- We, too, are starting. - Shepard came out of his cabin, heading for the stairs to the hangar. - In five minutes will be on board the cruiser.
- Welcome. - Alla switched channels.
The first thing that drew the attention of members of the landing party, being on the board of the old cruiser - this abundance of corpses, shot at close range with an assault rifle.
- It seems that the one who did it, just could not stop. - Saren rose from his knees, examining the next corpse. - As it is clearly shot, but stopped for some reason could not. I do not understand. Shots are made exactly like the stitch on the machine, but he dodged the bullet ... I do not know.
- And most importantly, who it was able to carry on themselves so much ammunition shturmvintovke. - Said Nihlus, ending the inspection of another corpse. - It seems that he was ... under the "vitamins".
- In the very corpses of any substances that affect motor coordination and perception of what is not revealed. - Shepard folded probes Avtodoktor. - We need to find the corpse of Garrett Bryson. If we find the body, then we will find, and the person who did it with all the members of the crew of the cruiser and scientific team. - Captain slammed the door in another laboratory inspected. - This is worse than slaughter and meat processing plant. This is some wild shooting. He walked through the corridors and shot at anyone who even remotely resembled humans. As the ice rink or a lawn mower.
- The commander of the signature in the main lab. - Olivia reported. - There - "splinter". Most likely, the one who did it, was captured by the Leviathan under the full control and committed the massacre that no team or crew or the ship did not come close to Despoyne. Leviathans clearly feared the inhabitants of this ship, and I assume that they are not trusted, and they did not believe any of them.
- Accepted Olivi.
Combed premises still had. Anne stepped between turians, no longer looked around, because almost everywhere on the walls there were traces of the shots, and in some places there were also bruises. The first time she saw the bodies in one of the cabins, she threw up, but now kind of more and more new bodies have not caused her any external reaction. Shepard gut feel, it "pushes aside", driving in the image depth of the subconscious bodies of more and more dead ship inhabitants, well known to her cruiser, looking among them only two - his father and the one who alone - now she hardly this doubted - accept this massacre.
In combing the lower levels of the ship took almost half an hour, although the landing team did everything possible to speed up this process. Marines and paratroopers-volgovtsy-normandovtsy opened the cabin of the cabin, a compartment for compartment, fixing everything in crystals and passing information to the frigate. "Volga" also took telemetry and Shepard knew - it sees everything, at least briefly, Svetlana. The captain was not happy with such of their guesses, but I understood that it is unlikely to convince Titov Svetlana in any harm this spectacle. If you understand something, then Svetlana liked to deal thoroughly or not at all was taken for the study of anything without a special need.
Finally in front flashed a pointer to the first output, the command, the main deck of the cruiser. There were fewer bodies, but among the dead are increasingly appearing in obryazhennye formёnki heads of scientific groups.
- It seems that this butcher was shooting like a machine gun. - Saren said. - I can hardly imagine that a person is capable of such a rate change shops and carry virtually continuous automatic fire only to defeat. He barely missed, almost smeared on the walls, the floor, the ceiling. Not only where there are traces of the charges, but where were the body only where there were people.
- Commander, look. Dr. Bryson's body. - One of the paratroopers-volgovtsev turned face up one of the corpses.
- Father! - Anne rushed to him, knelt down, taking Garrett's head in his hands. - Father ...
- He worked for wear. Little sleep, poor nutrition. - Nihlus said quietly, checking the rest of the bodies. - We've got - only the central office. Cruiser old, there are few consoles.
- Commander, we find out who did it ... this massacre. - In-room lab came Saren. - He broke almost all important control system. The ship can only drift. It needs repair.
Shepard went to the premises of the Central Post. At the captain's console a young man lying facedown. None of normandovtsev volgovtsev and did not notice that went into the control room Anne. She looked at the lay person.
- It's ... It's Derek Hadley. He - assistant Dr. Bryson. I remember him, he's ... he took a job a couple of months ago. Came automatic telemetry to me - we have agreed to share that information ... - she said. - And his rifle ... I've never seen that weapon so urabatyvali. - Girl bent two fingers took over the clip assault rifle, picked up, turned it over. - He ... he shot all of it. And ... and ... my father, too. Scoundrel! Two months has not worked! How he managed to do such a thing ?! That ... that splinter ... Where is he? - Anne looked around.
- In the laboratory, the container. The protection system is activated. It is the same as in the laboratory on the Citadel. This is not the time to install another system. - Nihlus said.
- She works? - Shepard said, straightening up and stepping back from Hadley body.
- Working. - Confirmed Saren. - I checked it reliable. And it was incorporated manually. The keys - traces of the man's gloves. - Turian rifle barrel pointed at Derek.
- Delightfully. The killer himself activates protection from the influence of his master, and then shoots the command and administrative structure of the ship. He is trying to cover their tracks? - Said Svetlana, who watched the video occurs.
- May be. This means that the influence of Leviathan does not require constant contact with the victims of this creature, which complicates our task. - Shepard said, ending the inspection panels of the control room. - Is under the control of Leviathan destroyed Derek critical systems, without which the cruiser to independently manage the movement is unable to. Leviathan is incredibly smart, and they, if they are there ... a few ... they are well studied our technology.
- What now. - Half-dead voice said Anne.
- Evacuating your father's body, and the body of his killer on the frigate-cruiser zaberёm as "splinter". Olivia, look, that can then be downloaded from the drives.
- Is already in progress, the commander. - Responded kiborgessa. - As long as you get to the gateway with the shuttle - I finish gut drives and finish swapping information with them.
- Then - we take away all this and go back to the shuttle. We'll have to call the Service Centre here frigates Corps spectrum and tow the cruiser to spetsplanete laboratory. - Said the captain. - This housing can be done without our presence. We have established the main thing that interested us. We go back.
The way back to the gateway, exit to the casing, the group has done in almost total silence. Thirty minutes before the stroke of the frigate Anne sat with his head in his hands and wept, without stifling sobs. her father's body was placed in a refrigerated insulator frigate. She asked for a sign to leave her alone. Nihlus brought a chair and the last came from the corridor. No one objected - Anne had a right.
Leviathan. The course - to an asteroid Magavid. Next Garneau
- Commander. - The relationship with Shepard, accustomed to engage in cleaning the weapon in his cabin, went Olivia. - Submitting for the reconstruction of what happened on board the cruiser.
- If possible, Olivia, words, only a summary.
- Yes, commander. Derek was researching this same fragment and trying to find out if anything the artifact emits. During the study, he lost consciousness - there is a medical record instrumentrona confirming this fact and not subject to external changes. Probably at this point Derek Hadley was drugged artifact came under his influence. A few minutes later - as much as would be required to calm a step to reach the armory room of the cruiser, Hadley opened fire on everyone who has even remotely resembled humans. Almost from that moment he could not remember, do not realize and do not take anything, except for a narrow task set before him frightened Leviathan
- "to destroy all witnesses." Entries objective monitoring systems, surviving records prove - Dr. Bryson was shot Derek Hadley penultimate. The latest Hadley shot people who were in the control room Cruiser. And then he Hadley committed suicide, most likely - is also on the orders of the artifact, led by Leviathan, unable to avoid suicide. His last words were, "Darkness is impregnable." Reported microphones Central post commander. If I may, speak for the assumption. Only one. If I may, speak for the assumption. Only one. If I may, speak for the assumption. Only one.
- Come on, Olivia. - Shepard graduated from the rifle clean and folded it into the case, cleaned the table, sat down, picked up a table instrumentron, opened it, and brought to the screen the latest files by Derek. - I already took the files read.
- I guess the commander that if Derek was able to bring out of control leviathan, he would like woke up and claimed that he could not arrange a massacre could not have killed Dr. Bryson, that he - not a killer. He could remember that all he would have attributed it did not having control over his body, over their actions, can be - even over your thoughts.
- What he said about the darkness ...
- Confirms the commander that the Leviathans are hidden deep in the ocean Despoyny. More it is almost nowhere to hide - ocean planet such a level in our part of the galaxy investigated - without exception. I checked all the vaults, directories, and databases sailing DATA. Despoyna - almost the only planet where Leviathans can still somehow feel relatively safe.
- Before we go to Despoyne, we need to visit the miners' colony. - Shepard said. - Jeff, the course - on Magavid. Time reaching?
- Six hours and thirty minutes, the commander. - I reported to the pilot. - Mode?
- Normal. Till. We'll see. It is necessary to understand in some circumstances. - Shepard said.
- Acknowledged, Commander. - Pilot switched channels. - "Volga" warned, should be behind us.
- Accepted. - Shepard hung up.
- Commander. - In audio channel Olivia emerged again. - I looked taken on board the cruiser drives. There is evidence that Derek Hadley was really drugged artifact Leviathan, Leviathan is in charge of all the actions of Derek. In addition to the slaughterhouse, uchinёnnoy Derek Hadley on board the cruiser, in addition to the murder of Dr. Bryson and staff of the Central Post Now I can say - Leviathan made Derek erase data on Leviathan cruiser drives. And he also gave a direct order for Derek Bryson murder. I began the process of recovery, well that is not used military data erasure technology. This work will take five and a half hours. At the end, I'll tell you the results.
- Well, Olivia. - Shepard continued his work. He tried to concentrate on his work, although now it is managed poorly. Many did not like the current situation, too much.
After becoming commander of the frigate, cruiser, Shepard did not acquire anything new, but problems and questions. Its possibilities have been narrowed. Yes, one would expect that, as Anderson being on board the frigate, many decided not to question too full and professionally. And he remains spectrum. Is bound to be a field agent, to act on the landings. In some places the messages in some fragments of communication with the Corps Spectra clearly legible dissatisfaction with leadership and rank and file members of the Corps Anderson this attitude to their duties. Now housing is not always approve of the decision to provide otryadovtsev Anderson Advisor status, allow him to prepare for the military leadership Squad in a real war against the Reapers.
Features Shepard were now reduced and due to the fact that it was necessary to eliminate the earlier mistakes and miscalculations, the accumulation and preservation of which would only complicate the situation further. Inevitably it complicated.
The detachment had already been in the Rift Kaleston, sign and Ayzur system passed over Magavidom. Nothing alarming or special has not been revealed. Now, having been on the drifting cruiser, where one member of the crew indoctrinated under the influence of Leviathan has shot the entire crew and all the scientific team ... Shepard was not sure what to Magavide so everything is in order. Just I was not sure. And I understand that also are not sure the majority otryadovtsev. Anyway - most normandovtsev - exactly.
The six-hour span. Sometime before Shepard quite comfortable with this period of time. Well, six o'clock and six hours - an hour longer, an hour less. Now, every hour bringing the beginning of the very real war against the Reapers. I approached so as not to approach before. And Shepard felt the growing likelihood of new and large and small errors.
- John. - Cabin XO entered Chakwas. Shepard got up mechanically, welcoming the chief doctor of the frigate. - Once again you ignore the need to pass medkontrol?
- Excuse, Karin. Earn. - Captain waited until Karin sit down on the sofa, sat down ,. - My heart is restless. We return to the star system, which has already been worked out. Exhaust completely. We, of course, do not follow medical conditions Cosmostation inhabitants, but now I realize that bad things, if not followed. Incomplete worked, incomplete.
- At full testing of each system we would take weeks and months, John. - Karin said softly. - And we have, as you well know, there is not these weeks, neither of these months. Needless to say, I'm Michelle got a lot of information on the problem of indoctrination, studying the remains of bodies from the cruiser and the bodies of his father and Anne this scientist, who took control of the Leviathan. Yavik also very helpful. And, I'm afraid you're right, that Magavide we are waiting for something with which we have not encountered before. For my part, I have something to take. Discover. - The ship's doctor filed Shepard reader. - There's a little bit of text, the most basic.
- The alleged pressure on the psyche. - Said the captain, finished reading the file. - Just what it is ...
- Dr. Bryson is proven uncovered personal files of his diaries, he often felt the pressure and the pressure of darkness of infinite space. Too like the sleep of reason, John. The darkness and the cold. It is unlikely that other will offer a race that rules the galaxy a billion years. I myself have this figure barely fit in the head with all due professional cynicism. And if this is what he stated, the indoctrination against this background, which, it seems to me, Leviathans naturally possess better than Reapers, it can be too complex. In particular, give rise to such monsters that exist only in the perception of a limited group of people. These monsters are kept in hand, these groups of people more reliably than anything else. For they will be absolutely real for these people. And darkness and infinity ... In my opinion, here already can manipulate the perception of the passage of time. Even the biological clock may either fail or do not give it. To know in what proportion it is, John.
- Protect your ...
- Something, of course, can be done at our level, but the difficulties will be enough. - Said Chakwas. - And, in my opinion, it will be necessary to limit the completeness of the Troop to attend Magavide. "Volga" should be as far away from the asteroid. I doubt that the Leviathans will risk spreading limit of indoctrination in the hundreds of thousands of kilometers, but that they will use indoctrination - sure almost one hundred percent.
- "Volga" is to avoid getting into this field, Karin. - Shepard said.
- I talked about this with Alla. She is agree. The detachment should maintain combat capability. Therefore, the risk will only crew frigate, cruiser. The problems, the possible problems on Magavide, made aware of a rapid reaction force Special Forces of the Empire. Their division is on its way to the star system. Research ships Spetsflota Investigation also sent to the neighboring star systems. Though somehow, but we will respond to it. We ought, of course, respond earlier, but who knew that Leviathans so dramatically intervene in what is happening. Very unprofessional. But as always. Alla Titova and persuaded Svetlana, convinced them that the cruiser and its crew will be necessary to avoid falling under the influence of indoctrination generated Leviathans. Frankly, Alla managed to convince Svetlana this after lengthy negotiations. A Titov ... Titov was in a difficult situation. On the one hand - it is only a first mate, and on the other - it is now almost
the commander of the cruiser exploration. And it does not seem to have the right too to evade dangerous situations.
- Maybe I can not either, Karin. - Said the captain.
- On this and question, John. You remember that then we will have to go to Namakli where mainly worked Ann Bryson. And there, I guess, would be the impact of the Reapers and their attempts to influence our perception of reality. Seriously affect.
- It is necessary to also keep the "Volga" at a distance. And enjoy the right of appeal fleets. Basically, of course, spetsflotov.
- Agree. And Allah has said, and with Titov and Svetlana on this topic. She knows how to persuade and is able to prove, but there is ... difficult. Well there Magavide on where we are, perhaps, the first time be faced with a form of indoctrination in full, but at Namakli this form to us, I think, will not be news. Disappear sharpness and certainty of danger, many may find that now the squad must venture into a single system. And in the end we are waiting Despoyna, John. As far as I understand, I have to climb into the water. In such a scale - it will be our first underwater operation.
- You're right, Karen. I understood. - The captain returned the doctor reader.
- After Magavida, John, I'm sure you are examined. Very carefully. - The doctor stood up. - And get out this time of being in my possession to you, commander, will not succeed.
- I submit, Karin. - Shepard spent Chakwas to the door, returned to the table. - Jeff, how much?
- Less than an hour, the commander. We are already on the way. The station is small, "Volga" is already blocking area and not close to the asteroid.
- Commander, landing the group is ready. - I reported Alenko, beating audio channel.
- I'm with you. - Shepard said, realizing that it was the answer to this question awaits the lieutenant. - Who are the Synthetic goes with us?
- Legion commander. The rest decided to stay on board the frigate.
Darcy's Starry Sky Page 95
