The Bureau of Multiverse Affairs

Chapter 5 The Ghosts of Sevastopol Station

With a gentle hiss, the airlock opened, and a silent darkness greeted the two teams.

Stepping forward, Shepard raised his M-76 Revenant machine gun and switched on its tactical torch, revealing a long, hexagon-shaped corridor. Casting the beam around, he saw boxes, tools and lengths of cable scattered across the floor, while several wall panels had been removed.

"Stay alert everyone," he ordered, "I don't like the look of this."
With Tali and Garrus at his side, Shepard advanced down the corridor at a steady pace, keeping the Revenant aimed straight ahead. Sherlock and his companions followed, while Benton's squad stayed a short distance behind. Before leaving the Normandy, each team member had been supplied with an electric torch and radio, allowing them to stay in contact anywhere on the station.

The further they went, the more discarded equipment they came across, as if people had abandoned their work halfway through.
"What on earth happened here?" said Sarah, looking around in puzzlement.
"Maybe they decided to take a tea break?" joked Benton, hoping it would take the edge off things.
"There's been a battle here," said Xena.
"What makes you say that?" asked Sherlock.
"This."

The warrior princess shone her torch on the floor, where a boxy revolver lay in a pool of dried blood.
"You think the station's crew were fighting the Cybermen?" Watson remarked.
"No," answered Sherlock, kneeling down and pointing his torch at the gun, "This blood is at least a few days old, you can tell by how it's dried."
"That must mean there is something else here," said Lestrade, "Something deadly."
"EDI?" said Shepard, activating his radio, "We may have hostiles on the station besides Is there anything on the ship's systems about it?"

"It seems the station's computer was reprogrammed three weeks ago Commander," EDI replied, "Its primary purpose now is to protect something called, Specimen XX121, at all costs. All other considerations are secondary."
"What does that mean, 'All other considerations are secondary'?"
"Everything. Crew, live support, even its own systems."
"Sounds like a rogue AI," remarked Garrus."
"I do not believe so Mr. Vakarian," EDI replied, "From what I've learned, the changes in the computer directives were deliberately made by the station's owners."

"And who is that?"
"A company called Weyland-Yutani. They bought the station three weeks ago."
"A company buys a space station that's about to be decommissioned and radically changes its systems," said Lestrade, "This sounds suspicious."
"EDI, is there any information about this Specimen XX121?" asked the Doctor.
"There does not seem to be anything aside from the new directives. I believe Weyland-Yutani may have wiped any references when they purchased the station."

"That doesn't make any sense," said Sarah, "Why would they reprogram the computer to protect something and then destroy all information about it?"
"Because they don't want anyone else to know about it," replied Sherlock.
"Well, whatever this... specimen is, it's caused this station no end of trouble," said Xena, "Everyone keep your guard up, the last thing we want is to get ambushed."
"Agreed," said Shepard. Perhaps the sword-wielding princess could hold her own.

The teams carried on down the corridor. They passed a few doorways, all of which were locked, and some that were even welded together. EDI gave them directions, having them turn left at a cross-section, where they encountered signs of a fierce battle. Wall panels were peppered with bullet holes and blast marks, while brass casings lay across the floor. The corridor was also partly blocked with a pile of boxes and an overturned trolley.

"Looks like they were trying to build a defensive position," said Tali.
"Indeed Miss Vas Normandy," said Sherlock, "But a defence from what?"
"Perhaps it's that specimen?" suggested Benton.
"Surely a specimen couldn't cause something like this in a few weeks," said Sarah.
"The Sergeant may have a point," replied Sherlock. "After all, the term 'specimen' could mean any number of things, and we know that Weyland-Yutani wish to obscure what is going on here."

They climbed over the barricade and carried on. Eventually they came to a lit corridor that opened out into a room lined with lockers. Against one wall were two large doors, marked, TRANSIT.
"Shepard," came EDI's voice from the radio, "I've scanned the schematics of the station. The computer core and main power plant are in the same tower, Lorenz SysTech Spire, but the computer core can only be accessed by a secure transit system in the SciMed Tower. You should be able to use the station's rapid transit system to reach your objectives.
"I guess we're splitting up here," said Shepard, "Benton, you have your orders. Get to the computer core, stop Moriarty's forces, and try and get hold of one of their portal devices."
"Yes Commander," Benton replied.

He went to the door marked for the SciMed Tower and pressed a summon button.
Shepard meanwhile went to the other door, marked Lorenz SysTech Spire.
It was at that moment that a sound came from the ceiling, as if something hard was rubbing against a thin sheet of metal.
The team members raised their weapons, listening intently. After a few seconds, the sounds passed, but the tension did not.

"What was that?" whispered Sarah.
"Something deadly," said Xena, still watching the ceiling carefully.
A grumble of metal suddenly cut through the silence. Shepard spun around, but it was only the doors for the transit cars opening.
"You know, I think Joker might have a point about this place being designed to be as creepy as possible," remarked Garrus.
"I didn't know you were so easily scared Mr. Vakarian," Tali teased.

The young Quarian suddenly jumped as another grumble sounded out, signalling the second transit car's arrival.
"Well, at least I'm not alone in that regard," Garrus chuckled.
The two teams boarded their cars, with Shepard and Benton being the last to enter.
"Good luck," said Benton.
"The same to you," Shepard replied.
They activated their cars and the doors slid shut. The room was silent again, save for the sound of something moving in the ventilation shaft.