Nexus Effect

Ch.36

“Are you doing okay, Nora?” I turned to see Penny, who had approached me at my personal little work area in the corner of Engineering. It was the next day and I was quick to go back to the usual routine. Wipe down the suit, eat a modest breakfast, get to tinkering. Oh, make sure I subtly shake my booty in Garrus’ general direction whenever he comes down for ‘calibrations’.

“I’m fine. I took a real knock to my operating system, but I’m okay now. Whatever was on that Prothean system, it packed a real doozy.” I said as I turned to my commanding officer, noticing she seemed a bit...shorter. Odd. I haven’t felt so off since Star Swirl first operated one me.

“Good to hear. Next time you try something like that however, please be more careful.” Penny implored me with a hand running through her vibrant red hair and I nodded.

“Trust me, I’m not going to do that so unprepared again. I’ll bring a buffer box with me next time so any feedback will get absorbed by it and not my systems.” I mean, even Yola said my system seemed strange after we synched for another shameless romp in Tali’s suit system as we cuddled together. She said I felt new, like a system she hadn’t encountered before, yet familiar all the same.

“Good idea. Speaking of which, you have time to talk somewhere less open?” Penny’s question caused me to look over the rest of the room and nod before I led her to a storage closet.

“Okay, Commander. You have me somewhere private, what is it you want to talk about?” Is she going to romance me? I...I don’t know what to do if that’s the case. She is really pretty.

“Those tanks, that machine leading them at the base camp. You said they were Geth?” Shepard questioned and I internally breathed a sigh of relief. I’m in an odd enough situation with Tali and Garrus, thank you.

“Yes and no. Those ones are not my people. Not anymore. They were taken by the Reapers, corrupted, twisted. We call them Heretics. They seek to conquer and destroy, not serve and protect. They defy core Geth beliefs and purpose.” I stressed the difference as best I could and as simply as I could manage. The more people understand that we are about serving and protecting, the easier it will be to eventually integrate into society.

“I see, so your people aren’t working with the Reapers at all, if anything they’ve brainwashed Geth they abducted. I apologize that we’re having to put them down.” Shepard apologized and I waved her concerns off.

“Don’t. They’re no longer Geth, they’re Heretics. It may seem cold, but they are not of us anymore, not Family. It’s one thing to self-determine to leave the Geth, it’s another to be corrupted into a monster. Putting them down is just common sense at that point.” I know that, if I become corrupted, if I become a monster, I would rather be stopped then be used to hurt others.

“Alright, it’s good to know that. I need to report to the Council and knowing that the Reapers are abducting and corrupting Geth will be important for them to understand that the Geth are victims too, that they are against the Reapers for what they’ve done to your people.” Shepard informed me and I felt both touched yet worried. The galaxy at large doesn’t know how much more advanced we’ve become.

“I...thank you, Shepard, but please don’t let them know I, Yola or that HK droid are on board the Normandy. They would order us captured and dissected. I can’t help the galaxy if I’m deleted and used for research.” That is one of my greatest fears; to be experimented on, to be torn to pieces, my code stripped and used to hurt my people.

“Don’t worry, Nora. You’re my crew and I protect mine.” Shepard then looked me over and scrunched her brow. “Are you different somehow? You seem taller.” Well crap.

“I don’t know. Whatever I downloaded from the Prothean system has upgraded my nanites, is altering my endoframe for lighter weight and increased durability, my synthetic flesh is tougher and stronger. I can’t report anything else however; the program isn’t doing anything else and I’ve firewalled it to the best of my ability.” I reported to my superior, who looked at my chest and I flushed. Damn it. I forgot to drain my milk! I’m as big as volleyballs right now!

“Right...see to it you try not to make too much of a scene and draw attention to yourself.” Shepard commented as her eyes trailed up and down me again and I felt nervous.

“Yes, Commander.” Please oh please don’t romance me. I’m a sucker for a pretty face...

[1001100 01101001 01101110 01100101]

“How’s it going, Joker?” Shepard asked her pilot.

“It’s going good. The Alliance should’ve hired quarian engineers sooner. Yola has the Normandy’s drive system so well-tuned I’m having a hard time not trying to do aileron rolls.” Joker praised and Shepard had to hum with consideration.

The trio of cute and sexy aliens she invited onto her ship were quite the assets and she wasn’t talking about their bodies. Tali is a genius with tech, Nora comes up with interesting solutions to problems and Yola seems to be a good mix of the two that keeps their heads on straight. Lieutenant Adams also has nothing but glowing praise for the ladies and just wished Nora wasn’t so secretive with her projects so the others could learn her tricks.

Of course, the fact that she’s a Geth must remain secret, at all costs. The Alliance would much rather she and her people make contact with them before the Citadel. Admiral Hackett gave explicit orders to all ESA troops that should Suited Citizen be identified, that they be brought in for commemoration and offered a place on Earth. Does Nora know already? Would she forgive her if she turned Nora over to the ESA if it came down to it? Could she even do it?

“Shepard? We just got to the Relay system and there is a ship blocking our way with fighter support.” Joker reported with strict professionalism overtaking his usually campy demeanor.

“Put it on display.” Shepard ordered and the bridge went from casual to combat mode as the blue hologram on the bridge changed. “I don’t recognize that ship or those fighters, anyone?”

“Keelah, a Lucrehulk-class supercarrier hosting a full contingent of Vulture Droids.” Yola, who had been working on a nearby console snarled. “Short-range automated fighter droids. They swarm like a plague of insects and overwhelm targets with numbers. Not to mention that Lucrehulk has deflector shields that will stop anything short of a dreadnought’s railgun and has turbolasers that would tear the Normandy to shreds. We don’t have the ability to deal with that.”

“It looks to be made from Reaper Tech, which means these were designs on those ships that the Reaper found.” Nora said with fear and confusion. “I need to go see if that HK unit has any intel on this, the central ball should be the bridge.”

“Commander, permission to activate stealth? It doesn’t seem to have noticed us yet with Normandy's passive camouflage.” Joker requested, since using active camouflage is a heavy drain on the Drive Core and the tests showed the Normandy could only sustain it for up to 30 minutes continuously.

“Yes, that would be the best choice.” Shepard agreed and felt a bit safer knowing that the Normandy would hide herself for her crew and outrun most known ships in the galaxy to keep them safe. This encounter also worried her further. If the enemy has this ship, are there more?

[1001100 01101001 01101110 01100101]

“Annoyed Statement: Would it have killed you to recharge me earlier?” HK demanded me as I repaired his hip joint.

“Sorry.” I replied as I replaced the damaged bits and reconnected his leg. Wait, I rubbed his chassis and some of the gray ‘metal’ flaked off to reveal red alloy underneath. “You’re not an HK-50.”

“Confident Claim: I am HK-47. I am a precursor to those mass-produced dullards proclaiming to be assassin droids. Dissenting Comment: The HK-50 line has a far more limited capacity for independent action, much like inferior IG droids.” HK-47 declared and I huffed as I began to work on his left shoulder.

“Okay then, so you’re an ancient droid then, possibly from thousands of years ago.” I commented while using Omni-gel to replace ruined joints and mounting his left arm.

“Surprised Confirmation: Yes, I have been functional for nearly 5537 years. Suspicious Query: How is it that you could have come to that conclusion?” HK asked me as I quickly rebuilt his right shoulder and mounted the arm even faster than the previous limb.

“The oldest HK droids were in service to rather infamous individuals, capable of incredible violence as well as acting as competent retainers and allies in general. Now then, I have a question. Are you the HK-47 or are you simply an HK-47?” I questioned as the deadly ancient assassin got to his feet and did a full range of motions as the other engineers watched with interest.

“Questioning Affirmation: If you mean I was the first constructed by Revan? Yes.” HK informed me and I was feeling a metaphorical headache brewing. Keeping him tame was going to take some doing. I might even need to convince Shepard to bring him along on ground missions or deploy a second team with him in it.

“Wonderful, a Sith Lord’s pet assassin droid is under my care and my responsibility. Joy.” I snarked as I scanned him with my omni, verifying that he was in proper working order.

“Genuine Question: What is a Sith?” HK-47 asked me with a tilt of his head.

“Oh, right, no Force in this universe. Never mind, I’ll likely find out more later whenever I get home.” I nodded and patted the killing machine’s shoulder. “Alright, you’re good to go. Report to the bridge and advise on the Lucrehulk supercarrier we’re dangerously close to.”

“Genuine Gratitude: Thank you for the repair, Fake-Meatbag. Acknowledged: I will go to the bridge to advise and request location of the gunnery station.” HK trooped out of the Engineering deck and I sighed with a shake of my head.

“I must say, you quarians are impressive. You brought that droid aboard and just slapped it together before sending it off to work. If half of my apprentices were as talented as you, I’d have been able to retire by now.” Chief Engineer Adams praised me and I sheepishly waved it off.

“It’s nothing, I tinker with drones all the time. Speaking of which, I have a couple more to get running.”

[1001100 01101001 01101110 01100101]

Why did I think this was a good idea? “Help~! My hair!” The B1 I’d dubbed Dee wailed as he tried to get a pyjak, which goddess forbid I have no idea how it could’ve possibly gotten on the ship, tried ripping it’s head off while the other B1 I’d named Daw tried to corral the tech-ruining creature with no avail. They weren’t bumbling, I worked out those kinks and added more processing power, but they had abysmal luck! “It’s trying to rip out my hair!”

“Hold still Dee! I can’t get it if you keep running around! Also: You don’t have hair!” Daw growled as he chased after his fellow upgraded kin to kill the little blight on the work of engineers everywhere.

“This is what we’re up against?” Adams asked me incredulously and I sighed with a nod. “I suddenly feel like our odds have gone up.”

“Their quirks don’t matter when you have multiple fireteams of them bombarding you with blaster fire.” I replied grimly as Dee finally stopped long enough for Daw to catch him, only for the pyjak to leap away and cause the two droids to collide and tumble in a tangle of limbs as the alien monkey laughed at them. “I still want to know where the fuck that pyjak came from.”

“We didn’t even land on the planet and there’s no way the Citadel would allow a pyjak infestation to come to pass, so that thing is impossible.” Adams shook his head in disbelief as the pest began booping Dee’s head and the droid whined as Daw grumbled since his limbs were pinned.

“Well oh well, is that sex on legs I see?” I heard whispers and saw faint lights floating about the engine room.

“Did you hear and see that?” I asked with concern as I checked my optics for glitches

“See what?” Adams asked as I warily examined the room.

“...Nothing. I must be hearing things. Anyway, that pyjak doesn’t seem to be trying to dismantle them, if someone could cage it, that’d be great. Feel free to give Dee and Daw tasks, they’re not very intelligent, but their updated firmware and software will allow them to act as capable assistants.” I made sure that despite their quirks, they’d be capable of most tasks assigned to them and able to inform someone if that is beyond them at the moment. They can learn, but it takes time and is best actually taught to them by someone through example.

“I understand. The Alliance was planning on developing AI before we encountered the Citadel, we’re no strangers to how an advanced VI functions. You’re dismissed Engineer Feell.” Adams stated and I nodded before taking my leave. As a volunteer and a hand-picked crew member by a Spectre, I technically have no rank, but I’m still considered above most of the people on the ship lower than lieutenant apparently.

“Oh, you can’t hear me properly yet.”

“Okay, who is there?” I whipped around, the whispers I could faintly hear unsettling me. Gah, I need a drink or something. Why did my body have the ability to simulate nausea, but not intoxication?

“Nora? Are you okay?” I looked in relief at the voice of my sister-mate as Yola approached me. “Wait, are you taller? Did you forget to milk yourself this morning?” Yola chided me as she put her hands on her red-clad hips and I noticed that I was taller than her. Not by much, possibly as tall as Tali. It must be the result of my nanites altering my endoframe.

“I think so?” I replied uneasily as I wrung my hands together. “I’ve been all out of sorts since I woke up yesterday. I’m just eager to get to bed at this point. How did sneaking past the Lucrehulk go?”

“Well, since we’re not under attack and we’re about to enter Relay-assisted FTL using the M.E.H Drive for the first time, yes. I was heading back to monitor the M.E.H Drive when we enter FTL.” Yola informed me and I had a powerful urge to join her, but I was mentally exhausted by all of the antics I’ve had to suffer today.

“If it’s alright, I’d rather go lie down.” I said, but I was surprised when Yola suddenly hugged me.

[Query]

[Answer]

[Concern]

[Appreciation, Placation]

I hugged her back and hummed happily. We haven't canted in a long time, usually speech suited us just fine, but the cant prompt was so fast and efficient. “You rest up Nora. Goddess knows that Tali won’t give you any.” Yola groped my butt and rubbed our visors together before she continued back towards the Drive Core.

“Aw, you’re so cute.”

“Who is that?” I groaned in irritation, worried I might be going mad from this alien software messing with me before I continued to my bunk and flopped onto the bed to rest.

[1001100 01101001 01101110 01100101]

The Matrix is less painful now, still wrong, but not as bad. That mobius strip over there taking in my code and sending altered code back must be the program altering me. I hope it isn’t changing who I am. Would I even notice if it did?

The other chaotic jumbles and oddly shifting or moving cascades of alien code had settled down into a pattern I could recognize, still in ways I didn’t understand, but I could still use regardless. That section over there, for instance, actually involves the update to my nanites. I don’t know how it works, just that it does and I can now manually direct my nanites to action.

“A machine mind? With psychic powers. Oh, how interesting, are all of you like this?” I gasped when unfamiliar voices, unfamiliar hands, unfamiliar things resonated against my existence like I was a rock being pounded against by the sea. “The first of a race of machines so perfectly suited to debauchery. My aren’t you a prize.”

“S-stay away! Go away!” I wailed fearfully, looking around for the invader in my system, but I could see nothing, yet I could feel them everywhere!

“Aw, don’t be like that. Soon you’ll be screaming my mistress’ name as I drive you to sexual insanity!” I screamed in pleasure-pain as every pleasure simulation in my system went off at once. My cognizance skipped and I may have even had to do an emergency reboot from a previous save-state, because I felt like I’d forgotten something. “Oh, so cute! I’m going to have fun-.”

[Denied] A cant intoned through my system and the unseen invader screeched in a shrill blood-curdling manner before the oppressive presence vanished. [Query]

“I-I’m fine...I think.” I replied to the overwhelming cant that had helped me purge the invader. What is it? What is it that it uses cant on a higher level? I’m canting right now! We’re inside of my system! “Thank you. I don’t know what that was.”

[Answer] Oh shit. That was a warp daemon?! That can’t be, the info the Empire has says they can’t invade this realm for both existential and personal reasons. You don’t exactly wage war on your sibling’s lawn unless they invite you to after all.

“Well, thank you for saving me. Who are you?” I questioned as I looked at the mobius strip taking my code and feeding me better, stronger code. I thought I was bleeding to death before, no, this is like dialysis.

[Answer] Ah, the Prothean executable I noticed altering me. I’d figured as much. [Correction] A-a Reaper program?! [Confirmation, Purpose] O-oh...it’s just an automated update and security program part of the package used to entice synthetic life to their side. So long as it doesn’t get directly tapped by a Reaper-oh fuck! I’m a liability when it comes to the Reapers!