Nexus Effect

Ch.69

“I knew they had a gunship, but how did it get here so fast?!” I squeaked as I dodged incoming fire. Garrus, having been forewarned because I saw it coming through cameras, was thankfully taking cover and hadn’t been grievously injured like in canon, so hopefully I can still save his pretty face from being permanently scarred. That is, if I don’t end up grievously injured!

“Considering the Blue Suns are a group of megalomaniacal assholes, I wouldn’t be surprised if they actually used rapid deployment methods!” Yola replied as she blasted it with her Pulse shotgun. Although we now had blaster technology, there was no reason to discontinue pulse technology. It was much easier to use than blasters which needed tabana gas and still had more oomph than most slug-throwers. Especially after continuing R&D on them.

“Don’t those things have rockets?” Garrus rhetorically pointed out as he took potshots at the gunship.

“Oh~ good idea, Garrus!” I shouted back at him before taking flight, dodging the tracking fire to get closer to the rocket pod so my Pulse blasts from my palms would have a better chance of making contact. I was summarily flung back by the explosion, tossed ass over teakettle to land on my back next to where Garrus was taking cover. “...Ow…”

“Well that’s one way to deal with a gunship.” Yola commented as she helped me behind cover. “How many more of these idiots are going to bother trying? We’ve killed the leader of the Blood Pack, just blew up the Blue Suns and wiped out most of the mechs Eclipse could’ve thrown at us. What next? An army of gun-toting hanar with six pistols each?”

“Don’t joke about that! After the ‘Second Enkindling’ movement started with Javik helping emphasize that they became what they are on their own much to his surprise, the hanar have gone mod-crazy after basically joining the Empire for their resurrection of the Protheans as well as for their help in saving their drell companions.” Garrus snarled with a surprising amount of urgency. “You haven’t seen anything until you watch a hanar strangle two krogan and fire into a room full of enemies at the same time while using them as body shields.”

“...Shit sis. We helped turn the most defenseless species into one of possibly the fiercest.” I shook my head in disbelief. It would also go a long way in explaining why that hanar prostitute was so different than 20-odd years ago. “Oh shit. Have they started body-modding beyond enhancements? Like, turning themselves bipedal or…?”

“No clue. Nobody knows what happens on Kahje besides the hanar and the drell.” Garrus huffed as he poked out and sniped a few drones. “Are you quite done?! We’ve killed basically all of you! If you have brains, you’ll fuck off and go rethink your lives!” Garrus screamed across the bridge since it had gone eerily silent.

“Actually! I would like to thank you!” My spine tingled at the familiar voice as Aria, trailed by Nyreen and a whole squad of Talons came around the corner to approach the bridge. “Well done, Archangel! I’ll clean up the rest!” Aria smiled like a demon before waving her hand forward and the Talons began slaughtering the remaining enemies hiding in the Kima District.

“Oh thank gosh. Well, at least-what are you doing?!” Yola hissed as she knocked Garrus’s rifle into the air before he could pull the trigger. “That’s Aria T’loak you idiot! She’s the only person keeping Omega from completely falling apart!”

“She’s also a pirate warlord who perpetuates the suffering of the people here. Why shouldn’t I kill her and her Talon goons?” Garrus growled and I smacked his helmet so hard he smacked against the railing.

“Because she and the Talons are the key to stability here! They can become Omega’s version of C-Sec, only not all tied down by red tape and bureaucracy. You just about doomed Omega to becoming even more lawless, idiot!” I snarled and took his gun from him. “For that, no gun for you until you can learn to behave!”

“...Did you just take my gun and talk down to me like a child?” Garrus demanded incredulously.

“Yes and until you grow up and understand that you can’t solve everything by shooting it, it’s staying that way.” I snarled at the vigilante turian who leered back and sighed.

“Fine. There’s no winning against you two or Shepard. I learned that years ago. Now then, do you have a place to stay? My place is...kinda ruined and filled with sour memories.” Garrus gestured around him and I sighed.

“We took a freighter here, come on. You may have been a bad boy just now, but you still did good until that last bit.” I told my friend, who perked up as we took his hands and led him.

“Reach and flexibility?” Garrus asked eagerly and I shared a giggle with Yola.

“Reach and flexibility~.” We chimed together.

[1001100 01101001 01101110 01100101]

“Shepard, good work on Freedom’s Progress. I’m receiving this transmission from Rannoch and I have received the data. Most of it we already knew, but the more in-depth analyses provided by the Geth will give us more insight into how to counter this threat. I’m impressed you managed to convince them to lend us this olive branch considering our past encounters with them.” IM stated, getting straight to business the moment the holographic comm call connected.

“It’s easier to get things done when you make friends. Haven’t you considered playing nice with others?” Penny asked with a shake of her head. The only reason they were even allowed on a space station orbiting Rannoch is because she is a good friend of the quarians and geth.

“Diplomacy is great when it works, but difficult when everyone already perceives you as a threat. Much like the Argentine Alliance and their sudden aggression against Cerberus, but back on topic. You’ve provided cold hard evidence that it is the Collectors behind the abductions.” IM stated before taking a draw of his cigar.

“Why do I get the feeling you knew about them already?” Penny huffed in disappointment. She had suspicions she was sent on a milk run, but the confirmation made it sour.

“I had my suspicions, but I needed proof. The Collectors are enigmatic at best. They periodically travel to the Terminus Systems to gather seemingly unimportant items or specimens. Usually in exchange for their technology. When their transactions are complete, they disappear as quickly as they arrived, back beyond the Omega 4 Relay.” IM shook his head and took a sip of his drink. “Now maybe I can get people in positions of power to listen to my warnings that the Collectors are a genuine threat.”

“The Collectors are definitely an enemy, but besides their disturbing likeness to the Protheans, how can we prove their connection to the Reapers?” Penny shook her head, feeling like they might be chasing wild geese trying to prove a connection when they could simply work against the Collectors outright. If they are allied with the Reapers, it would become evident.

“That is a good point, but it is also supported by the fact that the Collectors only started targeting humanity specifically after your hand in destroying Sovereign. Certainly you had a team of other species with you and arguably the Geth, Chrysanthemum, did far more in eliminating Sovereign than you, but you were the highest profile person involved besides Urdnot Wrex. It was also the human navy at the Citadel that suffered the least losses and provided the most support. The abductions are related, even if the Alliance and the Citadel refuse to believe it. I refuse to wait for the Reapers to march on us, I want to take the fight to them.” IM declared grimly and Penny could respect that stance, even if she didn’t like the man taking it.

“In that case, I’m going to need an army and a real good team. Are my old friends out and about like Tali?” Penny broached, hoping that she wouldn’t be stuck with strangers. She’d like to go in with people she already knew could kick ass, take names and fuck like freight trains. Wait...

“Some of them, but not all of them. I’ve compiled dossiers on soldiers, scientists and mercenaries. I’ve been unable to track most of your old team, they seem to have scattered to the four corners of the galaxy after you parted ways. If possible, I would suggest you try to convince Tali’Zorah to join you right away. The sooner we have a tech expert available, the better. I’ll be keeping track of the Collectors. The next time they appear, I’ll notify you and your team.” IM informed her as her omni pinged with confirmation of a data transfer.

“I’ll gather my team, don’t worry.” Besides, if she didn’t have someone she could pin to a bed soon she’d-.

“Oh, two more things before you go. First: Head to Omega and find Mordin Solus. He’s the brilliant Salarian Scientist who helped the Empire cure the Genophage for the war effort and produced the fix for later when they can slow down their population growth. Our intelligence suggests he should be able to work around the Collector’s paralyzing seeker swarms.” IM said as the call began to come to an end.

“Alright and the second thing?” He just loves to hear himself talk, doesn’t he?

“I found a pilot, one of the best. I believe you two know each other.” IM hung up and Penny blinked in confusion.

“Hey Commander. Just like old times huh?” The man’s voice from behind her made her perk up so hard she thought her ears and tail would burst through her synth-suit.

“Joker~!” Penny cheered when she whirled around and lunged into a hug.

“Gah! I may have gotten mods to improve my health Commander, but I’m still fragile!”

[1001100 01101001 01101110 01100101]

“So, why are we here?” Garrus asked as he ‘escorted’ us through Omega. He was quite the sight to the citizens of the massive station, pointing and cheering for Archangel. He stoically accepted the praise while dutifully keeping watch over us, since we’d reverted our suits to normal and seemed to be two normal quarian or geth girls again.

“This was the last straw! I have spent years keeping this station in order while keeping your freedoms safe. I allow many concessions that the Citadel refuses to give, I give their unwanted shelter and I let all of you live in my home. Now three mercenary groups under contract from several Asari states want me dead because I refuse to deal with them! Because they don’t have this station’s best interests at heart nor do they want to respect the people living here! I may be cruel, but that is how we survive!” Aria ranted over every screen on Omega.

“We’re grabbing Mordin, though what the hell is Aria doing?” Yola asked as I continued to lead us towards Mordin’s clinic.

“I’m banning all Mercenary groups from Omega for the foreseeable future. The Talons will be enforcing my will on this station until it is back in order under my rule! We are Omega and we will not bow to the Citadel or its corrupt masters!” Aria continued as I knocked on the door.

“What? Did she just declare war on the Citadel?” Garrus asked in gobsmacked shock.

“Eeyup.” I popped the p before we waited patiently for Mordin to have time to answer.

“The Galactic Empire understands how truly important our station is, how much of the Terminus depends on us!” A map of the galaxy appeared that highlighted star systems and Omega at the center, most of them in the terminus, others in the Attican Traverse. “These are worlds and systems that look to us to survive, not the Citadel, not the Empire. They will fall if we become pawns to some Corrupt leader-.”

“Yes, pardon my delay-Nora!” Mordin’s face morphed into the faint smile that only salarians could do, since they don’t have the facial structure to emote much stronger. “What a pleasant surprise, it has been many, many years since we have seen one another.” He...didn’t look any different. Despite the fact that Mordin should be in his elder years as a Salarian, he didn’t seem to have aged a day in the past decades. “Come in, please.”

“Thank you, Mordin.” I smiled and ignored Aria’s continuing declaration of independence and her official instatement as a facist dictator over a nation of pirates as we entered. “How are you doing?”

“Splendidly. I cured the Genophage, then I made the fix so that the krogan don’t have to worry about overpopulation after the war is over. After that, I decided it was time to travel, work elsewhere. The Dalatrass and the STG have become rather hostile to me for obvious reasons. Shameful on their part, but I do not care.” Mordin filled us in as he gestured for us to sit on the waiting room bench. “Pardon if my work space and living space are mixed together, I do not have ample accommodations.”

“No issue, but why do you not look any older, Mordin?” I asked curiously with relief.

“I broke the law and incorporated the genes of a changeling, specifically the ones that negate aging via invigoration by absorbing ambient energies from surrounding sentient life. Well, illegal back when I did it, no longer the case now, but I digress.” Mordin replied as he produced a few cans of soda from a fridge that was behind the reception counter. Soda caught on quickly among Levo-based species for it’s tingly fizz and sweet taste. It was funny that only humans considered injecting gaseous Co2 into fluid to make it fizzy. “How are you?”

“Good. I’m the mother of...200 times 12, add 120...2520 beautiful people, same for Yola aside from when we shared the same body, so our combined number of kids comes in at a whopping 5020 children. They were all bred for war besides the first 220 though.” I admitted sadly with a resigned sigh and a rub of my stomach, Yola mirroring me.

“Y-you did what?!” Garrus choked on his soda. Thankfully he’d taken mods to negate the levo/dextro problem years ago so he wasn’t drinking poison.

“Impressive, but a single clutch of krogan eggs numbers roughly 1000. If you think you had it hard, imagine how the krogan felt having to care for so many so quickly.” Mordin nodded, barely fazed by the concept of Yola and I having so many children.

“Yeah, I can’t believe such a thing. Not even the Goddesses Wiatr or Urta can manage that.”

[1001100 01101001 01101110 01100101]

“Babe?” Celestia rubbed her wife’s shoulder as Wiatr looked into the sky with her trio of rat tails flicking about agitatedly when they had been having a picnic. “What is it?”

“Someone just issued a challenge.”

[1001100 01101001 01101110 01100101]

“Urta-wife?” Cocoa backed away from Urta, who was prowling towards her with a manic gleam, having interrupted a meeting with the ONI Directors. “W-what is wrong?”

“Someone just issued a challenge!”

[1001100 01101001 01101110 01100101]

“Uh...Commander?” Penny blinked and turned her attention to Jacob, who looked extra sexy suddenly, even in full uniform. “Are you okay?”

“Hm? Fine. Just...I feel insulted somehow. Like I’ve been challenged over something I’m vastly superior in.” Penny had to wonder why she wanted to drag the Doom Marines into her quarters and fuck like a horny jackrabbit until she was so full of babies she put her previous best to shame by several hundred.

“I think a certain someone may have unintentionally challenged the Goddesses of Fertility, our wives. Yes, this includes you, Commander.” Hunter informed her and she felt her tail try to wriggle in the compressed space of her human-suit. “Jacob, remind me again; why must she be in that damnable contraption?”

“Because, as much as I disagree too, she needs to appear as she was known, for people to accept that she is still Commander Shepard.” Jacob sighed as he helped compile the overview of the Normandy SR-2 for the ship’s new captain.

“Cowards.” Berserker grumbled as he made no effort in hiding how pissed off he was at Humanity. The rest were just disappointed, but he was the only one who truly felt hatred towards a race they were once a part of. He looked just about ready to go on a murder spree.

At Penny’s request, the Doom Marines removed their armor while aboard her ship. She greatly appreciated them following her rules, even more so now that she can see the rest of them in full view. Especially with the choice of clothing they’re all wearing, which seems to reflect their personalities quite well, much like their armor.

“Oh, just a heads-up; my personal stealth freighter, the Shadow Dagger, is merged to the underside of the Normandy SR-2 in a method that basically combines our ships without hindering either. She’s attached just beyond the hangar deployment doors and connected to the umbilical port there.” Hunter informed them, but Penny couldn’t think beyond how virile and fertile the Doom Marines smelled.

“Hm, that would explain the registered extra tonnage on the sensors, but no visible mass. Impressive. So we have extra crew and your ship at our disposal?” Jacob asked and Penny trailed her eyes down to his crotch as she sniffed the air.

“More-or-less. Anyway, I vote for Berserker to take Penny up to her room and blow off some steam with her.” Hunter announced and before Berserker could utter a protest, the others unanimously voted for him as well with a show of hands.

“Oh, this is such bull-fucking-shit! You fuckers do this every single fucking time! I fucking hate you all!” Berserker ranted and Jacob shook his head as he continued working on his omni.

“Well, that was damn rude. Shouldn’t I get to pick if anyone’s willing?” Penny demanded, her arousal suddenly taken out back and shot dead in the face of others daring to make a choice for her when she damn well had a say. “For this insult, you will all be doing menial labor throughout the ship.” Penny then grabbed Berserker’s collar and started dragging him away. “Not him though. He’s still fucking me stupid if he’s okay with it.”

Penny practically carried him down the hall to her private room and closed the door. She was going to say something, but then Berserker surprised her with a deep, passionate kiss. This ignited the boiling, churning heat in her core and she clutched onto the man like a drowning woman to a raft until they pulled apart with a string of saliva connected between their lips until it broke. “Penny, can I make a request? It's simple and straightforward.”

“Sure, sure, whatever. Let’s fuck.” Penny tried to kiss him again, but he held her away. “Grr, spit it out!” Penny growled in lustful frustration and this oddly made Berserker smell better. By the gods does this man smell like spicy fury and Power.

“Whenever you’re on the Normandy, free yourself from this prison. You don’t always have to look human for someone else’s convenience. Remember, this is your ship, you are the captain. Can you do that for yourself?” Berserker said to her and she huffed.

“As much as I want to, unfortunately, this ship is crewed by Cerberus techs. I won’t have a ship without people willing to run it. In my room though? I can be ‘naked’ all I want in here. Thanks for reminding me about that. Now, are you still willing to have some fun with me?” Penny asked in reply as she managed to pull away from him and approach her nightstand, where she moved a chair to face the bed.

“However you would like to have it.” Berserker said before Penny gestured to the bed.

“Get comfy, I need to undress and it might be gross.” Penny closed her eyes and leaned back. Moments later, she went stiff and her mouth opened wide before familiar turquoise goo gushed forth onto the bed, which was thankfully liquid-proof. Soon, laying on the bed was a near-perfect clone of Berserker’s wife, though he clearly appreciated her enormous fennec ears and the fringe of a mohawk between them. “Oh~! It feels so good to be free of that damn thing!”

“Looking real sexy, Shepard.” Berserker said as he watched her grope and paw at herself while also moving her tail a lot, like she was trying to get stiffness out. “Now, I hope you don’t mind if I take off my own ‘clothes’.” Berserker’s body morphed, his humanity rapidly shifting into the powerful form of a big red dracowolf. This caused Penny’s arousal to crank up to 15 the moment he changed. “Is this to your liking~?”

“Oh, yes~. I wasn’t a furry or scaly or whatever xenophobic humans call it before I met Urta. Then I was worried she turned me gay, then the rest came sprinting after. You’re so fucking hot~!” Penny moaned with a bite of her lip and a liberal squeeze of her juicy rack from the sides.

“I hope so or my wives have poor taste, which I know they don’t. Now then, if we’re going to do this properly.” Berserker reached between his thighs and retrieved a purple spherical gemstone the size of a marble. “This is-.”

“You’ll just give me one?! Thank gosh, I was so worried when Cerberus couldn’t find the one Wiatr gave me. Gimme!” Penny crawled across the bed and then thrust her rippling washboard abs at him. “Put it in, then put it in~. Oh, also, I’m Penny, only use my assumed name on-duty.”

“Assumed?” Berserker asked before he pushed the shining pearl into the simulated navel on Penny’s stomach and the slime vixen shivered with a light moan. Whoa. He hasn’t seen a woman react like that to getting a Navel Pearl.

“My full name is Penny Inoue Shepard. Shepard is a name I chose when renewing my citizenship since Inoue is an ethnic name and people, well, humans, don’t take people who cling to ethnic surnames seriously. Shepard is a role to me. My name is Penny Inoue.” Penny clarified and then wondered why she admitted that. She hasn’t even told her other lovers that!

“Yet another reason to not visit Earth. Eh, fuck the bigots, let’s get freaky my dear Penny Inoue~.” He wrapped his hands around her fit waist and kissed her as he pinned her.