Darcy's Starry Sky

by Theodore Daniels

  His head swarmed memories and Taylor lazily, like the pages of an old paper book leafing through them, looking for the ones on the understanding and consideration that he would like to stay. He remembered the Nemean abyss planet Becke. Yes, she was formally batarian, but unless people this formality ever been able to stop the overhaul? That's it, the young man had to go on this planet, Earthlings privlёkshey attention the presence in it of numerous and well-armed military forces batarian. Yes, we had to spend time exploring. Batarians felt Becky complete masters and they had to make sure that they are actually there is not full-fledged rulers. Even then, Jacob knew that batarians hate people including because they are considered four-eyed, interfered everywhere, always looking out for everything and everywhere all sniffed. Yes, of course, it is strained aliens, because the earth was much movement for a sharp increase in the role and importance of humanity in the galaxy. Jacob had already shared these views - he did not like aliens who looked to earthlings as nesmyshlёnyshey.

  Becky was the rainy season. Jacob came to the world on the frigate, and then moved into the shuttle. Landing the shuttle banned batarians fired ship continues to decline. Becky extracted zero element and earthlings alarmed that it was stored in improper conditions. Batarians these conditions are evaluated themselves as inadequate, but it continued to believe that these conditions are safe and even common.

  Jacob was able to fight to break into one of the plants, mining and processing the zero element. If he had known that the abundance of the zero element will make him feel very bad. And physically ill - in the first place. He sharply weakened, he had all the signs of severe dizziness. Yes, Jacob was biotic and abundance around zero element is not allowed him to apply his biotic abilities qualitatively. Because it was necessary to abandon the use biotics and take up guns. He then rushed to the factory warehouse, strip it from the workers batarians. I had too much to shoot, Taylor himself do not remember much of what happened in the warehouse. He fired and fired and fired and fired, retreating to the gates of the warehouse. Shoot everyone there who was able, tried to have the survivors of the battery and thoughts have arisen, to stop him. And then ... then he tried to get back to the shuttle and fly away from the planet. He really wanted to leave this Becke, which turned to him, a man earthling and biotics such negostepreimnoy. Then the frigate crew told him that the batteries are still followed him, going to the shuttle, and then followed and hook, and then, of course, followed the frigate, to move away from the planet.

  Then open the ballots Cerberus intra-treatment he had read about the details of the battle. There are lists of the dead batarians, simple hard workers, armed only civilian weapon. It turned out that they did not even shot at Taylor. It was he who fired at him. Yes, he remembered - he was given a military-grade weapons. Results were testimony warehouse workers - turned out, he shouted that he would destroy all terrorists batarian. Maybe at that time, weakening with each passing second, he thought of all batarians terrorists. May be. And batarians, even if not all, but many of them were then really, the real terrorists. The bulletins "Cerberus" pointed out that if during the period batarians who worked at the warehouse, preparing a terrorist attack on the Citadel. Of course, they did not know that "

  Along with him he was in the canoe and a woman. More precisely - the girl. Miranda Lawson. The Iron Lady, The Snow Queen. An experienced detective officer "Cerberus", which had the right of direct access to a ghost. She stayed to insure shuttle. Taylor realized that she also performs the task of monitoring them, then very young employee "Cerberus". It was common practice, and Jacob himself did not feel offended and insulted, working "under control." On the contrary, many young officers "Cerberus" envied him then. Still, in his own team-mate goes Lawson, Miranda Lawson, brings to men the fear and horror of its inaccessibility and its professionalism. About her that very few people know exactly - saying very different.

  Batarians as then understood, Jacob, and identified him and his companion. They then did not like that man is subject to the woman. They even thought that he was a puppet in the hands of Miranda. As it was standard for batarians constantly felt weak before the earthlings, just released in a large space. That is why they believed that if a man-woman-Earthling obeys the dugout, it - humiliating for men.

  Taylor did not believe that the woman submit to him - humiliating. Moreover, such a woman, what was Miranda Lawson. Yes, it was cold, inaccessible, did not consider it necessary to maintain with any relationship that went beyond the call. Now, working among the husks, Taylor still acutely aware - even then "Cerberus" has been transformed into a completely different organization, inhuman, where every day, decade, month, will be less ordinary people. Fewer. Then he thought about the fact that Miranda ... only looks like a human woman, but in fact she is not a man ....

  However, the Ghost ordered that Miranda and later co-worker Jacob remained. Opinion of Taylor's Ghost was not interested, and Taylor against such a decision the boss did not object in any way.

  They made several missions together. Normal operation. And then there was "Freedom Road". Blank human colony. Collectors took back all the colonists. And on arrival there again paired with Lawson, Jacob suddenly fell asleep in the canoe, not having to make a single step on the territory of the colony. And he woke up only when it was over. It turned out, followed and euthanized. Both - and of his Miranda. Do not let them do anything. Yes, the third member of their group was Australian Tony Clark. Even then, Jacob felt that Miranda ... Tony is more interested than they. It bothered ... and unnerving - to Jacob Miranda was interesting and valuable as a woman. Tony Clark was ... voyeur, supervisor, supervisors. The "Cerberus" so often been - Ghost did not trust anyone and constantly checked their organization employees for loyalty. That's Tony and performed the thankless role of a spy, while the drivers of the shuttle. As it turned out, he was also asleep. I slept all the time, spent a group of "Cerberus" on this planet and in this colony.

  Taylor felt that Miranda lost interest in him. For her, Tony has become more valuable, interesting roads. Yes, it hurt pride of Jacob, but what could he do? Miranda was an officer, she was a high official rank and the very high level of access to a ghost. No, it was not a favorite of the boss was not his mistress. She was one of his best agents, maybe assistant. No more. She had the right to choose with whom and how to communicate it.

  And then it was the first case of mass euthanasia of employees "Cerberus" during a mission. The first of many months of work. Agency of "Cerberus" was aware of the presence on the "Path of Freedom" quarians and someone gave Miranda and her companions to complete the task before them. But Jacob and went into the "Cerberus" not only because he liked Miranda, to recruit him, but also because the Alliance, where he had served his neustraivaet to the tasks and the reaction rate of the Alliance to problems - without the approval of Citadel and the relevant Council alyansovskie bureaucrats investigation quickly ceased to act seriously, quickly and efficiently. Deprofessionalization, in the opinion of Jacob, was just terrifying. Because he left - stay on this gadyushnike, living is not real goals and real work, and the intrigues and quarrels, he could not. At first, in the "Cerberus" it seemed to him that everything is done quickly and efficiently, and then, over time, Jacob was convinced that there are problems and questions, there is a delay and an elementary unwillingness to work properly.

  Many years ago, Taylor lost contact with his father. And recently, he met with him again. "Cerberus" gave him the information that the lighthouse ship was found, on which Jacob's father served as chief mate. Taylor wanted to fly to the EH alone. And it was his desire, it is likely prompted the Phantom to take a few minutes of your time to talk with him. Then, at the end of the conversation, Ghost told him about the planned increase - on his return, Taylor was waiting for the appointment to the post of chief of security service one of the stations "Cerberus".

  Met to make one - he lost his final many years ago. That man, a man who looked like his father, is no longer perceived by Jacob as a parent, as a
father. What he did while on ev with his crew, with humans, the people whom he had commanded and which was supposed to take care of ... It was beyond comprehension Jacob. Yes, Taylor knew that this person was placed in Prison spectrum on the Citadel. Jacob never saw his father, even though he received from the spectrum Corps permission to visit. He said that he no longer wishes to see the person ceases to be his father. Perhaps the prisoner gave his word. Probably.

  Then he saw a strange earthlings who wore helmets with visors carefully shaded. He did not understand who they were, where they came from, but I realized that they are very strong, if you help him to overcome the resistance of the robots, poisoned mercenary hunters and eventually meet the person kogda-to is his father.

  Returning to the SU Jacob for the first time began to wonder whether the "Cerberus" organization, which he would like to continue to serve his life, or should already be a few years to think about how to look for a better place for themselves.

  The war with the Reapers further complicated the situation of employees "Cerberus", the remaining people. No, no one forcibly turned earthlings-tserberovtsev in husks, no one has contributed to this violence. But to remain in the organization, which was less and less people and more and more - brainless synthetics, it was hard for Jacob. Miranda is no longer interested in Taylor nor as a woman or as a colleague, he increasingly began to visit the research station sector entrusted to him, which is still ordinary people worked. It was a woman to whom he was attracted. Their relationship quickly moved behind the service framework and the transition did not cause any objections from the station coordinator.

  Then this woman met with Jacob and told him that they had decided to leave the station. Jacob reacted to it calmly - he something like that was waiting. Perhaps these clever people realize that the head of security station - absolutely does not seek to faithfully serve the ghosts and do not share the ideals of "Cerberus" in full. How do they define it became clear to them, or even know - he did not think.

  They were prepared carefully and their escape from the station was swift and unstoppable. Jacob gave them the minimum assistance - so disabled such as the prevention of some of the system, given the card with the access key. The rest they have done quite professionally and soon several ships left the station.

  Then there was a long way to the planet on which the decision was made to disappear. It was Gelliks located in Arran system in the cluster Minos Wasteland. The scientists were guided by when they decided to take this planet with a frozen base of "Cerberus" - Jacob was not known in detail. He just decided to leave the "Cerberus", to leave with people who wanted to stay and keep people engaged in the business.

  A few days passed quietly and calmly. Geniuses have done everything, to base further considered abandoned and frozen. Outwardly, she looked lifeless. Inside, too, respected the maximum silence, though here, where they were well-equipped laboratories, scientists continued to work. Laze they did not like.

  Jacob tried not to disturb them. Although it was quite difficult - the leader of the defectors, scientists proved it Brynn Cole, with whom Taylor quietly developed a loving relationship. While this group of scientists working on the study of the Collector technology. What Collectors were accomplices of the Reapers, the researchers were not interested - for them it was important to study the technological innovations, rather than digging into who is on what side effect - they were convinced that knowledge and science have no racial or planetary or stellar binding. Gene Cole was a physicist before the moment on the orders of the Phantom her team began to work with the Collector technology. In a conversation with Jacob, it has repeatedly emphasized that the conditions created for them the Ghost can justifiably be called paradise: no limitations, the best appliances,

  When they arrived on this planet and have started partial reopening of the base, Cole once told Taylor that her alarmed: the group worked with the information produced by settlers Averno with the Collector base. Researchers began work on more devices, and then ... Then Cole learned that the researcher has completed its part of the work will inevitably and quickly disappeared. More about it, no one knew, and he never returned. It turned out that the Phantom, using the labor of scientists considered them expendable. Outwardly, everything was decent - to issue orders on the completion of work on a specific part of the study, he was succeeded by an order for a transfer to another "box", people gathered their belongings, left the station - and disappeared.

  Brynn for the years spent in the "Cerberus" has won considerable respect, enjoyed relative freedom and, as it turned out, very early start to prepare for the withdrawal from the organization. She was not alone - many scientists broke with it all ties with the "Cerberus" and disappeared.

  Jacob met with Brynn through a mutual friend while traveling in from Mumbai. This happened a year before fleeing. Not once Brynn believed Jacob - because he was the chief guard, watchdog, and advocate for the idea of "Cerberus". To believe such a man in the case, in direct violation of the contract was not easy for Brynn. However, Brynn came for help and protection is to Jacob, of course, not in the office and not in the open part of the station. The conversation took place during one of his trips to Illium where tserberovtsy purchased equipment and reagents. Jacob listened to Brynn, she did not refuse to help when it is supported by many other scientists and their families left the "Cerberus".

  Ghost tracked down fugitives and sent troops to eliminate traitors. Brynn and her colleagues always knew that Ghost does not like to lose something that belongs to him, does not tolerate objections can not be reconciled with disobedience.

  Base on Gellikse was surrounded by boats and shuttles "Cerberus". Scientists have understood - will either bombing or shelling, or, most likely - the landing. "Cerberus" invested heavily in the construction of bases and just destroy buildings, infrastructure, disrupt ... This was clearly not an option Ghost. So while scientists continue to work, used to the idea that they are likely to be returned to the organization in the capacity test.

  Taylor, bypassing flat base, still more nervous, knowing that the soldiers of the wise men simply no and resist husky-tserberovtsam, any resistance, even remotely resembling an effective, they can not. Even if Taylor will use all their knowledge and skills, fight with the paratroopers still not over in favor of his charges and his own.

  - Commander, we received information. On Gellikse "Cerberus" holding under siege group of scientists. They ran up the ghost and decided to abandon the service in the "Cerberus". This is - the people. And among them we know Jacob Taylor. He also decided to leave the "Cerberus". - Olivia went into the cabin Anderson put the captain two reader. - That's all we know about these people. I suppose that in a few hours "Cerberus" will begin to storm the base. His goal - to capture these people. In case of failure - wholly-destruction.