[Mass Effect: New Genesis] Part 6.1: The Fabled Prothean Base - Nocnistu's Glory (Group A)

The group carefully advanced into the pyramid. Their steeled themselves for whatever dangers this mysterious place may present. With weapons drawn, they all looked around for any hint of danger. Their footsteps echoed throughout the level with a soft clang.

Both teams kept their channels open with each other. You were able to make out something from their end. Something potentially worrisome.

Warning. Human female indoctrinated agent detected.
Warning. Human female indoctrinated age----

Before you had a chance to react to the message, the portal to the outside shut tight with a thunderous slam. The radio fell silent in the echoes. It was within these echoes that a new sound manifested itself.

A humming coming down the hall (for those at the cross-intersection, you can clearly hear the humming coming from all three passageways). Down the hallway was a set of ancient Prothean defense turrets coming back to life for the first time in over fifty thousand years.

Aashe ducked her head away from the slam, the soft wires on her helmet and suit were disturbed in the force of the stone movement. She ran forward the four steps she needed to bridge the gap from them to the door, and placed her hand on the stone - looking for some sort of trigger mechanism to leave. None seemed forthcoming.

"The only way out, is through..." Aashe said to the group. "What do you think it meant? 'Human female indoctrinated agent detected' - that was the word Aivar bellowed loud enough to blow my eardrums out in the comm... and I mean, I know what the word itself means... but what relevance has it here?"

"Jarvis... I need the composition of the air in here, is it safe to remove the helmets?" A pause... "Jarvis? JARVIS!...." Aashe heaved a long sigh and punched the stone wall lightly in irritation. "Fantastic."

(any answers, if they're given - also any potentially hollared orders about the turrets. I figure the people up front would see them before Aashe.)

The humming of the turrets grew louder, and Aashe heard bullets firing slightly wild down the hallway. The group was out of range to be targeted, but not out of range to be shot. She flattened herself up against a wall, and raised her sniper rifle to look down the hallway, not shooting yet, for fear of hitting a squad mate - but trying to get eyes on what they might be up against.

EDIT: Derp. Helmet.

Othic and Brandt picked their steps slowly and deliberatley, weapons raised to their shoulders. The sound was light as the rest of the group tip-toed a few metres behind them. It had been Myn's order for the team to stay a safe distance behind him, close to the door for an easy escape if needed, as he and Nick scouted ahead for any potential danger.

Suddenly the team radio roared into life. To Othic's dismay it wasn't Havens or any of his squad.

Warning. Human female indoctrinated agent detected.
Warning. Human female indoctrinated age---

The radio abruptly cut off as the door Myn's team had entered through slammed shut. "What the fu-" He began but stopped as he heard a strange humming sound that seemed to grow increasing louder.

"Down!" Was all the warning he managed to call out before the Prothean defence turrets came online. Othic dove behind a pillar as bullets tore into the ancient structure.

He hoped the rest of the team got themselves into cover in time.

Astila walked in the middle of the team in their assigned formation, her heels clicking and echoing on the hard floors.

Warning. Human female indoctrinated agent detected.
Warning. Human female indoctrinated age---

Indoctrination! The other team! Kreiger, Corwin! Astila's thoughts roared in her mind, before spotting the turrets awaking from their long-extended slumber. "By the goddess, turrets!", She called out, acting quickly and putting a biotic sphere over the group as they all ducked into cover. She crouched down where the turrets could not reach her even if she didn't have the bubble activated. Without hesitating, she grabbed her scorpion gun and began taking aim at the turrets, emptying her clip into the two turrets equally.

A few moments later, the little grenades exploded causing heavy damage to the pair of the turrets. She then threw a double throw at them kicking them back into their deactivation mode, but not killing them fully. She stood up from cover, bringing down the sphere. "We must move quickly before they awaken again."

Nick was taking point with Othic, rifle at the ready, scanning the hallways for any threats, when an unrecognized voice came over the radio.

Warning. Human female indoctrinated agent detected.
Warning. Human female indoctrinated age----

“Indoctrinated? Who…?” Before Nick could even finish that thought, the door leading back to the outside slammed shut, and the radio cut out. Nick was about to try to comm the other team, but he stopped when he began to hear a humming noise coming from all three hallways branching out from the intersection. Suddenly, Othic shouted, “Down!”

Without thinking, Nick took cover in the hallway leading back to the exit, his back to the right wall, right as bullets began coming down the hallways. He looked around the corner, up the hallway that led right from the intersection and saw two defense turrets. He could tell that they were outside the turret’s effective range, as their shots were going wide, but they were no less damaging.

Suddenly, the area in front of him was tinged blue. He looked back to see Astila putting up a biotic sphere around them. Without hesitating, he stowed his assault rifle on his back, and took up his sniper rifle. He took careful aim fired the three rounds into one of turrets, taking it out of action. Thanks to the barrier Astila had put up, Nick had enough time to eject the rifle’s heat sink and put another three rounds into the other turret, disabling it.

[OCC note: Took out the top two turrets on the map.][FONT=Calibri][/FONT]

Meera's face went pale as the message processed in her mind. Human. Female. Indoctrinated. Before she could react the door slammed down and she heard Othic shout. She barely had time to duck for cover before the bullets started coming at them. She watched as Astila put up the barrier, and Nick took out the turrets with his sniper rifle. She froze. There was nothing she could do, but sit there. She felt the cold snake of fear reach out and grab her. Indoctrinated.

The last thing they needed was suspicions within the group. Maybe the whole point of the message was to create dissent within the groups, get people to suspect each other and implode. She hoped it would not work with this group.

"Anyone injured out there?" Meera squeaked out the words, wishing she had gathered her composure more before opening her mouth. As strange as it sounded, she was hoping for some injury; it would give her something to focus into, rather than indoctrination and flying bullets.

((Edited to correct mistake))

Aashe frowned to herself when no one elected to answer her initial query. She was getting increasingly used to this... Ah well, it was possible no one else knew the answer. Based on Eri's conversation from early, she was beginning to wonder if this Reaper / Indoctrination thing was something on which the Military kept tabs.

With Myn's order for everyone to get down, Aashe's line of fire was cleared to the front Turrets. Though they were disabled, there was no reason to leave them in tact. Zooming forward on the scope of her Sniper Rifle, Aashe fired clean - ripping through the shields and armor of the turrets with a handful of rapid shots. Her sniper rifle fired three bullets at a time, and after the fourth squeeze of the trigger, the two turrets out front were destroyed.

Aashe ejected the thermal clip on her weapon, reached to a small selection of them on her back, and shoved another one home.

"Anyone injured out there?" Meera asked, with a slight shake in her voice.

"We appear to be okay for the moment, Bones." Aashe said. "But all the same... try to keep me between you and the bad guys. My armor's not good for much, but it'll stop a few bullets. And if anyone needs to be more mobile and unharmed, it's you."

A warning message came on over the radio, and then things went to crap. Everybody was slowly, cautiously, moving forward, but Jeshua lagged behind a little because he was trying to fiddle around with Dolphin. He heard the message coming from Myn's radio first, and then it came almost instantaneously on his earpiece as well.

A female indoctrinated agent? But who- Jeshua was cut off by the sound of scraping metal. The doors were closing, and he was a little too close for comfort. Needless to say, he ran very fast to catch up with the others.

"Jarvis... I need the composition of the air in here, is it safe to remove the helmets?" Jeshua felt like pointing out to Aashe that he had been wearing no helemt the entire time and he was fine, but then she continued. "Jarvis? JARVIS!.... Fantastic." The radio was busted, with nothing but static coming through, so Jeshua turned his earpiece off. He brought out Dolphin to act as a flashlight just in time to hear Myn yell "Down!"

Everybody crouched, rolled, and got behind cover. Sadly, Jeshua was caught off-guard, and he ducked a second too late. He saw the turrets just as several bullets grazed his arm. The shock toppled Jeshua, saving him from the rest of the spray, but he had already received maybe a dozen shots right into his arm and side. The pain was overwhelming, and Jeshua was fighting to keep consciousness, but then he saw Astila flare a biotic field.

Jeshua was at the back of the hallway and saw Astila shoot grenades at the turrets, and looked over to see Nick firing at them as well to his side. Nick looked over and the two exchanged glances, and in no short time Nick had dragged him around the bend.

"Agh, I can't feel my arm!" Jeshua screamed out. Then he was convulsing, and he had to sit through the horrible experience, knowing that he couldn't stop himself.

"Agh, I can't feel my arm!", Astila heard Jeshua yell.

"Jesh!", Astila called out, running over to him. She quickly brought out some medi-gel she had stored and applied it to his wound. It wouldn't do much for the bullets lodged in but, it would stop the bleeding and numb the pain until Meera could tend to him. She stayed crouched down and held him lightly until he stopped convulsing. "Meera!", Astila yelled into the group, keeping her eyes out. She saw Meera moving over and there was still one turret left. Astila stood up and quickly put up another shield around the group, restoring any shield loss to the team and guarding them hopefully from any more damage.

Othic watched in satisfation as Aashe, Brandt and Astilla destroyed four of the five turrets in quick succession. It was only when the din of the kicking bullets began to die down that Myn heard screaming over the top of the remaining turret. He turned in time to see Nick drag Jeshua to safety. He cursed to himself inwardly, he had always questioned Havens' decision to bring such a combat inexecperienced kid onboard.

He pushed the thoughts out of his mind. People go down in firefights; enemies, comrades and friends. He had a couple of jamming grenades strapped to his hip and now used one, tossing it toward the remaining turret before ducking back behind cover. A small electronic 'pop'could he heard two seconds later. Peering out Othic saw the turret was disabled, at least temporarily. He raised his vindicator and fired three quick burts into the weapon and was rewarded with a small explosion.

He took a few seconds to recce the immediate area but was satisfied there were no visible dangers. He jogged back to the rest of the group with Jeshua screaming loudly. "Agh, I can't feel my arm!"

This would be a problem. What could they do with a badly wounded child. Shoot him up with painkillers and leave him here until they came back was the most sensible suggestion at the forefront of Myn's mind. He bit his tongue for now, instead asking: "What's the situ?"

Meera heard Jeshua cry out right before going into violent convulsions. She instantly went into work mode, sliding over to where Nick and Jeshua were, right as Astila put up a barrier to give her access. She yanked open her medical bag at the same time.

"Nick, can you hold him as still as possible please? Make sure he does not bang his head around too much. I need to give him some meds." Meera pulled out a syringe and double checked the drug. She waited for Nick to get a hold on Jeshua before injecting him. After a few moments the convulsions stopped, and he lie there unconscious. She looked at his arm, and his side. It was a mess. She pulled out another syringe and injected a high dose pain killer. After that she carefully lifted up his arm. All of the rounds looked like they had gone straight through, so she applied a generous amount of med-igel, and wrapped the wounds tightly. She then pulled up her omnitool, and ran a scan on the wounds on his side. Most looked liked grazing shots, but she wanted to be sure nothing was embedded.

It all looked good, so again she cleaned the wounds and dressed them. After all of that was finished she gave him a hefty dose of anti-biotic. Meera said, to no one in particular, "I think he is going to be fine, in large amounts of pain, but I think he will be okay. The biggest concern is the arm, he honestly might never have use of it again. Without me being able to get him back to a med-bay, there is nothing more I can do. For now, I have contained the problem, he is medicated, and in no immediate danger. The best we can do is hurry up and get what we need and get out of here."

Meera looked over at Nick. "Thank you for your help, I really appreciate it." She smiled at him, and stood up. Looking over to Myn for further instructions.

Myn watched in silence as Meera tended to Jeshua. She unquestionably knew her business as she worked with the unconscious teenager.

"I think he is going to be fine, in large amounts of pain, but I think he will be okay. The biggest concern is the arm, he honestly might never have use of it again." A shame if so, Myn thought to himself. A terrible thing to happen to a young guy. "Without me being able to get him back to a med-bay, there is nothing more I can do." Meera continued. "For now, I have contained the problem, he is medicated, and in no immediate danger. The best we can do is hurry up and get what we need and get out of here."

After thanking Nick for his part in rescuing the kid she looked up to Myn, seemingly for further instructions. He felt the rest of the eyes turn toward him as well.

"Alright then. We move on. Like the Doc said, there's nothing we can do for Jeshua right now. So we get what we came for and get the hell outta here ASAP."

He paused waiting for a reaction. Leaving a badly wounded teenager may not prove to be a popular decision, even if he had been stabalized and in no immedate danger. Othic just hoped the group would be realistic about the situation and let their heads, rather than their hearts, evaluate their current position.

"Check your weapons, ammo and supplies. We move out in two minutes."

"Alright then. We move on. Like the Doc said, there's nothing we can do for Jeshua right now. So we get what we came for and get the hell outta here ASAP."

"Check your weapons, ammo and supplies. We move out in two minutes." Astila looked shocked that Myn would even consider leaving an injured kid to fend for himself.

"Myn.", Astila spoke up, catching his attention as she walked over to him. "We can not leave him alone.", She said, speaking lowly. "We should leave Meera with him if we're going to leave him at all. I'll leave my secondary weapon with her and put a shield over them."

Aashe watched Jeshua, and the situation, quiet. She was beginning to wonder if the crew needed to attend a learning annex class on avoiding damage within the first 10 minutes of a confrontation. Myn was advocating leaving Jesh, Astila was saying to bring him along... or leave the Doctor...

"No matter what we decide to do." Aashe said. "We can't afford to leave Bones behind. There are pros and cons to bringing Jesh, or leaving him. If we bring him, we can keep track of his health - but the sheer force of his injuries may put a strain on the team. One of us could be hurt or killed trying to protect him. If we leave him, he should be fine until we can come back to get him - but we've got no guarantees of what's going to happen in here. We may not have time to come back for him...

"My vote is this... Jesh, you need to decide right now. If you can walk, and watch yourself - and you listen to Myn for the rest of this, you can come. You need to be more careful. If you think you're going to pass out, or need to be carried. You need to stay here."

Aashe kept her eyes and scope on what was going on around them, trying to give everyone a chance to discuss their options.

"We should leave Meera with him if we're going to leave him at all. I'll leave my secondary weapon with her and put a shield over them."

Meera listened to Astila's suggestion, and considered it for a moment.

"Honestly, I have done all I can for him. By staying here, I will simply be watching him sleep, the meds should have kicked in already. As to leaving me with a weapon, I hardly know how to use one, I do not think I would be able to help much there. Unfortunately, the damage is done, and the best he can do is rest. If we take him along, his life would be in much greater danger, as well as others. We need to find a secure enough location in here to let him recoup. I hate the idea of leaving him behind, but he cannot move. It will kill him."

She paused for a moment and took a deep breath. "The only thing I can do now is make sure that everyone else is okay as the mission goes on. Jeshua is stable, as long as he stays put. Someone else might need my help later. I wish there was an easier way to go about this, but if we all want to make it out of here, we might have to leave him."

Meera felt guilty as she spoke the words. She had taken an oath as a doctor to do everything in her power to help a patient, but this situation was taking that oath further than she could ever imagine. At that moment, she felt the very real possibility that none of them might make it out of this alive. She gritted her teeth at the thought.

Myn watched as Jeshua stirred. He seemed to be conscious when Aashe spoke to him and as Meera explained her position and his diagnosis to Astilla.

"We've talked it through." Othic spoke up, trying to be the decisive one. "We push on." He said, looking at each member of the group before crouching down beside Jeshua.

"Hey kid, I know you're hurt bad but we have to move on. The sooner we get what we came here for, the sooner we can get you some proper help. The Doc says you should stay here but it's up to you. If you think you can keep up then we need you up now." He paused, knowing he was asking a lot.

He stood up again. "Ok, let's go."

[OOC - Just trying to push us on. Jeshua can decide if he wants to join us or not]

Aashe adjusted the sniper rifle in her hands. She strode up to the group to take her place in what would become the back once they started moving.

"Lay on, MacDuff." She said to Myn, looking around. And be damned he who first cries, 'Hold, enough!' Her brain went through the rest of the line on its own.

Meera fell into place, avoiding any glances that might come her way. She felt extremely guilty at this point, but she knew, deep inside, this is what it was going to take to get everyone out. She readjusted the bag, securing tightly to her waist again, taking a quick inventory of the remaining supplies she had. It was really not necessary. She had practically emptied the med-bay of all the supplies available, and had more than enough for a team 3 times this size, but she still checked, just to make sure. It was all she could do, to keep her mind off the possible danger ahead.

The defense turrets fell silent thanks to the combined effort of Eris' crew. Seeing that the area looked save, Myn suggested making a right at the cross-intersection. It was then that the group noticed what looked like a body lying at the base of the defense turret. The group moved as a unit (with or without Jeshua...unknown at this point) toward this body and discovered that it was not a body. Not quite. It was a suit of Prothean armor...perfectly preserved from the ravages of time. It was an olive colored plating at the chest and redwood colored scaling everywhere else to provide for maximum protection of vital areas and movement.

The one in the lead would notice this first, but everyone else would quickly follow. There was a hole in the plate that was about an inch diameter. The team was inspecting the back of the armor. The front remained hidden from view.

Next to the armor was an data-pad with a cracked screen.

(Jeshua would be needed for this part. If he is separated, it would take someone who possesses enough electronic skills to repair it. I will assume that the group will ask Jeshua to repair it)

Three important message were somewhat recovered and translated.

---ero---

I f--- the Base --s infiltr---d by sev-r-l indoctr---te- ag--ts. Our s------y system -a- d-w- for rep---s -- the time -e received the la-- tr-nsp-rt.
K--w --is, ---ero---. This ---e is t-- ---t ho-- fo- the E----e.I wi-- ----ect it -o --- ---th.

S----

_______________________________________________________

---ero---

T-e password -o --e elev---- was ch----d to -our name on -y ----estion. None of the --w -----als --ow it.

S----

_______________________________________________________________

---ero---

V---es ----ing m-.Te--ing me to ---y.---ing from th- g--t the ne- d----r ga-e --. C--'t ----st it -or lon- now. Fare----.

S----

After he put the two turrets down, Nick glanced over to see the kid, Jeshua, down on the ground, clearly wounded. Nick ran out and dragged him to behind the wall to safety. Someone yelled, “Jesh!” and Nick turned to see Astila running over. He moved to let her attend to the kid. She applied medi-gel to the wounds and called for Meera’s attention.

Meera came over and knelt next to the wounded teenager, immediately getting to work on treating him.

"Nick, can you hold him as still as possible please? Make sure he does not bang his head around too much. I need to give him some meds.", she asked.

Nick nodded, and got a hold on Jeshua, trying to gently keep him still without further aggravating the wounds. Once he finally stopped convulsing, Meera set to work, administering medication, examining the wounds and patching them up. Nick admired the speed, precision, and focus she was demonstrating through her work.

Once she had finished she said, “"I think he is going to be fine, in large amounts of pain, but I think he will be okay. The biggest concern is the arm, he honestly might never have use of it again. Without me being able to get him back to a med-bay, there is nothing more I can do. For now, I have contained the problem, he is medicated, and in no immediate danger. The best we can do is hurry up and get what we need and get out of here." She looked over at Nick and said, "Thank you for your help, I really appreciate it." She smiled at him and Nick smiled back.

“Thanks”, he replied, “but you did all the important work.” He looked back at Jeshua and frowned slightly. “I just hope he makes a full recovery. Kid his age shouldn’t have to worry about something as serious as losing an arm.”

Nick stood up and looked to Othic for orders.

"Alright then. We move on. Like the Doc said, there's nothing we can do for Jeshua right now. So we get what we came for and get the hell outta here ASAP."

After he said that, a discussion occurred, over whether Jeshua should just be left behind. Nick was conflicted in the matter. While taking the kid with them would make things difficult, he wasn’t really comfortable leaving a wounded teenager all alone. When Meera said that moving him could kill him though, Nick saw that there was no other choice. They had to press on. Nick took point alongside Othic again, ready to follow his direction.

[Sorry this post is kind of late, I didn't get a chance to put it up earlier.]