm still alive, that's what matters. And you did good, Wrex. Cleared out a lot of these bastards."

"That blood rage is a bitch sometimes." Then he turned to Tali and gave her a hug. "Thank you, little one."

"Didn't want you choking Shepard to death," she retorted with humour, Wrex rumbling with laughter as the three of us walked towards the others.

Bodies lay everywhere. Plenty of those wearing armour, but quite a few that wore lab coats. We searched them for evidence as Tali and Alenko approached what appeared to be a massive computer. As I watched everything, I heard Tali shout out. "Shepard, they're deleting everything!"

"Get whatever the fuck you can, Tali!"

"Alenko, help me!" Tali cried. The two of them took a workstation each, their fingers working overtime as they tried to capture whatever it was that Cerberus was up to. I hoped we could gain enough information to figure out what they were doing, who led them, what they were hoping to achieve. The concern I had was even the Alliance didn't seem to know much about them. Labelled them a terrorist organisation, they'd been behind a few things that had made the news, but apart from that, they knew very little.

The pair of them saved what they could but when the countdown timer started, that's when I suggested we get the hell out of there. We all ran for the entrance, hearing the time count down from sixty, fifty, forty, thirty, twenty. It was down to ten by the time we all ran out of the entrance, gathering near the Mako as the ground started to rumble, hearing explosions beneath our feet. We quickly boarded the Mako, some simply clambering onto the roof or side as I floored it. The ground didn't exactly disappear beneath our feet but I wasn't prepared to take that chance, eventually driving up a hill and coming to a stop, all of us gathering together as we looked down upon the now destroyed Cerberus facility.

"Reckon that's the end of them?" Ashley wondered.

"Doubt it," I muttered, "Anyone know their mythology? Know who or what Cerberus was?" No-one answered. "I'll put it simply. Cerberus was known as the hound of Hades, a multi-headed dog that guarded the gates of the Underworld to prevent the dead from leaving. Got to love Ancient Greek mythology."

"So then if this was one of their operations, there would be at least a few more?" Garrus asked.

"Bingo, Garrus. I reckon this was but one arm of what they were doing. We've put a dent into whatever they were trying to achieve here, but there are at least two more heads to kill. We just need to find them."

Calling in the Normandy, we were picked up a few minutes later, and I ordered Joker to take us to the nearest relay, ready for the next mission. As we were making our way, I received a communication from someone I simply didn't expect to hear from. Apparently Kohaku had made some contacts during his investigation into Cerberus, including the Shadow Broker. He was the one now trying communicate with me, asking Joker to patch it through. After he explained everything to me, he asked I was willing to forward everything we'd discovered on Nepheron to him.

"What do I get out of it?" I wondered.

"The assistance of a valuable ally should run into trouble further down the line, Commander. You have little idea of my reach. Don't hand the data over, I will find it eventually. But had it over now, and consider yourself to be in the favour of the Shadow Broker. Make of that what you wish."

"Fuck it, you know what? Have the data. I don't really give a shit. I'll ask my colleagues to send it to you as soon as possible."

"Thank you, Shepard. Expect to see some credits in your account within the next solar day. I will also ask all of my associates, most of who you won't know, to assist you in regards to your mission regarding the rogue Spectre Saren. I wish you well in your attempt to take him down."

And, with those final words, the communication link was cut. I had a feeling that wouldn't be the last time I had dealings with the Shadow Broker, but for now, I liked to think things were slightly in my favour.

*****

"Oh fuck," Kaidan moaned. Wrex was being his usual self, not gentle at all. They'd been fucking for a while by now so the end was near at least.

"Not long," Wrex grunted.

Kaidan could only lean down against the table and wait for it to be over. It might sound like he wasn't enjoying it. He was, but Wrex lasted a long time and there's only so much the human body can take before it cries enough. The big krogan finally buried himself a final time, causing Kaidan to yelp, feeling him fill up before the krogan seemed to relax behind him. Then, as the krogan withdrew, he felt disappointed as he was suddenly empty.

"I'll admit, I do still enjoy this," Wrex mumbled as he took a few steps back to lean against the wall.

Kaidan didn't move, not trusting his body for the moment. "Still having second thoughts?" The krogan remained silent. That gave Kaidan his answer, though he wasn't going to make a big deal about it. "Wrex, I'm not going to cry or get upset about it. We've had fun but if you want to stop, then we'll stop."

"Despite what we just did?"

He couldn't help chuckle. "Consider it a last hurrah." He turned his head to see Wrex behind him. "Plus, I know you've been with others and can understand..."

Wrex shook his head. "No, that's not important and not the reason why. You know why I'm... reconsidering..." Wrex walked forward, grabbing a pair of chairs to sit down, his massive cock dangling between his legs. "Look, Kaidan, you're a sweet guy, even I can tell that. But while you're getting your rocks off with me, you should be out there looking for someone to love. And I'll put this as bluntly as possible. I'm not it. I love to fuck, and fucking you is a lot of fun, but it's not going to go anywhere. Trust me, find someone to love, whether it's your own species or, I don't know, turian or... whoever you find yourself attracted to."

Kaidan nodded in understanding. "Last hurrah then, Wrex. But it's been fun."

The big krogan stood up started to dress himself. "Well, I can honestly say human men and women are a lot of fun to be physical with, at least. Never thought that would happen when joining up."

Kaidan just sat on the desk, wincing slightly. "And I never thought I'd end up being fucked by an enormous krogan."

Wrex chuckled. "Hell, you, Ashley and Shepard have proven to be rather open-minded when it comes to the sex with aliens thing." Kaidan watched him approach, laying a hand on his shoulder. "But this is for the best. Find someone that you can love and also be intimate with."

"And if I can't?"

"Then you can call me."

It was said in such a tone, Kaidan couldn't help but laugh. "Thanks, Wrex. I might just do that someday for old times' sake."

Wrex wandered out of the room, leaving Kaidan alone for a while. All he did was lie back and let the dull ache subside. Sex was always good but, well, Wrex being as large as he was, no matter what they did, it was going to hurt. A good sort of hurt, but there was always residual pain afterwards.

"Going to dress or what, LT?" Kaidan couldn't help but cringe as he looked up, noticing Shepard at the door. He went to cover himself, still naked on the table. "Swear to god, I'm just going to rename this as the 'sex room'. Everyone seems to like fucking in here."

He was surprised Shepard didn't seem bothered about his nudity, so stopped covering himself up. He noticed Shepard smirk. "Trust me, LT, you get used to seeing everything. Comfortable in my own sexuality so I'm not making a big deal out of it."

Chuckling, he asked, "Did you actually need something, Shepard? Or just here to shoot the shit while I sit here naked and feeling rather awkward about it?"

"I've received an assignment that I need your help with. Just come through so it's still fresh in my mind. Ever heard of Major Kyle?"

"Name rings a bell. Something about Torfan?"

"Bingo. He was the CO there. Saw a lot of shit go down. Apparently suffering PTSD, but apart from his discharge, he apparently had next to no help. Started a biotic commune, and all seemed well. Alliance sent two officers to chat with him a few days back. Haven't been heard from since. Hackett wants me to go in and talk to him. Figured taking a couple of biotics along would help."

"You referencing my time at BAaT, sir?"

"That's exactly what I'm going on about. All I want to do is end it peacefully."

"You think the two officers are dead?" Shepard nodded. "Shit, alright, let me get dressed and we can discuss this further." He couldn't help chuckle though. "I know you've done this just to make me feel awkward."

"Yep, you're right there," Shepard retorted before he wandered out.

Kaidan dressed but he really needed a shower first as he was rather hot, sweaty and sticky after his exertions, so after he'd had a nice clean, he found Shepard in the mess, going over the details of what the former Major Kyle had apparently been up to. He didn't know they were already on their way, Shepard suggesting they'd be in orbit outside the planet the next day.

Loading into the Mako for the usual drop, only Shiala and Liara were alongside him, Shepard only bringing biotics for the mission, the only reason he was going is that he was in charge. He'd already told him in confidence that, if he had his choice, he would have let Alenko deal with it himself. He couldn't help smile at the trust that showed in him.

Shepard didn't have anyone take the gun as the team landed, not expecting any sort of resistance when they arrived. Major Kyle wouldn't have known they were coming but he certainly wouldn't go picking a fight. Shepard had already talked about trying to reason with him, talk him into coming back for treatment, suggesting it was the clearest case of PTSD he'd ever seen. "God knows what the poor bastard saw on Torfan," he'd stated, "The sort of shit that stays on your soul and conscience for your life. The Alliance did the right thing giving him an honourable discharge and early retirement, but let him down by not immediately giving him the treatment he obviously needs.

"What about these other biotics?" Alenko asked.

"I can't claim to understand how they feel. Well, slightly, I guess. Grew up the streets, no-one gives a shit about you, more inclined to spit at rather than help you. But I can admit that biotics have probably had it a whole lot worse. You've told me enough about yourself, LT."

"Some stuff I certainly don't need remembering..."

We landed far enough away from the sanctuary that it took a few minutes to drive there. From what we could see, it may have once been a mining complex, since abandoned. Shepard doubted that Kyle had the money nor resources to get something this large off the ground. They looked self-sufficient enough from the outside. Before getting out of the Mako, Shepard ordered everyone to remain unarmed. Alenko certainly thought that was a good idea. Four people armed with weapons was bound to send the wrong signal.

It was no surprise that Shepard managed to talk his way into the building, using reason instead of threats. Alenko could see that even Shepard understood these people were no threat. They were scared, possibly abused, and saw Kyle as some sort of protector.

Once inside, the place was full of young people, most of them looking their way and he could see the fear on their faces. It made him feel guilty, at least for a moment. Shepard strode forward slowly, ensuring he didn't give anyone a fright. One or two did approach, asking why they were there. Shepard said that they were simply there to speak with Major Kyle. From what Alenko heard, it was obvious that Kyle cared for them as much as they cared for him. This could be tricky if things went pear-shaped...

The four of them eventually found Kyle in a room with only a couple of biotics as guards. He didn't seem all that surprised to see them. He recognised Shepard on appearance, immediately wondering why he was there, and was definitely wondering why he'd brought two asari along.

"We have no quarrel with you, Commander. Why can't you and the Alliance just leave us alone?" Kyle finally asked after going on a long speech about what he was trying to achieve.

When Shepard asked about the previous two officers, that seemed to rile up Kyle even more, and the words he used suggested that he'd well and truly gone off the deep end, using religious terms such as 'blasphemy', though Alenko could see where he was coming from when he described those who followed him as 'his family' and that he did what he had to for the protection of 'his children'.

"Do you understand who these people are, Commander?" Kyle finally asked.

"No. Who are they?"

"Ever heard of BAaT?"

"Are you saying these people are from Jump Zero?" Kaidan asked.

Kyle looked at him. "You are?"

"Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko, sir. I was once at BAaT."

He heard one of the guards whisper his name. Kyle nodded in understanding. "Michael, grab the others. Grab them all. The Commander will soon understand."

"Understand what?"

"You will see, Commander. Has Lieutenant Alenko told you all there is to know about what happened at Jump Zero?"

Shepard looked at Kaidan. He returned his look. "I know it was bad, but was it..."

"People died, Shepard. Kids died. It was only when we fought back that things changed and they shut the program down."

"Holy shit. Really?"

"Ends justified the mean. No-one knew anything about biotics. Any human that showed potential was shipped out there and pushed to the absolute limit, to and beyond their breaking point."

The two asari had taken seats on nearby crates, Shepard doing the same, as the room was soon filled with biotics. Alenko recognised more than one of them, and they recognised him, immediately approaching, hearing the whispers of his name, more than one calling him their saviour. He hadn't been their saviour. He'd been a scared kid, who'd seen one of his best friends hurt, and he'd reacted. He certainly hadn't meant to kill the turian, but when push came to shove...

"You recognise some of them, don't you, Lieutenant Alenko?" He nodded. "They are not just survivors of BAaT, of course. The Alliance has sent biotics across the galaxy to learn what they are capable of. But back home, they are treated like vermin, people afraid of what they simply don't understand. Here, under my guidance, they are safe, cared for, and will suffer no harm."

"That's all well and good, Major, but you still ordered your children to commit murder. The stain of the dead officers now rests on their conscience. Are you suggesting that you will make them live with that?"

"I cannot abandon them, Commander."

"You won't have to. I know of a colony that needs all the help they can get. They are isolated from the rest of the galaxy, and have just experienced their own difficulties. If your children wish for a peaceful life, then I can transport them there. But you must come in with us, Major. Someone must answer for what happened here. Your children are innocent. Let them continue to live their lives in that innocence."

Kyle sighed. "What do you think, Lieutenant Alenko?"

He looked around, recognising some faces. Most of them were scared. Not of them. They were simply scared. He could feel the nerves flood in from around the room. "I look around this room, Major, and see the same frightened kids I was with not all that long ago. Most of us survived Jump Zero together." He looked around, meeting their eyes. "I am sorry that your lives have not turned out like mine. I would have thought and hoped the Alliance would have stepped up to help. For that, I can only apologise. But if you come with the Commander and I right now, there is a colony where you will be at peace. Life will be difficult, but you will be isolated from the galaxy. This colony only needs your help. There will be no real questions of who you are, where you are from, what you have done. You will find friends there who will accept you for who you are."

He looked back at Kyle, who nodded his agreement. "Very well, Lieutenant." He clapped his hands. "My children, the time has come for us to part." There were immediate calls for that not to happen. Kyle raised his hands for silence. "My children, please, listen to me!" Once he had silence, he continued. "What I asked you to do to those officers was wrong. But it is on my conscience those souls should rest, not yours. And I believe what Lieutenant Alenko has told us. Though we may part, you will now find a new home where you will thrive as people, away from the pain and the horrors of the galaxy. And if you stay together, you will live in peace and harmony for the rest of your days."

"And you, Father? What will you do?" one of his children asked.

"I will face the consequences of my actions, child. But once I have paid the penalty, I will endeavour to re-join you. I give you my word on that."

There were plenty of grumbles. More than one was unhappy. But no-one really wanted to fight. Shepard didn't handcuff Kyle or do anything to upset or anger the group. He let Kyle say goodbye to them all before escorting him out. Once he had Kyle loaded into the Mako, the four gathered outside. "We'll have to organise shuttles to pick them up and send them to Feros," Shepard said.

"Will the Alliance do that?"

"I'm sure I'm owed a few favours. I'll get in contact with Captain Anderson, explain everything we've found here, then simply leave them to it. Don't particularly want to hang around and overstay our welcome."

Shepard eventually found a couple of children who appeared to be the leaders outside of Kyle. He sat them down and explained what would happen. Kyle would go with us now, but we would organise transport for them. The people who collected them would not wear Alliance colours or symbols, and all that would happen is that they would be picked up and dropped off. Shepard left his contact details so, if anything else happened, they were to contact him immediately and we would come and sort it out.

Back on the Normandy, they let Kyle cool off in the brig, making sure he was comfortable. Shepard wandered in to speak with him every so often. The two hadn't served together, but Shepard knew everything about Torfan. That is how he knew Kyle. Alenko didn't know as much as Shepard, had plenty of questions of his own about the survivors from BAaT, but he was happy that they would now hopefully go on to lead peaceful lives.