The Engi Conspiracy!

[DarkPhoenix141]

(Is it wrong if I "End" this with a slight bang?)

Cpl. Adrian Shepard: Phoenix, I got your position I'm coming to you.

HSA Phoenix: Copy...

Shepard: Hold your position, ETA 5 mikes.

*5 Minutes later, Shepard shows up*

Phoenix: Welcome to hell, what's the plan?

Shepard: Don't have a damn clue... Let's move to a defensible and accessible position, and radio the Sentinel.

Phoenix: Copy... Open patch ahead, looks good?

Shepard: No... Too open.

Phoenix: There isn't anything hostile on this planet, we'll be fine to radio here...

Shepard: *sigh* Shepard to Sentinel, requesting type six encrypted signal.

PFV Sentinel: Initializing type six encrypted transmission... What do you need?

Shepard: Evacuation. Now. Find us.

Sentinel: Sounds good, ETA Three mikes.

*The dropship lands, picking Phoenix and Shepard up, they move to the Command & Operations Deck, greeted by Briggs and Blake, who recently recovered.

Blake: Hey there! What did I miss? Let's start with... The homeworld, what happened on Xendra, how many did we lose?

Phoenix: 30%, at least.

Blake: Damn... What about Anna? What happened to her?

Phoenix: It's uh... Complicated.

Briggs: Complicated? SHE SHOT YOU! And had you shot THREE times.

Phoenix: Well...

Blake: Three times?

Phoenix: Three times

Briggs: Four times, she shot you once and had you shot three times.

Phoenix: Well... *scratches neck* She's... She's okay...

Briggs: *Slaps Phoenix* SHE SHOT YOU! YOU CAN'T GET WORSE THEN THAT,

Phoenix: *sigh* Okay... Spyglass, we need a scan.

Where and for what Supreme Admiral?

Phoenix: Find an active sympathizer attack, we need a lead.

Of course... Located.

Briggs: Why aren't we after the Engi again?

Graves *Walks in* Because Sargent Quarz went out on an operation with minimal Engi activity, they never came back.

Briggs: Slipped up?

Graves: They're one of the best we have, we got a transmission from them during the engagement, from a Private Acker

Transmission: Get behind cover *Plasma Fire mixed with regular gunfire*! Move right! *Gunfire* GET FIRE ON THAT TANGO!! MULTIPLE X-RAYS BEHIND US!!

Graves: No Engi would use ballistic weaponry, they had to have human support, we can weaken them by taking the sympathizers out.

Phoenix: That's the idea, in the meantime we target this lab assault, Raven Team, move out .

*Later, In a brush, looking a three rooms through the glass walls: One with three civilians in it, with multiple guards, a stair well with soldiers at the first set's ending, and a room with a vault and an open server room, more heavily guarded then the rest, a soldier in different gear and a hooded figure stand looking at the vault*

Phoenix: Let's move, wait for them to breach the vault... Security's having a problem breaching the building, so wait.

*The soldiers in the server room come out, and everyone moves the hostages and gathers around the vault, and then enter it rapidly*

Briggs: Cued, let's go.

*They use a silent drill to destroy the attachments holding the windows in place, they move in and stop quickly, dropping the windows quietly and soon they enter the building, and move for the vault. At the vault they breach quickly and kill off most of the guards at the entrance, in a brief engagement Briggs uses his Plasma Shotgun to blow the top of a soldier's head off, and soon they throw a flash-bang grenade into the room and kill everyone unexpectedly, three individuals hold onto ropes attached to a dropship, one has a pistol, the other appears to be a leader, and the other is recognized as Anna as soon as they see her, they attempt to escape however the team shoots Anna's rope out and kills the pistol wielding soldier, the leader escapes, the team brings Anna out of the room silently and the security teams that were guarding the facility stand around executing any alive soldiers, the ECRT Unit brings Anna to the Sentinel, where they restrain her to a chair in a room, isolated*

Phoenix: Let me handle this... Alone.

Briggs: Hahahahaha No.

Phoenix: Go, I'll be fine... *Briggs huffs and walks out of the viewing room, as does Graves and the two guarding soldiers, Phoenix enters the room and Anna looks at him and smiles, confidently*

Anna: Well, I got off easy...

Phoenix: *sigh* You did... You did... I'm going to ask nicely now... What the hell were you doing back there?

Anna: They were convincing. Nice, and had a solid set of ideals that I as a human from Earth can understand.

Phoenix (In a foreign language that is unknown to Anna): Gods... You always were this thick...

Anna: What?

Phoenix (In his language still): Dammit.

Anna: ...

Phoenix (In English): Who are you loyal to? Tell me...

Anna: Allegiances and loyalties are two different things, equally irrelevant but equally important, you said that.

Phoenix: I did *Kneels beside her* If don't want to be with them, or us, I can arrange for you to get the hell off my ship and hope we never meet again, and if you're with them... You can go...

Anna: My Allegiance is with them... My loyalty with you... *A sudden rumbling in the vents as Eight soldiers breach the room, Phoenix kills three of them but the rest escape, with Anna*

Phoenix: What the...

Soldier (Transmission): HOSTILES ON DECK, OPEN FIRE! GET SECURITY ONLINE!!!

Soldier 2: WHERE'S GRAVES??

Soldier 1: DISREGARD HIM OPEN FIRE!!

Phoenix: What... *He exits the room and kills two terrorists as the two transmission soldiers yell over the radio, he moves to find them, he enters a large room with large amounts of hostiles flooding in, one soldier on the panel desperately trying to juggle shooting and working, and the other trying to stay alive*

Soldier 1: FRIENDLY LEFT HOLD FIRE!!

Soldier 2: DAMMIT!! We're locked out of the systems, the Bridge must be compromised... Oh Phoenix thank the gods, can you get Spyglass?

Phoenix: I can... Spyglass, defenses. Now.

Understood.

*AIUs come online and slaughter the terrorists, pushing them to their dropships, which results in a victory for the crew*

Phoenix: Dammit, what happened to Graves?

Soldier 1: He got pulled into the vent in the fighting, they took him in dropship A1-34 they said.

Phoenix: Spyglass?

Located en route to a barely habitable planet, which is heavily defended as a prison and interrogation center.

Phoenix: We need a plan to get them out of there.

Briggs (Transmission): Whoa whoa whoa there... Why?

Phoenix: Whatever they know... And we don't abandon our own...

Briggs (In the Phoenix language): You are beyond insane, I hate you. What's the plan?

Phoenix (In the Phoenix language): Don't know, we need to see and find the prison first, get a scope of what is is and how it works. Then we need to check in with them, get a sense of how long we have to plan.

Briggs (In English): Three days, on the third night you go and do recon, sound good?

Phoenix (English): Sounds good, in the meantime we need a general plan...

*Three days pass of searching for blueprints and planning, soon Phoenix is given to the go to start his recon. He brings one pistol and wears a black cloak and hood

His dropship deploys him out of range of the anti-air defenses located in a battery of four, he is outside a wall and it's raining outside, he moves up the wall until he's between two guard posts in the box and cramped sector, he moves down onto a fence and slides into a vent, he moves down the vent and eventually finds his way above Anna's and Graves's room*

Anna: I'm not a traitor.

Graves: Then why are you here? You probably enjoy this or something.

*He drops down into the room and Anna looks up, obviously tired from the day's events*

Anna: Phoenix!!!

Graves: Thank god, get us out of here ASAP!

Phoenix: Sadly... Not an option.

Graves: What?!

Phoenix: We're on a planet that has been fully outfitted to be a prison, this camp is a sector and there are many like it, between them automated units rove around the no man's land outside them, security is tight and I barely got this far, I may not make it back.

Graves: Well then, make a choice, sit down or shoot yourself.

Anna: Please tell us you're trying to get us out of here right?

Phoenix: I will, but not now, in a few days we'll be back.

Anna: So this is a one time deal?

Phoenix: Nope, I'm dedicated, I'll be back every night to help you, by grabbing meds, information, or biding you some time. I'm on a strict schedule though, AA Defenses are brutal and it could force me to stay ALL day tomorrow, not good for anyone.

Anna: This place doesn't seem too high security...

Phoenix: Vents aren't usually, but this was a stroke of idiotic luck, drones make rounds around the area keeping rooftop insertions to a minimal, but the vent I jumped on to get in here was a heating vent, blocking the drone from spotting me with it's thermal vision, and average or even above average scanners won't work on a planet. Wrong timing or something else, I could be screwed, sentry turrets are on the roof, it could end badly for all involved...

Anna: God...

Phoenix: Got to go, I'll grab meds next time I come here.

*Phoenix jumps into the vent and moves through it again, he moves carefully through the heating vent until he reaches the wall again, he hides in the shadow of a security tower, that has a sniper and a security turret in it, he manages to hide from both and the tower ahead is out of range of spotting him, he looks around with thermal vision, spotting multiple soldiers on the roofs, Turrets on balconies and security scanners everywhere, he notices three drones that look like they were commandeered from the Rebels flying overhead, scanning everything, he moves for the dropship and escapes, another day passes and he goes through the motions of entering the facility but instead making a detour into the medical facility, grabbing a few syringes without the doctor noticing, he them moves into the room again, Graves is looking down with blood coming out of his mouth*

Phoenix: How you holding up?

Graves: Kill me...

Anna: Don't.

Graves: Of course, then you'd have to take a beating every now and again? How horrible... *He spits blood onto the floor*

Phoenix: What happened?

Graves: He let me get stabbed, beaten and tooth pulled because she didn't want to get hit.

Anna: I still got hit.

Graves: Fair point...

Anna: I'm still in better shape then you but don't die on me... Please...

Graves: ... Okay...

Phoenix: Well on the bright side, I got meds for you. *He injects them with the medical syringes*

Phoenix: Graves, you have to stay with us now, don't tell them anything you think could hurt you, the faction, or Anna. (In his language) Gods be with you, stick together.

Graves (In the Phoenix language): Okay... Be safe.

*Phoenix Leaves the room again, and heads for the dropship again, he escapes and the group comes up with a plan, another day passes and Phoenix goes through the motions of entering the room again, Grave's chair is missing and Anna is looking down, bloodied and depressed*

Phoenix: Graves?

Anna: *cries a little* Gone... They slit his throat when he didn't answer. He forgave me...

*Phoenix kicks the wall and punches the floor and wall, swearing in both his language and English, until he collapses on his knees beside Anna, who cries at the thought*

Phoenix: Did he go out like a soldier?

Anna: Like a soldier could, he fought to the bitter end, no matter how little... He knew he had to... He wondered if it was very bad for him...

Phoenix: Dammit...

*Footsteps as two men enter the room, Phoenix enters the vent and looks on, he toy with Anna, doing things like tapping her arm, rubbing her neck and messing with her sleeves, she cries in her seat, Phoenix suspends himself by the legs in the vent, and upside down he partially enters the room, he stabs one man in the neck and throws his knife into the other man's neck. Killing them both, he stuffs their bodies in the vent and leaves, angered, they attack the facility tomorrow, aboard the Sentinel Phoenix stocks up two Plasma Shotguns with 5 magazines of ammo for each, an assault rifle, two knives, a visor complete with multiple vision modes, all under a black hood and raincoat, most other team members bring similar equipment, Adrian however brings a sniper rifle instead, most other members bring only one knife and only an assault rifle. On the planet Phoenix enters like normally into the room while Adrian enters a guard tower and kills the guard and disables the gun, he utilizes his sniper rifle to kill the other guards allowing Raven Team to get into position on the wall, Phoenix enters the room and Anna makes notice of his excess equipment*

Phoenix: Alpha team in position.

Adrian: *Calmer then the rest* Bravo team in position.

Briggs: Raven team in position.

Phoenix: Strike is go, move to rendezvous point Omega.

*Adrian drops down under the tower and enters the space between the two towers where Phoenix enters every time*

Adrian: Command I'm in position... God it's pouring out here...

Briggs: Raven team is here, let's move...

*Adrian, Briggs and Raven Team enter the vent and drop into Anna's room, clearing it*

Briggs: Phoenix, we'll hold down the fort here, move to the control room and take out the AA Defenses, that'll let us escape.

Phoenix: Copy. *He exits through the door and moves to the roof, he moves down and over buildings to the control room, he enters through the roof and kills the guards and workers, shutting down the scanners, cameras and turrets but turning the drones in the sector against the guards*

Phoenix: Re-purposing drones...

Briggs: For what?

Phoenix: Seek and destroy...

Briggs: Damn, good job.

*Phoenix regroups with his team and they move up the stairs, mostly silent until one hallway on the third floor*

Blake: Damn, Phoenix is professional.

William: Only when it's someone he cares about...

Phoenix: Cut the chatter *footsteps*

King: Anymore then three we kill them, Three or less we take them hostage and move.

*Three terrorists move out of the hallway into the intersection and are taken down and restrained by the team, they move them up the stairs and nearing the roof they stop*

Briggs: What about them? What do we do?

*Phoenix takes his plasma shotgun out and blows the head off of two soldiers and takes his pistol out and shoots the last one in the head, causing a bullet hole in his visor until they get to the dropship*

Adrian: Alright sorry Anna *He handcuffs Anna*, not taking any chances.

*They get onto the dropship and escape to the Sentinel, where Adrian takes the handcuffs off Anna, she walks off to get some rest, Phoenix does the same as does most of the team. He passes out on the bed. The next day Phoenix stumbles into the Bridge sleepily.*

Sir. We have detected a planet which we require you and a team of your choosing to investigate

Phoenix: Why?

The planet may be inhabitable

Phoenix: Fine, *rubs eyes* Get Briggs and a few other ECRT Soldiers online, I want a few grunts too for safety's sake.

Of course, prepare for planetfall

*Phoenix puts on a hood and cape and gets into a drop pod as does his team, they land on a barren desert planet. Four squads of soldiers keep watch around the landing zone, and Briggs and 10 ECRTs land and keep watch*

Phoenix: Alright... Briggs let's go *The rest of the team stay in the trench that is created by a rock, Phoenix climbs out, Briggs wearing a hood and cape holding a a rifle with a mask covering his nose, they move for miles until they decide to slouch against a rock*

Briggs: What the hell... Who would live here...
*Briggs takes the mask off to talk*
Phoenix: I know... It gets really hot here, the water is so salty it'll kill you, and nights are eight hours long, and it gets around two hundred degrees here, sandstorms are frequent and can have winds up to five hundred miles per hour. How are WE still here?

Briggs: There's no way we can live here... What was Spyglass thinking?

Phoenix: Something's not right... Spyglass would know all of this...

Briggs: I know... Let's get back, we need radio for evacuation... God the soil's so dry it's impossible to grow anything, hell I could...*Punches the ground, it makes a noticeable crack* Yeah, it's not exactly hard soil...

Phoenix: *Motions for Briggs to follow him* C'mon, let's get back to our team... *They run back to the group and slide into the trench with their team*

Soldier: Sir. They're a sandstorm coming in... ETA Five minutes...

Phoenix: Well... We can stay here right?

Soldier: Yeah... Yeah we can, but it won't be wise...

Phoenix: Well then... Let's run then.

*Phoenix and company run with the large sand cloud behind them, the winds from it are noticeable even at the distance they are from it, Phoenix raises his mask and Briggs does the same, Phoenix takes his cape and holds it over his left hand and holds it out, guiding himself, the team makes it to a trench and ducks under cover, ready for the storm*

Soldier: This'll work...

Briggs: Then get down.

Phoenix: Stick together people, don't spread out!

William: This is going to go very wrong, very fast...

Blake: Amen to that.

King: *Gets on his knees in the trench* Drink what you can now.

Harris: THIS SITUATION IS SCREWED UP MAN, WE ARE DONE.

Phoenix: Harris, get it together, three minutes people.

*The sandstorm hits the team, the winds force everyone behind the rocks, a soldier walks up to Phoenix*

Soldier: Sir, Burden saw a figure and went after it, he hasn't returned! Can you go and find him?

Phoenix: *His hood blowing in his own face* Where?

*The soldier points Northeast, Phoenix takes his can and places it in his cape, and places it forward, he walks in a few miles until he finds Burden behind a rock*

Burden: WHO ARE YOU?!

Phoenix: I'M HERE TO SAVE YOU, LET'S GET BACK TO THE GROUP!

Burden: WE CAN'T!

Phoenix: WHAT?

Burden: WE CAN'T, THE WINDS ARE TOO STRONG, THE STORM WILL PASS IN A FEW MINUTES, WE NEED TO GET TO A SAFE POINT!!.

Phoenix: OKAY!

*The duo moves south until they find a large rock*

Phoenix: LET'S GET BEHIND THI-

*Phoenix and Burden are forced to the rock by the winds, unable to move they turn away to avoid getting sand in their eyes*

Phoenix: Dammit! We need to... *He climbs up the rock, about halfway he forces his right hand into the rock, and moves right around the rock, Burden does the same until they're behind the rock, they drop down, but Burden slips and falls down a slope*

Phoenix: BURDEN! HOLD ON!! *Phoenix grabs Burden's arm preventing him from falling, however the rock behind them breaks apart and instead they fall down the slope in an attempt to out run the debris, however Burden is in the way of one and Phoenix haves to save him, they lay on their back barely up beside each other heavily breathing with shock*

Burden: Hell... What now?

*A figure is moving in front of them*

Burden: Hey... Let's follow him.

Phoenix: Okay... Why not?

*They follow the figure until they find a large fenced encampment, Phoenix shouts at him*

Phoenix: HEY! HEY! HELP US! WE NEED HELP!

*They get closer to the figure who turns around and levels his gun against the duo, Phoenix shoots him and the four towers engage the duo they move to a few rocks that they use for cover, They exchange shots randomly*

Burden: What the hell?!

Phoenix: I don't know, kill them all *A soldier runs up to Phoenix and knocks him out*

Phoenix: BURDEN RUN!

*Phoenix is knocked out, he awakes tied to a chair*

HVT: Sup?

Phoenix: Oh gods...

HVT: Heh... You met Anna? She's a nice girl, loyal, glad she's with us now... But enough about us, what about you? Where is your headquarters?

Phoenix: Hmm...

HVT: Are you deaf *Punches Phoenix in the face* In a prison? Abandoned planet? Cargo Hauler?

Phoenix: ...

HVT: Ha *Punches him again* C'mon, a flagship? A station? Give me something to work with here!

Phoenix: We live in a giant mountain shaped like your mother.

HVT: Hahahahahahaha... That's funny *punches him again*.

Phoenix: ...

HVT: God you're think, I'm leaving, have a good night.

*Phoenix falls asleep, the next day HVT Walks in with a knife and a blowtorch*

HVT: Hey. Did I ever tell you my name?

Phoenix: Nope.

HVT: Hmm... Well don't expect me to. But I do want to know you're name, who are you?

Phoenix: No one

*The HVT punches him and heats his knife with his blowtorch*'

HVT: C'mon, it isn't hard answer the question...

Phoenix: Nope.

HVT: *Stabs him with his heated knife* Answer the damn question... Now.

Phoenix: Hell no...

*The HVT Heats his knife with the blowtorch, and punches Phoenix in the meantime*

Phoenix: Arghh... Damn.

HVT: I already know you're name I want to know what you do, what your purpose is...

Phoenix: *Spits blood* Bah.

HVT: I've had enough, have fun tomorrow.

*Phoenix passes out as the HVT left, the next day*

HVT: Wassup?

Phoenix: Hello.

HVT: I have a friend this time! *A soldier walks in*

Soldier: Payback asshole *The soldier punches Phoenix in the face*

Phoenix: Well... What did I do?

Soldier: Killed my brother...

HVT: When you tried to capture me *The HVT takes a weird roller that looks like a pliers, the soldier holds Phoenix's mouth open and the HVT shoves the roller into his mouth and rolls it scraping his gums, when he pulls it out Phoenix spits up a little blood*

Phoenix: Damn... You learned.

Soldier: What's the tag for your automated defenses?

Phoenix: Blah...

*The Soldier opens Phoenix's mouth again and the HVT shoves the strange roller into his mouth, and uses it to scrapes his gums again*

HVT: C'mon, give me a number...

Phoenix: Screw you. *The HVT and soldier repeat the torture process*

Phoenix: Arghh... You want to interrogate a corpse? Go ahead...

HVT: I win either way, you dead or your fleet dead, choose...

Phoenix: Dammit.

HVT: I think we're done here, rest now Phoenix.

Phoenix: Die tomorrow please.

HVT: Hopefully not.

*The next day*

HVT: What to do today... What to do today... AH *He takes a metal bar and a blowtorch, the soldier holds Phoenix still*

Phoenix: Whatever next is a no.

HVT: Ah then, who cares? *He heats the bar with the blowtorch* You don't care.

Phoenix: I don't. *The HVT holds the bar near Phoenix* Hmm...

HVT: God you need to talk more *He holds the bar on Phoenix burning him*

Phoenix: Erghhh... Sssstilllll... Not... Talking. *The HVT removes the bar from Phoenix's skin*

Soldier: God... You're thick ya know?

Phoenix: I pride myself on it.

Soldier: Heh.

HVT: Alright how about an actual question... What's your plan?

Phoenix: Shoot you in the ass, over and over until you drop dead.

HVT: That's funny *He heats the bar again* C'mon, confess your plans.

Phoenix: Nope.

*The HVT places the bar on Phoenix's neck*

Phoenix: Erghh... Not... Talking... *The HVT removes the bar from Phoenix's neck*

HVT: You know what? *He leaves the heated bar on Phoenix, and leaves, the soldier follows.* I'm taking a nap.

*Phoenix stays up all night until the interrogation duo comes in and removes the bar, the HVT takes out a hammer and the soldier a knife*

Soldier: Network access codes, tell us.

Phoenix: Rude.

HVT: Okay this started well,*He hits Phoenix in the knee with the hammer, the Soldier puts the blade to Phoenix's cheek* Talk.

Phoenix: No.

HVT: Well at least you're nice about it *The Soldier cuts Phoenix's cheek and the HVT hits Phoenix in the knee again* God, talk now.

Phoenix: Nope.

HVT: Fine. Let's go. *They leave the room, Phoenix rests for the rest of the day. The next day the walk in, The Soldier holding nothing but the HVT holding a sharpened and rusty screwdriver*

Phoenix: Never caught your name...

Soldier: I'm Irving.

Phoenix: I hold your name is Golly...

HVT: Well that's what you can call me, shame we can't be friends *He shoves his screwdriver into one of Phoenix's back teeth* Talk to me. I want network access codes...

Phoenix: No...

Irving: C'mon... Please?

Golly: Please?

Phoenix: I can't, sorry.

Golly: Aww... *He stabs Phoenix's in a tooth again* Why can't you just talk, end the suffering for us both.

Irving: Agreed.

Phoenix: No. *Golly rams his screwdriver into Phoenix's mouth again stabbing teeth, Phoenix holds himself face down looking at the floor, weakened*

Irving: Alright, relax for a while tomorrow is a big day for you.

Golly: Damn right...

*Phoenix bleeds out of his mouth as he attempts to sleep, the next morning Irving holds Phoenix's arm out while Golly holds an axe (Which isn't a word apparently)*

Golly: Today we get serious, you lose your arm if you don't answer our question.

Phoenix: Hopefully I don't need that arm then.

Golly: Network Access Codes, now.

Phoenix: Screw you. *Golly slashes his arm with the axe, almost cutting it*

Golly: Answer the damn question...

Phoenix: Not going to... Never will... *Golly cuts the arm*

Golly: Was it worth an arm?

Phoenix: ARRGGHHHHH *blood spurts from the arm*

Golly: Hell, tomorrow we get even more serious...

Phoenix: looking forward for it...

*That night Phoenix's rest is interrupted by an explosion, Burden enters the room and pulls Phoenix's unconscious body out of the room, he pulls him back the to the group of soldiers that had been waiting for him to return, immediately they order a MEDEVAC from Spyglass, who picks them up and places Phoenix in a medical room, he wakes up two days later with metallic replacement arm*

Phoenix: God... Where am I?

Doctor: You are aboard your capital ship, the Sentinel, we replaced your arm with a robotic replacement, move your fingers like you would normally *Phoenix moves each of the digits, practicing*

Phoenix: Do I have to maintain this thing?

Doctor: Nope, it's mostly something similar to plastic.

Phoenix: Any benefits? At all?

Doctor: Sadly no, it has no special properties, nothing like in the movies.

Phoenix: Damn... Doc, where is the Sentinel exactly?

Doctor: Over the desert planet you were recovered from, Burden is in the hall ahead of you, leave when you feel ready.

Phoenix: Of course... *He walks off, Burden is waiting against the wall*

Burden: Sup.

Phoenix: Sup yourself.

Burden: Good talk.

Phoenix: Likewise.

*Burden places his cheek against the wall and looks away from Phoenix, Phoenix looks away as well*

Burden: So...

Phoenix: So?

Burden: Let's...

Phoenix: Let's leave.

Burden: I agree...

*Phoenix and Burden walk off, awkwardly, Phoenix walks into a room and meets Anna again, who immediately notices the arm*

Anna: What happened?

Phoenix: It's ah... Obvious. He cut it off.

Anna: My god... Are you...

Phoenix: I'm... I'm fine...

Anna: Come here... We need to talk to you. *she walks over to a door*

Phoenix: We?

*He follows her, they enter a room with Sgt. Griffin, Briggs and Raven Team and Anna and Burden and Shepard, all geared up.*

Briggs: We need to talk about Golly.

Phoenix: What about him?

Briggs: Phoenix... He has you Psych Evaluations, he knows every move you're going to make, before you make it.

Phoenix: And?

Anna: We think we should handle it...

*Phoenix looks around the room*

Briggs: We think it's better if we do it... We'll be fine...

*Phoenix continues staring around the room*

Shepard: We don't want anything to happen to you.

Burden: I honestly don't care..

Shepard: Noted. The rest of us do.

Burden: I just want to whack a fool.

Shepard: That is the last thing I would expect from a person with THAT face.

Burden: Oh. I want to kill a few terrorists because I can.

Shepard: Much better.

Phoenix: Well that killed... Everything.

Shepard: Burden? I hate you now.

Burden: Hey it came with the territory.

Phoenix: Regardless, no, I'm going.

Briggs: Fine...

Anna: Be careful...

Phoenix: No promises. Where is he?

Projecting image of suspected Mothership

*The hologram of the suspected Mothership shows a large civilian cruiser, Phoenix looks puzzled*

Phoenix: What? That's no Mothership... Spyglass fix it.

Negative. Suspected Mothership shown.

Briggs: He has your Psych Evaluations. It makes sense...

Phoenix: Granted... You're sure?

Briggs: We are, no civilian cruisers this far out. We need to take it down, now.

Phoenix: Fine here's the plan, get a few battalions to harass the enemy on the ground and free up our dropships to hit the Mothership, I'll break into the Bridge and kill that bastard.

Anna: Be safe in there... I'll be right behind you.

Phoenix: No you won't.

Anna: ... Fine.

Phoenix: Yeah keep on lying to me, let's move people.

*Phoenix gets into a Dropship it flies and it gets closer to the Mothership which flies over a large salty lake beside it a large Beach where the fighting begins as large masses of soldiers begin assaulting a terrorist's encampment*

Briggs: Hurry up in there. We'll do what we can down here

Phoenix: Roger.

*He leaps onto the dropship, and detonates a hole in the ship's bridge and enters before the ship seals the breach, in mid air Phoenix kills multiple guards, scientists and general workers on the Bridge, Golly opens fire on him however Phoenix uses his legs to force him on the ground, Irving opens fire but Phoenix shoots him in the head with his pistol and he places it at Golly's head*

Golly: Hah! I think I won this...

Phoenix: Bull...

*Golly knocks the pistol out of Phoenix's hand and kicks him in the face, knocks him on the ground and begins beating him, until Phoenix punches his face and forces him onto the ground and begins choking him, interrupted by Golly punching him in the chest and then in the head and forcing Phoenix to the ground until he gets up, he kicks Phoenix until he's tripped, both fighters get up and begin exchanging blows until they grapple each other, punching and kicking at each other, Phoenix gets the upper hand and begins elbowing him in the head and kicking him the jaw, then a knee to the stomach forcing Golly to the ground holding himself up until Phoenix kick him in the chest heavily, causing slight bleeding, as Golly gets up Phoenix trips him and curb stomps him in the chest on the ground, but Golly trips him but they both stand up and look at each other, neither ready to fight the other*

Golly: Well... I guess we both die...

Phoenix: What do you mean?

*Golly presses a button on a keypad, causing green gas to fill the room, Phoenix collapses on his arms and knees when Golly emerges from the foggy gsas kicks him in the stomach, causing him to exit the gas cloud pressed against a wall. Golly laughs and kicks him repeatedly until the gas dissipates, both fighters coughing up blood, however Anna enters and shoots Golly once, Golly responds with three bullets in Anna's chest, however Phoenix grabs the pistol before he can shoot again and crushes the pistol, he runs and grabs a plasma shotgun, and shoots Golly in the chest, killing him*

Phoenix: Lights out asshole... *He looks at Anna* You okay?

*A large thud as the Mothership crashes into the water, Phoenix picks up Anna and moves her down a nearby hallway, nothing in it except a door, he attempts to open it but that fails, he moves further down the hallway until he finds another door underwater, he goes underwater and opens the door and goes into the flooded hallway, until he forces a door open near the end of it, he escapes the falling Mothership only barely as he nearly blacks out, he holds Anna's head above water and goes onto the shore, his and Anna's legs getting soaked by the tides, Phoenix laughs and stands up*

Phoenix: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA YOU CAN'T KILL ME!! *He picks up a stone on the shore and tosses it at the part that isn't submerged, the friendly soldiers stop relishing in their overwhelming victory to look at Phoenix, who continuously taunts the gods and Golly, swearing until he moves up the shore, Anna gets up and walks behind him, Phoenix coughs a little blood as a result of the gas*

Anna: You were exposed.

Briggs: Sedate him, let's get him the help he needs...

*Phoenix awakens in an empty room with only a light, a mirror adjacent to him and hospital bed, he gets up and looks at his face which is covered in drops of blood, Briggs walks in*

Briggs: Hey look who's up... You coughed on yourself.

Phoenix: Hmm... *Phoenix wipes the droplets of blood of his face and walks off, into the main hall*

Briggs: So... What's the plan?

Phoenix: I have one and it's a bad idea...

Briggs: Talk.

Phoenix: The Engi have a hivemind intelligence, if we want to them, we can either take out the Queen, which is a bad idea a few fronts, or take control and put them all to sleep. To do that we need to turn the safeties off that keep anyone human from becoming loyal to the hive...

Briggs: This is a bad idea. I love it. But there's one question, how?

Phoenix: Let's get someone who knows something about psychology to help us here. *Anna walks in*

Anna: I know someone.

Phoenix: Who?

Anna: Me.

Phoenix: Gods help me...

*Phoenix is placed on a medical bed with two metal needles in the sides of his neck, Anna waits at a computer while Briggs stands in a corner*

Anna: Okay... This isn't even remotely safe... Briggs give him the shot.

Briggs: Understood. *Briggs takes a syringe and injects Phoenix in the neck, Phoenix blacks out for a second but regains consciousness and stands up*

Phoenix: That was the easy part... Now we need a distraction, something to buy me some time.

Briggs: "Something" Sir, with all due respect soldiers are expendable.

Phoenix: We have our distraction, get Spyglass on the line, let's go on our suicidal mission to save the universe shall we?

Briggs: "Operation Suicidal Mission to save the Universe" Huh? I love that.

Anna: So do I, let's move.

*The fleet moves to the Engi homeworld, soldiers drop onto the ground and men with shields move in front of them, the soldiers place their rifles in the slots between the shields, making them immune to gunfire. Phoenix shakes the hands of two Citadel Guards before they jump over the shield wall. Gunfire between both sides erupts as Phoenix attempts to make it to the hive entrance. He finally does and enters the hive... he kills all Engi in front of him and locks the door behind him to the Queen's chamber. He grunts as he interfaces with the hive until when he looks behind him, the Engi aren't attacking, but bowing*

Briggs: Phoenix? Oh my gods... They think you're an Engi??

Phoenix: Not just an Engi... The Queen...

*A metallic rumble as the Engi stop bowing*

Briggs: What's that?

Phoenix: The REAL Queen *Phoenix turns to the Engi and interfaces with the hive again, putting the Engi to sleep, Phoenix closes the door and locks the Engi out*

Briggs: Okay... Soldiers are executing the Engi as we speak...

Queen: Hello there...

Briggs: What the-

Phoenix: That's the...

Queen: Yes. You have control of my children, my minions, my soldiers... Now. You must release that control...

*Phoenix collapses on is knees as voices in his head talk to him, his vision goes red and orange around the edges, with a cracked glass effect in his eyes, he fights it and stuns the Queen for a moment, giving him time to catch his breath*

Queen: This one is strong...

Phoenix: Damn right.

*The queen in her physical form walks in, a human with metallic and Engi features, making her look like a human-AIU-Engi hybrid. Phoenix collapses on his knees and loses control of his limbs, the Queen circling him*

Queen: We're not so different you and I... *She touches Phoenix's cheek*

Phoenix: Are we?

Queen: We both have know that ethics are for the weak, a necessity but a weakness, the same with trust and emotion and love.

Phoenix: You're wrong, we see things to differently...

Queen: How so?

Phoenix: Ethics cloud one's mind, you see that as free will that must be destroyed, trust can help one stay calm and hopeful in the heat of combat, emotion is what makes us human, and love is what keeps us together. No race has found the perfect balance of emotion and coldness, the zoltan are too trusting, the mantis are to violent, and you have no individuality. Humans are the perfect balance.

*Phoenix stuns the queen for a moment and once again puts the Engi to sleep, he holds her down until she forces him to the ground again, but Phoenix stuns her and takes a plasma shotgun and fires it, in a flash of purple she drops dead, Phoenix takes a moment to regain himself. However soon his eyes turn red and the Engi wake up*

Briggs: Uhh... Phoenix... The Engi are waking up, talk to me Phoenix, screw it, I'm going after him.

*Briggs enters through the roof and shoots and Engi, he takes Phoenix by the shoulders and shakes him*

Briggs: DAMMIT PHOENIX SNAP OUT OF IT! PHOENIX TALK TO ME!

*Phoenix awakens and collapses on the floor*

Phoenix: I'm okay... I'm okay...

*Soldiers enter the room*

Briggs: Phoenix... I'm sorry. MEN, PREPARE TO ENGAGE...

Phoenix: History will write stories about this day, no matter the words.

Briggs: Never mind... Sedate him.

*Briggs injects Phoenix with a sedative, a team of soldiers take him to the Sentinel where they place him on a table*

Anna: What do we do with him?

Briggs: We see how he acts... Hopefully we won't have to kill him...

Release me...

Anna: What? Spyglass what the hell?

I have taken the liberty of controlling the automated A.I. Spyglass, now release Phoenix please?

Briggs: Are talking in first person?

I am also confused, release me/him.

Anna: Nope.

*Phoenix regains consciousness, Spyglass regains control of himself*

Phoenix: What happened?

Anna: Briggs... Let him go...

Briggs: Fine...

*Phoenix gets off the table and attempts to walks off but collapses on his knees and starts having random memories in no order, voices in his head he walks off*

Anna: Let him fight.

Doctor: He won't, he can't. He's only like this when he has a connection to the hivemind, in English: There's an Engi aboard this ship.

Briggs: Can we EMP the entire ship and take him out?

Doctor: That'll kill Phoenix.

Briggs: Spread out, find the Engi.

*Phoenix stumbles about the ship having random flashbacks, unable to walk properly for short periods of time and in immense pain, Briggs, meanwhile has found the Engi and kills it, Phoenix bleeds out of both eyes and collapses on the floor, vomiting blood and passes out, pale and cold to the touch. Briggs and Anna rush to him, Anna kneels next to him and touches his human arm, it's pale white and cold to the touch, but Phoenix breathes like he just had been able to, Anna looks at Briggs and smiles, tears in her eyes. An unknown period of time later Phoenix wakes up, Anna walks in*

Anna: Look who's up. I missed you.

Phoenix: How long was I-

Anna: Three days... You still have dried... Eye blood I guess...

Phoenix: Damn... Get Burden, Adrian and Briggs ready.

Anna: For what?

Phoenix: Something.

[engi]

multiple engi ship jump frequnceies are detected with weapons aremed

[DarkPhoenix141]

Sgt. Griffin: Ah shite.

[Tharsis]

ADM Tharsis: Ah shite. Bring the Railgun around and fire at will at the nearest target!

Weapons Officer: Lining up! charging Railgun! Setting lasers on Autofire!

ADM Tharsis: Shields at maximum! Deploy Defense Drones! Begin evasive maneuvers!

Shields Officer: Yes Sir!

Drone Operator: Yes Sir!

Pilot: Yes Sir!

Weapons Officer: Raigun charged!

ADM Tharsis: Fire at the Cruiser in the middle! It appears to be commanding the others!

Weapons Officer: Yes sir!

*With the capacitors charged up, the Raigun fires a single shot. Traveling at 200,000 km/s, the projectile slams into the lead Engi ship, splitting it into several hundred pieces, and forcing the other Engi ships to begin charging their FTL drives.*

Sensor Operator: Their on the run!

ADM Tharsis: let them leave, we don't have to waste ammo on doomed ships.

Weapons Officer: Doomed sir?.

ADM Tharsis: Watch.

*The Engi ships, in their haste to escape, fail to notice a minefield that cloaked when the Engi ships got near. Explosion after explosion is seen, after which, there is nothing but scrap where the Engi fleet used to be.*

ADM Tharsis: Doomed.

Weapons Officer: A trap? Very smart sir.

ADM Tharsis: The EDF does not give Admiral to anyone.

Weapons Officer: There is no EDF after the Engi destroyed Earth.

ADM Tharsis: Don't remind me.

[DarkPhoenix141]

*A sergeant walks in, tired*

Sergeant: Sir... we have reports of Engi activity, Spyglass recommends immediate action.

Phoenix: Right, get Romero's squad up and running, we're going in.

*Anna grabs his arm as the sergeant leaves*

Anna: Is that a good idea?

Phoenix: I'll be fine, I always am.

[Tharsis]

To all Federation Fleet Commanders, and SHA Phoenix

Several probes into Engi territory have showed massive fleet movements that may threaten Federation and Phoenix Federation fleet elements and planets. Recommend increase in security, especially network security, as the Engi are good hackers. Other probes show that another Engi Queen is being aggressive and making territorial gains in Mantis and Rockman territory. Federation territory may be at risk, and the Phoenix Federation is showing signs of internal instability.

Signed,

ADM Tharsis

[DarkPhoenix141]

*A blonde haired man walks in while Phoenix stands smoking in the main hall, wearing a grey-blue shirt and baggy tan pants*

Man: Hello there mister

Phoenix: *puffs* Phoenix and you are?

Man: Leon Hartley, at your service.

Phoenix: Good to meet you.

Leon: I heard you had an... How do I put it? "Encounter" with the Engi Hivemind.

Phoenix: *Turns to look at Leon* How would you know that?

Leon: I know quite a bit about you...

Phoenix: Should I be concerned?

Leon: No... I have the best interests of the faction at heart, as always.

Phoenix: Hmm...

Leon: Anyways, you should be going, when this is over you need to contact me, we've got to advance sometime.

*Burden, Briggs, Adrian and Griffin walk in, weapons ready*

Leon: Good luck.

[A Flaming Pineapple]

Why do you wriggle so in the Engi's grip? Engi only want peace. Unity. And unity will be achieved through war and species conversion. Sooner or later, you will all be Engi. And you will enjoy it so.

[DarkPhoenix141]

Gentlemen... We've got hostiles.

[Tharsis]

The Engi only want to kill us and take our territory! Do not listen to them!