Chapter 19: Ch.19 - The Garage
"Well, I finally got that garage pass… after I convinced Qui'in to testify against Anoleis." Shepard revealed with a mildly sheepish expression when I regrouped with her, Garrus and Lt. Alenko.
"Slightly unfortunate.
I possess sufficient information on him to ensure his full compliance, but it has now become obsolete." I replied with a twinge of remorse. "At least we can still find some use regarding the information Captain Matsuo would very much be interested in.
Having the support of the one in charge of the main security force on this planet would be useful."
"You wanted to blackmail Anoleis?" Garrus asked in amusement.
"If necessary. It is how the corporate world works after all. To make him bend the rules, one needs to be able to… burn him." I answered matter-of-factly.
"And you didn't think that was wrong? Or that your actions might have cost us to even lose the Normandy, if not face arrest?" Lt. Kaiden heatedly asked as I felt much distaste for my approach.
"One needs to operate using the local rules to succeed. On Noveria, blackmail, money and influence are king, everything else is near irrelevant. To stop oneself from using these tools would be counterproductive." I responded evenly to the Lieutenant.
He did not seem to appreciate my remark if his flaring emotions were any indication.
"Commander! You can't be ok with this!" He loudly demanded.
"Kaiden." Shepard calmly interrupted with steady eyes, making the Lieutenant still instantly. "What Neo did might not be proper by Alliance standards, but he did good work and didn't get caught.
In fact, we now have good intel on what we are jumping into, who is likely to be there and helped us secure our passage to our target."
"I have also avoided any confrontation between ourselves and the corrupt forces guarding Synthetic Insights' Offices." I supplemented.
"Then it looks like he just saved us a fight and got us intel. I call that good work." Garrus shrugged in support of my actions.
"That's not the point! We can't just wave off laws and regulations or we're just as bad as pirates." Lt. Alenko argued.
"I am not part of the Alliance, only a mercenary brought into a Spectre's unit. I will do what I must to ensure our safety and continued success while aiding in the completion of our mission. One to foil an attempt to bring a race of machines which would erase all advance life forms in the Galaxy. To do so, I will use everything at my disposal." I neutrally told the man who did not seem to grasp the severity of the coming dangers well enough, blindly believing that working within a system was the only 'right' way to proceed.
"He's not wrong. Even in C-Sec we used informants. Neo just did things personally." Garrus said as the Lieutenant was feeling more isolated.
Lt. Alenko was about to retort, but he was interrupted.
"Kaiden… let's drop it for now at least. We really don't have the time." Shepard firmly said, causing the man to reluctantly stay quiet. "Thank you."
"Alright, so we have the pass, the Mako should be ready in less than 10 minutes, but I'm worried about the cargo Parsini mentioned." The Turian spoke up as he changed the subject rather splendidly.
"Nothing I've found indicated the contents due to Benezia's high level clearance allowing her to forgo many security measures," I told the group as I went through some information on my Omni-tool, "but judging from the weight, size and numbers… I would say it is possible she smuggled Geth platforms."
"Wouldn't those show up on scan? They do at least carry weapons." The commander pointed out.
"I guess it would depend on what type of Geth they brought." Garrus suggested thoughtfully.
"They might have brought in the weapons using Benezia or her commandos' authorization as well." Lt. Kaiden added with a scowl.
"But the Geth themselves wouldn't. They might show as mechs or hardware, but inactive platforms wouldn't be considered weapons." I finished as I couldn't find any more pertinent information at the moment. "It does not help that Geths have not been seen in centuries, few have any data on them, and the Galaxy has no idea of the current threat they pose."
"That's true. The Alliance might be looking out for them, but that's because they keep attacking human colonies. The Council barely seems to care, so why would people who purposefully distance themselves from the Council care?" Garrus agreed with some distaste.
"The Council really doesn't want to believe what I say about the Reapers and prefer to think it's just one madman trying to destroy humans with Geth support." Shepard spat out.
"So what do we know about what the Matriarch brought in?" Lt. Alenko asked.
"I could compile a list of possible units based on the cargo size and weight, but those would only be hypotheticals. It is best to simply prepare for known models and anticipate battle against synthetic and biotic opponents." I answered as I did begin compiling possibilities based on all the data Tali and I currently had on the Geth to form some estimates.
It was going to be time consuming, but I was not going to type every possibility. There simply too much data. I would prepare the most likely, the most dangerous and the efficient stalling combinations.
While I was doing so, the rest of the squad members regrouped and went over much of the information that had been uncovered.
"Rachni?" Wrex hissed in hate and disbelief. "That son of Vorcha brought back Rachni? I'll fucking gut him and shit in his empty skull after I rip it off his body for doing that!"
Ashley and Lt. Alenko didn't really understand the severity of his reaction, even Tali and Liara had troubles understanding, but Shepard, Garrus and myself did.
"Yeah. It might be to use as a weapon, but we really don't know why Saren is interested in them when he has the Geth and the Reapers have reaped at least one civilisation 50'000 years ago. They aren't likely to need help doing it with how divided the Galaxy is compared to when the Protheans ran it." The Commander somberly replied.
"Doesn't matter right now." Garrus tensely said. "We need to get up there and make sure whatever Saren sent Benezia to do with the Rachni, just doesn't happen or work."
"I agree. But the problem remains that only a few can go." Liara spoke with glints of sadness for her mother's actions.
"I do have a solution for this." I injected.
"What is it Neo?" Shepard asked without reservations.
"I have obtained Binary Helix's pass to use their remaining M29 Grizzlies." I answered with a feeling of slyness.
"Well then, I guess that means everyone can go exterminate some space bugs." Ashley remarked with a grin.
"Good." Wrex grunted.
"What about making sure no enemy reinforcements show up?" Tali questioned a bit hesitantly.
"I'll have a few of the Normandy crew set up incognito. But I also want Kaiden to stay behind to lead them and make sure no one suddenly decides to use those anti-matter warheads while we're out there." Shepard seriously answered as it was a current risk with Peak 15 undergoing critical containment failure. "Maybe even have you, Tali, stay back and monitoring their systems."
"The Rachni would be a dangerous foe for Tali as well. Venomous, acid secreting and melee focused, without the completed combat armor, you would be at high risks against them." I added in support of the decision to leave Tali behind for this mission, feeling rather strange as many emotions were intermingling.
"Are they really that bad?" Tali asked with some skepticism.
"Tali, last time they rose up we had to uplift the Krogans to defeat them. That says a lot." Garrus grimly answered.
"Yeah, and then you all neutered us with the Genophage." Wrex muttered spitefully under his breath.
I still had some empathy for his people's fate, but they had essentially become the same evil they had helped destroy with their uplifting. Without significant signs of change in Krogan cultural and societal beliefs, I think the continuation of the Genophage would still be the best for the Galaxy.
Although some arguments could be made that we may need an over abundance of Krogans to face the coming of the Reapers, it is already too late regardless. At most, reversing the Genophage now could allow the Krogans to unite for a cause worth fighting for: a future.
"I might not like it, but *sigh* I think it's for the best." Tali admitted with some annoyance towards her own biological disadvantages. "I'll make damn sure none of these boshtets can use those warheads from the Normandy instead."
"Much appreciated Tali." Shepard replied with a thankful smile.
"I'll go and round up a few of the crew while making sure she gets there without any problems." Lt. Alenko assured as he knew some of how Quarians were viewed.
"Good. Then let's get this show on the road. The Mako should be ready by now, but since more are coming we'll split into two squads." The Commander said as she looked at us. "Garrus and Ashley, you're with me in the Mako, Wrex and Liara are going with Neo in the Grizzly."
"I will request that your own squad depart before mine Commander. The Mako's overall superiority will serve well in case the Matriarch has left any surprises for us." I replied seriously as the possibility of Geth waiting in ambush was quite real.
"Give us a ten minute head start and then follow." She ordered with a nod of acknowledgement.
With everything decided, our group headed for the garage.
Unexpectedly, Benezia had set up a trap for even before we managed to leave the Port.
As soon as we walked into the garage where our Mako was, I picked up a new signal before some of my sensors became scrambled, followed by a sound I immediately recognized.
"Contact! Geth hopping unit!" I immediately warned the group as I swiftly drew my Mattock.
The squad immediately followed suit as four more identical units were spotted alongside a larger combat one and a few standard units equipped with either rifles or rocket launchers.
Liara erected a barrier to protect everyone from the initial salvo of rockets, I and Garrus efficiently shot down the wall and ceiling clinging annoyances, Shepard and Ashley dealt with the standard enemies, but Wrex was letting his accumulated anger towards the return of the Rachni flow through him as he charged the large Geth unit.
"WRAAAAAAAH!!! *Crash* *Bam!* Bam!* STAY DOWN YOU STUPID PIECE OF SCRAP!" He roared out as he shot his shotgun at point blank range, creating sizable holes in the unit before jumping and slamming down on it using his biotics, sending electrical fluid and pieces everywhere.
"Remind me that it has been a great idea to never make him mad." Ashley whispered to the Commander as we all witnessed a hint of Krogan brutality.
It was nowhere as bad as I knew he was capable of, and the fact that Wrex could likely hold such an aggressive and brutal state for a long period of time was also unmentioned, but his shrugging off of a fairly high caliber rifle and subsequent dismantling of a moderately strong enemy was startling to some.
"There is a reason why the Galaxy isn't particularly excited about any possibility of krogans being in large numbers." Garrus murmured a response. "At least he isn't in a Blood Rage."
"That isn't rage?" Ashley asked with some discomfort and worry.
"No." I answered rather seriously. "A true Krogan Blood Rage is much more than simply being angry. Their brain itself goes into overdrive as it secretes adrenaline and suppresses serotonin, resulting in them literally being unable to think properly, and all the while they seek only destruction and survival as pain no longer registers.
One can saw off all four limbs of a Krogan undergoing a Blood Rage and it would still attempt to bludgeon you to death using its head or rip your throat out with its teeth."
The look of horrified awe Ashley gave in response was mildly amusing.
"Heh. Got that right kid." A more relaxed Wrex said as he approached.
"Happy you got That out of your system before our ride up to Peak 15." Shepard commented with nod.
"Doesn't mean I won't kill at least a few of those fools who thought bringing back Rachni was in any way a good idea." Wrex replied with a bloodthirsty grin. "And people wonder why krogans don't like scientists and doctors."
"If it is any consolation, the Rachni have likely eaten most of them." I said as I tried to do this 'comforting'.
"Huh. Less fun for me, but it is… poetic." Wrex replied with a savage smile.
I was glad my friend was pleased.
It appears to be comforting one needs to understand what one considers 'pleasant' or 'good' and use it to help subdue the more negative side of the emotional spectrum.
I do believe that is why Tali feels better when she receives physical shows of affection like hugs.
"Oookkkk. Let's just get this show on the road." Shepard said as she attempted to have everyone focus on our task at hand.
Before we could be on our way however, Captain Matsuo burst in through the door alongside a small escort, looking very alert until she focused on the Commander.
"Commander! What is going on down here? I've received reports of gunfire!" She asked commandingly.
"Geth ambushed us and we fought back." Shepard answered with a shrug.
"Geth?! You expect me too…" she briefly denied due to an instinctive response before looking around with a trained eye. "Where did they come from?"
The explanation for the situation was left to the Commander while I began running scans on the Grizzly I would be piloting.
It was not damaged or sabotaged by the Geth, Benezia or any third party.
Fully operational.
The clear inferiority to the Mako was a minor annoyance, but with the Commander clearing the way of the now assured Geth resistance, it should be adequate.
At worst we may need to have the Commander come and take Liara while Wrex and I hold onto the Mako from outside if it breaks down.
But that shouldn't be an issue.
Wrex and Liara moved some crates which would be in the way using their biotics and we were ready.
"What are you doing with that Grizzly?" The Captain suddenly questioned as she seemed to have just noticed.
"I hold Binary Helix's pass as a hired mercenary to help clear their Code Omega on Peak 15. All forms are in order and signed by the proper individuals." I simply answered.
"I see… may I see the pass?" She suspiciously replied with narrowed eyes.
"Indeed." I told her with a quick input using my Onni-tool, also sending the evidence against Sergeant Stirling and her men.
"Everything seems to be in order." She said as she carefully looked through my pass before she reached my small gift. "This is!"
"I have heard of your stance on such matters and thought it best for you to handle things personally. From my knowledge, many should still be in Synthetic Insights' offices." I informed her impassively.
"Thank you for bringing this to my attention." The Captain spoke with a quick nod. "Good luck dealing with the Geth and whatever's happen up there."
With a quick turn on her heels, she was ordering her men to follow as she likely went to handle her corrupt subordinates.
"You Good there Neo?" The Commander asked with some concern.
"Yes Commander. The Grizzly is fully operational." I answered without hesitation.
"I meant did she give you any trouble?" She clarified.
"She was only performing her duties until I passed some information regarding on a more urgent matter." I then answered calmly as it truly was only that.
"That's good. Thought you might have pissed her off and she was angrily going to impound my ship." The relieved Commander replied with a sigh.
"My apologies for worrying Commander." I sincerely said.
"No worries." She waved off with a grin. "Since everything's good I'll be going off ahead. See you in a bit."
"Even if it's puny, I call turret." Wrex suddenly declared as he boarded the Grizzly.
"Then I guess I will be on our sensors and communications." Liara followed up.
I went in afterward and prepared for the possibility of battle in this vehicle.
Shepard and her squad left soon after.
And as agreed, ten minutes later, we departed Port Hanshan for Peak 15.
It was time to unravel the true reasons for the return of the Rachni and face Benezia.
_______________________________________
EXTRA AUTHOR NOTES:
Didn't really expect this chapter to be about this, but with Shepard having new information, reactions would be needed.
The most dangerous would be Wrex obviously, so I had him go off on the biggest Geth in the Garage to blow off steam and have a little information revealed about Krogan biology and part of why they are so dangerous and feared.
There's a reason Neo blows big ass holes in their heads using something which can penetrate light tanks.
Then I have some forward planing by Neo when he was hacking Binary Helix's systems.
From what I know, all companies have their own passes and if all the forms are in place then there's not much anyone can do regarding him taking a Grizzly.
Bureaucracy can be used to your advantage.
Sudden change of plan was also the fact that if the crew knew about the Rachni ahead of time and took the possibility of being vaporized by an anti-matter warhead seriously, then they would leave some people behind to try and assure no problems would come from the Port and that Tali wouldn't be in massive risks of being poisoned.
So I had Kaiden, who's essentially Shepard's second in command (I know Garrus is better but until Mass Effect 2 it is kind of true that Kaiden would be a more effective second in command especially to handle other Normandy crew members in the field), and Tali stay behind.
Now, it was recently revealed to me that the Mako actually has more room than I knew of and that it was acknowledged as canon. The reason I did not know about that little factoid, that the Mako should fit about 8 humanoids, was because it was stuffed way down at the bottom of the Mako wiki page and I think from an animated movie or comic book.
I might make some adjustments like Tali, Neo and Garrus managed to rearrange some stuff in theirs to make more room, but I'm not sure yet.
Anyway, definitely going to reach Peak 15 next chapter. No long bit regarding the ride there.
Hope you enjoy and enjoyed.
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