Mass Effect Andromeda: Dark Designs (Bimonthly Updates
Leonardo also known as "Leo" was in his study reading a book. Finishing off, he close the book Odyessy. It was an enjoyable read. As well as several other books regarding Myth, Legend, and a few other stories.
A glass of whiskey to the side that he topped off already waited to be sipped.
"Ah, vacation is just the best after a long time of work." He turned to the window, the moon looked slightly off out there. A slight green-brown glow to it. "Another weird phenomenon happing again. What in the blazes is going on out there in space? First a meteor shower, now this."
*Chk!* The door opened to the study. His ex-wife after 15 short years finally finished packing her last bit of belongings. Coming to say goodbye most likely while she was here.
"Leo, are you sure I cannot get you to move as well?" Patricia asked once more. She watched as he shook his head no for the umpteenth time. Never budging on what he believed to be right. "Earth is done for, the Colonies are the only way to go. The "Terra Venture" still has more room. Especially for someone like yourself."
Doctors and Military personal were always needed. Especially with the decline in the fields as more people took easy job roles and ones with short school time.
"Did you sign the papers?" Leo asked not wanting to make things difficult for her. Or make it annoying for himself. Enough was enough. Thus the divorce. She wanted to go to the colonies where a bunch of others fled to. Thinking it would be better than Earth after the last virus bombing was done. "Take your flight and enjoy the new life. The boy, oh. I mean "man" Chuck, he will make a good husband for you."
Chuck was her assistant. They worked close at a few Haz-Mat zones. No infidelity physically but hey, the looks were there. Nothing wrong with finding something new. Someone willing to match your views he supposed.
Most of them thinking the Earth carried to much bad history. That was the idea of those running from Earth anyway.
"I.. want you to come up there! Earth is done for!" Patricia hated it when Leo was like this. But it was one of the reasons she loved him in the beginning. But she gave in to the propaganda that things were not safe on Earth. Despite the fact, the colonies had problems as well. "Better to die there then.. then on Earth! The virus will mutate!"
Her pleading fell on def ears.
"Look, we are fine. It is fake." Leo turned to her. His green eyes looking at her with a small hint of anger on hs face. "You have everything you need to be happy. It is not so bad starting over. Memories to keep you happy and moving forward maybe? Do not know or care really anymore."
Patricia left her former home disappointed in her ex-husband. She never planned on coming back to Earth ever again.
As Leo grabbed another book, he looked over a few computer screens to the side. Showing atmospheric data that showed no trace of the mutation they spoke of occurring from the meteors. Or that of the virus that was released in the last bombing.
Leo worked in Bio-engineering and few other fields of Biowarfare. Privately and formerly locally with members of the CDC. Both he and the "Conclave" watched closely everything that went on.
Even tried to stop the first outbreak in the Sudan.
It worked, but those who wanted it to happen made their threats known. Killing a few of the Conclave's family members. The ones that did not immunize their kids the right way died quickly. The others lapsed into a coma or had their brains blown out from incorrect neural plugs to staff off infection.
The Conclave responded swiftly. Killing outright those responsible. And sterilizing all of their family members that had a hand in the matter.
Sure they had know idea what was going on, but they did not go through the correct checks to prevent things from happening. Doing "favors" for family members sort of did them in, in the end anyway. Just because you brother asks you to help them out with getting a shipment they are waiting on in, does not mean one should do it.
The Conclave members finally started to fracture after that incident. A sense of "morals" developing in the members that were affected by this.
A breakup happened after that. Some couldn't live with what they have done. Others turned themselves in. Which was quite silly considering the punishment involved.
Leo and a few others that kept to the shadows continued their work. Taking the time to release several "vaccines" to help humanity now that they were distracted. As well as the animals. Which paved the way for the Colony Initiative altogether.
The Colony Initiative was that of humans thinking they could do better in space. But they would fail a lot. Still diverse with different opinions and not unified. Several colonies didn't even have weapons set up.
A prime target for any colony that might need resources quickly. Especially with not enough authority in space to govern anything.
Dreams fail when plans are not there to back them up.
*Beep!* A message arrived. A black terminal disguised as a book on the shelf. The words arrived slowly after Leo pressed a few buttons to confirm it was ok to do so. That the environment was safe to receive.
Reading it all over did not take long at all really.
"Well.. a vistor, this late in the night?" Looking his clothes over, he figured it was good enough. "Oh well." Behind him, a green light flashed. A very tall woman appeared. The oddest thing besides the toga and black-purple hair, she was floating. "Hmm?"
That and she was taller than any human he has ever seen. Like maybe 12 feet tall or so. Even with the Genetic Engineering that was now part of regular life, that was a bit much in height.
"You sensed me. That is good." The woman said.
Turning around after doing a double-take, Leo's eyes bugged out as he also fell on his butt. The first thought was that he may have been drunk. A quick look to the bottle had him thinking he was pranked. The idea of poisoning never crossing his mind since he was immune to all toxins on Earth. As well as Mars and Venus.
Now, Pluto.. he would be screwed.
"We have watched you a long time. You are what we need."
*Shine!* A glow of light moved about the room. Circling around Leo slowly. As if taking measurements of him. Gauging his very soul and mind as well.
"Umm.. we who?" Unable to move anymore due to something holding him in place, Leo settled for struggling. Well attempting to struggle. "Ok, that last drink really messed me up."
*Breeze!* A green wind passed over Leo. The odd thing\, he could see it. It was the weirdest thing ever. Enough that logic was thrown for a loop. One could not see the wind. Only particles in it that were carried in the surroundings visible to the eye.
"The "Conclave" is an old Earth group of mine. I am Gaia, and we do not have much time to really talk things over. I rather take your soul before it is infected anymore by what has happened here."
"Uh-huh.." Leo felt his head clear up. The alcohol was out of his body in microseconds. It floated around his fingertips before falling to the floor. Having left from those specific areas of his body. "Oh.. that was just different."
Curiosity almost got the better of him. Lack of morals always had him experimenting on a lot of people, animals, plants, and himself. Mostly himself at times really. And the one time on his cat. To be fair though... he did cure it of cancer. It just ended up having green fur after. And acted like a parrot.
"Can we like.. not keep me frozen somewhat?"
*Flick!* With a wave of her hand\, Leo was in his chair and completely free to move. Which did nothing for his nerves. Trying to rationalize everything as new tech was not going over well.
Leo assumed the "wind" was a type of new technology. It helped calm his mind down further as he tried to figure some things out. The Conclave was not the only Bio-Group out there. Shit, the Illuminati and the Masons still controlled the majority of Europe and Australia.
"So, you care about the Earth and you are willing to die with it or kill those who plan to harm it. By any means "necessary," yes." Gaia said with a smile. A very disarming smile at that. Leo nodded slightly. Something inside was changing him to accept this matter. To open his mind if you will. "Everything that happened to the Earth will mix into a very beautiful thing. Old bacteria is rising to the surface. I am happy with what happened to the seafloor. Mixing in the air that I will use to help with recovery."
"Uh-huh." Leo just nodded. Not to sure what this had to do with him. Calling someone that moved things around and could freeze one in place with unknown technology foolish or any other not-so-nice word, would be stupid, to say the least. 'Find out what she wants, take a nap, then check the footage. Eliminate that this is not a dream or that I have not lost it from an experiment or a failed work after waking up should help.'
As he finished the finer details of his quick mental plan, he missed the 12 foot woman standing in front of him. Her hand was outstretched towards his chest and forehead.
"What a sound plan you have there." Gaia nodded approving of it. She poked Leo on the hand next. Causing his veins to bulge and give him intense pain. "To make you believe further you are not dreaming, pain is needed. Your brother was much the same way." Leo picked up the mention of his brother. He tried to focus, but it was to difficult to do so. "Back when you joined the Conclave, along with the others, you signed a contract. I am here to collect on one of the agreements."
"Grr, how about the pain to stop?!" Leo eyed the weirdness that traveled his hand up to his shoulders. Visible light and wind showing through clothes and skin. It seemed to wrap around something inside him. Then the pain vanished slowly. A throbbing sensation was all he felt new parts of his body that one should never feel in detail. "Oh.. not the most fun of things."
Feeling the individual hairs along the body was not bad. But feeling every opening of your pores briefly, then the breathing of the lungs expanding, was enough to cause a panic.
Leo had to fight the desire to grab his datapad and start working. The findings alone would push his human research several decades into the future. He always made the best guinea pig he thought.
Aware of every single detail. Caused a short panic before it all went away. Then a bout of loneliness hit him. Enough that he felt nauseous. It came from Gaia. But it was so odd compared to her outward appearance.
An image formed in his mind. His brother Maxmillion, "Max" and her arguing. But his brother looked different in it. A toga made of pitch-black material, as well as a bow on his back, caught his attention for a bit.
Max, looked to be pleading about something. But Gaia kept a stern look as she shook her head no. Slowly around the two, thousands of people and animals appeared. It was very odd considering he saw a few dinosaurs as well.
Aware of her straying thoughts, Gaia closed the proverbial mental door.
"Ughh, that was not pleasant and pleasant at the same time." Leo mumbled. "I felt connected with myself. More than I ever had before. As well as something more."
"That is the marking of a "Champion" from one such as myself. You earned it already. As well as the surviving members of the Conclave." Gaia said simply. She looked out the window as the tint of the moon changed to normal. The "Passage" was closing. She gritted her teeth at the accursed "Sun" for doing this. "To make it short, you are needed to do things you already agreed to."
"Umm, you say the Earth is fine so?"
"My champion.." She turned to face Leo. Marveling how much he looked like his brother in some ways. Different skin tone and eye color aside. But the soul. Not as "stained" with blood. But it would be soon enough. The price of what must be done. "..your brother left you a gift already. It is already at work elsewhere."
*Bzzz!* Leo's body started to glow. A light green that passed over. Bestowing information and taking something away as well.
"My Brother.. he has been missing.." Leo couldn't actually remember how long actually. "Maxmillion is most likely .. most likely.. that is a lot of info." He stopped talking to help digest things.
"He is doing work for me. You can do the work like him as well. Or you can continue things here. Either way, all the information will be available when you wake up. Your choice to proceed or not." A sense of urgency could be seen in her eyes. Leo nodded. Then said yes. "Thank you. It will be both fun and terrible at times."
*Shine!* Gaia disappeared in green light. So did Leo in a way. His soul was taken from the body. Time itself also changed. Minutes turned to seconds. Seconds turned to milliseconds. Milliseconds to Microseconds. Microseconds to Nanoseconds. Then finally to Picoseconds.
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Updated 28 Episodes
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