"Once Bitten... Pt. II"

//Collab. between LegacyCloud & AnnCarise//

Six Hours Later

"Rawlings, I know how to handle myself."

Gabriel sat beside one of the tables in the crew quarters, a computer in front of him. On the holographic screen was a video feed of a bald man, about thirty years of age; from the white and black collar that was visible it was likely that he wore a Cerberus uniform of some sort.

"I'm impressed by your biotic skills, just like everyone else," the other Cerberus agent replied. "But Cybele is a political storm, one wrong move and all of humanity might be in trouble."

"I know how to handle myself," Gabe insisted.

"If you say so," Rawlings shrugged. "I know the Illusive Man picked you for a reason, but that doesn't mean you're special or-"

"The Illusive Man entrusted me, and I will succeed."

Rawlings simply chuckled, "There's still a lot you don't know, kid. Good luck out there."

The feed cut out and Gabe deactivated the computer, the hologram flickering and disappearing. He stood up, passing by a crew member and giving her a nod. Once he reached the door, he pressed the panel beside it.

"How far away are we?"

The same female voice that answered earlier spoke again, "ETA to the Zhuge Liang is six minutes. Should I broadcast that across the ship?"

"No, no need to disturb the others," Gabe replied, "I'll inform our guest."

With that, he took his hand off the panel and exited the room, crossing the hallway and entering the ship's mess hall.

Gabe entered the mess hall only to find that Mischa had moved on from there.

Gabe looked around, and having not seen Mischa in the room, he exited the mess and proceeded into the next hallway, heading towards the training room.

She doesn't appear to be in the training room either...

As Gabe spotted that she was not present in the training room either, he moved back towards the door but did not exit, instead pressing the panel. "Is Mischa at the cockpit with you?"

"Negative; we haven't seen her up here since you first showed her around." Came the crackly response from the bridge crew

Gabe paused for a moment to think before he looked back to the room. Taking a careful glance around, he noticed that the mat had been peeled back. Now knowing where to go next, he exited the training room, heading all the way to the rear of the second hallway. Beyond was a staircase leading down to the ship's engine core.

Proceeding down the stairs, Gabe walked past the engines and through a door into a dimly-lit maintenance corridor. He activated his omni-tool for light as he turned into a completely dark room filled with machinery. Using a few thick cables for leverage, he climbed up and removed the cover from a ventilation duct, crawling inside.

He kept the light on as he proceeded through the tunnels that were the ship's ducts. As he neared his destination, he deactivated the omni-tool, pressing up against another duct cover and peering through its narrow slits into the armoury.

As Gabe peered through the grate, the armoury appeared to be completely empty; the illuminated portion of the room was barren, just a smattering of dust mites floating in the air. Frowning slightly at has apparent misinterpretation, he started to turn awkwardly in the narrow shaft to head back the way he came when his attention was caught by a rustling noise within the armoury. With a degree of uncertainty and apprehension, he again turned back to the grate; peering through this time towards the darkened corners of the room behind the ladder; pausing to listen closer he heard what sounded like a faint whimper coming from the shadows where all he could make out in the dim light there was the silhouette of some crates.

Using his omni-tool to assist, Gabe removed the grate quietly though not silently. He stretched out an arm and a mass effect field shimmered around the grate as he guided it to the floor without making noise. Gabe briefly hung from the end of the duct before hopping down to soften the drop. Slowly, he approached the crates where the whimper was heard. "Are you alright?" he asked quietly.

As Gabe approached the crates and peered around them his eyes would be greeted by the distinct outline of a person maybe sitting on the floor. Activating his omni-tool once more he sees that his instincts were indeed correct and Mischa was here; Sat hunkered up into the corner of the room with her knees folded up into her chest with her arms wrapped around them, and her head buried in her arms. Being this close he could hear her whimpers much more clearly and make out the occasional shudder of her shoulders. Briefly startled as she became aware of the light suddenly on her, Mischa looked up through obviously teary eyes which widened slightly at the realization she'd been found and she turned away quickly in shame, fruitlessly trying to be discrete in drying her eyes on her sleeve, "Gabe I... I didn't see you there... I thought I'd sealed the hatch..." despite her best efforts her voice was still quivering slightly.

"I didn't come in from the hatch," Gabe explained. He lowered his hand so the light would not shine as brightly on her, then knelt down to face her. "Hey. I won't pretend to know how you're feeling right now, just that it can't be easy. But no matter how tough things get, you'll always get out if you fight with all you've got. No matter how much it hurts, you can't just sit back and give in. I had to learn that the hard way."

Mischa slowly turned her gaze back to him with a sniff, "But I'm no fighter; I... I don't know how." Her bottom lip quivers gently as speaks, but he she just about holds it in.

Gabe shook his head. "You're not in this fight alone. That's why I'm here. That's why Cerberus is here. To help our human brothers and sisters in times of need like this." He stood up, smiling softly as he offered his hand to Mischa. "Come. I'll show you how."

Mischa tentatively reached out and took his hand, allowing him to pull her to her feet; drying her eyes more as she stands again and looses his hand, "I... well, ok... I guess." she flashes a very forced smile, but makes the effort nonetheless. As they walk back out in to the main area of the room and around to the ladder she places a hand on his shoulder to pause him. With Gabe turning back to face she looks up at him somewhat doe-eyed, "You, err... won't mention this to anyone right? It's just been a rather... intense couple of days and sitting back on this trip has been the first in that time I've had nothing to distract myself from it all with..."

"I see no need to speak about our encounter," Gabe nodded. "And I'll do my best to keep you occupied during the rest of our journey." He ran his omni-tool over one of the machines by the side of the wall and the panel above the ladder slid open. "We're getting ready to board the Zhuge Liang now. It shouldn't be too long before we're underway again."

"Of course, I... I should go freshen up before we disembark. Don't worry, I won't disappear again this time" she smiles climbing up the ladder. Once out the top and the hatch resealed she excuses herself to the washroom, "I'll meet you at the airlock, and... thank you"

Gabe gave her a nod as she left, then headed to the airlock to await her arrival.

Mischa turned the corner towards the airlock; approaching just as the maglocks took a hold and the airlock sealed. She walked up to Gabe's side, giving the smallest of nods as the airlock opened. Watching him step through along with the other crew she took a deep breath, "Once more unto the abyss...." she muttered quietly to herself as she stepped through.

Gabe nodded in return and stepped forward through the airlock door, walking down the hallway that was the docking tube. As they reached the Zhuge Liang's airlock, the doors into the ship slid open. They found themselves in a longer hall beside two armed LOKI mechs that stood idly, guarding the airlock. Gabe led the way to another door, beyond which lay a medium-sized room.

Numerous technicians were spread across the room, some working on various computers, others simply passing through. In the centre of the room, Agent Rawlings awaited them with two more mechs at his side. "I'll take over the asset for the implantation process," he said to Gabe.

Mischa was busy taking in her surroundings as she walked just behind Gabe, her attention snapped straight back to Rawlings however as he spoke, "for the what now?" she demanded as both eyebrows raised expectantly and she folded her arms across her chest. She turned to face Gabe, "Gabe what's talking about?"

“The installation of the experimental L3-X biotic implant,” Gabe stated simply before turning to Mischa with a surprised look. “You…didn’t know?” “She doesn’t need to know,” Rawlings cut in before Mischa could answer. “The Illusive Man promised her power and she’s gonna get it. Heh, if only I could get fancy telekinetic powers like yours after a surgery.” “It’s not that simple,” Gabe argued. “There’re risks, not to mention side effects if it turns out anything like the L2. She needs to know the full picture.” “I’m sure she knows what’s at stake,” countered Rawlings. “She knows what she has to risk to find her husband or else she wouldn’t have chosen to go to that planet in the first place. Don’t you, Mrs. Leveson-Scott?”

"Hold on, what the hell are you going on about with implants?" She said glaring between them both, "The Illusive Man spoke of resources - he said nothing about being a part of some experiment! Anyway in case you idiots missed it; I'm 29 - no human over the age of 25 has ever been successfully implanted with biotics!" Settling her defiantly furrowed brow back on Gabe, "I don't know what kind of hair-brained thinking is going on here but if you seriously think you're going to turn me into some sick experiment then you are sorely mistaken!" She turns to glare back at Rawlings, arms still folded defiantly across her chest, "And if that means I have to make my own way to Cybele then so be it - you're crazy if you think I'm risking my life for something like this!" With that she turned on her heel, set to march back to the ship.

Rawlings tapped on his omni-tool and the two LOKI mechs slowly stepped forwards toward Mischa. Gabe suddenly began to glow blue as he stretched his hands outwards, and the same glow extended around the mechs as they began to float, their legs continuing to strut for a few seconds before the machines realized they were no longer making progress. "Stand down, Mask," Agent Rawlings ordered. Gabe shook his head, "This isn't right." "You don't make the judgement here, kid," Rawlings stepped forward. "This is the Illusive Man's project. You're just the teacher." "I can do more than teach," Gabe glared as the mechs levitated higher into the air. Rawlings shrugged, not intimidated at all, "Tell that to the boss, not me."

Mischa's face became overwritten with shock and panic as she watched Gabe defy orders in her defense. She grabbed hold of his arm with both hands, holding to close to what would seem her only protection while trying to pull him back along with her, "Gabe - come on! We need to get out of here!" she insisted trying fruitlessly to tug at his arm, unable to shift him while he held the mechs.

As Gabe was preoccupied with lifting the mechs, Rawlings stepped aside and raised his omni-tool to Mischa to deliver a quick neural shock and incapacitate her.

Mischa did not even see it coming, one moment she was pleading with Gabe to take her away from here, the next... nothing. Gabe could only watch - powerless to act - as he saw Mischa's unconscious body slump to the floor at his side.

Letting go of the mechs, Gabe rushed to Mischa, kneeling beside her as he activated her omni-tool to scan her status. "She's only unconscious," Rawlings said as he stood over the two casually. "I'm not going to kill an asset." "You could've damaged her nervous system," Gabe warned. "It's only a weak neural shock. I know what I'm doing." Rawlings tapped his omni-tool again and the mechs continued to advance towards Mischa. "Don't," Gabe held up a hand, though he did not use his biotics this time. "I got her into this. I'll take her to the medical bay. Then I'm having a talk with the Illusive Man." The mechs stopped as Rawlings gave a nod and turned off his omni-tool. "Good. He's expecting you."

With the security mechs following closely behind; Gabe had little choice but to delivery Mischa into the eagerly awaiting arms of the science team in the medical bay. Once satisfied that her wellbeing was secured and he had done all he can he turned and shoved his way past the shadowing mechs, "And she'd better be ok after this, or you'll all have ME to answer to!" he shouted back angrily to the scientists who simply looked at one another with a slight shrug before getting to work. A hive of activity sprung up around the medical bed as the scientists got to work on Mischa's unconscious form. Working quickly and efficiently they hooked her up to the monitoring equipment. One would work studiously programming the cutting laser while another prepared the tiny implant ready for insertion. Calling up a holographic representation of Mischa's skeleton, they programmed the implantation sequence; working as diligently as they did silently, simply pointing and nodding their instructions to one another - all too nervous to speak as their project sat on the precipice of completion.

With the procedure programmed in and the monitoring equipment synced, the science team shared a cursory glance before activating the sequence. They each stood back in slight apprehension as their project was now in the hands of the mechanical arms. The first whirred around and drilled down into a small bladed attachment before spinning around Mischa's form and crafting the smallest of incisions around the base of her skull, quickly and spinning away again to deposit it's attachment and pick up the implant while a second arm whirred into life with a needle point which is slowly drove through the incision; the science team now watching on the monitor as the attached microscopic camera flickered up on the screen overhead.

They all watched with baited breath as the first preparatory chemical was injected into her soft tissue and the receptacles on top of the robotic arm drained down. With the chemical layer applied, the needle retracted partially; just far enough for two tiny arms to spread from it's sides and allow the second robotic arm to pierce the outer layer with a new attachment carrying the implant. On the screen the could see the implant slide into view in front of the first arms camera - which had pressed right through the soft muscle layer and showed them a clear view of her spinal column - before a tiny pulse facilitated by the chemical layer triggered the implants bedding procedure with it locking in against her spine to bind with her nervous system at the base of the skull, making Mischa's unconscious body twitch and spasm briefly.

In a slight fluster the science team hurried to her side and squeezed themselves around the robotic arms to try and restrain her while the arms retracted and sealed up behind themselves; since a slip at this stage could more costly than any. Much to their relief her spasms halted after a few short moments - even if they felt like an eternity to those in the room. With the robotic arms nestled back into their docks, sighs of relief were breathed as they watched her vital signs stabilizing, "Now we just have to wait and see when she wakes up..." one of them finally muttered as they began cleaning up. Had they been following more closely they would have witnessed the moment her eyes flashed open for a brief second as a nervous impulse hit them in the wake of her body's spasms and a distinct biotic glow could have been seen emanating from her pupils before the pulse cleared and her eyes fell shut again, leaving a stray tear to run down one cheek, the tear as alone as Mischa herself as she lay there cold and motionless on the medical bed; all alone as the scientists vacated the room.

---

Gabe walked briskly down a long hallway. He passed by several people in Cerberus uniforms and one in a lab coat, not offering his usual nods of greeting and instead rushing straight for the door at the end of the hall guarded by a single LOKI mech.

Through the door was a small, dark room with nothing inside except a glowing circle in the centre. As soon as Gabe stepped into the circle, light began to arise from it, slowly creeping up his body as if scanning him. After a few seconds he was surrounded by a cylinder of this light, then his surroundings flickered and he was suddenly looking at a very different room.

The Illusive Man lowered his cigarette as he spoke, “Maskawigwan. I’ve been expecting you.”

“You tricked Mischa into this,” Gabe said, clearly agitated, though also attempting to tone his voice down in front of the Cerberus leader, resulting in a quiet yet aggressive voice. “You didn’t tell her about the risks involved. You didn’t even tell her what it was-”

“She knew there would be compromises when she got involved with us,” the Illusive Man interrupted. “As did you.”

“Experimenting on a civilian without their consent is compromise?”

The Illusive Man slowly rose from his chair, “We’re doing this for the good of humanity, not the wishes of one human.”

Gabe shook his head, “How do we help humanity if we don’t help individual humans?”

“We are helping her. With the power we’ve given her, she can do whatever she wants, whether it’s to save her husband or avenge him.”

“Not if she doesn’t survive the process.”

“I’m sure she will,” the Illusive Man took a few steps closer to Gabe’s holographic projection. “Don’t let your personal feelings get in the way of what we’re doing here, Mask. This goes beyond one woman and her husband.”

The Cerberus leader turned and made his way back to his seat, taking a long pull from his cigarette once he had settled down. “As you might’ve suspected, your mission to Cybele isn’t just to secure our new asset’s loyalty.”

“I thought so,” Gabe shifted his stance slightly, maintaining a serious though less aggressive posture. “What do you need me to do once we’ve found her husband?”

“Actually, our goals and hers are one and the same,” his cigarette lit up as the Illusive Man took another, shorter smoke. “Captain Len Scott’s ship, the SSV Havana, was in the thermosphere when it was shot down. The heat in that layer of the atmosphere concealed it from sensors, and the batarians are claiming that it was there to spy on them.”

“Was it?” Gabe asked.

“Not as far as my sources tell me, but the turians think it’s too much of a coincidence to be false. They’re convinced that the Alliance went behind their backs to conduct a mission that could involve the Council in a major war. I know you don’t trust the turians, but I don’t need to tell you that without Council support, the batarians will seize the planet and the Prothean technology on it, giving them a distinct edge over humanity.”

The Illusive Man sipped from his glass before continuing, “Show the turians that we haven’t betrayed their trust. Rescue Captain Scott and his crew if you can, but what we need is any sort of proof showing that the Havana wasn’t on a secret recon mission.”

“I understand,” Gabe nodded. “But what about the off chance your intel is wrong?”

“Help the surviving crew cover up the situation. I’m sure they understand what’s at stake here. Do what you have to do, just make sure the turians don’t get an excuse to leave us to the mercy of the batarians.”

Gabe nodded again, “I hope it doesn’t come to the worst-case scenario.”

“This won’t be an easy task,” the Cerberus leader added. “We have reports that the batarians have acquired the services of the Shadow Broker. If that’s true, your every move will be watched. Going unnoticed will be more difficult than ever. Be careful.”

“I won’t fail you.”