Multiverse Desperado: A JumpChain Fiction Chapter 23

Chapter 23: End of the Shadow Broker

The shuttle swerved, ducked and weaved through the arcology towers of Thessia before taking a plunge into the hostile heat below, environmental shields kicking on to prevent us from being boiled alive. Liara and I were all but taped to the interior by crash webbing, both of us bracing for Jack's evasive piloting while recovering from the initial shellshock.

Multiverse Desperado: A JumpChain Fiction Chapter 22

Chapter 22: Trail to the Shadow Broker

The asari world of Illium isn't exactly the kind of place you go to for a vacation. Due to the high intensity heat on the surface, many of the colonies are established in arcology skyscrapers to make it livable, so good luck relaxing and going to the beach. In fact, the planet's greater significance in the galaxy is as an entrepol between the lawless chaos of the Terminus Systems and the Asari Republics. It's also a place meant for asari elites, complete with palatial estates full of luxury and some of the best surveillance around. Their prime commerce is either biotic-oriented pharmaceuticals, or information brokering for high-end corporate maneuvering.

My Thoughts on Star Wars: The Last Jedi, The New Trilogy, and Star Wars Fandom

My fellow cybertavern patrons, a many Happy Holidays to you, and thank goodness things are starting to wind down. Multiverse Desperado is chugging along just fine, Animation Deviation...needs to come out more often, and as I said before I've begun parlaying my deep dive thoughts on game industry current events into more professional columns at a certain website.

In fact I wrote a pretty extensive op ed on the Loot Box controversy surrounding the reception of EA's Star Wars Battlefront II recently.

Which brings us to what amounts to my rapidfire thoughts on the release of a certain blockbuster film recently, Rian Johnson's Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi.

Multiverse Desperado: A Jumpchain Fiction Chapter 21

Chapter 21: Grudge of the Shadow Broker

 

“It's okay... breathe.” Sha'ira said calmly, holding my hands as they tensed up. So I did. In through the nose, counted to seven, then exhaled for an eight count. It was after the third deep breath I was finally able to relax.

“So now you know...” I replied, the words coming out more bitter than I wanted. My entire body released itself of tension as I closed my eyes, feeling only the warmth of her lap on the back of my head and her hand in mine, the sound cancellation of her pod making it feel as if there was only me and this other asari in the entire universe. Of course I wound up telling her everything. My nature as a Jumper, the stress of Shepard's mission, what Morinth had done to me, and my most recent brush with death with Kasumi.

Multiverse Desperado A Jumpchain Fiction Chapter 19

Chapter 19: Over The Hump

 

It was after my twenty-second shot at Jump's face that I finally stopped. It cost me a thermal clip and it didn't do anything to her body – tore the hell out of the bed, the pillow, and the wall behind her though – but man did it feel good. I did note that there wasn't even a notable effect on her; I fired the gun and she simply stared like I was popping a firecracker.

Multiverse Desperado: A JumpChain Fiction Chapter 18

Chapter 18: The Scientist Salarian

 

The elevator opened, revealing the full extent of the damage done by the plague wracking Omega Station. Garrus and I donned our helmets and activated our hermetic seals. Better safe than sorry. With confidence we made our way towards the Quarantine Zone.

As quickly as we could we dropped the phrase Aria gave us to the guards and slipped through, making our way towards the makeshift medical facility among the sick and bodybags.

Multiverse Desperado: A JumpChain Fiction Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Omega's Three

I absently held my aching stomach while swallowing some painkillers. It's been a week since Morinth had tried to kill me, but there are certain things you just don't forget. The doctors were able to patch up my broken ribs and various contusions. There was a gifted neurologist that was able to assess and diminish the brain damage Morinth did to me with her melding, which explained how erratic my biotics were that night. Even Dr. Dren was on call for some therapy sessions, having my first night of intimacy in years turning into an attempt on my life leaves its mental scars after all. But despite their protests for months of bed rest and mental recuperation I had a job to do. I can rest when Shepard has his team.

Multiverse Desperado: A JumpChain Fiction Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Demons

Despite how much this galaxy has advanced, every race has their own living nightmares, their own boogeymen. For the krogan, they have the towering monstrosities of their home world: the Thresher Maws. Humanity has the overzealous Earth First nutters of Terra Firma and Cerberus. The quarians; the geth. As for the asari, I was staring into the cold dead eyes of one of them as she began to slowly incinerate my nervous system.

An Ardat-Yakshi.

Multiverse Desperado: A JumpChain Fiction Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Getting Pulled Back In

 

Of all the ways Commander Shepard could have returned in my life it just had to be with me behind a desk of a major office in an executive dress, mouth full of spicy veggies and local protein looking like a deer in headlights. I honestly didn't know whether or not to finish my mouthful or let it flop out with indignity.

Multiverse Desperado: A JumpChain Fiction Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Catching Up

I made my way through the threshold to my penthouse apartment, doing everything I could to deflect and shut down the volus banker speaking to me.

Multiverse Desperado: A JumpChain Fiction Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Digging and Racing

 

The Councilors stayed with Shepard as he spoke to the VI known as Vigil, asking the big questions about the Conduit and what had become of the Protheans in the thousands of stasis pods surrounding us. As for Tali and me, we were scanning those pods, looking for a needle in the world's largest haystack with a tiny magnet.

That Random Podcast Show: Princess Celestia Helps Tom Servo Fight The Camera

Michael and I talk about Episode 5 of Samurai Jack, Yooka-Laylee, and the Mystery Science Theater 3000 Return.

Also I guess the season premiere of My Little Pony.

Multiverse Desperado: A JumpChain Fiction Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Reignited

On reflection hitting Commander Shepard with a mental bombshell after what he went through on Virmire was not the best decision I could have made.

Multiverse Desperado: A JumpChain Fiction Chapter 10

Chapter 10: The Truth

 

I hated Commander Shepard for how thoroughly he put me away on the Normandy. My hands were tied. My Omni-Tool was taken. Despite my desperate pleas to bring it along for the mission, my Loki mech was de-activated and put into storage. Tali even whipped up a suppression field to de-activate my biotics in case I tried anything. All while in a featureless room in the cargo hold with lots of cameras.

I officially hit rock bottom.

Multiverse Desperado: A JumpChain Fiction Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Rising Consequences

A month passed with us chasing leads on Saren. Despite us knowing his fascination with the Nu Relay we still couldn't figure out the exact destination once on the other side. There were too many factors working against us, so chasing leads was the best option we had. It would be embarrassing for us to go through the Relay only to be vaporized by Geth warships or Sovereign himself, and I was seriously beginning to doubt how much my own knowledge was still reliable.

That isn't to say we weren't busy.

Multiverse Desperado: A JumpChain Fiction Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Intentions and Consequences

The following three days went by in a blur. I remember being chastised by Shepard for jeopardizing the galaxy by releasing the rachni queen and getting grilled by him. I was informed later that the rachni somehow got word to the Alliance that the mercy shown to their race would not go unrewarded as they ventured into uncharted regions of space to regain their numbers once again. Apparently they used the body of a salarian as an intermediary. I recall the crew, even Ashley, actually complimenting me for my quick thinking against Benezia and her commandos, saving their lives. Although Jack's idea of gratitude was a punch in the arm and buying me a drink later.

Multiverse Desperado: A JumpChain Fiction Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Team Trust Exercise Part 2

“Spear maneuver now!” Shepard bellowed over the hail of death raining from our would-be executioners, Jack and I snapping into position throwing up biotic barriers to protect the group.

Multiverse Desperado: A JumpChain Fiction Chapter 6 Part 1

Chapter 6: Team Trust Exercise Part 1

I get the distinct impression that the universe has a sick sense of humor. Within the span of a few hours of a therapy session where I found out that Shepard's crew has some flavor of distrust or disinterest of me, I am now in a fight for my life with that exact same crew being my only lifeline.

Multiverse Desperado: A JumpChain Fiction Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Disassociation

The first two months or so on the Normandy were rocky as hell. The crew were aggressively skeptical of my presence on the ship. The Normandy wasn't just a top of the line vehicle, the best possible collaboration between humans and turians that helped pioneer some fantastic cloaking technology tailor-made for recon and infiltration, everyone running it were defensive of its secrets from anyone not human; criminals doubly so.

Multiverse Desperado: A JumpChain Fiction Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Hunches and Leaps

Jack began standard landing procedure at the Citadel's docking bay roughly a week after our escape from Purgatory Station.