Feros Part 3 Colonists and trouble

The colonist who shot at Leo earlier stepped forward. From what he could tell he may have only been 23 or 22 tops. A young man trying to earn quick credits. Outfitted a little better than the others a young mercenary really.

"Sorry about earlier. To answer why we are down here, its because we heard various talks about killing all colonists who were exposed to the "Thorian Project". Considering how it helped us.. we thinking about escaping with it."

"Wasn't the big bad creature a classified project ?" Leo countered. Spotting a few cables, he had the A.I. drone drop another mini drone to interface with the terminal it possibly led to. 'How the hell did it help them exactly?'

"It was, but one of the senior scientists tried to control it, the Old Growth, as it calls itself that is, it started to reach toward certain members of the colony. After taking a few of the weaker-minded over." The young merc said. "Information had leaked from a party on how to control the creature better."

This sent a shiver up a colonist's spine. They took a step back with the others having no idea why. Closer look revealed the person to be Dr. Lizbeth Baynham. An Exogeni employ. The hacked files from the A.I. had the woman as deceased due to a mining incident.

"Is it something like a genetic defect?" Leo walked over to her. The grenade already secured again. But not his biotics compressed in his other hand. "Long time no see."

The doctor and himself had small history. Just going to a few symposiums and conferences that covered Xenos and ancient races. Small enough that they would trigger a memory in each other. Well, at least Leo thought so.

"Leonardo Shepard, thank the stars someone I know." Dr. Lizbeth gushed a little. Her skin had a green ting to it but nothing more. Scans showing only a single organ was new. "Is the Alliance here to help? Did they get my message?"

"Umm, something like that. Hold still for me." Leo grabbed an injector stabbing it in her arm. "This should give you a boost and help get you to normal. How many spores were you subjected to?"

"You already know about that, that is definitely good." Dr. Lizbeth was happy she didn't have to explain to much. "I inoculated myself and most of everyone here. But we are running low. Had to run once the Geth started attacking and the other Colonists started acting weird."

Most of everyone did not sit well at all. The A.I. still running on the breakdown and who had what amount of spores.

*Woom!* Leo turned to the one in the back, hitting him with a Biotic Slam. His different Aspects warning him a little. The rest of the Colonists gave a feeling to be Protected but this person just gave the feeling of Disease. Which the spores technically were to the body.

"Reek!" The fake screamed out a death cry before dying. The Thorian definitely know what was happening now.

"Alright, have every gathered around to keep from ending up like that person." Leo ordered. The going thing about having an Internal Space and not just the small Mass Effect Fields to hold stuff, he was able to carry a lot of medical supplies with him. "Dr. Lizbeth help me distribute these. May not be as good as yours but it will help."

"Yes. How did you know? About that person?" Leo gave her a shrug and chalked it up to it being a feeling. That and something in the blood when they were scanned by the Drone."

"I really want off this planet." Another merc said as he dropped his head. Another Fidgety stepped forward. The rest of the colonists waved to the side letting him get through.

"You know what I am don't you?" Fidgety said in a whispering tone.

"Your an experiment that's for sure. But you will still have all your traits of a human, quite fascinating." Leo said before switching to a more peaceful tone. "You will get no problems from me." The noticeable change one could see, would be my positive vibes and eye color that turns to have a little biotic energy in it. "You are not the only experiment in the world."

Fidgety stepped a bit to quickly and fell on his but. "What are you?" He asked as he pointed at Leo. Feeling the swirl of spiritual energy around him. The others thinking it only biotic energy. Not as different as this person was.

"Give me some of your blood and I will negotiate your freedom from here. If not, well I can still retrieve what I need from your corpse. If you try to kill me."

After a nod from the fidgety Thorian hybrid. Leo relaxes his control after that statement. He threw a vial at him to give some of his blood. After doing so, he just looked around waiting for the others.

"Alright, let me contact my teams. Alpha Squad what is your location? What do you have to report?" Leo waited for a bit. No real response. The boosters worked so the problem had to be something else.

He did receive a signal from Maya. It was a code for a hostile company detected nearby. All individuals were to proceed carefully. At that, he contacted Delta Team. Well attempted to anyway.

All he received was static. Then it came through fine. Even with the Booster, it had trouble. Outside problems by the looks of the new information the A.I. passed over. A large electric storm artificially created. Which meant Geth at work.

Better not to bother them. Or any others at this point. They had their assignment.

"If you are trying to contact anyone a floor different from us, you won't be able to. The shaft has several shielding that prevents or chops up whatever you send." A colonist says as he holds a child. The child was green-toned as well.

A few others came in behind with other colonists. They all had supplies at the ready. Foodstuff.

"Well, that bites." Now Leo had to come up with a plan for the second team. Then again, they knew what to expect and would adjust accordingly. 'Have to stop trying to control everything or they will never develop. So many behaviors and different reactions, quite curious on how it will turn out in the end.'

"Almost finished." Dr. Lizbeth said. A few of the other doctors have helped in the administration process. One thought they were slick and pocketed one of the injectors. She didn't see it but Leo did. 'I sure hope my mom is ok out there. Just need to get her subdued then can break her from the Thrallment.'

'Give me the coordinates, of the last location of my squad. Then give on any of the others who could have passed through here after the scans going on. Past footprints that are very recent.' After giving that order he turned to the colonists and waited.

A.I.- Sending signal pulse now … location found and footprints collected. Uploading to the map now. 3d rendering going to the party of shape and race of personnel. Trying to work through the interference. So far no luck. However, Jane's team has not found the Thorian yet.

"What the hell is all this jumble? Hey, colonists send me any data of a map you have on your Omni-Tools." Receiving the data he went to work with the A.I. His spiritual sense searching in single directions like a stabbing probe. 'Try to clean this up as best you can.'

A.I.-Of course, that should be too easy. Matching data now and building a new map to get to the Thorian.

After two minutes a clear image was formed on the screen. 'Collapsed tunnels, burned-out lifts, but wait... what the hell is this corridor? Doesn't match what I remember from memory. No, it is different in a few places. The area was furthur away. What can it be? Just without the damage in the area over it? Cross this with the memories I have. That should help to verify at least something. Can you find anything matching colonists logs?'

Moving to the Doctor, he went over some matters while conversing with the A.I.

A.I.- Morinth detected 2 miles below the current location. Her Omni-tool is sending out a hazard signal. The distress signal has not been triggered. It is odd but expected. It would be best to assume hostiles in the area have increased or uneven ground. The materials suggest it is an underground laboratory. Referencing with the logs... alarming news. The mercenaries are making their presence known. More than suspected.

On the map was at least a 100 or so red dots flooding through. Only group that moved in overwhelming numbers like this were the Blood Back. A group consisting of mostly Krogans, Vorcha, and Varren; beast hounds basically.

'Shit! Is there any way to get info on the others? This is going south real fast!' Leo felt something odd happening with his contract holders. Each of them were amplifying several emotions as their Souls kicked up higher. Which was a sign of them experiencing something emotional. 'Even the provisional ones are acting up!'

Massive amounts of Order & Chaos based energies flooded him. Leo couldn't keep while thinking of methods to get rid of the Krogan. He almost fell to his knees grabbing at the wall to maintain himself.

The doctor saw him smile so she continued to talk. Not minding his bout of fatigue. Leo was grinning under his helmet. Excited beyond belief at the challenge and the possible changes meaning in everyone.

*Beep! Beep!* His suit signaling the drastic increase in heart rate. It administered a few restricters thank a possible heart attack or viral agent was injected into him. But they were stopped at the last moment.

A.I.- Leonardo snap out of it! You are absorbing too much to quickly. It is clouding your rational judgment. There is too much Bloodlust & Curiosity for your current mental state. Focus on rescuing your team and the mission!

*Bzzt!* The A.I. sent a discharge through his body then restricted the spiritual energy flow.

With a shake of his head and a burst of a Mental Gear Shift, he had control again. For safe measure, he hit himself and the colonist with another dose of the injectors. Blaming the unusual behavior on the Spores of the Thorian.

His Spiritual Sense covered more terrain now. Several teams had come to the planet before this one. Several bodies in different tunnels. They had been picked clean of armor and weapons leaving just skeletons in weird places.

Lots of changes to the Reaper Manual, to explore now. A few techniques understandable but not the time to mess with them.

A.I.- All teams have engaged the enemy. Geth are getting taken down quickly and fast. Mercs are getting into firefights as we speak. Only Jane's people are having trouble and are pinned down. The Alliance detached led by Kaiden is en route. Best to head towards the Thorian.

"Alright people, my team is in trouble. I can't' stay here anymore." Leo said to them, as he looked at the map trying to figure something out. 'What is the fastest route as well as an escape method for the colonists?'

"Wait what about us?" Some of the colonists asked.

"Follow the drone out. Do not stop unless you are told to." Leo pointed at his omni-tool then the drone. "I will be in communications with at all times. Talk to it if you need to speak with me."

At that the little drone took flight. It turned and waved its little antenna at them to follow.

"Hmm." Leo gave pause before shooting down a tunnel fll speed. 'A.I. what do you think? I think I can help these people after this. Odds are they are not going to leave this place. Plus I realized I need the Council to think favorably of me. Well, owe me one really. Things have changed with my Contracts. What is it?'

A.I.- Tell them you will try. I believe that you don't want to generate any debt considering. If you offer them assistance directly, I do not recommend financial assistance but more of providing protection. Such as using Dr.Okeers Krogans for the job and the possible Blue Suns. Zaed will have to make a decision soon on that matter.

'Yeah, my contact in the Blue Suns is barely ok with the change in Dr.Okeer. She will need a little something more to tide over. But I have something to fix that. I can felt the contract holders.. soul I guess more. What happened exactly?'

*Fwoosh!* Leo's physical body was improving by the second. Clocking at least 30 miles an hour and up to 70 miles depending on what was in front of him. A few times he directly punched a caved-in section to get more readings for his body.

A.I.- Several provisional contracts have been changed to full contracts. The Ardat Yakshi, besides the one who still dislikes you and Samara's daughter Rila anyway. The good news, Maya and Samara are actually on their way. This place feels wrong. I suggest getting out of here as soon as possible. What you have discovered with your increased Spiritual Sense down below is concerning.