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Slaves of Cerberus	By : NakedOwlMan Category: +M through R > Mass Effect Views: 138070 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: Mass Effect and all the characters in it are owned by people that are not me. I have not made a cent off this work of fiction

Chapter List
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"Omega relay will be in range in fifteen minutes, Commander," Joker said out loud. Despite the bad memories of how it ended, there were times when he missed piloting the Normandy. The Orpheus followed the standard Alliance design protocol, which meant that his station was right in the general CIC area along with all the rest of the technicians. Back on the Normandy, he had a cockpit all to himself, so nobody would have to see how worried he was right now.

Well, not all to myself, Joker thought, remembering his former co-pilot. Great, now he was depressed in addition to be afraid. Great combination.

Next to Jacob up on the CIC platform, Rooker stood rigidly. "Sir, I still agree with your reasoning on this. But going through the Omega 4 relay on our own? I think we might be pushing our luck a little, don't you think? What if Cerberus wants to lure us through just to blow us up on the other side? Make it harder for the Alliance to figure out what happened to us?"

"I understand your concerns," Jacob said. "And I agree that going through that relay is a risk. But I will keep my promise to you, Rooker. The second it looks like there is any danger, I will pull us out."

Rooker looked like she wanted to protest more, but she finally yielded. "Understood, sir."

"Alright, Joker," Jacob said. "Take us in."

"Roger that," Joker said, before forcing a smile to his face. "Hey, you remember the last time we went through this relay, Commander?"

Jacob nodded. "Yeah. Seems like a hundred years ago. Remember thinking that it'd be damn lucky if any of us made it out alive. But damned if Shepard didn't bring us all back home."

"Well, here's hoping you learned a lot from her, Commander," Joker said. "Engines engaged. Relay jump in twelve minutes, thirty seconds."

* * *

In grim silence, the combat troops of the Orpheus prepared their weapons. The sounds of rifles being reassembled and thermal clips being loaded filled the large armory. There were no jokes. None of the camaraderie that usually came with serving together on a starcraft for months at a time. Whether it was the anger at their enemy for kidnapping one of the galaxy's greatest heroes, or the mounting fear that they were all about to head to their deaths, none of them said a word.

Snapping together his chosen shotgun for the encounter, Vega glanced around the armory. "Where the hell is that guy?" he muttered to himself.

"If you are referring to the human Riggs," Javik said, his four eyes not leaving the strange Prothean rifle he was carefully inspecting, "I believe I saw him heading down into one of the engineering sections. Frustrating. I chose to spend most of my time on the lower decks because I believed I would be left alone. But he seems intent on invading my privacy."

Vega rolled his eyes. "Great. Guy goes on about how much he's looking forward to combat, then when it's finally time for some action, he goes hiding down in the basement. Whatever. More action for me and the chica once we track down Cerberus and cut its fucking throat."

Cortez tried to focus on the assault rifle he was preparing, but eventually he dropped it onto the workbench. "Maybe I should go check on him. See what's going on."

"Esteban, let it go," Vega said. "The guy's a damn lunatic. Let him do whatever the hell he wants. Ain't worth your time."

"Guy's been through more than we can possibly imagine, James," Cortez said. "Cerberus tortured him. Damn near destroyed his mind. Probably the only thing keeping him sane before was thinking they were gone for good. Having them come back like this... can't blame him for being a little unbalanced in the face of that."

Vega scowled. "Yeah, or maybe he doesn't like the idea of shooting at his old buddies. Would rather hide down below and let us do it."

Cortez stepped away from the workbench. "I'm going to go find him," he said, and stepped away before Vega could offer any more protest.

* * *

"Seven minutes until relay jump," Joker said.

Jacob tried to remain calm. Everyone was looking to him to lead them. He didn't have Shepard or anyone else to rely on now. It was all up to him.

He thought about Kasumi. So ready to go into danger to help him. It hadn't been for Shepard. Kasumi may have respected and trusted Shepard after everything that had happened, but Jacob wasn't sure that Kasumi would have put herself at such risk just to save Shepard. No, it had been because he needed her to do it.

If they've hurt her in any way, Jacob thought to himself, I won't stop until every last one of them is in an Alliance cell or dead.

"Everybody stay focused," Rooker called out to the crew members staring at their workstations. "We've got no idea what's on the other side of that relay. So be ready for anything."

Jacob stared out at the space in front of them. He could see the Omega 4 relay in the distance now, slowly growing larger with every passing second.

He never could have guessed that fate would lead him to this place again. Going back through a portal directly into the center of the galaxy, and fighting against whatever lay beyond. But it wasn't some Reaper-created monstrosities awaiting them this time. It was just humans. Humans who had let their hatred for aliens overwhelm all other rational thought. Jacob still couldn't believe that, after all that the other races had done to help save Earth at the end of the war, that an organization like Cerberus could exist once again.

This time, though, there would be no doubt. This time, Jacob and his team would make sure they stayed dead this time. It would only be fitting, watching Cerberus die by the hand of someone who had once foolishly supported them.

"Four minutes until we reach the relay," Joker updated Jacob and the CIC. To himself, he quietly added. "You may be gone, EDI, but I'm not going to let those bastards keep dragging what's left of you through the mud with them. We're going to get the Normandy back."

As the relay loomed larger and larger, Lisa suddenly spoke up from her station. "Commander, something showing up on the sensors. Fifteen kilometers away and heading directly towards us."

* * *

After searching for a while, Cortez eventually found Riggs.

The grizzled marine sat on the floor against a wall down on one of the engineering decks. He stared straight ahead, knees up and hands folded in his lap. His expression was blank, and he didn't seem to notice Cortez's arrival.

"Private Riggs?" Cortez eventually spoke up. The marine blinked, and then slowly looked up to see Cortez approaching him. "We'll be through the relay in a few minutes. Shouldn't you be getting ready?"

Riggs looked down at himself. He wasn't wearing any sort of combat armor, and instead was only wearing his uniform slacks and a dark undershirt. "The commander is a fool," he finally said. His voice was quiet, soft, and without a trace of the normal menacing undercurrent. "We're not going to get through that relay. Cerberus isn't that stupid."

"Well, why don't you tell him that, then?" Cortez said, leaning against the wall next to where Riggs sat. "Don't see what sitting down here in the dark is going to do any good."

This brought a crooked smile to Riggs's face. "Yeah, sure. I bet Jacob would be thrilled to take advice about dealing with Cerberus from the Bloody Hand. Hell, half this ship thinks I'm still working with Cerberus. You think he's really going to listen if I say, 'Stop. Turn around and don't fight Cerberus.'" Riggs shook his head. "You should probably get back up there with the rest of them. Wouldn't want my Cerberus taint to rub off on you, after all."

"What about you?" Cortez asked. "You're just going to sit down here?"

"Way I figure it, one of two things is going to happen," Riggs said. "Either Cerberus is going to turn us away without destroying the ship, in which case I won't be needed up there. Or they're going to blow up the entire ship. And if they do that... well, I suppose that here is as good a place to die as anywhere."

Cortez shook his head. "Are you kidding? You'd rather die down here, alone?"

"Better that than die with those people," Riggs said. "People who hate me, and would probably blame me for what's happening. At least down here... I can go quiet."

Cortez stared down at Riggs in frustration. After a moment's thought, he finally came to a decision. "No."

"No?" Riggs asked. "What do you... what are you doing?"

Sliding down the wall, Cortez took a seat next to Riggs. "I won't let you do it. If you're right, and Cerberus could end up destroying this ship... I don't want you to go by yourself. I'll stay here with you."

Riggs stared at Cortez with narrowed eyes. "What the hell are you... look, I told you. I just want to be left alone."

"You said you didn't want to die around people who hate you," Cortez said. "Well, I don't hate you. And I don't blame you for what's happening. And I don't think anyone, no matter what they've done before, deserves to die alone. So if it turns out Cerberus is going to blow this ship up, I'll spend my last few minutes sitting right here." He turned to the opposite wall. "Sitting and staring at the... what is this? B46 power conduit. Just the two of us sitting and staring at this power conduit until the end comes."

"Look, you don't... you shouldn't..." Riggs sounded... flustered? The normally stoic and emotionless marine sounded positively frantic. "Go back to the upper decks, dammit. You don't want to be here, trust me!"

Cortez turned to Riggs, and was surprised to see him staring back at Cortez with what looked like fear. "Fine, I'll go... if you go with me," Cortez said. "Not going to let you stay down here by yourself. So either you come back with me, or the two of us can sit down here for a while longer."

Riggs gritted his teeth, his eyes briefly flicking to the wall opposite them. "You stubborn... fine," he finally said, hauling himself back up to his feet. "If you're not going to let this go, I'll go back up."

"Good," Cortez said, following behind Riggs as the marine stomped over to the staircase leading back up.

It was just as they were about to reach the upper floor, when the red alert sounded.

* * *

"What is it, Mason?" Jacob said, as he moved over to look at Lisa's station.

"Sir, I don't believe this," Lisa said, staring up and back at Jacob with wide eyes. "It looks like... an Oculus."

"What?" Jacob exclaimed. "Those orb things the Collectors and Reapers used? What the hell is one doing here?"

Rooker frowned. "Maybe one of them escaped the Crucible somehow. Just a straggler left over from the war or something."

"Well, whatever it's doing here," Jacob said, "it isn't going to last for long." He turned to his ace pilot and smiled. "Joker, take it out."

"Roger that, Commander," Joker said, his hands rapidly tapping on his console. "Even in this heap, should be able to blow that thing away with minimal damage. Taking evasive maneuvers."

Stepping back up to the CIC, Jacob watched out the cockpit window as the Omega 4 relay suddenly swerved out of view. "Reroute all auxiliary power to our cyclonic barriers," he ordered his crew. Hitting the console in front of him, he spoke. "Garrus, how are we doing?"

"Thanix cannons calibrated and ready," Garrus said over the radio. "Just hope that thing doesn't get into the ship like last time. Took Shepard and a damn missile launcher to take it out then."

"Well, it'd have to punch a hole in us first," Jacob said. "And I don't intend for that to happen this time." He pressed another button. "Tali, how are things in the engine room?"

Tali's voice came through the speakers. "I've done what I can with the engines since I came on-board," she said. "It definitely isn't the Normandy, but I think Joker will appreciate the extra speed I managed to wring out of the sublight thrusters."

"Good to have you under the hood again, Tali," Joker said. "Alright, you overgrown eyeball! Time to join all your buddies in Reaper heaven!"

As Jacob watched out of the front window, he saw the Oculus drone come into sight in front of them. Joker opened fire on the small vessel, his shots streaking out from the Orpheus and impacting against the drone's shields. The spherical enemy responded by swerving around the side of their view. The ship heaved slightly, Jacob gripping onto the railing. "Damage report," he called out.

"Impact on the starboard barriers, sir. Shields at 82%," Michele said from her station.

"Alright, I'll let you have that one," Joker said. "Now it's my turn."

The view outside the ship swerved wildly again, Joker taking some insane evasive maneuver. The Oculus may have been faster than the Orpheus, but whoever or whatever was piloting it was no match for the greatest the Alliance had to offer. Soon, the floating orb was directly in their sights again. "There, it's locked in! Hit it with everything we've got!"

The bright beam of the Orpheus's Thanix cannon erupted from the front of the ship, streaking directly towards the enemy drone. The Oculus spun, its glowing eye facing directly at them, and fired off a shot in response. The Orpheus shook again, its barriers struck head-on by the beam. But the Oculus only was able to sustain the attack for a few seconds, before the shaft of light from the Thanix cannon struck it, and virtually atomized the mechanical orb.

"Gotcha!" Joker called out, turning in his seat to face Jacob. "You see that, Commander? I still got it."

"Nice work, Joker," Jacob said. "DeSilva, status."

Michele reported from her station. "That last shot took us down to 74%, but our barriers are still stable, Commander," she said.

"Ha!" Rooker let out a mocking laugh. "If that's the best that Cerberus can throw at us, this is going to be easier than we –"

"Something else on our sensors, Commander!" Lisa called out.

Jacob stepped down to look at her screen. "Another Oculus, Mason?"

"No," Lisa said, her voice quiet and scared. "Not... just one."

Jacob watched Lisa's screen, as three blips showed on the radar. Joined by another. Then two more. Then four more.

By the time they had stopped appearing on the screen, Jacob saw twenty of the bright, gleaming dots. Turning, he looked out of the cockpit window to see an array of glowing red dots between the Orpheus and the relay. Closing in on them fast.

"Joker!" Jacob called out. "Evasive maneuvers, NOW!"
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Slaves of Cerberus