A Matter of Race and Character: Chapter 22

A Matter of Race and Character

IN THE DEEP END

Engineer Daniels Quarters, Anapondus, Gellix – 06:00 UTC – 2nd February 2183 CE

Gabby didn't get much sleep that night. The light shining into her room through the photochromic smart glass was almost constant. Gabby tried burying her head under the duvet but that did little good. She tossed fitfully in the chilled room as she listened to the sound of the storm raging away outside. When at last the storm abated and she finally drifted off, her slumber was interrupted by a buzzing sound. After a few seconds, her brain finally registered it as a door bell. Someone was outside her room. The bell rang again, becoming more insistent. Reluctantly, she crawled out from under the duvet. The heating was still off and she pulled the bedding tightly around her shoulders as she padded towards the door, her feet swaddled in thick bed-socks, and quietly grumbled to herself, wondering who would dare disturb her at whatever-the-hell time her body was telling her it was!

Gabby punched the red lock and the door slid open. A tall female turian with a silver-grey carapace and delicate yellow colony lines on her face was standing in the doorway. She was wearing the dark blue and yellow Thermal Armour that the rest of the Gellix crew wore, and Gabby recognised her as the turian who'd shown her to her quarters yesterday.

"Morning, sleepyhead!" the woman said in a bright sing-song voice.

"Whasisnow…?" Gabby responded vaguely.

"Didn't catch many zzz's then, I guess?" the turian surmised as she took in Gabby's dishevelled appearance. "I can sympathise. So, I thought you might need a friendly wake-up call this morning. Visitors sometimes have trouble acclimatizing to the planet's rotation. The feeling of disorientation can take a while to dispel. I brought you something. Can I come in?"

Gabby ran a hand through her tousled hair. "I suppose…" She stepped back from the door and the turian flounced into the room. Now Gabby noticed she was carrying a folded orange coat lined with fur and a collapsed suit of white and blue Explorer Armour.

The turian placed the gear on Gabby's cot and turned to face her. "Survival equipment for your stay," she explained, "to help guard against the extreme conditions. I picked out the size from the measurements in your file. Hope they fit. If they don't, just let me know. I'll be happy to change them."

"What time is it?" Gabby asked.

"About an hour after midday, local time."

"What?" Gabby almost dropped her blanket in surprise. "My shift started six hours ago! Why didn't anyone wake me?"

"The base operates on Universal Co-ordinated Time, rather than the planet's local rotation. We find it much easier acclimatizing that way. Our position in the hemisphere and the axial tilt of the planet means that at this time of year we get nearly constant daylight. Night-time only lasts fifty-minutes on Gellix. It's actually only zero-six-hundred."

"Ah, only six-in-the-morning…" Gabby muttered.

"You'll feel better after something to eat," the woman declared, taking a step towards Gabby. "We didn't have a chance to talk yesterday what with all the excitement. I'm the Gellix Liaison Officer, Jerash." She thrust her arm out towards the human. Gabby tentatively held the offered hand and suddenly her entire arm was vibrating in the turian's vigorous shake. "You can call me Jeri, or 'Rash' if you'd prefer – it's what everyone calls me – I'm so thrilled to be working with a human. I read your file; you seem to come highly recommended. I'm sure you'll be an asset to the team."

"Oh, well, that's… good," Gabby replied, politely attempting to reclaim her hand.

"I know we'll have a great time working together. I'm really stoked about it!"

"You're 'stoked'?" Gabby repeated in bewilderment. She briefly wondered if there was something wrong with her translator. Turians don't talk like that, surely?

"Yes." The turian grinned toothily. "Now, Commander Joric has ordered you to report to the CIC, so I'm just gonna wake up your colleagues and then escort you across to the Command Centre. I'll leave you to get changed. Be back in ten minutes, 'kay?" The turian finally let go of Gabby's hand and was already powering towards the door. She turned back as she reached the doorway. "And by the way, since it hasn't been said yet, welcome to Gellix!" Jerash was practically bouncing with excitement.

Gabby glared at the back of the woman's head – no-one had any right to be that chipper so early in the morning!

As soon as the door closed, Gabby dumped the blanket back on the bed, then grabbed her towel and hurried down to the frigid shower rooms at the far end of the corridor. To her dismay, she discovered there was no hot water. After enduring a brief icy rinse, which most certainly woke her up, she returned to her quarters and dressed swiftly in the Explorer Armour (which, she admitted, did seem to fit perfectly), before joining Pella, who was waiting out in the corridor. The turian was dressed in the same blue and yellow Thermal Armour as Jerash, and had an all-too-familiar bleary-eyed expression. Evidently she didn't get much sleep either.

They both watched the Liaison Officer disappear into the room that Erata had been assigned. Once Jerash was out of sight, Pella leaned in to mutter in Gabby's ear. "So, you've met Little Miss Sunshine?"

"You mean the bubbly whirlwind of sunbeams and rainbows? Yeah!"

"The last time I saw enthusiasm like that a pit varren was swinging the severed spine of its latest kill around its head! Before we left Arcadias, I was warned that 'Rash' could be a bit of a handful."

The 'Rash' in question reappeared in the corridor, closely followed by Erata as she emerged from her cabin. The asari turned and gave Gabby and Pella a dazzling smile and a friendly wave in greeting. Erata, looking effortlessly glamorous in a suit of form-fitting white and pink Phoenix Armour, led the group down the hall towards the CIC. Jerash instantly deferred to Erata, who seemed to convey a natural air of authority, which, Gabby was surprised to realise she instantly resented the asari for.

After a brief wander through the corridors, the main doors to the CIC loomed before them. The doors split open as they approached and the group marched inside. The CIC was nothing like Arcadias' Command Centre. Everything in the room was temporary. Several portable computer and monitoring stations had been placed along the walls, while a basic white-metal desk was at the far end of the room overlooked the rest of the active Centre, with Commander Joric sat behind it as she poured over reports with a subordinate. The group marched between the bustling CIC staff towards her desk.

Jerash saluted. "Sir! Artificer Vettiill and engineers D'Ceni and Daniels are here as you requested," the beaming Liaison Officer announced.

Commander Joric gave the woman a brief nod of acknowledgment and waved her away as she continued talking with her XO.

"Anything else?" Joric asked the man.

"Just one thing, sir," the officer replied. "There was an odd EM spike on the sensors this morning at zero-dark-forty – a sudden burst of radiation out by Erros."

"That's not unusual. It could be a solar-flare," Joric suggested. "Stellar radiation plays havoc with some of the older systems."

"Possibly, sir. But according to the sensors the radiation spike was actually on the surface of the planet."

"Most likely a meteor strike, then."

"Arcadias is still in the solar system. Should I contact them to verify it, sir?"

"No, they were undoubtedly monitoring the explosion; they don't need us breathing down their necks. We're supposed to be an autonomous station. I'm fairly certain Captain Verress wouldn't appreciate us jumping and running to them at every cosmological collision. If Arcadias haven't reported a problem then it's not something to worry about."

"Very well, sir." The man nodded and stepped away from the desk. Joric cast her gaze over the three engineers standing at attention before her.

"I trust you all slept well and are feeling fit for duty?" she enquired.

"Never better, ma'am!" Pella replied firmly. "I feel very refreshed."

"Went off like a light, Commander," Erata announced, "and now raring to go!"

"Like death warmed up, sir!" Gabby stated recklessly; and promptly kicked herself for speaking her mind.

Not recognising the human idiom, Joric simply nodded and picked up a pad on her desk. "Glad to hear it. The weather is due to clear for the next couple of days. We're to make every effort to complete our task while we have the chance. And I have something special planned for you three." She handed the pad over to Pella. "A little light relief, so to speak."

"What is it, ma'am?" Pella asked.

"Something to help boost morale – both at home and on the Citadel."

"Oh? Have they republished my spread in Fornax?" Erata put in with a grin. Gabby and Pella glanced at the asari – They weren't sure if she was joking.

Joric didn't smile; her disposition was as warm as the planet. "Nothing quite so laissez-faire," she assured them. "You three are to be the official face of our little endeavour here – Demonstrating to the Council representatives and our leaders how well our three species can co-operate, and the suitability of the Alliance's role in future exchange programmes. A reporter from the Citadel will be recording your views and getting your reactions on this multi-species endeavour, so do please try and make yourselves sound reasonably enthusiastic. Remember, this article is disseminated to the general public, and popular opinion does tend to influence the future success of Programmes like this." Commander Joric wore a thin smile that didn't reach her eyes. "So, no pressure!"

The Gellix sky was a clear blue; the sunlight shimmered across the newly-fallen powder of snow; the air was crisp and the wind had dropped to nothing. In short, it was a beautiful day. However, despite the glorious sunshine, it was still bitterly cold. Or, as Kenneth would say, 'It was bloody baltic!'

Gabby shivered beneath her armour and tugged the fur-lined coat Jerash had given her tighter around her. She checked the temperature on her armour's environmental monitor. It was minus 15°C.

They'd met the human reporter out on the hillside overlooking the Anapondus station, as he'd requested. Looking at the vista, Gabby could understand why he'd wanted to meet there. It was a stunning view. A vast plateau stretched out beneath her. From here Gabby could make out the whole capital of Anapondus set against the stark white background. It was a surprisingly small capital, made up as it was of bio-domes and modular shelters, with a few makeshift shanties dotted around, and each building covered in snow. The low-lying structures were nestled close to one-another, as if the houses and research stations were huddling together for warmth, like some immense group of penguins. Gellix's strong cross-winds limited the height of the buildings and meant that the tallest structure was no more than four-stories high. Gabby knew her turian hosts coped better in temperate climates so she wouldn't have imagined they would ever want to settle on such a desolate world, especially given how cold it was. But what turians lacked in adaptability they more than made up for in stubbornness. They would never let a little thing like opposing chirality or hostile environments stop them from settling on an inhospitable planet.

Gabby turned away from the vista when the reporter called out to her, asking her to pose next to her colleagues. Gabby had wondered why she'd been selected for the Gellix mission. She was a Propulsion Engineer after all; there was very little propulsion technology to be found planet-side. Then it became obvious… They were here for a photo-shoot – to demonstrate how well two of the council races, and the newest Citadel member species, could cooperate.

"Just arrange yourself on that outcrop, if you would? With Anapondus in the background?" the human reporter asked, pointing at the cliff-edge. The man's automated camera hovered over his right shoulder as it focused on the three engineers dutifully lining-up. "That's right, all girls together," he added, somewhat condescendingly. Erata then patiently explained to him that being asari she wasn't technically a woman by human or turian standards, but it had fallen on deaf ears.

Gabby resented the fact that she had been chosen not for her abilities, but her gender. All her years of training and experience had been quantified in this moment: Standing on an ice-bucket of a planet and pretending to be friends with people she hardly knew.

If this is fame, you can have it!

Judging by their equally pissed-off expressions, her colleagues felt the same way.

"Can I get some smiles, please?" the reporter enquired.

Three toothy grimaces answered his request.

"Okaay…" The reporter took a step backwards. "And again, please. But maybe this time with a little less teeth – and perhaps you could give the impression you don't want to rip my throat out!"

"Well, that would involve some acting!" Pella retorted. "Do we get paid for that?"

Returning to Anapondus, the small group were met by Commander Joric's XO in the station's auditorium.

"Did the interviews go well?" the austere-looking turian with ruddy colony markings asked the human reporter.

The reporter nodded vigorously. "I think I have everything I need," he replied, "I won't need to ask any follow-up questions. If you don't mind, my shuttle's waiting. I should probably go. Ladies." He inclined his head respectfully to his interviewees and then took his leave, looking somewhat grateful to be out of the hostile scrutiny of the three engineers.

"Seems like you made an impression," the XO commented as the man retreated towards the landing-pad. "I imagine you gave an appropriate account of yourselves and what your thoughts were on the exchange?"

"Oh, I think we made our feelings clear," Erata stated firmly.

The man recognised sarcasm as well as Joric, and simply smiled sparingly, then motioned for them to follow him. He escorted them through the bleached metal corridors down to the station's main garage. It was a huge concrete underground bunker. A collection of different all-terrain vehicles, including the Alliance M35 Mako and the older M29 'Grizzly', were parked in neat rows by the large garage doors. The XO led them past what looked like a krogan-made Tomkah and over to a black six-wheeled C77 Tyrus APC, armed with what looked like a heavy calibre co-axial machine gun and rail cannon.

"Since it's your first day, we're breaking you in gently," the XO said. "The abandoned krogan anchorage of New Veles is about a hundred clicks west of here. After it was made derelict it became a breeding ground for harvesters and other assorted wildlife. We've bombed the creatures back to the Unification War – our sensors detect no signs of life – and now we need a small team to go in and survey the area. It's a simple scout and sweep of the district. Determine the state of the infrastructure, what technology if any is salvageable, the regions viability for colonial development, and just generally have a drive around. The on-board computer will map the area for you. The destination is all programmed in." He turned and patted the black hull of the Tyrus behind him. "This is yours. Try to bring it back in one piece."

Without waiting for questions, the man tossed the starter key into Pella's hands and strode back the way they'd come in.

"Well, shall I drive?" Pella offered.

"I wouldn't mind taking it for a spin," Erata replied eagerly. "It's been a while since I had a chance to drive one of these."

Pella offered the keys over. "In that case, I'll sit in the back. I like my space."

The asari nodded at Gabby. "You can ride shotgun with me, Kitten."

"Kitten?!" Gabby repeated indignantly.

"Yeah. You're small, pleasantly fluffy up-top, and quite cute. Human hair's rather attractive in its own way. I can see the appeal…"

For a moment, Gabby thought she ought to be offended. "Thanks… I think." She frowned. Erata's deconstruction of Gabby's appearance didn't exactly endear the asari to her.

At first, Erata drove the Tyrus surprisingly sedately between the low-lying buildings and down the narrow streets. But once they'd cleared the outskirts of Anapondus' the asari put her foot down and let the vehicle practically fly over the snow drifts. She grinned wildly as the Tyrus jumped a particularly large drift and powered forwards across the frozen expanse. She was obviously enjoying herself. The turian transporter was larger than the standard Alliance Mako, but, like all military vehicles, it lacked basic luxuries and still felt cramped; despite the fact it only had three passengers.

Pella, sitting in the rear cabin, chatted away with Erata about her driving skills and previous experiences. The turian seized the opportunity to learn more about her colleagues and Erata seemed eager to regale her with stories of her past jobs, while Gabby was content to sit and listen as the pair happily chewed the fat.

Eventually, Erata glanced over at the quiet human sitting next to her. "Cat got you tongue, Kitten?"

"Just 'Gabby' is fine," she replied a little tersely. "But, yeah, this is all a bit of a departure for me. I've never worked so far from an Alliance world before. And… well, I don't have much experience working with asari," she admitted.

"Most of the humans I encountered on your home world were like that: shy and retiring to begin with, but they soon opened up."

"You've visited Earth, then?" Gabby asked.

Erata nodded. "I spent five years working there – mostly in an advisory role – getting the Alliance affiliated countries up to speed with modern advances in mass effect technology."

"You were there for five years?" Gabby exclaimed. "Where were you stationed?"

"All over – Edinburgh, London, Hong Kong, Kyoto, New Delhi, Toronto, Cape Town… Oh! And Iraq. I loved Iraq! Beautiful place! Actually, it reminded me of Usaru, where I grew up on Thessia. I tend to prefer desert environments anyway. And the people in Iraq were so friendly."

"You were working in the Middle East?"

"No, I'd taken three weeks paid leave and got tickets to the 2180 Baghdad Olympics. Fantastic event. Opening ceremony was stunning! I had no idea humans were interested in so many different physical activities. You've literally got a sport for everything! Running, rowing, weight lifting, martial arts, archery, swimming, gymnastics… Tests of strength, tests of skill. And the use of those indigenous animals – The horses – That was something else."

Gabby smiled. "Jealous! I was hoping to go to Baghdad that year but never got the time off."

"Yeah. The atmosphere was electric. And you'd think being an alien visitor someone might have objected to me being there, but the event was so inclusive. I never heard a bad word spoken. In fact, people went out of their way to approach me and say hello. Even got to meet the parkour medal finalists. They were also… very friendly. The French team especially!" she added with a wicked twinkle in her eye.

"How friendly?" Pella asked cautiously.

"Oh, quite approachable really!" Erata said. "I got talking to a group of them; they seemed surprised by what I do, then they invited me out for drinks and the next thing I know we're going back to my hotel room to… get further acquainted."

"What, the whole French team?" Gabby enquired.

"Well, at least two of them… If memory serves."

Gabby and Pella exchanged a glance. Gabby cleared her throat. "You must really enjoy sporting events, then?"

"Oh, I enjoy most physical activities," Erata replied with a smirk. "How about you? Do you follow a sport?"

"Ice hockey," Gabby confirmed with a brief nod. "The Bruins are my team. And I try to follow the Braves in biotiball."

"Yep, they're playing the Maestros next quarter – should be a good game," Erata said happily.

Gabby turned to the artificer sitting behind her. "Do you play any sports, Pella?"

The turian nodded. "Badminton."

With Erata at the helm, the journey to New Veles didn't take long. The ancient krogan anchorage appeared on their map as a red blob and slowly homed into view on the horizon. They could make out more details as the Tyrus approached the ruins. A vast reinforced stone wall surrounded the town. They drove through the ruined main gates and on into the compound. The parts of the anchorage that weren't covered in snow were a mass of twisted metal and rubble; some of it blast damage from the turian bombardment, but most was natural decay. The vehicle scrambled slowly over the remains of buildings and between frozen market squares and statues of krogan warriors. At the town's centre was a huge structure that resembled an old mayan pyramid.

"The seat of power for krogan warlord Moro," Erata explained, pointing at the pyramid. "But the settlement fell into decay shortly after the krogan rebellions."

"And they want us to see if it's fit for habitation?" Gabby asked.

"The place doesn't exactly scream 'ready to move in'," Pella observed.

"It just needs a little TLC," Erata said smiling. "The property has character and potential. It's amazing what a lick of paint can do!"

The Tyrus' on-board computer was already mapping out the town's layout as they drove down the wide streets, but it took a further hour of driving for the computer to fully map the large town. When at last the computer signalled it had completed its task, Erata turned the vehicle towards the central pyramid.

Gabby gazed out apprehensively at the abandoned dwellings as they wafted past her window. The town was so unnaturally quiet that Gabby couldn't shake the unsettling feeling she'd been having ever since they'd arrived. "God, this is eerie!" she exclaimed, staring at the deserted streets. "Seeing a town in this state… It's like it's been frozen in time. Wonder what it was like in its heyday."

"Not a place I'd have been welcomed, that's for damn sure!" Pella said firmly.

Erata pulled up outside the entrance to the pyramid and frowned at the beeping cartography computer. It was flashing blue in warning. "Our scans aren't penetrating the structure," she said. "We'll have to map it on foot."

Gabby promptly reset her omni-tool for cartographic imaging, while Pella grabbed two assault rifles from the armoury locker in the cabin. Handing one weapon to Erata, the three engineers adjusted their hoods and exited the vehicle.

It was relatively warm out in the open – the surrounding defences funnelled the wind away from the pyramid's entrance – seeing the structure up close, Gabby could now see the building shared only a passing similarity with the ancient mayan pyramids of Earth. It had three layered tiers and a flat roof, with large gun emplacements situated at every corner. The outer surface wasn't stone but rather a tarnished layer of copper. Patches of it had turned varying shades of brown and green over the years, but parts of it still retained its original lustre. It must have looked quite spectacular when it was new. Looking closer, Gabby could see evidence of battle damage – several gaping circular holes defaced the metal surface, making the structure look like a giant hornet's nest.

The main doors were wide open. Two stone statues of fierce krogan warriors stood guard on either side of the entrance, both of them clutching the severed heads of defeated turians and salarians in their fists. Pella took one look at the figures and shuddered in revulsion.

"Well, that's disgusting! But then Krogan always had such discriminating taste," she added caustically. "Do you think the new tenants will want to keep the décor?"

"Depends on whether the new tenants are fond of classical krogan art," Erata replied.

"This is what passes for krogan art?"

"Well, at least it isn't Third Era krogan sculpture," Erata said.

"Why? How would that be different?" Pella asked with suspicion.

"The krogan would be nude!"

Pella glanced back at the statues, her mind suddenly filled with alarming images of naked krogan. She shuddered again, now regretting having asked the question in the first place. "Spirits! Thank you for the nightmares!"

"All part of the service." Erata patted the turian on the shoulder as she walked past.

The trio entered the structure. Pella and Erata flicked on the flash-lights on their rifles, while Gabby scanned the interior with her omni-tool. They appeared to be in a massive reception hall. Little detail could be made out, but the hall was at least seven metres high and long enough that they couldn't make out the other end of the room, even with the flashlights.

"Maybe the hall runs the length of the pyramid?" Pella suggested.

Gabby didn't answer right away; she was too busy scanning the interior. "It runs underground, too," she said. "There's a network of tunnels beneath our feet."

Pella peeked over Gabby's shoulder and glanced at the readings on the human's omni-tool. "No wonder the scans couldn't penetrate the structure," she said. "The walls are reinforced with chromium and the surface is lined with copper and a nickel-iron alloy."

"Mu-metal," Gabby clarified. "Makes it a perfect electromagnetic shield."

"Warlord Moro was known to be paranoid," Erata put in. "He probably had his base shielded against clandestine surveillance."

Pella wandered over to a decorated vestibule on the left side of the antechamber. She pointed her rifle down the corridor, piercing the darkness with her flashlight. "This pathway leads down," she called out. She stepped tentatively forward, but as she crossed the wide doorway her omni-tool suddenly chimed repeatedly. A holographic screen appeared over her left arm. Pella paused and looked at the readings on her screen. "Um, guys, I'm detecting life signs!"

"Where?"

"That direction," Pella said pointing down the dark corridor in-front of her. "About two hundred metres away."

Gabby and Erata looked at each other. "The XO did say New Veles was a haven for wildlife," Gabby pointed out. "A few might have taken refuge in here."

"It'd make sense," Erata agreed. "This building's shielded – Velarus Station wouldn't be able to detect life signs. I think we've stumbled into some kind of nest!"

"Well, whatever's down there its moving!" Pella said, backing away from the vestibule. "And it's heading towards us!"

Gabby opened her mouth to speak but was stopped by a shrill wraithlike scream that shattered the darkness and echoed around the hall. Pella and Erata both brought the rifles to bear on the vestibule. From the darkness they could hear what sounded like several dozen creatures skittering towards them.

"Back to the vehicle!" Erata ordered. "Right now!"

No-one had to be told twice. They sprinted towards the light. Gabby shielded her eyes as she came out into the open. She ran towards the Tyrus but paused when a sound from her left startled her. She looked up. A mass of brown limbs was squeezing itself out from a hole in the pyramid's upper level. The monster had an impossible long segmented neck, thin legs and six leathery wings that unfurled once it had emerged from its hole. She didn't recognise the winged creature, but Pella helpfully provided its name as she ran past.

"Harvester!" the turian warned. "Damn, I thought he said they were all dead?"

"They're tough to kill," Erata replied, taking aim at the monstrosity.

A sudden shriek from the dark entrance behind caused her to whip around to face the pyramid and she instinctively lay down a barrage of suppressing fire. There was a deafening screech of rage. The rifle's muzzle-flash briefly illuminated the entrance; Gabby could make out several large shapes that looked like the legs of a gigantic spider.

Lowering the rifle, Erata turned and ran, physically hauling Gabby by the arm as she went.

There was another screech. Gabby turned back for a second and immediately wished she hadn't! Several two-metre tall horrors had burst from the pyramid, scuttling forwards on red crab-like legs. In that fleeting glance she caught sight of a contorted red body and great appendages that looked like horns just above glowing yellow eyes. Its distorted black maw opened in a loud screech of rage and a geyser of flame erupted from the lead creature's mouth. Gabby almost stopped dead in her tracks out of shock. They breathe fire?!

"What are those things?" she exclaimed.

"Klixen!" Erata yelled by way of explanation, dragging Gabby towards the vehicle. "Pella, get on the gun!" she bellowed at the turian clambering into the Tyrus' rear cabin.

Erata tugged open the passenger door to allow Gabby inside and then turned smoothly on her heel to face the klixen. Her whole body suddenly blazed under a shimmering blue aura. She flung up her arm as if bowling under-arm and a bright light appeared between the two monstrosities. The effect was immediate and spectacular. It was as if a mini tornado had hit the ground. Large chunks of ice and snow were whipped up into the air. The klixen, caught in the centre of the maelstrom, screamed in surprise as they were pitched from their feet; sucked upwards into the path of light Erata had created. They whirled about in the air, caught in invisible eddies as they helplessly orbited the strange ball of light. The occupants of the Tyrus stared at the sight in amazement – it was the first time either Gabby or Pella had seen what an asari was truly capable of.

The asari clambered back into the driver's seat and started the engine.

"What the hell did you do?" Pella asked breathlessly.

"I projected a singularity!" Erata replied. "Now, get on the bloody cannon!"

The Tyrus shot forward as Erata gunned the engine and the vehicle accelerated across the icy ground, away from the screaming creatures.

Pella looked back to see a horde of klixen emerge from the pyramid's entrance like swarming fire ants. "A heavier boot might be nice!" she suggested, but the asari had her hands full negotiating her way through the maze of streets.

"Get me out of this rat-run, Kitten!" Erata ordered.

Gabby had already called up the layout of the town on her omni-tool. "That path is blocked!" she warned, pointing to the street Erata was aiming for. "There's no way through. Bang a left here!"

"What?" Erata yelled back.

"Turn left now!"

Erata glanced momentarily at Gabby's map to confirm the route and then made a hard left down the side street.

Gabby peeked back at the pyramid to see the klixen spreading out into the streets. The flying harvester screeched a challenge as it flew above them. Pella struggled to her feet and grabbed the controls to the rail gun. An operator seat automatically extended itself from the inner hull and Pella settled down before flicking on the power switch; a heads-up display appeared before her eyes, the targeting computer already locking on to the flying hostile.

In the front, Gabby switched on the comm. "Anapondus Station, come in. This is the New Veles Survey Team. We have hostiles at New Veles. I repeat: Hostiles at New Veles. A harvester and a host of klixen. We are under attack. We need immediate assistance. Do you copy?"

There was a hiss of static that seemed to last an age until an answering voice replied, "We read you Survey Team. Confirm your report. It sounded like you said there were harvesters?"

"Affirmative," Gabby said. "That is confirmed – a harvester and lots of klixen at New Veles – they're swarming the town. We need immediate assistance, over."

"Acknowledged, Survey Team. We're sending fire support to your location now."

The voice signed off and Gabby looked up. Erata was powering down a long straight road that appeared to be a cul-de-sac.

"Which way now?" Erata demanded. "Do I turn back?"

Gabby referred to her map. "Head straight on," she ordered.

"That's a wall, Kitten! It's a dead end!"

"I know! But the wall's very thin. We can break through it and out the other side, closer to the exit. Trust me," Gabby entreated.

The asari gave the human a considered look, then glanced away. "If you're sure," she muttered. Erata put her foot down, accelerating towards the solid looking barrier. Gabby checked her map again, sincerely hoping that the computer's scans were accurate. The wall loomed ever closer as they advanced at speed. At the last second Gabby braced her hands against the console and shut her eyes as the Tyrus smashed headfirst into the wall. The occupants were thrown forward by the impact, but the wall gave way and dissolved into rubble under the Tyrus' wheels. The vehicle powered through an old krogan dwelling, smashing tables and beds as it went before finally crashing out onto the main street.

They could see the exit now. It looked clear of wildlife and Erata turned hard towards the broken main gates; the wheels scrabbling for grip on the icy street.

At that moment, the harvester dived towards them. It screeched a challenge just as Pella brought the main cannon to bear.

The rail gun thundered and a mass of explosive rounds impacted the harvester's chest and wings, making short work of the flying creature. It has strength enough to scream in pain, and then dropped like a stone, ploughing a furrow in the ice as it impacted the ground.

Pella gave the creature a few parting rounds to ensure it was dead, and then scanned for any other movement as they retreated out of the blighted town.

Once they were clear of the walls, Erata accelerated the Tyrus up to full speed. It was only after they'd put a significant distance between themselves and the town that anyone spoke.

"Is everyone okay?" the asari asked.

Gabby and Pella nodded breathlessly. "Just a little shaken," Gabby said. "But what you did back there… That light you created. That was impressive. Can all asari do that?"

"Most can, yeah. But the level of ability varies from person to person. Some are much more advanced, while a few possess only rudimentary skills. I'm about average, really."

"That was average?" Pella exclaimed.

"That move took a lot out of me," the asari admitted.

"I'm impressed," Gabby said. "I've only ever seen the biotiball players in action. They never did anything like that."

"Not surprising – moves like that are illegal in biotiball."

About halfway back to Anapondus, the team were surprised to be met by a convoy of infantry vehicles. Erata pulled the Tyrus up and the team watched as a contingent of thirty turian soldiers in Thermal Armour and armed with assault rifles, jumped out of the vehicles. The soldiers, led by Commander Joric's XO, approached the Tyrus. Pella and Gabby exited the vehicle to greet them.

"Any casualties?" the XO demanded.

"No. We're all fine," Pella replied.

"Good to see you're in one piece," the XO replied and sounded like he meant it. "We were afraid the assignment had gone south."

Erata emerged from the vehicle just as three turian fighter craft sped overhead. The group watched the fighters make a bee-line for New Veles.

"Seems like a lot of backup for a rescue attempt," Erata commented. "What's with all the firepower?"

"Commander Joric takes the security of her crew very seriously," the XO replied. "Particularly when non-turians are involved."

"With all the klixen there will the Hierarchy still want to occupy the town?" Gabby asked the XO.

The boom of a far-off detonation answered her question. On the horizon, New Veles was being lit up by a series of gigantic explosions. The outer walls shattered under the blasts and the pyramid disappeared in a blinding white light.

"No. It's proven to be too dangerous. We're not taking any more chances," the XO stated as they watched the anchorage evaporate into fiery dust.

"Spirits!" Pella exclaimed. "This is a Hell of a way to end our second day!"

The XO turned back to face the three engineers and grinned wolfishly. "Welcome to Gellix!"