Chapter 30: Chapter 29
Paying little attention to anything, I rushed to my mentor, noticing out of the corner of my eye that the killer was dead with a guarantee, her head and upper body were destroyed in an explosion. But Samara was able to partially close herself with a barrier. But even so, the explosion of a specially modified grenade against biotic barriers penetrated the justiciar's defense and seriously wounded her. As far as I can tell, the left arm was torn to shreds, the body and face were cut by shrapnel and the left side of the chest was torn apart. I tried to stop the bleeding with a fixative gel, but it was too extensive, so I could only watch in horror as my mentor died.
"To the side!" someone tried to push me away, but due to the weight of the armor, he did not achieve any success. -Please give it to us. We will try to help her.—.
An asari dressed as a medic appeared in front of me, while other doctors tried to help Samara, but the awkward position did not allow them to turn around. So, having handed over the body of my mentor to them, I walked away on stiff legs, watching the work of the professionals. It seems that at the same time Shiala appeared with her fighters, but they did not touch me, so I did not pay attention to them. Only when Samara was loaded into a car with a mobile operating room, he tried to go with them, but was gently stopped with a request not to interfere with the operation.
"Where will they take her?" he asked the driver before he could start.
— Drive up to the central hospital named after matriarch Dilingera. Will you find it?" the turian asked, raising his mandibles and slightly spreading them.
Satisfied with my nod, the xenos closed the window and started the car and drove off at full speed, avoiding the highway.
Onlookers had already crowded around, held back by security guards who had managed to place barrier signs. They wanted to get to the bottom of me about breaking the laws, but Shiala quickly enlightened the guardians of the law about my work under the jurisdiction of the justiciar, and they quickly fell off. Well done Shiala, if they tried to arrest me in this state, I would simply finish off the idiots without further ado.
Well, before going to the hospital in the nearest taxi, pushing aside the forensic experts, he went up to the killer's body and, after conducting an examination, took her instrument, or what was left of it. The microassembler was completely destroyed, as was the communicator, but the microcomputer seemed to have survived, at least partially. Maybe we can get something out of it.
Having taken the trophy, he approached the nearest taxi driver in the uniform of local lawmen and went after Samara. My driver was about to be indignant, but one menacing look made the asari shut up, turn pale and, starting the vehicle, rush after the medics' car that had sped off a few minutes ago. Don't argue with me now, the taxi driver said, then you'll be a taxi driver.
We got to the hospital in no time, I even gave the driver a couple of thousand extra credits for speed and rushed to the reception, where I checked with the receptionist.
-Where was the justiciar taken? Fast.-.
"T-twenty-seventh floor, seventeenth office," the girl hastened to answer. —B-but you can't go there!—.
However, I no longer listened to her, running towards the elevator as I went, checking the floor plan of the building. The elevator in the hospital turned out to be very fast and spacious, so soon I was hanging around under the doors of the operating room, not daring to go inside and distract the doctors. But I was able to hack into the cameras inside the room while watching the operation live, so to speak, and I didn't like what I saw in any way. The situation turned out to be really difficult, and the only thing I could do was wait and hope for the best.
It was in this state, waiting in a chair next to the operating room, that Shiala found me.
- Well, you have a good view. "You scared the crap out of everyone there," the asari who sat down next to me grinned and put the helmet from my armor set on my lap. - Oh, by the way, you forgot.
Well, she's right. In the reflection of the face plate, a gloomy guy smeared in blue blood looked at me with a cold, emotionless look, like they look at meat on the counter. At that moment I looked more like Ultron than ever before; I even thought I saw him in the reflection for a second.
"She'll be fine," she tried to console the asari, but not noticing the result, she hurried to change the topic. "By the way, Lady Benezia sent us for you." Your mom wants you to come home. If we fail to reach an agreement, we have the right to use force.—.
"You're not serious." He finally turned his gaze to Shiala, giving her a skeptical look, but noticing the non-lethal electroshock weapon in her mounts, he was convinced of the veracity of what was said. -Are you serious. I'm not going anywhere.—.
"And what are you going to do?" asked the asari.
-Don't know. First, I'll wait for news about Samara, and then...," he pulled a microcomputer out of his pouch. —...I'll find out who wanted her death, I'll find and destroy everyone involved.—.
There was silence for some time, which the asari decided to break. -Fine.-.
-Seriously? And you won't even try to dissuade me?" Shiala was surprised at the reaction.
"Hey, where does all this skepticism come from?" the commando grinned. —When I went after you, I decided that you were just a child who did not realize all the consequences of his actions. However, now I see something completely different, you know what you want and know how to assess risks. You grew up Ivon, and it is your choice to live this way. Benezia will certainly be unhappy, but...—.
I never found out what the asari wanted to say next, we were interrupted by the opening door to the operating room from which a drell came out? In general, a female drell in a medical gown. At first I tensed, but then I relaxed, because I myself was following the progress of the operation. Well, it would be ironic if one drell saved the assassination victim of another.
"Doctor, what's wrong with Samara?" he immediately stood in front of her, blocking the path further.
"Is it really possible for you here..." the girl tried to be indignant, but noticing the weapon in the mounts on the combat armor and generally appreciating the appearance, she hastened to answer. — The situation is difficult, but we have stabilized it. The left arm had to be amputated, the left lung also had to be removed, but the heart and right lung were saved. Part of the digestive tract and respiratory tract were damaged, but not severely and can be restored. The consequences of the brain hemorrhage were mitigated and the swelling was relieved, but she will have to forget about combat operations. Now the patient is in a coma and it is unknown how long she will remain in it.—.
The news...is expected, but still discouraging. However, she is alive, the rest can be fixed.
-Doctor, do what you need to do, if you need money, it's not a problem. The main thing is to put it in order. Give her the best implants, contact FreeMen Tech directly if necessary, I will pay for everything.—.
My words were heeded and Samara was taken care of with all care and precision. Instead of the lost lung, they installed an artificial one, built to suit the physiology of Samara and connected directly to the nervous system. There were no problems with the installation of implants. Or rather, rejection began at first, but immunomodulators coped with this and now the implant is perceived by the body as a living organ, and the immune system has not weakened one bit.
Some of the bones also had to be replaced with an artificial analogue, and the skin disfigured by scars and burns was replaced with artificially grown one and now there is not a single scar on it. Even the left breast was restored to look and feel the same, not that I checked. Although there is no mammary gland in it, only implants. In general, we carried out a complete, so to speak, service. This cost me a pretty penny, since cosmetic surgeries are not performed free of charge even for justiciars, but I don't mind. By the way, the hand was also replaced with the most modern prosthesis, in which even the sensors connected to the body's nervous system are not inferior to their organic counterpart. Well, or rather, their sensitivity still needs to be adjusted, and this cannot be done without Samara's participation, so we wait until the justiciar wakes up, but for now the sensors are turned off. Well, the appearance of the prosthesis corresponds to the lost limb, except that in several places it is crossed by stylish lines, indicating hidden places for the wired connection port and the place where the prosthesis connects to the shoulder. And in the future I can upgrade it, for example, install a hidden cannon for an unpleasant surprise in battle.
In general, after two months, Samara looked little like a half-corpse, as it was immediately after the assassination attempt. The only thing is that she did not come out of the coma. Well, during this time I improved the medical box, adding to the ship's medical module the necessary additions for the long-term support of the life of a comatose sentient being. It would be good to leave Samara under the supervision of doctors, but while she is in such a vulnerable state, it will be very easy for the next killer to get to her. Of course, so far everything was in order, and Shiala's fighters were keeping an eye on her, but it was better not to leave any chance to potential enemies.
"So you're already leaving?" Shiala asked a rhetorical question, watching Samara connect to Victoria's medical module. —Where will you go next?—.
"First Illium, and then according to circumstances," he answered honestly after finishing connecting the breathing mask and feeding tube. - That's it, I'm finished.
While I was seeing my first mentor out, I couldn't let go of the feeling of pride. During these two months, I managed to conduct several tours of Victoria for Shiala and her fighters, but even now she looks at my ship with professional admiration.
"You know, Lady Benezia will be furious when we return without you," the asari reminded of her mission when we had already left Victoria. -You should have visited your mother at least once, otherwise you went to Liara, but not to her.—.
Damn it! Judging by the asari's sly grin, it is reliably known about my relationship with my sister and I'm ready to bet one of my shipyards that Benezia also knows about it. There was no sadness.
"I'll definitely visit you later, but until Samara comes to her senses, alas, no." He shook his head. -By the way, if your mother fires you, you can contact me or Liara. We will place you in the FreeMan Tech security service.
The asari only snorted at my proposal. "I wish I could fly on this bird." Are you recruiting a crew?—.
"I'm thinking." He answered vaguely to a truly interesting proposal.
After standing a little longer, I said goodbye to the rest of the asari and, hugging Shiala, went on board Victoria, on which a few minutes later I went outside the star system to the nearest relay.
***
Crescent Nebula, Tazale system, planet Illium.
Illium is a planet on the border of the Asari Republics and the Termina systems. A very recently colonized world, just over a century ago it was no longer much different from large worlds with large populations. All thanks to private Azarian corporations that formally own the planet and have invested an indecent amount of money into its development. So, formally, Illium is not part of the Asari Republic, due to which the laws on Illium are more lenient and very conditional if you have enough money in your account. This allows asari to do things prohibited by the Citadel council, such as creating AI.
Thanks to the current situation, Illium has become a very desirable place for many "freedom-loving" intelligent people in the galaxy, although the planet's climate is not conducive to habitation. The temperatures at its surface are too high, which makes it possible to live tolerably only at the poles, or on giant buildings whose residential areas are located high above the ground.
By the way, Ultron, under the guise of Gordon Freeman, like Benezia, stood at the origins of the colonization of Illium and invested well in it, from which now Binery Helix, FreeMan Armory and FreeMan Tech jointly own about 40% of the planet. Well, I came here to help Samara.
- Respectfully. Welcome to Medical Sane. Kindly. You can see the list of services on the terminal," said a huge, muscular xenos with gray skin, towering half a meter above me even while standing on four legs, in a monotonous voice.
More accurately, the phrase was reproduced by the Elcor translator, because this type of xenos simply does not have a standard speech apparatus to communicate like the same asari or salarians, instead using pheromones and subtle body movements.
- No need, I know what I want. I need an asari clone." He rejected the consultant's help.
- Wary. Do you have permission to clone from an asari and her biomaterial?—.
"She was seriously injured and is now in a coma..." I tried to negotiate with the elcor, but getting nowhere, I had to communicate directly with the manager of the Medical Sane branch and now the conversation began with him.
And although we had to spend some time, we agreed to grow a clone with full prepayment, including a future transplant of the clone's organs to the original, but only with the consent of Samara herself when she wakes up. Until then, no one will carry out the operation, only a clone will be grown, which can take up to three years, and no one will return the money in case of refusal.
At this point, my business on Illium was completed and with peace of mind I could return to extracting data from the remains of the failed killer Samara's tooltron in order to track the customer.
***
The huge figure of the yaga in the dark office of the Shadow Broker in its massiveness could inspire fear in any krogan, not to mention other races. Which, coupled with the pronounced aggressiveness of the yags and the aggressive mentality, forced the races of the Citadel Space to lock these xenos on their own planet and not allow them to go into space. Yet the Yags showed themselves in all their glory when they simply killed the Citadel diplomats, mistaking their attempt at peaceful dialogue at first contact for weakness.
However, this particular intelligent one is feared not at all because it belongs to a race of aggressive, predatory, intelligent xenos. No, now there are no longer anyone left who could say what he looks like or what species he belongs to; Yahg took care of all the witnesses long ago, even when he dealt with his predecessor and took the name of the Shadow Broker, gaining control of an entire information empire. Now, at his request, warriors started in some worlds and ended in others, politicians were replaced by ones more convenient for him without even knowing it, and corporations served only as tools in his hands.
And even with all his power, he felt that precious time was slipping through his fingers. His predecessor was stupid for not heeding the warnings that came from the Protheans. The Reapers are coming and they cannot stop them. Perhaps, if you are prepared, you can avoid their deadly attention or even try to fight back, but it is not clear how to do this. And one of the most obvious clues only raises new questions.
"So who are you, son of Freeman, and what are you trying to achieve?" I didn't notice how the yag said out loud in his vibrating voice, looking with all eight eyes at the video with the participation of Ivon T'Soni.
His supposed father, Gordon Freeman, was none other than a synthetic under the name Ultron, judging by the data from the Broker's past. But it was unclear who Ultron worked for. The Reapers or the Geth? Perhaps to a third party? After his disappearance and the appearance of Ivon T'Soni, the questions only increased. Initially, it was assumed that Ultron decided to create a more reliable cover for himself in the organic society, but time passed and, apart from his appearance and physical characteristics, the child did not stand out, behaving like a child. Only a few years ago he showed strange activity, but nothing extraordinary. And either Ultron is so smart and patient that he is able to perfectly imitate the behavior of an organic for years without interruption, or he really is not Ultron and then all assumptions turn out to be unreliable.
"Then where is Freeman?" the yag opened his mouth again, looking through the latest reports, simultaneously trying to solve the mystery that had tormented him for years.
However, this time nothing changed and without getting anywhere, the Mediator put aside his thoughts on such a complex topic, returning to the present.
—Hmm, the hanar agent was only partially successful. T'Soni is supposedly emotionally vulnerable. There is a high probability of his recruitment. It's worth a try," Yag voiced his conclusion, once again running through Agent Enyala's report on the incident on Nasser and without delay contacting one of his many agents in the Azari Republic sector.
"The Gray Broker?" came a wary female voice from the Yaga's communicator.
But the Intermediary's voice, when communicating with agents, was always changed beyond recognition by the modulator. You shouldn't give anyone even a shadow of an opportunity to get to the bottom of his personality.
—Agent Sigma, there is a task for you. Get in touch with Ivon T'Soni, gain his trust and test the waters for the possibility of recruiting him." Yag paused for a few seconds in order to send the data to the agent. —Data on the target has been sent. T'Soni is now searching for the Hanar intelligence network in asari space. Help him, the use of my information network to complete the mission is authorized. Shadow Broker, end of connection.—.
With the communicator turned off, the office fell silent again. As long as the intelligence network works like a well-oiled mechanism, unnecessary fuss is not required and the Mediator can switch to more important matters than personally monitoring the progress of the agents' work. However, from time to time he looks at the reports and keeps his finger on the pulse, fundamentally suppressing the possibility of betrayal. After all, he himself was once a simple agent of the Mediator, so he knows very well how expensive excessive trust and lack of control can cost.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone