Mass Effect: Augment

Chapter 9: The House

House was a happy man these days, and around these parts. If there was one thing he hated with a burning violent passion, it was the miscellaneous costs he constantly bled to the Systems Alliance. What could he do? They would have embargoed him, and the largest member of the wasteland alliance then had legitimate casus belli for war. War may be good for business, but not when you’re on the wrong side of the changing winds.

So he accepted them, and at least in the beginning they accepted simple technological exchanges to pay it. One year he wrote off ASAMs and Rob-Co entirely to the insidious sounding public domain. Not the intellectual property, that he had already slowly bled over the previous years. When the brand, company, and the one patent left were no longer useful to him, he bled that too.

Then he had no choice but to pay in monetary sums, because he basically gave away the keys to rebuilding, in particular the restoration projects and his research into Vault 22. All to keep that damned tax off his damned balance sheets.

Then he was literally inches away from monopolizing space fight, rockets on the pad for christs sake after the Zetan scout ships did their work. The Alliance decided not to use the uncontrollable to him relay he cleverly said even he couldn’t understand, partially true,then that flippant philanthroper walks into the forum with a dilithium crystal in his hand, and the scribbled notes that somehow stabilized goddamned anti-matter reactions!

After decades of absence he strolls in looking like a wasteland warlord still. Where in the hell did he come from with that! House raged in his pod. At least the bouts of irrational anger kept him moving some in his old age. The exercise honestly felt good.

But did he monopolize this technology? Does he become the king of all with the wonder that he had created? No! He gives it away, to the secureitron first! Assures it that they’re just copies, but asks for a second opinion from Mr. House! Of course it was right, a few modifications for efficiency and stability in the warp field, but it worked! The fool just gives it away and nearly tanks House Industries in the process. He would have respected being bought out, simply out done in terms of R&D, but to be wiped out as collateral damage?

House took breath in his pod. The man did profit some, demanding a ship built to his specifications. This is where the General becomes selfish and calls in all the times he’s been blown up, shot, and stabbed for this Alliance, he said. It was very expensive ship to build at first. It couldn't be built at first. All the more time to design he replied. Great strides were made in technological growth sectors because of that decades long design phase itself. They had to colonize the solar system first to get the resources to rebuild, then built infrastructure to support it all. Smaller ships first, then bigger ones. Then the one they almost contractually had to build.

The rockets launched after some delay, but the fact they survived that delay without a junky raider destroying them with a rusty rocket launcher was testament to the true benefit of the Alliance he found. It wasn't a corporate interest, but a political one.

So he sucked it up, and paid the tax to formalize his claims in space that they were more than happy to authorize. He made out like a raider on consultancy fees alone paid by other claimants to the vast resources of just the solar system. Civilization and advancement had truly returned, perhaps they were there to last, and he truly was proud of it, and all the resources he bled to take part of in it. It’s almost required a curmudgeon old baron do philanthropy work regardless, House concluded.

He still hated it, was basically under their boot heel because of it, but not where he spent most of his attention these days. Out there though the network, both near relays and not so near. His holdings in former Hegemony space were booming. While most of the other species left their former prison world, the Batarians themselves were industrious people when not brow beat by crimes against the markets. He simply could not believe how many of even their own people were enslaved, almost 2/3s. It was madness for anyone that understood anything about capitalization.

Many slaves were also their bureaucrats, outsourcing even those basic responsibilities to inefficiently utilized labor. Many in particular were Asari. Many of the former slaves were absolutely loyal to Mr. House, many of them even above the Systems Alliance. These people formed the basis for his interstellar empire. The Asari were competent managers and had long term vision unmatched even by him. The Batarians were the core of his labor force, the Salarians worked diligently in technical tasks, and the Turians formed a competent security force to support his secruitrons. There were plenty from Earth as well that took part in the jump started colonization effort.

Then the best day of his life happened. He was inches away from privatizing galactic peace, and the door to the forum stayed shut. The Horse Head Nebula had been declared the traditionally neutral territory it was, as a show of good faith to the Citadel, and he had convinced the forum that the Volus represented a clear and present danger if allowed to manipulate Alliance markets freely and without competent response. And they would, he stressed, because it’s exactly what he would and is going to do to Citadel markets. Their Council is going to order them to do it in order to force the Alliance to join or economically die. They approved the measure, and put Mr. House on the economic front line of defending the Alliance.

He felt like a new man clawing his way up the corporate ladder of Noveria. With nothing but a solid gold secureitron and his wits, he entered the shark eat shark world of it’s chilly halls. Many of the conglomerates there had existed for thousands of years, some since the Asari found the Citadel. He was a spring chicken in a land of giants, but if he wasn’t having a blast.

With the secureitron he did security patrol work payable to House Noveria Holdings, HNH, that got him some base cash flow. That pay turned into a bribe, then a small office when he arrested the former proprietor of it for the technical crimes he committed. Everyone took bribes on this world, but the bosses that be like going after low hanging fruit as a public relations stunt to the rest of the galaxy. Anyone dumb enough to take bribes from a gold security mech probably wasn't long for Noveria anyway.

His assets were then moved into the office, agents as well, and business was currently booming for him on advertisement alone with the local radio stations. Just simple radio slots in between the same songs that have played for hundreds of years on Earth, easily brocastable with modern communications equipment to both his radios, and their omi-tools.

The snobs enjoyed the vintage yet novel feel of tuning a classic tube radio, that he of course sold under the Rob-Co Noveria brand because he was outside Alliance law and could do what he wanted, while still being able to ship to the world duty free under diplomatic authorization. He could even keep separate balance sheets, ergo no miscellaneous costs to be had! It was incredible to finally be free again.

In partnership with Hubris, he was the sole distributor of Alliance culture to the Citadel systems. The sole distributor of many things in many partnerships in fact. He was staring to dabble information as well, but a name like the Shadow Broker rings like a wasteland warrior, so perhaps he would not dabble to deep. Only what was necessary to aid him in his conquest of this world and the Citadel markets.

He keyed his internal comm, “Mr. New Vegas. Do you read me?”

“Oh yeah, I read you loud and clear boss. Mr. New Vegas, signing in.”

House said, “Anything interesting today, or am I looking at another security patrol while we wait for something to happen.”

“Actually there is, Mr. House. Give me just one smooth second. This is your Host, Mr. New Vegas bringing you the weather, its cloudy with a chance of frostbite. That's right folks, a cold one is moving in, and it’ll almost make you wish you were patrolling the Mohave. I recommend you stay sheltered for a bit Noveria. While you are, here’s a classic you all know and love by Marty Robins...Though the town of Ali- Apologies Mr. House.”

“For maintaining your cover, you need not be Mr. New Vegas. I understand more than anyone how difficult it is to multi-task at interstellar distances.”

“Thanks, boss. Anyway Matriarch Benezia just popped in for a visit. Went to peak 15 before the weather took a turn for the worse.”

“She’s number two on the Alliance most wanted list. Pass this information to the General. What else?”

“Administrator Anoleis is accusing Lorik Qui’in of corruption.”

“Now that is interesting. Mr. Qui’in prides himself on his integrity. Is there any merit to these accusations?”

“Not a bit of it, Mr. House. In fact, according to our eyes on the ground it looks like the Administrator is accusing Qui’in of his own corruption. To cover his tracks.”

“Interesting indeed. That’s grounds for dismissal. Throwing around public accusations brings attention the board does want here. They have a reputation to maintain as responsible business people doing what gets done here.”

“All kinds of naughty things, as you know Mr. House. Things people know are happening but don’t want to see.”

“There's a social contract that needs to be maintained, because the R&D here has been immeasurably valuable for thousands of years. Which means they have to at least pretend to be honest. Barefaced hypocrisy against one of the few pillars this community has will most likely not be tolerated.”

“You thinking what I’m thinking Mr. House?”

“We move on this, with the Generals help.”

“Initiative. That’s what it’s all about here, isn’t boss?”

“Yes. With one fell swoop I portray myself as another pillar, and place myself one step below the board. I’ll be a paragon, with a nice public smile as their front.”

“More like sly grin. How do we get the General to help though?”

“I think we already have, but if we must bargain then we can authorize a garage pass once we are in control. They’ll need one to get on the path to Peak 15.”

“Won’t be a hard sell I think. He’ll probably ask if we can get a pass, or how to get to peak 15. Walk right into it. And bingo! Peak 15 just went dark. Something is definitely going on there Mr. House.”

“Did you have eyes in there before?”

“Nope. That place was locked tight. Only simple comms systems, not networked, but they just went off line. Could be the weather-”

“But you and I know it’s not. Send in the Courier. Triple his usual rate. Find out what’s going on there.”

“The stealth shuttle has already launched from our secret broadcast facility. It’ll be one expensive ride.”

“But worth every penny as usual.”

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Jon sat with his boots up again on his off hours in his office quarters. Almost as soon as she punched it out of the super caldera EDI put in a requisition for a new Mako, and attached was a few negative responses, two neutral, and one raving review of it’s first field performance. As it was a fig leaf, the vehicle was manufactured in Citadel space on license from the Alliance. That meant it had to go though Noveria first, and thus he would simply meet it there. It was one of his leads on Saren, so the convergence of his priorities never hurt.

The only thing that would make everything even better was a hot blue alien woman in his arms. Piper practically forced him away near the end of her life, her body giving out suddenly as it reached the limits of what his fluids could do to someone in regular contact with them. She didn’t want to watch him watch her die as he still held his relative youth. Their last memories of each other would only be of smiles and love. Jane was with her at the end, and that was really the moment they started to drift, he knew. He never did move on, but perhaps it was time.

A chime on the door jarred him from thoughts. He said, “Enter!”

Liara walked it and said, “Sheppard. I have thought about what we spoke of earlier.”

Jon motioned to the guest chair near the desk after picking his boots up from it. She took it and said, “I have also listened to the recording from the Geth core. I want to thank you again as well. Those Geth would have killed me or dragged me off to Saren.”

“What did Saren want with you, and do you know anything about the conduit?” Jon asked.

She answered, “All I know is that the conduit was somehow tied to the Prothean extinction. That’s my real area of expertise, and must be why they were after me. I’ve spent the past 50 years trying to find out what happened.”

Jon whistled some, “That’s probably about how long I spent on figuring out the dilithium crystal. Long time. I was so damn sick of it that any plan I had to take part in the design of the Normandy when out the airlock. Basically let House do all the heavy lifting on it. Paid of the ass for it, he did, and I made out like a raider on the whole deal.”

Liara grinned, “I did more research on you as well-”

“Stalking me?”

She blushed to Jon’s chuckle, “What, no I would never. I just did not realize you were That General. I knew you were a hero in the Alliance for winning the first contact war almost single handedly, but then I traced it further and further back. All the way to the founding of New England, even! One person even claimed you were the Silver Shroud, a superhero that supposedly operated in the wasteland.”

Jon laughed out loud to her scoff, “Wait, are you saying,”

Jon nodded, “I was, and claimed to be the Sliver Shroud, in the anonymous third person. I was aided by eldritch technology that we still don’t understand to this day. Weird shit happened when the land was still a wild waste. For a single night, the Sliver Shroud was one of those things.”

She shook her head, “By the Goddess. You don’t know how old you are? At leas-”

“Ah, I make a point to forget my age. And not notice the date. It’s hard for someone like me to do that. A measure of my mental fitness as I age though all the brain damage.”

“By doing the exact opposite of a mental finesses test.” She deadpanned.

Jon scowled playfully, “You sound like the Council.”

She scoffed and he continued, “Is I said, it’s hard to do. Literally everything has a date on it and my long term memory is still perfect. If I forget to do that, all of a sudden know the exact date for a while, then remember to forget it, then remember I forgot to forget, then I know I’m staring to lose it.”

“That sounds convoluted.”

Jon shrugged, “It has to be. If I start slipping on a basic thing I’ve done for years because I liked the idea of age without number, then I’m slipping. Besides, if I knew the date I would calculate peoples ages off hand based on what I know of them. Wouldn't be able to stop my self, especially now since I’ve taken so many knocks.”

She nodded in understanding, “And you would always calculate higher and higher results.”

Jon nodded, “Friends, family. Damn Khan for what he made us.”

She said, “I do not like to admit it, but I am only 106.”

Jon scoffed, “Only.”

She said, “Barely above a child by Asari standards, you a barely an adult. That is another reason my findings aren't taken seriously in Citadel space, my youth in addition to how far fetched they sound.”

Jon shook his head, “They’re not. You are correct that some outside force did them in. They’re called the Reapers.”

She said, “The problem is finding actual evidence to support that. There is hardly any evidence of the Protheans, even less of those that came before, which even that I am not certain the things I found were not Prothean in origin.”

“Almost as if something came along after,”

“And cleansed the galaxy of clues, as if they did not want the mystery of the Prothean extinction, or any previous extinction, to be found. The Reapers.”

Jon stared off some, “I saw one, on Eden Prime. Their leader maybe. Or their vanguard. We have to stop Saren from finding the conduit, whatever it is. Are you sure you don’t know anything that can help me find your mother?”

She shook her head, “No, I am truly sorry. But even she took part in the ostracizing I received in Asari society. It would have hurt her reputation if she appeared to close to her crazy daughter. She could have at least gotten me a normal job somewhere after I finished my education. I’ve spent so long studying the Prothean disappearance because it’s really all I have, and know how to do.”

Jon grimaced, but nodded in acceptance. He asked, “What was the question?”

“What if the Protheans didn’t build the Relays? What if they were, like, really old? That was it, a dumb question as a child that got me laughed at and bullied. Asari children can be particularly vicious.” She answered.

Jon grimaced again, “And the whole time you were right. Sorry to hear that.”

She grinned, “I am both relived, yet terrified of the consequences.”

Jon nodded slowly, the shadow of the dimly lit room playing off his good side, “That thing, it scared me. Not much does that. Not at my age.”

She left the moment of silence for the approaching end of the world play out for a little longer. She said, “Feros may have clues. The Alliance has decided to colonize it outright starting with a research team. It its a very well preserved Prothean ruin from what I read about it.”

Jon said, “That’s one of our leads, but we need to get to Noveria first.”

EDIs avatar popped up on it’s pedestal, “Speaking of, Sheppard, we have just revived a priority broadcast from House Noveria Holdings. Here it is; This is your host, Mr. New Vegas, here with some news. Matriarch Benezia has been spotted on the road to Peak 15, what she may be up to is anyone’s guess however. Here it is from our correspondent on the ground, Homeless Bill; I saws them I tell yah, that Matriarch with near twenty of those preety blue ladies. Theys here for the water, I knows, put sumthing in it to to turn the varrens- And that’s it for the news, folks. Mr. New Vegas, signing off.”

Liara didn’t hesitate, “You must let me come with you, to speak to her.”

Jon thought a moment, “Yeah, but understand-”

“I know. But I have to at least try to talk her down from whatever she is into. She is still my mother.”

Jon saw the determination in her deep aqua eyes. He said, “Okay. Okay. EDI, maximum warp.”

“Joker is already on it, Sheppard.” She said before clicking off.

He looked to Liara, “Get some rest, whatever you can get, and some gear.”

She got up to leave, “Thank you, Sheppard.”

He lefter he go and let it hang for a couple minutes more. He then got up and left for the elevator to the command deck. His social contract with the Council needed maintained. He gave some nods in return to whatever acknowledgments he got on the way passed. The crew had settled down finally, being much different from the band of jackasses thought it would be fun to go to space.

An actual military crew it was now, and they got the hint after Jon sent a ship wide email linking them to the old New England archives that showed the law giving him his honorary rank. He technically had ten stars, a ridiculous amount to ensure none would ever be above his once again honorary rank. They settled into the more casual atmosphere easily, even happily. He didn’t need everyone essentially abandoning their posts ever time he waked passed.

He got back to the room and the door shut in the comm room. EDI said, “Bringing up the Council now, Sheppard.”

After a moment their electronic projections appeared, and Tevos lead the way. She said, “General Sheppard. You finally return our calls.”

Jon smiled, “By Asari standards, on Earth, I might as well be a fussy Matriarch. I do what I want. I’ve earned that right.”

Tevos put her hand up to her mouth to hide her forming smile. Even Valern gave a small grin. Sparatus was unimpressed, “Yes. Like the right to destroy a major Prothean ruin. What that really necessary General?”

Jon kept his smile, “Indeed it was. I could not hold that ruin, and I was not going to ask, nor order in some way, the Alliance to hold a ruin that would have been eaten by a super volcano with or without my intervention. So my only option was to deny it to the enemy with expediency. After all, it was Alliance resources that got blown up anyway and I am a Council agent, so go team.”

Tevos once again did her best to hide her smile, Sparatus conceded with a single nod, and Valern said, “I must say, the data itself is impressive, and I once again find logic in this course of action. Go team, as you say.”

Jon turned his head, “Just a little more discretion would be preferred?”

Valern chuckled, “Yes, indeed.”

Tevos said, “From the reports that you sent, in fairness, you found Dr. T’Soni. Was she able to help you find Benezia?”

“And I assume you are taking the necessary security precautions?”

Jon said, “No, and yes. My first officer confirmed with Science, and the researchers, that Dr. T’Soni was at the dig sight for months almost. She had nothing to do with Eden Prime, and couldn’t help me find the Matriarch as they’ve been estranged. However my assets in Noveria have confirmed a sighting. I was already on the way, and we will arrive shortly.”

Tevos asked, “I think I know the answer, but will you try to bring her in alive?”

Jon smirked, “If I can. Dr. T’Soni offered to try. She will be a wealth of intelligence if we can.”

The answer genuinely seemed to surprise Tevos, and she said, “Very we-”

Jon cut them off and their projections blinked out. EDI said, “Joker would like me to tell you he said that that will never get old.”

Jon chuckled a few times, “No, it will not.”

“We are approaching now, Sheppard. Despite not keeping track of it, you’re timing is always impeccable.” EDI said.

Jon smirked as he began his walk to the pilots chair, “I’ve been told.”

He took the stroll though the command deck, not that far of a walk, and put his hand it it’s usual spot on Joker’s chair. The pilot said, “Approach control, this is the SRV Normandy, requesting a vector and birth.”

The control called back, “Normandy, you're arrival is unscheduled. Our defense grid is armed and tracking you. State you’re business.”

Joker said, “Surprise, Council inspection. A specter commands this ship, so maybe you keep that tracking friendly, and we’ll keep our approach vector friendly.”

“Access granted Normandy. Vector and berth being transmitted now. Be advised we will confirm identification on arrival. If confirmation cannot be established, then your vessel will be impounded.”

The comm cut, and Joker said, “They can fucking try.”

Jon smiled as he turned to make ready. A quick jaunt up to his quarters, and he was back in his Atom Cat custom. He took the ride down to the cargo bay and found his fire team already making ready.

He said, “Liara, Garrus, Wrex, with me. Ashley, Jenkins, stay ready as QRF, or if someone tries something stupid with the ship. Tali, keep the engine warm.”

The all nodded and gave their acknowledgments. His squad wrapped around him and they made way for the elevator, and main airlock after. Garrus said, “What’s our intel look like?”

Jon said, “A Matriarch, and a platoon of her personal guard.”

Liara added, “More than just that, her personal hit squad most likely. They are well trained, and very experienced commandos. Some have been with Benezia for centuries.”

Wrex said as they started walking though the command deck, “So you needed a heavy biotic hitter with his own centuries of experience.”

Jon said, “And a hacker. We don’t know what’s going on in Peak 15. That’s were the intel ends. I can’t ask Tali to walk into that.”

“So that's where I come in.” Garrus said as they reached the airlock.

It cycled and opened. EDI called out, “Logged, the commanding officer has departed. Your AI overlord has the deck.”

It got some chuckles from the squad, and from around the ship. Jon imagined Tali had fainted again hearing that. He walked out of the ship and started down the walkway to the entrance. It was a bit off a run around, but not long. Two security guards stood in his way and challenged him.

One said, “That's far enough.”

Jon replied, “I’m on important business.”

They said, “You’re arrival is unscheduled. Let’s see some credentials.”

“You first.” Jon said.”

“We’re the law here, show some respect.” The other said.

“And until I, a Council specter, see some identification, all I see are armed thugs in corprateland utopiaville, probably about to extort me because that's how free markets work, most certainly about to impede me from my mission that both the Council and Alliance have great stakes in. So unless you want to have both of them coming down here personally to ask why their agent was-

A gold secureitron rolled out in the docking reception, with Mr. House’s signature grin boldly on the face of it. He said, “Stand down captain. The General’s identity has been confirmed. Contrary to popular belief, his arrival was scheduled. You simply did not have the clearance for it.”

The captain turned, “And you did? A security mech that talks to much?”

House’s grin became a frown. Jon knew at a glace he had some scheme going, and that captain would regret it when Jon inevitable had to follow it though to get what he needed.

House said, “Yes, as the head of Alliance diplomacy by contract, I did. As per House Noveria’s contract with Noveria Holdings, I am also a security officer the same as you. This secureitron is simply my tool no different from your tools. His identity is confirmed, I say, and he has valid, yet classified, reasons for being here. He has also reminded you that he is indeed a Council specter. Impeding him and causing an incident will not put you in the Board’s good graces, I assure you.”

The captain thought a moment more, “You may proceed.”

The other said, “You better behave yourself.”

Jon gave them a friendly smile and nod, and he and his squad took of after the secureitron. House said, “Follow me.”

The squad followed the securiton up and though the port settlement dug into the ice and snow. There were plenty of people out and about, coming to and fro from the offices that wrapped around the perimeter of the center courtyard. House eventually lead them to a darker, chiller, further back corner of the building. They entered his office, and it became cramped with the secureitron and the squad. Jon noticed a couple empty desks, but their occupants were obviously away for the pop classified meeting.

The securiton turned, House having his grin again, and Jon made the first move, “This is Mr. House, President of House Industries, and HNHQ by the sign out front. Also very technically our head diplomat.”

Wrex had to know, “Why would you make a tycoon your head diplomat, I thought you Alliance types were smart.”

“Volus.” Everyone else said at the same time. House was House, Jon was Jon, Dr. T’Soni was Dr T’Soni, and Garrus recognized a tactical move when he saw it.

Wrex thought a moment, then shrugged. He’d find out one day he guessed. He still had a lot to learn about the people from Earth, and how they could help the Krogan. They were still a warrior people, and that was enough for him.

House almost smiled at the small verbal exchange, the faux pas and light insults. He said, “Thank you for the warm introduction, General. It’s simply HNH, House Noveria Holdings, however.”

Jon nodded, “Ah, a play on the acronym for this branch, the HQ. Well, thanks for the warm welcome. Even I didn’t know my arrival was scheduled.”

House replied, “Not technically true, but you had to come for the Mako sometime soon, and it is still a classified project if a bit of an open secret. The R&D was done here, in fact. It’s waiting in the garage.”

Jon smiled. He could already guess. He did guess, “And let me guess, Mr. House, I need some kind of authorization to get to the garage where my Mako just happened to end up.”

House returned the smile now with his electronic avatar, “It was the only secure place to put it. That would fit it even.”

Jon chuckled, “And to go further, some top dog or close to it can give me that authorization.”

“Indeed he or she can.”

“And perhaps if I use my specter super powers to open that position for you, you could give me that authorization.”

House’s smile returned to a grin, “Yes, Indeed General. And the best part is, you need not even abuse your powers. The man we’re after is the Administrator, and according to my intelligence he is very corrupt, and very prone to casting stones.”

Liara now had to know, “Casting stones. What does that mean? My apologies, my curiosity got the better of me. There are so many Alliance idioms in so many different languages.”

Jon turned, “Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone. Old Christian myth.”

House scoffed, “Some would still be particularity offended by that.”

Jon grinned, “That's their prerogative. They didn’t part the glowing sea, I did.”

House laughed out loud, “If Elder Maxson's crazed fever dreams near his deathbed, and Child of Atom dogma are to be believed.”

Jon smile at his old friend never giving up the bit, even if their friendship never was repaired after Jon outright admitted to manipulating him. The bastard turned him into a religious figure as payback. He shrugged, “Two men entered, and two men left alive and unharmed. The glowing sea, Mr. House. Those facts are confirmed.”

Now Garrus had to know, “So there’s an actual sea of radiation, and you walked though it or something? Like it’s not just Alliance propaganda to make your people seem crazy and not worth the fight if you’re offering peace and trade?”

Jon scoffed, “Yes, basically, and basically yes.”

Liara added, “The even the tame legends say you did it without power armor or even anti-radiation drugs, Rad-X I think it was called.”

Jon nodded, “That was true.”

“FEV did it’s work on you, certainly.” House said.

“Gave me gills too, but they don’t get used often or come up much.” Jon responded.

“Holy mother! The bad part is I actually believe that. There are certainly other known cases of extreme mutations that can be described as super powers, more or less, without the drawbacks that usually come from them.”

Wrex said, “Heh heh, like turning into a man eating monster. What about those super mutants? Can I hunt them?”

Jon said, “You can fight them, somewhat clean, but again, only if they have a bounty or you see them going crazy. Happens sometimes. The other mutants usually step in first if that happens.”

House ended the idle chit chat, his enjoyment of it at it’s limit, “Yes, cases are rare these days as the more violent strains and mutants have been culled at this point. Now, will you aid me? So I may aid you, General?”

Jon nodded in a show of acceptance, “You bargaining skills know no bound. I am cowed by you’re commercial acumen, cowed I say.”

“Ha! It almost makes up for the time you’re genius almost cowed me.”

Jon snickered. Liara said, “The historical archives also show you invented anti-matter reactions. The photograph of you with the crystal in your hand after kicking the door down was very famous.”

“He did that bastard! As my rockets were about to launch, the only rockets about to launch!”

Liara asked, “Why did the Alliance decided not to use the relay until after the first contact war? I mean with your technology you can go much further away from them. Literally the entire galaxy is at your finger tips.”

Jon said, “Exactly. It seemed to easy. We didn’t trust it, and we didn’t need it at first, as we were still rebuilding Earth before we ever thought about doing what we did to it on another world. The Prothean ruins on mars were about 50 thousand years old, and the relay was close to a billion.”

“You dated the relays!?”

“That is highly classified information pertaining to Alliance sensor capabilities I, the contracted head diplomat of the Systems Alliance, must remind you. Luckily this office his secure.” House frowned.

Jon shrugged. He was out to impress the lady. He smiled softly as he said, “Then what a shame I’m a Council agent infiltrating it. Maybe don’t publish that.”

Liara never saw it, but House did and quietly connected some dots. Liara said, “Of course not. Once again my curiosity got the better of me.”

House genuinely added, “If I did not have such curiosity and drive as I see in you, doctor, then I would have been one of countless businessmen that died in the war.”

Liara nodded with a small smile, and Jon smiled at House in understanding, “The businesses were tools for you. To get to space, like everything I did.”

“Yes indeed. Then I saw the war on the horizon, and my short term priorities shifted. I also found I liked business as much as mathematics and engineering. I was just as good at it. One fed the other back and forth to the top of the eventual Alliance economy. Now, shall we proceed with the plan to get me to the top of the Noveria economy, then Citadel, General?” House finished, reaching his limit again.

Many thought him impersonal, and on many levels he was, but he knew a little piece of the ostracizing that the doctor before him went though based on his queries. He could only handle short bursts of it, before he needed to focus on the task at hand again. Many didn’t like that about him, but it didn’t much matter when he out maneuvered them all and became the boss.

Jon chucked, “Oh no, I’m actually an Alliance agent infiltrating the Council. Poor Citadel markets.”

Liara scoffed and chuckled, Wrex shook his head with a smile. Garrus said, “Depends on the day I guess.”

House said, “Yes indeed. Now lets go.”

Jon put a hand up just as the mono-wheeled mech leaned forward to move, “What do you men we? First off.”

House’s gold mech leaned up straighter, “I am a contracted security officer under House Noveria Holdings to Noveria Holdings. This is my jurisdiction, and the Broad has given me tacit approval to root out some light corruption here and there, to maintain appearances. In fact I am one of the only that they can trust for that task since I am a relative outsider. There are limits even for them, and false accusations against an honest businessman overseeing synthetic and artificial intelligence research is around that limit, I would guess.”

Jon nodded, “Yeah, I imagine that’s the one area of research you want strict and ethical controls on no matter how dirty you are. It would go wrong very fast for all involved if you didn’t. Alright, Wrex, Garrus, hold here and guard the VIP.”

They nodded and started to set up a little more tactically in the small office. Liara did her best to hid her blush, and Jon didn’t try to hide his smile. He continued, “Mr. House, lead the way. I’ll let you take all the bullets.”

His secureitron leaned forward and began to take off, Jon following behind and out from the office, “Finally. Not only will I be seen aiding a Council and Alliance double agent, triple if you add in your own motivations, quadruple if I pretend you’re working for me as well, I will do so heroically.”

They worked their way down the levels and to the ground floor of the small courtyard, some trees, shrubs, and a couple pools it had. They crossed it and took a path for the garage. On the way into it was an elevator that House quickly worked digitally to open. The man was a security officer, and House, so he didn’t question it. House rolled in and Jon was behind him.

As the elevator went up, Jon did not fail to notice House subtle roll back towards he. He said, “You want a shot in the ass?”

“How about a kiss?” He said as he slowly rolled forward again.

Jon couldn’t help his deep chuckle as the elevator stopped and opened. House said, “Two up front, let’s try to talk first. Discretion is a valued trait on this world.”

Jon scoffed, “Now I’m insulted. I can be discrete.”

The second door opened as the security guards rose their weapons, “Thank Atom this planet is tectonicly inactive. Greetings fellow security officers.”

“House.” One said none too friendly.

Jon strolled out from behind and one of the weapons was trained on him too. The red took his bad eye again, and out drawing them was always an option. He said, “Who are you fine folk?”

“Hanshan security. Who are you?”

“General Sheppard. Council specter. And by my count the man beside me in Board certified security officer. May we inquire as to you’re business here?”

House said, “Yes, indeed. Surely it is to search for evidence of the Administrator’s corruption.”

The one said, “We’re here on the Administrator's orders. Lorik Quin’in is under investigation.”

“You and I both know he’s not corrupt.” Jon said like he knew, “And you’re toeing a very dangerous line given Mr. Quin’in’s line of businesses. A line I will not allow to be crossed. So, we have two options. The easy way, or the hard way. Either way, this investigation is ours now under Council, Alliance, and Board authority.”

House finished the brutish bargain, “And if you forget we were here, or that you were supposed to do this at all today, then there will be a large bonus in your accounts when it is set and done. Double what the Administrator paid you.”

The one that spoke looked to their partner. The partner said, “We got fronted for this under the table. Triple pay for not doing the shady job? I don’t have any problem with that.”

The lead slowly lowered thier weapon, and House lowered his arms, “Yeah. Not worth our lives with these two.”

The partner keyed his mic, “Pack it up. The job just became more trouble than it’s worth, and we just got promised a double bonus on it by a competitor.”

“Belay tha-” Tried to claw it’s way from the suit mic before a gunshot echoed though the office.

One scoffed, “The sergeant. We were looking for a reason to off that bitch. A real hard ass for no reason. Dirty as anyone to boot.”

Jon shrugged, “Then it sound like we just killed her for the crime of obstruction. Good job, officers. Go home and have a beer on the House.”

“If there is one thing the Board hates, it’s hypocrisy.” House said as the first two left. Then more filtered though, about a dozen in all.

When they did House rolled away again towards what was no doubt Quin’in’s office. Jon asked, “What exactly are we looking for here?”

House kept his pace, seemingly knowing where to go from building blueprints he no doubt got somehow. He said, “I do not know yet, just the Administrator is falsely accusing. The only reason he would go after a man like Quin’in is because he was doing his own accusing. Or investigating. Or if we do really find evidence in of his corruption, then I can confiscate his garage pass and give it to you regardless.”

They entered what looked like a nice office. Jon asked, “Exactly how many have these passes?”

“Heh! Only a couple, truly. The Administrator, Quin’in, and a Turian garage tech that’s another pillar we would need to kill for it.”

Jon nodded as house began his work, “Fair enough. I take it the Council wised up to our tricks. Been a while since I had to virus bomb a Turian fleet.”

House connected in, “Yes indeed, they are in fact capable of learning. This security has always been electronically tight, given what Synthetic Insight does, but in general their comms systems have been isolated, and important networks air gaped to prevent our trickery. This office lead the way in terms of doctrinal updates. Physical access is required for a lot of systems nowadays, like the old days. Bingo! Quin’in was indeed investigating the Administrator. He has become very wealthy since taking the position, and controlling the rents.”

Jon smirked, “Skimming right of the top. I bet the board doesn’t approve of that.”

House turned his screen towards Jon, “Oh no, not in these amounts at least. This is what we need. Let’s go, I’ve already ordered one of my agents to make the arrest.”

Jon motioned, and House once again lead the way. The got back down the elevator and strolled across the courtyard once again, the light playing off of House’s gold mech frame. Some looks were shot their way, in particular from the guards now as the commotion had started, but there was always one of the guards from the office near by to wave them off.

House entered the office, and a Salarian was being held by what looked like a crazy homeless person. It could be a cover, Jon decided, but how good would it be in a place like Noveria. He would literally be the one and only crazy homeless person that looked like they came from a wasteland.

House said, “Homeless Bill, excellent work.”

Homeless bill shook the Salarian some. There were four eyes bulging, two with insanity and two with fear, Homeless Bill obviously having some kind of weapon at his back, “Oh I gots him Mr. House. Looks like one of them varrens that got the water with the chemicals in it that turned him-”

“Yes, Homeless Bill, thank you. General, I believe I need to have a conversation with the Board. Homeless Bill, bring him around for a face to face conversation.”

Jon scoffed. It wasn't a cover, but a legitimate crazy person House smuggled to this world somehow and kept hidden in the administrator's office, probably with a stock pile of old school stealth boys he probably had. It was confirmed when the man turned the Salarian to move him and the weapon at his back was a finger gun. Jon shook his head as he walked out.

“Oh, no, oh no, you! Sheppard! Quadruple what he’s paying you, I promise! If you saw what I think you saw then you know I am good for it!”

Jon stopped, and turned slightly back, “How about a garage pass?”

“Done.”

Jon thought about it a serious moment, more to fuck with House than anything. He said, “Nah, being a quintuple agent is simply too much web for me to weave.”

Jon continued his walk, “First off, you are under arrest for bribery, attempted bribery, money laundering, racketeering, hoho I always wanted to RICO someone after being threatened with it so much, and might as well make it murder too given the dead security officer in Quin’in’s office you illegally tried to raid, another crime. It is truly dirty how RICO works. You have the right to rem-”

The door closed behind Jon and he took a seat at one of the benches near by. It was only a couple minutes before he heard some muffled screaming and then the shot’s from House’s Mk. 2 plasma weapons in his mech’s claws. Jon smirked as he got back up and moseyed back towards the door.

He keyed his mic, “Boss to bigman, how copy?”

“Heh, I like that. I read you boss.”

“Get to the garage and wait on me. We’re about to move.”

“On it, boss. Bigman out.”

Jon waited a couple minutes more, House fucking with him, and the door finally opened to House’s trademark grin. Jon said, “Administrator House.”

His grin became a little more sly, the LED screen having resolution and fine control a CRT literally blasting electrons into the wind could not. He said, “I do like the ring of it, General. Indeed. Here his your garage pass. Thank you the backup. I believe you were the one to really talk them down. My bribe sealed the deal, of course.”

Jon smiled as he took the card from the Mk. 2 claw. He said, “Of course. Icing on the cake of not dying.”

“Hah! Indeed. I must ask General, where in the hell did you come from with a dilithium crystal and anti-matter equations? I have wrestled with this quandary for years. You were obviously intelligent in the extreme to pull off what you did, highly educated somewhere even, a working vault perhaps, but that day in the forum showed me a whole other level I did not judge from you.”

Jon thought a moment and said, “I thought about pulling the trade secretes card.”

“Oh please.”

“Heh. Yeah, if you believe it, if you understand it, along time ago in a galaxy technically far far away, I served a little country called the United States of America, in a little conflict colloquially called WWIII, only colloquially because the nukes didn’t fly. There’s a lot of hurry up and wait in the military, no matter high speed you actually are.”

“Ah. I do think I understand. The wasteland attracted strangeness. Wasteland warriors and their origins are certainly apart of that. I also often daydreamed as I waited for things to catch up. I still do. It’s now I’ve kept by business relevant, or invented anything I did.”

Jon nodded, “The hard part was stabilizing the reaction. I determined a certain kind of crystal lattice could work, when I flushed out them math from my scratch mental notes, but couldn’t calculate what it would be. That math was above me. Didn’t even know where to begin to invent it. So I brute forced it. Just glowing and testing different structures until I got one that worked. That’s what really took me decades.”

House rose his electronic eyebrow, “Lithium isn't very high on the table.”

Jon gave a derisive look, “Dilithium, and I wasn't just trying base element lattices, at least not their diatomic structures first. Believe me, I thought I was an idiot too. Literally passed it right by for fucking decades. But, but at least if I was focusing on that, I wasn't focusing on anything else, except my family when I came home from somewhat normal work. Not running off from them to fight some fight, or champion some cause. All I knew how to do until I firmly planted my ass in the Commonwealth, and did something else.”

“Hmm. Sometimes I regret my lack of family, but then I do not, knowing what I knew when I knew it, and how I responded to it. Very well General, I will leave you to you’re important work. I already sent a man to Peak 15, so do give him my regards as the comms are cut off from both the storm and facility shielding.”

Jon nodded, “Could have lead with that, but thanks and will do. Since you asked your question, now I get one before I go though.”

“Fair.”

“That flaw in the old Rob-Co OS security.”

“A backdoor, for both Rob-Co and it’s trusted partners to break in for legitimate and illegitimate reasons. Before the war at least, if you did discover it, you wouldn't dare speak of it,”

“Because your own systems are now compromised by any idiot that can mash an enter key.”

“And my lawyers would have literally buried you.”

Jon scoffed as he turned and walked, “Is there a statue of limitations for RICO?”

“Ha! I hope so, or I am screwed my friend!” House replied as he turned himself back into his new office.

Jon walked though the courtyard again, hopefully for the final time as the place did not agree with him, with it’s bruatlist corporate architecture, and made way for the garage entrance. He entered the hall back, passed the elevator he took earlier, and also the tech House was talking about.

“Administrator House sent word. Your people are by the door, General.” The working Tech calibrating some conduit leading in said.

Jon smiled with a nod as he passed, “Thank you, sir.”

The Turian flexed his mandibles to return the smile. His day would go a little better for the rest of it, he thought.

Jon marched up some stairs, and then some more. His squad was waiting down either side of the passage, and at the final door stood the gatekeeper. She said, “General. Administrator House cleared you, but I still need to see the pass. Policy.”

Jon nodded and pulled out the pass, letting her scan it with her omi-tool. She returned, “Alright, it’s valid. Apologies General.”

“For doing your job? What if I’m a secret agent in disguise?” he said.

She smirked, “Then I supposed you could have stolen it regardless.”

Jon motioned to follow as the door opened up, “My evil plot continues.”

The guard began a mock evil laughed, clearly into media of any national origin.

The garage door opened and Jon had to know now. Asari jealousy was sweet. A defensive mechanism, he determined, to give an evolutionary advantage in finding a partner when competition is around. It really was evil, it really was a plot, but he almost couldn’t help himself. He had to know if she even would even get jealous.

The process that made him magnified his own evolutionary mechanisms. It had settled down as he aged, but ultimately even his own family was it’s own plot, to pass on the Noonien-Singh name in this time and place. The third generation of one. His own creation just to say he did it better than either of them. An empress of an empire even, she was. Superior, she also was.

A quick move jarred him from his thoughts, and his rifle was off it’s back in a flash, but just too slow to track what he saw. The squads weapons were out a moment later, not as fast on the draw. Jon could use his ears and know Liara readied herself at a respectable pace. Impressed, he motioned for the team to find cover. Their helmets were off, and they didn’t have the benefit of their sensors and display.

Garrus did however, wearing his over eye visor even when he slept probably, and he took the first shots into the dim shadows of the storm battered garage. Return fire met them, but they were already in cover. On of the geth ambushing them was the variant he saw on Therum. It made it’s second hop, and wasn't fast enough for Jon already with arms out. He lead the shot on the priority target while the rest returned fire from their cover down the garage.

The geth ran head first into his plasma barrage, and ordinance was heading down range towards the rest of their force, and towards his new Mako he spied. He took a deep breath and joined in to the concentration being directed against the geth destroyer ruining face first again into it. Last man standing, fix bayonets, they must have thought, Jon thought.

The gatekeeper ran in just as the fighting died down, and to her credit, Jon also thought, it was with almost two squads. She said, “Fan out, secure the area! General. What happened in here?”

Jon said, “Geth ambush.”

“Shit. That’s not going to look good. Sorry I missed the party.”

Jon said, “No worries. We handled it, you came loaded for yao guai, the right call.”

House then burst in with his secureitron, and more guards in tow, “What happened in here!?”

“Geth ambush.” Jon and the gatekeeper said.

“Fan out, secure the area! I want this facility on full lock down, no one except the General in and out until this is sorted!”

The guards did as told and Jon said, “She gave like, most of that order already.”

House rolled up, “Then I think a raise is in order. Perhaps a promotion as well. How does captain sound? I just got done firing the previous one for corruption and insubordinate attitudes.”

Jon gave a thumbs up with a smile to House, who wave with one of his arms as she said, “I-Ah, thank you Administrator. I’d be happy to fill the shift.”

Jon rallied his team up and walked back down to the Mako. As he neared he saw the damage at a glance. The vehicle was powered down and thus is barriers were as well. He huffed again as they came to a stop to inspect it. There were pot marks from mass effect fire, some black stains from plasma, and also marks and shrapnel from ordinance. It held, however, the scapl ablating as it should have down to the standard composts of Citadel armor, but much thinner than on more heavily armored vehicles. It would need reapplied with regular maintenance, as it tried to be the best of both worlds and only did it okay. It would be a logistical strain, but serviceable if you had those logistics, he also determined.

“I’m telling yah, this thing is the perfect little go getter. A small family could work the guns even!.” Wrex said proudly as he made his own similar assessments.

Jon put his fingers up to his brow imagining Wrex Jr. going wild on the repeater, while Mr. Wrex fires the cannon. It was just a quick jaunt to the supermarket on Tuchanka, of course. Garrus had the same thoughts, most likely, because Jon heard the low vocalizations only a Turian could make that sounded like a silent prayer to the spirits.

Jon didn’t want to know, but he had to. He marched over to the hatch and opened up. His fears were confirmed when of course the Krogan sized seat was once again placed in the driver’s spot. Wrex walked around, eyeing the blank stare he saw and smiled.

When he got around, he said, “Ha! Must be my birthday or something. I’ll go easy on her this time, Sheppard.”

“You better.” Jon flatly said as they hopped in and the door opened to the cold white of of the frozen planet. Peak 15 waited in front of them down a lonesome snowy road.