Nexus Effect

Ch.66

“Wake up Commander.” The woman’s voice was unfamiliar and Penny groaned as she tried to ignore the shaking of her sleeping tub and how it made her exposed surface splash about. “Shepard, do you hear me? Get out of that tub right now. This facility is under attack.” Attack?! “Your Synth-Suit is ready and was going to be properly tested tomorrow, but I repeat; the facility is under attack.”

Penny surged forth out of her tub and formed her body on two legs, then balked at the sight of her looking back at her! No...it looked like she used to. Exactly...disturbingly exactly. They even took into account her post-mod and pregnancy bust size and hips, et cetera. They even dressed it up in N7 armor like her old one. “Like looking at an old picture…” The room shook, so Penny took a bracing breath and kissed her old self, before she began pouring herself into the human-looking synthetic chassis.

Whoa, the HUD is new. Penny looked at her hands, her old hands. She moved them experimentally to find it was almost like she wasn’t wearing a suit. “You can gawk at your old body later, grab your gun and hurry!”

Penny went to the gun cabinet and retrieved the light-duty Ariake Raikou. “You know it doesn’t have a thermal clip, right?” They couldn’t let her have a proper gun since she was still sort of being held prisoner even after several months of working with the Cerberus scientists.

“Right, security protocols. Open the bottom drawer and break the bottom to reveal a concealed compartment.” The woman replied and Penny promptly followed the directions to retrieve the couple of thermal clips within. “Alright, make your way down the hall, be careful. They’ve set up some barricades to try and hold the mechs off.”

“Uh, clarify. Are the mechs on our side or theirs?” Penny asked as she hurried past the med bay, where she’d been spending most of her time here, to find the end of the hall had been barricaded by desks and file cabinets. Where was everyone?

“Right, theirs. They hacked our security units.” Oh, well isn’t that typical, but it didn’t answer where everyone was. There weren’t even corpses.

The moment she left the barricade, a drone started shooting at her, but she dodged the bullets and blasted it in the head. The hell? What is up with this Synth-Suit? She didn’t have reflexes like that even in the Iron-Maiden suit.

Shaking her head to help get over the unusual bullet-time she seemed to have gained, Penny hurried up the ramp and promptly dealt with the drones waiting up in the security hall. “Impressive Commander. You’re displaying much higher accuracy and reflexes than your last run of tests.”

“I’ll have to have a word with whoever made this suit. It’s fairly impressive.” Penny commented as she ran down the hall and grit her teeth at the sight of the heavy-assault mech mowing down the security on the other side of the window before blast-shielding lowered.

“I have no clue where the science team is at the moment, they must’ve fled at the first sign of trouble like they were supposed to. That said, pick up that grenade launcher from the security officer’s body, you have enemy reinforcements incoming.” Replied the woman, who Penny realized must be Miranda Lawson, the one in charge of the facility.

Great, Penny finally get’s to hear from her ‘boss’s’ daughter and it’s only when the facility is under siege. Swell.

The moment the doors below opened, Penny fired a grenade down into the group of drones and then jumped down to fight her way through a couple more of them. “Help me!” Penny’s metaphorical heart skipped in fear and she hurried up even more at the sound of Jacob’s frantic screams for assistance.

She found him pinned down in an atrium with drones firing on his position hiding behind bullet-resistant railings. Jacob took a bullet in the shoulder and she saw white-. “Rargh~!” Penny roared when she finished ripping a drone in half with her bare hands and panted even though she didn’t need to breathe. What the fuck just happened?! “J-Jacob?! Are you alright?!”

“Holy hell ,Penny, I thought I was about to die too with how much screaming you were doing.” Jacob replied from nearby, his shoulder looking no worse for wear. He must’ve used some medi-gel already then. “That said, you already cleared the way, let’s get to the shuttle.”

[1001100 01101001 01101110 01100101]

“So it’s done? We can finally stop?” I warily asked Hermais, who had the decency to come in person and tell Yola and I that we could finally stop being baby factories. Sure, it was fun, but after two years of something, you get tired of it. At least for a while.

“Yes. You can finally stop being trapped in one place, as nice as it is.” Hermais, wearing a burgundy suit that made her look like a sexy librarian or secretary declared from her place on the recliner. She was a serious foil to Discord, she seemed far too Orderly to be Chaotic.

“So what are you doing here dressed so sensually?” Yola huffed in irritation from next to me. It was a rare day where everyone else was away. Marrow was in Qwip-Qwip on business, Tali was out spending time with her father, Saren was on assignment and Paretia was picking up her kids from school in the upgraded Armada that made the ‘drive’ in under 15 minutes to town.

The others who were occasionally here like Ashley, Chrys or Martra were also all away on their own business. It was actually rather suspicious that Hermais came here, now, to tell us we were done being war machine-making factories. “Yeah...why are you here?”

“Can’t I just be here to give you good news?” We deadpanned at her. “Okay, fine. Yes, things have gotten moving again. You two need to be ready to go galavanting about the galaxy again to be Big Damn Heroes and stop the Reapers. I’ve made sure certain unsavory types have your dossiers to cause a certain someone to come looking for you.” Hermais admitted and I sighed in a mixture of dread and relief.

Penny is alive. Thank the gods. “Alright then. As soon as that batch over there is done-.”

“You don’t have that much time.” Hermais snapped her fingers and our connections to our factory bodies ceased. “There, automated for the last bits. It won’t harm them this far along. Now, suit-up, slap your asses and clench your anuses. You two need to get ready.”

O-okay…

[1001100 01101001 01101110 01100101]

He paused in his ministrations to his lover, he felt something had shifted. He looked at the ceiling, as if to look through it into space. “What is it?” He turned to his mate, Jorgal Biyaka, mother of his 17 sons and daughters who was panting and looking into his eyes with worry. Her beautiful, dark amber eyes. She was so gentle, unlike most krogan. It was what drew him to her.

“I feel as if I need to get back out there.” Jorgal Wrekrov sighed through his nostrils with a shake of his head. “Mind the clan for me.” He removed himself from his mate much to her displeasure, but she nodded and stood up with him.

“Always. Return covered in their blood.” She leaned forward and they gently pressed crests together before parting and Wrekrov put on his battle raiment, the one that was armored and not for ceremony. “Or not. Blood tends to stain and it reeks after a while.”

“I’ll try, dear.” Wrekrov smiled and hugged her before he left their bedchambers and had to dodge between the play-fighting of his children in the hall. Only a year old and already scrappy. It’d been so long that he forgot how fast his people reached a physical maturity to survive.

The cloned krogans however, were already physically mature, but they were still undergoing the mental disciplines and lessons the Kiminoan Process had the gall not to call brainwashing, but if it meant those tank-grown soldiers were able to become civilians after their duties were complete if they so choose, then fine. They even had the first wave of them ready.

Wrekrov’s musings were cut short when he entered the primary meeting room of the Urta Cathedral, where Clan Jorgal had officially taken residence when he, as its oldest and strongest warrior, was declared the local Archdeacon by the proper faith based in Andromeda. “Alexa: call Urdnot Wrex.”

“Calling.” Heh, he always felt amused at seeing Alexa, Nora’s little slap-dash VI, having become so commonplace. His amusement was cut off when Wrex, the Chief of Clan Urdnot and Viceroy of the Krogan Protectorate answered with a huff as his hologram appeared.

“There had better be a good reason to get me out of bed with Bakara.” Wrex snarled as he adjusted his bedrobes.

“It’s time.” Wrekrov simply stated as he cracked his neck.

“What? Time for-fuck. It has been two years since Sovereign…” Wrex growled and shook his head. “We’re not ready, but damn it. We’ll have to be. As our official link to the Goddess, what do your instincts say?”

“Spread out, set feelers. We need to find them, ASAP. Then once we know where they are, we can send the most prepared of our troops to meet them.” It was simple, but oftentimes it was the simple plans that had the least chance of failure. Further input was halted by Wrekrov’s personal omni ringing, so he answered, because very few people had his direct contact info.

“Wrekrov?” Oh, it was Nora. She had a lot to talk about the past several months, what with her stuck on perpetual maternity leave. “I need you to send your best warriors to Krolus to save Orkeer.”

“What about that two-faced maverick?” Wrex asked curiously, his hologram displaying he was sitting down.

“He’s an unprecedented genetic genius that could seriously help with the krogan war efforts. Even if he wants to create the krogan Ubermensch, he’s still worth saving from a Blue Suns gang leader named Jedore, who wants a krogan army to make her own little nations out in the Terminus. She’s going to gas him once she figures out she can’t control the clones he’s making, the one that are not perfect.” Nora explained, making both krogan pause before snarling.

[1001100 01101001 01101110 01100101]

This wasn’t awkward. Not at all. “I see your Synth-Suit is failing to keep your Argent glow out of your eyes. At least that can be explained away as cybernetics.” Commented Miranda Lawson, the unnaturally beautiful human woman who was the Illusive Man’s daughter and essentially her warden. She had shoulder-length gorgeous curly black hair, full lips, a face any woman would kill for, as well as a very well-proportioned body. “How did it perform in combat?”

“Really Miranda? Is now the best time to ask questions about her second skin?” Jacob asked in exasperation and Penny felt a little warm at how protective Jacob was over her.

“We were supposed to go through weeks of testing to ensure that it could handle her body, it’s response times, it’s ability to handle her strength, et cetera. A few questions on the shuttle ride over will have to suffice.” Miranda then turned back to Penny and she shrugged.

“Well, it handle’s my strength really well, considering I tore a drone apart with my bare hands. The reflexes are a bit much, almost like time slows down, but that’s not a bad thing. It does feel a little tight in the ass though…” The Synth-Suit had an ass as big as the one she had before going goo, maybe it was her tail?

“There’s not much we can do about that, what with your tail. Sorry Commander. I’m also sorry I haven’t been able to visit you, but the Illusive Man warned me that you have a particular weakness for beautiful women and he told me to limit my time with you.” Miranda apologized with a smirk and Penny smirked back.

“Well, I won’t lie. You give my Gunnery Chief Ashley a run in the beauty department, especially since you seem to groom more often. However, it’s not just ladies I have a weakness for.” Penny turned her gaze to Jacob, who shifted uncomfortably. He was adorable, so easy to get to squirm with a few compliments.

“Ah, well then, I see my caution was unnecessary. Either way, it is likely that the Illusive Man will put you right to work investigating the Reapers. The galaxy as a whole has been on the lookout, but nothing has come up since Sovereign and people are beginning to doubt, but we don’t.” Miranda said moments before the Kodiak landed and they disembarked.

“Are you sure you can’t give me more junk in the trunk? I seriously feel a bit of pinching back there…” Penny complained as she rubbed her lower back, but knew such a request wasn’t going to be fulfilled.

“Commander, to be fair you already have a gratuitously proportioned backside.” Miranda snorted in amusement and Penny sighed as she kept following, feeling odd in plantigrade legs and not having a tail swishing about behind her. “Hm...yes. It seems you’re going to be talking to the Illusive Man right away, just go through here.”

With a nod, Penny went down the hall to the holographic comms room and was promptly connected with the Illusive Man, who was smoking his cigar and drinking his wine as usual. “Hey, how do I look?” Penny wasn’t intimidated by Henry anymore. Not that he knew she knew who he was.

“Like you used to, but with eyes like mine. It’ll keep our clients and humanity at ease to see you back in action.” IM replied as he got up and walked around her, likely examining her whole form for any imperfections.

“I could’ve gone back out right away.” Penny huffed in her usual complaint, but he shrugged it off.

“Be that as it may, the galaxy has been on high-alert and there were no leads to follow, until recently. Colonies, entire human colonies have been disappearing. I need you to head to Freedom's Progress immediately.” IM stated when he went back to his chair.

“How have they been vanishing without anyone noticing an attack?” Penny asked in confusion.

“If I knew, I wouldn’t be sending you. Welcome back, Shepard. Oh, another thing. Miranda? Off. Limits.” After that warning the call disconnected and Penny shook her head. Guess even an overbearing asshole like him has some parental instincts.

Too bad, if that girl wants some fun, Penny isn’t going to say no. Especially since she’s been metaphorically dry for nearly a year. “So it seems Jacob and I have been assigned to you.” Miranda said as she led Penny and Jacob back towards the Kodiak.

“Seems so, but why are we going back to the Kodiak? I know it has limited FTL, but is it really the best idea to take it as far as Freedom's Progress?” Penny questioned uneasily. Where was the new Normandy they kept mentioning to her? Not that she was greedy or anything, but she’d feel much better having a bigger ship between her and aggressive parties.

“Oh, right. Travel with smaller ships has become much more reliable thanks to the M.E.H drive. They’re able to go faster than the old FTL method and the Kodiak has been one of the ships basically required by the Council to have it since it’s such a widespread transport for both military and civilian use.” Jacob replied and Penny nodded in understanding. She could appreciate a faster Kodiak, you’re less likely to get shot if you’re outrunning enemies.

“Plus the board doesn’t want you on the Normandy until they know you’re invested in this personally.” Miranda continued and Penny growled in a decidedly inhuman way.

“If I wasn’t invested, I wouldn’t have lived as your willing test-subject for over a year.” Penny snarled, but climbed into the Kodiak with a huff.

“You’re all heart, Miranda.” Jacob sighed as he followed Penny.

“What? She asked a question.” Miranda looked and sounded confused as she climbed aboard.

[1001100 01101001 01101110 01100101]

“So this is Cerberus’ main base over Earth? I’m shocked we’re the ones to find it.” Hunter said to his small crew and siblings aboard his personal stealth-freighter, The Shadow Dagger. Much like many of their void vessels, it had no windows to look out from, relying on its sensory and cameras since windows are considered structural weaknesses. Hence the reason they went this route for more protection.

“I was hoping we would never see this damned planet again.” Berserker grumbled as he glared down at Earth. He never wanted any of his children to go looking into Humanity’s history, or visit it.

“Hey, calm down man. No need to get upset over it.” Runner told her brother as she worked her magic on smoothing away his anger and hatred. “Shh~, relax. Pay no mind to the old home filled with twisted tongues that failed you. They can no longer touch you or any of us.”

“Hm~.” Berserker felt his rage subside as he was led away from the bridge. “Oh, where are we going?”

“Somewhere private.” Runner answered as they went to the room they were sharing.

“Well, at least he won’t blow a gasket.” Collateral said jokingly before getting smacked behind the head. “Ow!”

“Be nice. He’s more considerate than you are right now.” Pillar chastised him with a shake of his head.

“To be fair my Lords, it is all above-board. Our records indicate that aside from hosting their less-than-legal activities clandestinely, this station serves as an important hub for coming and going cargo ships.” The new-blood Night Sentinel named Nocturus, their Intern, replied from his place at his sensor console. He was part of the Ghost faction but was wearing the old Sentinel armour. The new Aspirant must earn his new armor, like the rest of the Initiates. “There we go. A dense concentration of Argent aboard that shuttle, enroute to the Mass Relay.”

“Follow it. We don’t have the ability to snag other ships, so we’ll need to tail them until they land. Mark this station for infiltration.” Hunter ordered as he felt out the minds aboard the ship. One bored, uninterested, the pilot. Another nervous, excited, soldier. One clinically cold and distant, a scientist. The last full of passion, burning with lust, full of vigor and irritation. “That’s her, Commander Shepard is onboard that Kodiak.”

Because she felt exactly like Urta and like it or not, she may be in deeper shit than she could’ve ever imagined…