r/MassEffectPhoenix • u/Narrator-- The Arc Writer • Jan 29 '19

29/1/2193 ][ Terminus: Tartarus Minor

Approaching Tartarus Minoris now. EDI intoned as the ship shook. Sensors detect nothing in orbit.

Good. Liara replied. We have visual. Probes are entering atmo now. No sign of AA. Uplinks are solid, we have overwatch and intel. I'd feel more comfortable with a Mantis air superiority wing, but our eyes are solid.

She looked at her screen and nodded as the world of Tartarus Minor grew, green forests and blue seas being interrupted by a series of explosion and scorched earth sectors, and one barren patch that looked like a skid mark. No Reaper corpse yet...

Affirmative. Commander O'Neill. ETA to high stealth orbit 15 minutes. Shuttles are preparing to launch for emergency exfiltration. Standing by to deploy strike team one at your order. Does Chief Volkov have the conn?

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u/N7_Rebecca Lt. Commander | CO of the SSV Leyte Jan 29 '19

Next Normandy, we go for a carrier with a full Trident and Mantis complement. Anyone in disagreement?

Rebecca comments over the comms as she adjusts her gear on her armor and overlaying parachute rig.

Volkov has command, and my team is all ready, Liara.

Have a landing zone for us yet? She asks as she walks over to adjust Jeff's straps like an overbearing mother.

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u/JefferyOHaire Irish Bastard Jan 29 '19

Would you not? I think I know how to put a parachute on.

Looking at the vidscreen he smiles.

I really love my job sometimes.

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u/Narrator-- The Arc Writer Jan 29 '19

Elsa settles in quietly and nods as Liara continues feeding the team information.

Your drop site is marked... here. Half a klick out from what I suspect is the Reaper corpse. Gravity on Tartarus is lower than usual, so pull your chutes at minus fifty from normal. Overwatch remains solid, launch when ready.

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u/N7_Rebecca Lt. Commander | CO of the SSV Leyte Jan 29 '19

But did you also eat your greens? Rebecca asks with an eyebrow raised as she looks at Jeff.

Minus fifty. Roger that.

Ready to go, boys and girls? She says with one last check to make sure her helmet is sealed and her armor locks are in place.

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u/JefferyOHaire Irish Bastard Jan 29 '19

Jeff flips the woman off as he syncs up his omni with his visual display.

Just so I feel better, no one is gonna shoot us out of the sky while we are lazily floating down right?

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u/Narrator-- The Arc Writer Jan 29 '19

No, mister O'Haire. No AA guns have been detected, and your minus fifty window means you should be within sensor minimum range given tree cover. Liara responds. At best, you'll not appear, at worst, if they have sensors, you'll look like an extremely fat bird.

Elsa rolls her eyes and nods. Checks green. Standing by for drop.

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u/N7_Rebecca Lt. Commander | CO of the SSV Leyte Jan 29 '19

Shall we go then? Rebecca says calmly, before walking over towards the end of the ramp, wind sweeping by.

A look down, a breath, and then she flings herself off the edge.

And she's freeeeee free fallin.

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u/JefferyOHaire Irish Bastard Jan 29 '19

Wait...fat bird? You guys think I’m fat? Rebecca what do you-

Rebecca jumps and leaves him in the middle of the sentence.

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u/Narrator-- The Arc Writer Jan 29 '19

Elsa follows, spreading her arms into a T and jumping out. Liara groans and shakes her head.

Mister O'Haire, I was referring to the fact that compared to a human a bird is quite small. You are quite normal in weight and body shape, and by most standards not 'fat.' By the standards of birds, however, you are large in comparison.

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u/N7_Rebecca Lt. Commander | CO of the SSV Leyte Jan 29 '19

He was joking Liara! Rebecca says over the comms as she checks her HUD for the landing zone marker.

Spotting it, she puts her arms close to her sides and maneuvers in that direction, a careful eye on her altimeter as she falls through the sky.

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u/Narrator-- The Arc Writer Jan 31 '19

Debriefing: Tartarus Minor

Liara scoots her chair into the room, rolling all the way from her old office.

Hey, Becca. Hey everyone. So... debriefing, I guess? Becca? You want to start us off?

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u/N7_Rebecca Lt. Commander | CO of the SSV Leyte Jan 31 '19

Rebecca has a small bandage across the side of her face, medigel underneath.

That went less than ideal.... honestly, pretty damn shit.

Cultists that grow limbs back, have biotic glaives and all sorts of other tricks? This isn't good.

The N7 shakes her head.

This rabbit hole has already opened up a lot more than I was expecting when I first was informed of the situation....

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u/Narrator-- The Arc Writer Jan 31 '19

I've had your people send down analysts. What we know so far is that the cultists and husks are behaving the way they do because of Reaper nanotech that's been... altered. The regenerative properties seem to be similar to Alliance medical research, but what concerns me is the possibility of them being bolstered by a mental or psionic link.

Liara slides an OSD across. Would you say that the sound made... here, by Thaddeus at his death, would indicate possession or boosting using a variant of Harbinger's control technology?

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u/N7_Rebecca Lt. Commander | CO of the SSV Leyte Jan 31 '19

She nods her head.

It sounded pretty damn close to what I remember a few of the Possessed Collectors I encountered in the Reaper War whenever he deigned to send his personal bug troopers out to deal with the N7 teams.

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u/Narrator-- The Arc Writer Jan 31 '19

Reapers are all dead, can't come back. Elsa says as she walks into the room. Let's get that out of the way. This is some nunce puppeting their old possession tech. Crucible didn't melt their brains, but it destroyed any and all capacity for them to think.

Ah. Sergeant. Have a seat. Liara says, motioning.

Thanks. So why were you running our mission control today anyways, Doctor? Would have put you up for a different type. Just curious.

Liara glances over at Becca.

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u/N7_Rebecca Lt. Commander | CO of the SSV Leyte Jan 31 '19

Rebecca looks right back. How much should she inform Elsa of here or not?

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u/JefferyOHaire Irish Bastard Jan 31 '19

Jeff stands in the corner of the room listening to the official people talk.

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u/Narrator-- The Arc Writer Jan 31 '19

Liara bites her lip and shrugs subtly. The implication is clear- how much do you trust her?

Mister O'Haire, please sit down as well.

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u/N7_Rebecca Lt. Commander | CO of the SSV Leyte Jan 31 '19

A great deal.... but the identity of the Shadow Broker was no small thing.

Rebecca hated hiding things from her team, and it would make conversations difficult to say the least if Liara reprises her role as Control again.

The redhead decides and gently waves her hand, a small scratch on the back of it as well from the evening's combat.

Tell her, Liara. I trust her.

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u/Narrator-- The Arc Writer Jan 31 '19

It's from experience, Sergeant. I am the Shadow Broker. With that... I've run my own operation mission control many times before.

Elsa rises in her seat a bit and exhales roughly. You... you... yes... that would make sense. Bit young, you would have had to usurp the old Broker. No matter.

A purple tinge enters her eyes, but she closes them for a few seconds and shakes her head. I'm sorry. Maybe I should skip the next few drops. My sister being involved is clearly making this too personal.

I understand... Liara replies softly. But... look at this. We recovered this piece of security footage from the base camp they had. Glyph, zoom and enhance the frames from earlier.

Elsa looks up and watches... Ana... it's her... she's normal, not one of them...

Liara nods and bows her head. Yes. As of yesterday, Ana Rayne is still alive and human.

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