Chapter 14

Stars streaked past Nevermore as he barreled through the cosmos. With sufficient heat bubbling inside his core, he staved off his lack of a sufficiently large enough “gas tank”. While he was of flesh and blood, his innards weren't as they were made of molten metal and a solid radioactive centerpiece. He took advantage of this feature by using it as a battery of sorts with which he could store heat that he could tap as he traveled between the stars.The feeling of flesh bathing in lava was not pleasant, as it could get unbearably hot, but it helped stave off the grip of winter on his surface.

He could feel the molten outer core shrink back to its original size as Noveria came into view. The lonely white marble circled its star just as the hot Jupiter it had for a neighbor passed before it. They had finally arrived in the Pax system and now he could see why it was a point of interest even when it had almost no habitable planets.

The lone relay at the edge of the system was pointed directly at Salarian space as far as he could tell, “I have a bad feeling about this,” He rumbled out to his companions as Jinx changed into clothes far more suitable for a frozen environment. He steered himself directly towards the frozen world, passing by a super earth and dwarf planet to reach his target destination.

“We just have to act fast then. This Matriarch won’t be able to leave this planet without us noticing,” Raven reassured him with a pat to the piece he had wrapped around her. He subtly grew plumage to line the hood of her suit.

“God damn it, does it have to be a frozen planet? Can’t you turn it into a tropical paradise or something, Nevermore? They’ll probably appreciate it.” Jinx complained as she pulled her hood over her head.

The two of them stood inside one of his massive tentacles as he reached for the planet. Already, he could hear calls of distress from the radio Jinx had on her omnitool. Human, Asari, Salari, Turian, and even one Krogan “distress” signal which was more of a broadcast that shit was going to go down in Noveria.

“I’d have to move that thing and it’s huge.” He pointed out as he loomed over the planet's surface. He approached the planet on its night side and he shone purple light over its surface. He reached out, burying his tentacles into the surface to anchor himself. Glaciers cracked like eggshells as his tentacles dug in deep. He was far away from the capital but he could already feel the people there running out like headless chickens.

“Fine, let’s just get this over with.” Jinx mumbled as he started to scan every last inch of the planet. “I think we should barge in the main colony and ask people where she is. It’ll be faster!” Jinx then suggested.

“Or, we can not do that. Far too risky and I can find her on my own. Just need to isolate every last Asari population center and find any other sapient species that isn’t one of the known species in Citadel space.” He explained as the Asari’s lit up in his sense. The significant amount of eezo on their bodies helped guide his sense. Already, major populations were popping up with the main colony as a major cluster while there were pockets all over the planet, even ones in the mountains

“Just saying that’s all and I kinda want to start a commotion,~” Jinx replied as she tapped her foot while she waited.

“Our presence here is plenty enough.” Raven pointed out to the large ship approaching the planet that turned around and headed straight for the relay. Dozens of small craft as well as some major ones soon started to fly off the planet.

“Shit, people are getting to their transport ships.” He cursed out, momentarily distracted from his search. He scanned those ships with any Asari and just allowed any ship without the blue skinned beauties from escaping, those that had them… Well, he had to resort to restricting them by capturing them with tentacles. All the screaming he had to deal with forced him to shut his senses the moment someone opened their mouth.

As fast as he could catch them, the more their attempts to escape became more frantic. He would have warned them ahead of time but he’d rather not have the Matriarch get a chance to get away. It was far too risky to let them escape. Who knew what untold damage they could do if they actually managed to do what they wanted to do with the last Rachni.

“Nevermore, I need you to hook me up to your reserve,” Raven then requested. He looked at her through the eyes he had on her suit before a tentacle reached up from beneath her. A slit opened up behind her suit before the tentacle in question pressed into her. Raven grimaced a bit as he fused part of himself to her to allow a more direct flow of mana.

Her eyes glowed with a black light as coiling tattoo’s spread across her body and limbs. He almost pulled the tentacle away as she cried out but stopped himself as she started pulling in from his reserve. He felt no pain from her as she started drawing in magic. His sea was being sucked into her being as a second set of glowing eyes opened up from above her forehead, wo prominent horns of purple crystal sprouting from her head as she floated upwards.

Thrusting her arms forward, she shouted once more before black light streaked out from her palms. A titanic tidal wave of pure magical might poured out from her as a large bubble quickly encompassed the globe. The sky turned purple as the planet was soon trapped within Raven’s own spell. He could feel the barrier pass wrapped around his tentacles while spacecraft that tried to leave pushed against it, but they were trapped like fish caught in a net. Not a one was going to get out and the barrier held even as Raven stopped casting.

As the last bit of magic left her, she fell back down. He caught her in his tentacle as he scanned her for any sign of strain but she was ok and even kinda energized as she had a large smile across her face while her eyes lit up with energy. She shook her hands to shake off the smoke emanating from her fingers as she whispered “Wow,” The eyes atop her head soon disappeared while the crystalline horns fell off and turned to dust.

“Show off,” Jinx commented with a pout before she looked up at the world trapped in darkness.

“Damn it Raven, you really shouldn’t be pushing yourself like that,” He scolded her. That was reckless but damn him it was effective. He could finally release his captured ships back under the dome as the magical barrier allowed him through.

“Hey, can’t just let little Miss Sunshine over here have all the spotlight when it comes to magical might.” Raven said as she gestured towards the other girl who blew raspberries at her. He rolled his many eyes at them as he continued his search.

Now that there was no way for the colonists to escape, he was free to do his search in leisure. The main colony was a bust as all he ever felt there were citadel species. He scanned through the other clusters, searching through hundreds of them until he finally locked on to one signal. There, in one of the mountains of Noveria, was a lone facility jutting out to the sky more like a fortress than anything else.

The people in the facility were in a panic as they rushed to secure everything, especially that one special cargo that they were trying to get into a transport ship as soon as possible. Well, they wouldn’t be able to get anywhere now that he had a bead on them.

“Jinx, get ready. Raven, you’re staying with me.” He said as he started to ‘walk.’ Using his tentacles, he dragged himself over to where the facility was.

“Fucking finally! Let’s go.” Jinx hooted out as she braced herself as the tentacle they were in lurched. Raven simply grabbed on to the walls as he aimed his tentacle at the facility. He reared back before driving the tentacle into where the landing bay was, feeling as if a soap bubble popped under his touch as he drove it in deep to let his girls have access inside; making sure to avoid the Rachni queen.

Immediately, he could feel them pelt his flesh with lead but he shrugged it off even as a large geth platform fired on him as well. He even had one of the Asari inside toss what looked like a black ball that did nothing. He let them have their fun until they finally relented, that’s when he let his girls lose.

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Raven and Jinx came rushing out of the tentacles through a hole in its side as they started assaulting the defenders. The Geth seized up as Raven’s shadow engulfed them before they buckled with but a mere gesture of his wife's hand. Jinx, meanwhile, tossed out bolts of chaotic magic that had immediate, and often explosive, consequences. Electronics exploded and disabled their ability to fight back. Biotic shields fizzled out allowing Raven to take pot shots at the Asari with all the rubble he made.

It was a one sided beatdown and Benezia knew it was a lost cause as she made a break for it.

“Oh no you fucking don’t!” He shouted as smaller, yet more flexible, tentacles sprouted from his main tendril. The asari that were being restrained by Raven’s magic shrieked in panic as he grabbed hold of them while his other tentacles rushed to grab on to Benezia.

She was fast and nimble, barely stopping as she pushed panicking scientists his way but his tentacles were an endless tide of limbs. Eventually, she ran into a dead end and he lunged for her. She blended some of his tentacles with her biotics but it was a futile effort as his tentacles wrapped around her. She was rendered into a squirming and screaming bundle of angry Asari ass as he dragged her back to the launch bay.

He came back to see the Asari guards tied down with twisted rebar wrapped around them while the scientist and various personnel surrendered with their hands held up in a gesture of surrender, “What took you so long? I thought I’d have more fun with these girls but clearly they didn’t last that long,” Jinx taunted as she kicked the side of one of the Asari’s who sent death glares at her.

“Had to grab her before she did something stupid.” He replied as she dangled the raging Matriarch in his grasp. She was screaming out but they were muffled with tentacle he had wrapped around her mouth.

“Ohhh,~ kinky. Didn’t know Raven taught you Shibari,” Jinx teased as she poked Raven’s side.

Raven merely smiled at the other girl as she asked her with a smirk on his lips, “Jealous pinky?”

Jinx sputtered out as she turned pink in embarrassment before she shouted “N-no! Why would I be jealous! Like how many tentacles can a girl crave for till she’s satisfied?”

“Yes,” Raven replied smugly as she stroked one of his tentacles and that made the pinkette shut up pretty quickly as she averted her gaze from his wife.

He let out a sigh as he quickly changed the subject, “How’s the queen?” he asked as his tentacles grabbed onto the container she was in. It was a large shipping container but far more heavily reinforced. He could feel the insectoid queen inside as he tried to pry the thing open.

“She’s afraid and confused but she’s fine.” Raven replied as he gave up after he realized that it might be better to keep her there for a while. They weren’t not out of danger yet and they need to get out as soon as they can.

“Good, we’re taking her in.” He replied as he dragged everyone he captured in the base inside his tentacle so he could toss them in his holding cells. He wasn’t sure if all of them were indoctrinated or not but just to make sure, he was taking everyone with him. The queen was dragged into his tentacle as well as he wasn’t going to leave her behind. “I’m not comfortable about her being left in the hands of the Citadel,” he then added.

Somehow, the Matriarch managed to free her mouth from the binding as she raged on, “Unhand me this instant! Do you know who I am? You’ll regret the day you kidnapped me. My friends from Citadel space are already on the way here. Don’t think your little monster can save you!

He shut her up quickly as he jammed a tentacle down her throat, “There’s no way of making this not look like a kidnapping,” Raven pointed out as the woman tried to bite down but the tentacle proved to be too hard for her teeth. It was a bit cruel, but it kept her from potentially biting her own tongue off.

“There really isn't a way until our friend Shepard vouches for us. I’m not taking my chance with Saren,” He replied with an annoyed huff.

“I’d welcome you both to the league of supervillains, but I doubt there’s any supervillain worthy of note in this universe aside from Penguin wannabes.” Jinx commented as she hopped on his tentacle with Raven close behind her. He snorted in amusement as he started to pull away from the planet. That was certainly one way to describe the Illusive man.

With this job done, all that was left for him was to head for the citadel. He’d need to find a way to communicate with Shepard later as he had not asked her for any way to contact her. He’d rather just hang around the Citadel as that was where Shepard would hang around.

He was about to push himself away from the planet but streaks of light started flashing around the Relay. “Motherfucker!” he cursed out as he quickly pulled his tentacles away from the planet and pushed himself in a stable orbit around the planet. Warships, big ones, were jumping into the system. It wasn’t just the big blocky ships of the Turians that he had to deal with but the smooth, fish shaped, ships of the Salarian along with the weirdly manta ray shaped ships of the Asari, “Of all the times that those three act fast.” he grumbled as more and more ships gathered in the system.

“Things have just gotten a whole lot more complicated,” Raven muttered out as she gazed up to the fleet assembling before them. It was a small but respectable contingent of a dozen ships for each race.

“Oh fuck… the cops are here. Let’s book it Nevermore!” Jinx shouted but he shook a nearby eye stalk with a negative.

“If we run, it’ll be harder for us to explain ourselves,” He reasoned out as he kept his attention on the fleet that had assembled before him. Sure he was a planet and all but it was still intimidating in the way that a swarm of bees would be to a normal sized being.

He could make the run for it and there was nothing they could do about it but running would just make it harder things down the line. He might have not wanted to deal with them just then, but he had no choice but to explain his actions; and wasn’t that a hard task given who he had taken prisoner. A Spectre and now Matriarch? Not even counting the workers of the facility he had just broken into and pretty much destroyed, “Raven… drop the barrier. We need to stay and explain,” He begrudgingly asked as his partner dropped the bubble trapping everyone on the planet.

The spaceships were quick to take advantage of this perceived chance and made a break for it and he allowed them as he simply floated there, waiting for them to make a move. “We’ll need to wait for the Systems Alliance to help de-escalate the situation,” Raven explained as she sat down.

“Oh come on Nevermore! Are you just going to stay there and do nothing? We can simply fly away and they’ll be powerless to stop us.” Jinx complained, crossing her arms and pouting.

“Exactly, which is a problem. These people will become afraid of us and trying to convince them that the potential galaxy ending problem isn’t us but a fleet of sapient spaceships would be made a whole lot harder. It’s best to show them we’re reasonable. Besides, I doubt they have cuffs big enough to hold me down, much less a cell to hold me in.” He explained, looking into the void of space as it taunted him, called to him to escape into its dark embrace but he held back and stayed in his orbit.

“You know, we broke several galactic laws and I’m not sure they’ll play nice even if we explain nicely, especially the Turians.” Jinx grumbled out as she flew down the long winding tunnels inside his tentacle with Raven in tow.

“I doubt they’d be none to happy if we tell them that we’re simply performing a citizen's arrest,” He snarked out in kind.

“We do have back up,” Raven pointed out as she pointed to a new set of lights coming through the Relay gates. It was the Systems Alliance and boy was he ecstatic about them coming into the system. A small contingent of vessels stayed with the Citadel fleet while the rest headed straight for him; the larger of the two groups positioning themselves between him and the fleet with some of the ships bows facing the Citadel group while the rest pointed directly at him.

“Oh thank fucking god,” he exclaimed out as he breathed out a sigh of relief. Yes, the Systems Alliance was not on his side but at least they weren’t siding with the Citadel races and throwing him under the bus. All he could hope for now was that people would see reason and de-escalate from here.