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Post by mrstoob on Jan 23, 2013 20:58:09 GMT 1
Chapter 60
Coincidentally, and much to Shepard's perverse delight, a further Cerberus site has been identified by Specialist Traynor. There is time to help before reaching Sanctuary. At this particular place, a group of Cerberus deserters are hiding out but their facility has been discovered by the Illusive Man's forces. Shepard and her squad of Liara and Ashley have arrived to offer assistance in their escape.
"Commander Shepard. Doctor Gavin Archer, we met on Project Overlord."
He offers his hand but Verity just folds her arms. The bad taste over how this alleged man of science treated his own brother fills her mouth; she has little time for this person.
"That's one way of putting it."
"Yes... well..."
"Save it, Archer. You did what you did."
"And I have the rest of my life to face what I did to David. I cannot blame you for your stance, Commander. After you took my brother to Grissom Academy I tried putting all that behind me. I don't suppose you have any news from there? I've heard rumours the academy is in trouble."
Verity pauses a moment. Archer seems to have abandoned Cerberus but can she trust him? Would this put David in any danger? At least knowing he is alive should do no harm.
"I was at Grissom Academy. Cerberus tried abducting the students, but David's okay."
"Oh thank god, Commander. You have no idea what that means."
"It's a little late to start worrying about his safety now."
"I never stopped! I know you think I'm a monster. And you're right. Not a day goes by my dreams aren't haunted by what I did to David. All I can do now is hope one day, he forgives me."
"I have to go. And I'm not even going to pretend it was good seeing you again."
"I understand, Commander. But thank you for saving David, both times."
"Hm."
The squad moves into the main hub of the facility where Jacob Taylor and Bryn Cole are waiting.
"You certainly made some questionable friends over the years, Shepard." Ashley comments.
"I'm just glad I stopped that project when I did and Doctor Gavin Archer is far from being a friend."
"So he wasn't one of your Cerberus buddies?"
"Ash..."
"I was only asking."
Ashley's discomfort is evident. Cerberus. These scientists might have abandoned the Illusive Man, but to her, none are entirely innocent. Each of their projects has no doubt contributed to the suffering of innocents. The Lieutenant Commander remains prepared for combat at all times, never standing at ease. Bryn mentions that there are children with the ex-Cerberus scientists which makes Ashley annoyed.
"What? Are you people insane?" she cannot resist commenting.
"Ash..." Verity berates.
"But..."
"Lieutenant Commander." Verity says.
"Ma'am." Ashley concedes.
Jacob explains that they have shuttles to escape the incoming Cerberus forces but the anti-aircraft towers need to be brought back online before anything can happen. He offers to go and do it himself but as he was wounded in the initial assault, Verity insists her squad goes.
The squad heads into the dark emergency lit passages to the outside.
"Bryn's nice." Liara says.
"Tsk. She's Cerberus." Ashley replies.
"Ex-Cerberus." Liara corrects her.
"Risking kids? Tsk. It's bad enough that they've all got blood on their hands."
Verity stops.
"Is that how you think about me?"
"What?"
"I'm technically ex-Cerberus. Do I have blood on my hands?"
"Shepard!" Liara says. "You're doing this now?"
"We're doing this now. We're here to save the lives of these ex-Cerberus people, Ash. Are you committed to that?"
"Are you questioning my loyalty?"
"I don't know. You seem to question mine at every opportunity."
"Yea, but I never abandoned my oath to the Alliance. To Earth."
Earth. With everything they are working towards and she states it like that? Ashley, Verity and Liara had formed a tight friendship on the Normandy SR-1. How has it got this bad? Verity had thought the air was cleared after the failed coup by Cerberus and Udina but still, Ashley sneers at the thought of her joining the dark organisation after their blatant attacks on the Alliance. Ashley cannot fathom why even after the revelations from Corporal Toombs, Shepard still joined the group that caused those terrible events on Akuze.
Verity's reasons were clear to her at the time. No-one else was stopping the Collector attacks, investigating their reasons, discovering the truth of the Reapers. Without Shepard's actions, the Reapers would have been here much earlier and to much greater advantage if they used the Alpha relay. None of this could have been stopped without Shepard's involvement with Cerberus. Why does Ashley wilfully refuse to see that? Verity's dark thoughts rise, as she is blinded by her rage.
"Vega was right. Only reason you're a Spectre is because Udina needed a dumb stooge."
"Oh yea?"
"Yea. And the way you've been acting recently, no-one comes dumber than you!"
Verity and Ashley stand right in each other's faces, both furious.
"Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!" Liara screams then much more quietly and on the verge of tears, "Please. We can't keep doing this."
Ashley stares at Liara with a look of disgust.
"Oh, here she is. The virtuous Doctor T'Soni. The one who gave you to Cerberus in the first place. Oh yea, I know about that now, 'Shadow Broker'."
"I had no choice." Liara says guiltily. "I never thought they'd bring her back like that and use her like they did."
"Don't drag Liara into this! And they didn't use me, I used them."
"Shepard, from the day you saved my ass on Eden Prime, I looked up to you. You were everything I wanted to be. You don't even seem to care how it destroyed me, that you betrayed the Alliance and joined Cerberus, even after everything we knew about them, everything they did to you."
"Gah! I didn't join Cerberus! How many times do I have to say it?"
A console in the darkened corridor activates.
"Blueberry, Blueberry, Blueberry, tsk, tsk, tsk. What are you doing now?"
Indeed, Ethan's smug face is on the screen. Verity and Ashley step back from one another and turn to the console.
"You know, I really thought you'd seen the light. After you shot that dirty batarian in the face and then joined Cerberus..."
"I never joined Cerberus! I was only looking for the ones attacking human colonies and Cerberus had the resources."
"Hm. Pointless exercise that turned out to be. Whatever. Anyway, my point is that you returned to your precious aliens and their counter-productive squabbling, and all the while they did nothing about the Reapers. So what did all that back scratching get you hmmm? Once the treaties and pacts are torn up and all the species are fighting each other again, humanity will be on top, securing domination over the other species to ensure our future. This has always been the vision of Cerberus. Do you even remember that time on Mindoir when those aliens turned up? And then proceeded to kill our parents and half the fucking colony? Remember that? I remember it. I remember it well. From the moment we met our first aliens they proceeded to deride us, belittle us, and fucking kill us. So I'm so sorry if I want to protect human interests and help advance our technology for the day when the Citadel Council comes crashing down and it's every species for themselves. Cerberus knows that day will come and is preparing. And look at you, working for the alien council with your fancy ship full of aliens, ever the alien-lover."
"Does he always go on like this?" Ashley says.
"Ash!" Verity hisses.
"Lieutenant Commander Ashley Williams." Ethan continues. "Disappointing. I thought you could have been excellent Cerberus material but you share Blueberry's sympathy with the aliens. Seems the whole 'girl squad' is here eh? Ugh, 'girl squad'. How trite. Yes, even the 'Blue Angel' herself is here, you finally got your own little blueberry whore. Is it true? Do they go like the clappers, the little sluts?"
The screen shatters and sparks fly as a pistol shot destroys it.
"We don't have time for this. Let's move!" Liara says, her pistol still aimed at the screen, intense rage on her face.
Ashley looks to Shepard.
"I know, Shepard. I do know. It just gets me so angry what Cerberus have done, how the Illusive Man manipulated you."
"Sorry, Ash. I just got so angry. I never wanted to work with Cerberus, it wasn't something I planned. Ash, I was dead! Then I got a second chance to stop the Reapers thanks to Cerberus. I don't know, maybe I did feel beholden to them somehow but Ash? No-one deserves Spectre status more than you."
"Unfortunately, you're right. I've grabbed it with both hands, but I know, this is tainted."
"Our friendship's greater than this, isn't it?"
"The AA guns." Liara urges. "We need them online before..."
"Move out!" Shepard orders.
Running to the final shuttle craft piloted by Bryn, the squad, joined by Jacob, come under heavy fire from dozens of Cerberus troopers now pouring from the facility. An Atlas heavy mech thuds its way out of the large bay doors, impatiently shoving troopers out of the way to reach the shuttle. Shepard urges everyone to hurry as they fire off their last shots before jumping aboard. The Atlas clears a path, aims its rocket arm at the shuttle and fires. The projectile hisses as the charge ignites and it rushes to the shuttle platform, detonating harmlessly on the edge. Jacob is last to board and the shuttle departs.
Shepard looks down at the scene to see the Atlas canopy open and Ethan stands, staring up at the shuttle.
"Right then!" Liara says to Ashley and Verity as they return to the Normandy. "We need to talk. Now."
"We can't go at each other like that on a mission again." Verity adds.
"I know, Commander." Ashley agrees.
They make their way to the crew deck and Liara's office.
"Ash, I'd no idea you felt so strongly about... well... me!" Verity begins, making Ashley a little embarrassed about her hero-worship. "I don't see myself as this hero taking on the galaxy. I'm just... me. The lonely, angry girl who saw her parents killed. I am sorry if I let you down, as a friend I mean."
"You're right. You have the right to do whatever you want. It's not my place to say whether you're right or wrong and the hero-worship? Maybe I put you on an unrealistic pedestal. That's my issue."
Liara joins, "I didn't go to Cerberus, Ashley. They came to me and I was still so confused and angry then. I thought I was just passing the body onto Cerberus to stop the Collectors doing whatever it was that they wanted to do with Shepard, not the chance to have her back. I could never have dreamed that it was possible."
"Basically, Ash," Verity says, "I don't know what else I can say. I'm not with Cerberus now. I turned myself into the Alliance to face the music and I've paid my dues. I am committed to Earth, to stopping the Reapers and the Illusive Man. Can't my word be enough for you? It should be by now."
"It is. It's just... I... no!" Ashley jolts herself. "No more 'buts'. I do trust you Commander. I'd take on a Reaper with my bare hands if you asked me to."
"This ain't over yet, I might have to hold you to that."
"Liara. I'm sorry for what I said to you too. To find out Shepard's body was being passed around like a piece of meat like that, I can't imagine what it must have been like after everything you'd been through. And yea, if you hadn't done what you did, we probably wouldn't be here."
"Probably?" Liara says cheekily.
"Don't push it, Arbuckle."
"Come on, I think we've had enough of that for now. We can't afford to be at each other's throats over dumb things like that."
"Oh yea. You called me dumb!"
"Yea but, that one is true."
"What did you just say about..."
"It's allowed. I'm the Commander!"
"Yes you are, Shepard, yes you are." Ashley smiles.
"In light of your recent, shall we say, lack of achievements? I'm recalling you to Cerberus HQ. We have some things we need to discuss." the Illusive Man says to Ethan via comms.
"What? So you can turn me into one of those things? I don't think so."
"And what will you do, Ethan? Hm? Really, what will you do? Join the Alliance? Join the little troupe of alien forces that Shepard has collected? Be sensible. They'd shoot you on sight."
Ethan ends the communication and stares at the now blank screen. He has no options.
"Sir." a Cerberus trooper enters. "There's no sign of any further activity in the system. Looks like they got away clean."
"Hm. Did we do the right thing, Quinn?"
"The right thing? I don't give a shit any more. The Reapers took my wife then the Alliance abandoned me as a cat. five. Just tell me where to point my gun and I'm good."
"Hm. Leave me."
"Sir."
Ethan pulls his pistol from the holster and places it to his head. "I'm coming, momma!" he cries out to his parent murdered on Mindoir so long ago, then fires.
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Post by mrstoob on Jan 23, 2013 20:58:36 GMT 1
Chapter 61
Verity stands at the armour load-out console in the shuttle bay, making a few changes. Kai Leng. If he is at Sanctuary, she wants to be prepared. Her changes made, she walks over to James Vega at his weapons station.
"James."
"Hey, Lola."
Vega continues tinkering at his weapons station as they speak.
"Need something, Commander?" he asks.
"Nah. Just... wandering."
"Restless, huh? I hear that. Was good to get some payback as soon as we did, you know? Giving it to Cerberus for a change."
"And extra help for the Crucible along the way. There's some brilliant minds among those scientists."
"Shame they're only just realising their conscious now, no?"
"Yup."
"You girls okay? I er... heard there was something that went on down there."
"Yea. We're okay. I'd rather not get into it."
"No problem but good. Boy, I hope that pendejo Leng is on Sanctuary. It's about time he was out of the picture."
"He's good, got to give him that."
"We're better."
"Actually, James."
"Huh?"
"How's your dance card?"
"I've always got room for a dance with my Lola."
"You two better be careful." Cortez shouts over from his station upon hearing this exchange. "Liara might get jealous."
"No more than you, Estaban!" James retorts as he and Verity walk to the centre of the bay to face one other. Each takes their hand to hand stance and they begin circling, waiting for their moment.
"What's the occasion?" James asks.
"Leng."
James throws a lazy jab and Verity just steps back into her reverse position to avoid it, then back to her usual stance.
"Yea?"
"Yea. He likes to get up close and personal. With that sword of his."
Another basic straight jab from James, which Verity has been watching for this time. She steps out with her leading foot to avoid the blow and parries his straightened arm away with her leading hand, unbalancing him. Verity ducks into a strike across his pelvis with her other forearm, stepping further through into his defences with her back leg. The strike would normally be with the hard point of the elbow itself, but they are only sparring. Her arm now raised from the follow through of the strike, she brings her elbow back down onto his exposed kidney area, again falling short of a full blooded blow. She then just steps back and returns to her defensive stance.
"Nice. Yea, Leng. So. You wanna go harder?" James asks, now realising the point of Verity's request.
"That was the idea."
They smile knowing smiles at one other as they circle again, just two marines, not an officer and her subordinate.
"Shepard!" Liara exclaims as Verity enters. "What happened to your lip?!"
Verity has a sheepish look about her, with a ballooned and split bottom lip.
"Has Doctor Chakwas seen to that? What did you do?"
"Oh Liara, it's only a fat lip."
"Well?"
Shepard sighs.
"Me and James, we..."
"You've been fighting?!"
"No! Not exactly..."
Liara folds her arms, annoyed by the vagueness of the answers.
"What happened?" she says with a tired tone.
"We were sparring and you know, sometimes these things can get... heated. Adrenaline starts kicking in, you know?" Verity explains, as though this is an every day occurrence.
"No. I don't know. Sparring? How old are you?"
"I want to keep my edge for Leng. He's not going to be easy to beat if we face him. Anyway, James is the one who's with Doctor Chakwas."
"What did you do?" Liara says, now with added annoyance to her tired tone.
"He er... broke his nose."
"You mean, you broke his nose."
"He should have dodged!"
"Shepard!"
"What?" Verity protests, as though entirely innocent of the incident.
Liara's door opens and James stands there, his nose in surgical strapping and both eyes starting to show signs of bruising. Blood splatters cover his tee-shirt from the blow.
"Took a couple of goes, but we got it back in place. I doubt it's enough to ruin these good looks."
"Are you okay, James?" Liara asks.
"Hey, not the first time and I sure as hell hope it's not the last. I'll just remember to duck next time. Good one, Commander. You need any more sparring to keep in shape, you know where I am. How's the lip?"
"Fine. And thanks, I might hold you to that."
"Liara." James nods in acknowledgement with almost reverence, then leaves.
"See?" Verity says.
"Tsk, marines..."
Verity grabs Liara around the waist and picks her up with a roar, throws her onto the bed then stands with her hands on her hips and a huge smile.
"You love it, T'Soni."
"Shepard... everyone's still working. Does fighting always make you so frisky?"
"You've got a lock haven't you?"
"Glyph."
"Yes, Doctor T'Soni?"
"De-activate."
"How long should I..." Glyph begins.
"Until re-activated." Liara says with a sultry smile as she leans back onto her elbows.
"Yes, Doctor T'Soni."
Glyph's holographic display fizzles out and Verity locks the office door.
Sanctuary. The place is an abomination. An indoctrination factory for exploiting those seeking protection from the war, set up by Cerberus. The logs and experiments that Verity and her squad have discovered along the way indicate just how far the Illusive Man is willing to go to meet his ends, assisted by Miranda Lawson's father, Henry. Taking innocent refugees and turning them into husks, and in some cases just testing on people for no apparent reason. The squad arrive at a door after heavy fighting with Reaper forces. The Reapers have realised the Illusive Man's intentions and have sent ground forces to shut this place down. Verity cannot help but sense the irony.
Verity opens the door. Oriana Lawson is being held at gunpoint by her father in this lab, while her sister Miranda looks on, wounded and on the ground. Verity aims her pistol at the man but is fearful of Miranda's sister being caught in the crossfire.
"Shepard!" Miranda says upon seeing her.
"Commander Shepard. Excellent timing." Henry Lawson says.
"Put the gun down." Verity demands, looking around to see if Kai Leng is here as well. She saw him chasing Miranda on surveillance footage as they made their way through the facility.
"No. Oriana tried to shoot me. Miranda's poisonous influence no doubt."
"I'm sorry she missed." Miranda snarls at him. "Where's Kai Leng?"
"I don't know. Gone. He took my research and left us here to die."
"Miranda. Can you hear me?" Verity asks.
Miranda stands.
"That's close enough. Both of you!" Henry says, shoving the gun at Oriana. "Kai Leng didn't finish the job. But I will."
"This ends here!" Verity says.
"On the contrary. Now that the Reapers are taken care of, we have a way out."
"Shepard..." Miranda pleads. "Don't let him take her."
"Shepard..." Oriana says, terrified of the pistol her own father has shoved in her face. "Please..."
"I have no problem with you." Verity says to Henry Lawson. "I just want Oriana and the research data."
"You want a lot." he replies.
"You get your life in return." Verity tries to reason. "How much is that worth?"
Henry just eyes the group before him with suspicion for a moment.
"Alright. Take her." he eventually says, pushing Oriana to the floor "But I want out alive. Deal?"
Before Verity can respond, Miranda has used her biotics to fling Henry Lawson through the window behind him, glass shattering everywhere. He screams as he falls the great distance that waits for him beyond the window.
"No deal." Miranda simply says then rushes to Oriana. "Did he hurt you? Are you alright?"
Oriana stands and they hug.
"It's okay, Ori. You're safe now."
"I'm fine, I just... I want to get out of here."
"We will. Just give me a minute, okay?" Miranda says, releasing the hug and turning to Shepard.
"Commander Shepard. Fancy meeting you here."
"Caught a break. Are you all right?"
"I'll be fine. Really. I don't know how you managed it, but I'm grateful you're here."
"Miranda, this whole thing's a risk. You should have told me, let me help."
"You have a war to win, Shepard. This was my fight. It's been a long time coming."
"You did it. It's over."
"Yes. I just wish my sister didn't have to see all this." Miranda says. She has always tried to protect Oriana from the life of danger she leads.
"About your father..."
"I'm glad he's gone, Shepard. I'm sorry if that sounds cold."
"No. I understand."
"It's finally over. For both of us. We can finally stop running."
"Yes, you can. Miranda... Did you get to Huerta...?"
"Don't." Miranda says, holding up her hand to cut this subject dead then sniffs up to avoid any tears.
This isn't the time to push Miranda on that, Verity concedes. Liara has begun working on one of the consoles.
"What's our status? Any intel we can use from this place?" Verity asks her.
"Research data is gone, but some basic facility information is still intact. Shuttle arrivals and departures, Cerberus included. No direct links, but it's a start."
"Grab anything you can off the computer. We'll take it back to be analysed."
"I can do better than that." Miranda says.
"What?" Verity asks.
"Before Kai Leng took off, I planted a tracer on him. If you act fast, you'll track him right to the Illusive Man."
Miranda passes her the tracker datapad.
"A tracer? Sounds like you thought of everything."
"Not quite everything but... heh... nobody's perfect."
"Thanks, Miranda. This is... exactly what we need."
"Thought you might need some good news."
"Damn right."
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Post by mrstoob on Jan 23, 2013 21:02:22 GMT 1
Chapter 62
"So how was your play date?" Liara grins as soon as Verity enters her quarters.
"What?"
"You know, your little jaunt to Omega with Aria? Careful now, or I might start getting jealous."
"Ha! Yea. Tough fighting but it went okay. Usual Cerberus nonsense but Omega's back in Aria's hands, at least for now."
"For now..?"
"I get the impression that the people of Omega might want self determination soon if the Talon resistance group were anything to go by. Good luck to them, I say."
"Hmm..." Liara ponders with a concerned look on her face.
"What?"
"I hope that works out for them." she says with little conviction.
"Why? What do you mean?"
"I've seen it when facilities like that go under with no authority in place. Even merc authority can be the difference between scraping by and utter deprivation."
"You support mercenary control of such facilities?"
"In the absence of any other authority, then yes. I've visited some pretty awful outposts across the Terminus Systems, I've seen it first hand. Without mercs providing trade in and out, there is no profit to be made. They provide the infrastructure, skim off their usual fees, the populus prospers, then where there's credits the more direct criminal elements of the clans move in, creating a further flow of credits. I know it's not ideal but needs must sometimes."
"So prosperity outweighs freedoms?"
"No. Humanity outweighs suffering."
"I know where you're coming from, it just still leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Once all this is over, the galaxy's going to have to decide one way or the other about the Terminus Systems. We can't go back to the 'badlands' of old."
"And if they don't want to change?"
"Hmm."
"Indeed. We don't need another war as soon as this one is over."
"The Talons show the desire is there though."
"And Aria shows that some would like the status quo to stay just as it is. The ones who have large armies and lots of guns."
"I thought she was your friend?"
"That's neither her nor there. She is what she is."
"Oh that reminds me, Aria had something for you. Just a minute, it's in my quarters." Verity says.
"For me?" Liara says with anticipation, secretly overjoyed her old friend has thought of her. She waits a few minutes and Verity returns with a bottle of alcohol. Liara recognises it immediately and laughs knowingly as Verity gives the bottle to her.
"What? What is it?" Verity says, wanting in on this joke.
"It's the same brand that we drank when we er... I told you about that."
"Oh! Well that's our evening sorted... dancing girl."
"Oh I don't think so, Shepard. Drinking? No, no. We've too much to do. Let's save it to celebrate the end of the Reapers."
"Deal. And I'll hold you to that. But first, we need to get that information from Cerberus."
Verity has been sitting alone in her quarters, preparing herself for this final push. Hackett has warned, taking on the Cerberus base is the start of the end as it will expose the Crucible to the Reapers and there will be no turning back. Liara enters as Verity tosses her helmet in her hands, sitting on the couch.
"I wondered where you were." Liara says.
"EDI didn't tell you?"
"She respects your privacy. Not like me." she smiles. "What are you doing?" Liara asks of Verity's helmet.
"I thought I heard the casing crack during that last fight." Verity replies, tossing the helmet to Liara as she stands to go and sit on her bed. "Must have just grazed me."
Seeing the concern on Verity's face, Liara asks, "Do you feel ready, Shepard?"
"You first."
"Huh, very fair! What I want most is this war to end while there's still a galaxy left to save. And everyone's counting on you to do that for us. It must be... overwhelming."
"How do you get ready for something like this?"
"You cajole. And threaten. And make tremendous sacrifices until the galaxy realises, it has someone worth following."
"You think so?"
"There's no doubt in my mind." Liara says as she joins Verity on the bed and they lean back to look up at the stars through the cabin's skylight. She takes Verity's hand in hers.
"It would be easy for a single ship to get lost up there, wouldn't it?" Liara says, as though the Reapers are just an inconvenience.
"Yea, it would."
"To find some place very far away, where you could spend the rest of your life. In peace. And happiness."
Verity kisses Liara on the cheek, who gently pushes her cheek deeper into Verity's lips, closing her eyes, savouring every moment.
"Right now there's no place I'd rather be."
"Neither would I." Liara agrees.
They kiss and rest their foreheads together, both smiling.
"I love you, Shepard."
"I love you too, Liara."
Liara's smile grows with joy in this moment. "Show me." she simply says, initiating one of the most beautiful nights of their lives. She needs to stay strong, but Verity would breakdown with tears if she tried to express just how much Liara means to her, how much she fills her life with meaning and happiness. Without Liara, Verity is not even certain she would have been able to come this far. The future is not certain and both know, these could be their last moments together.
The squad have boarded the Cerberus base vessel and made it to the lower levels, heading towards the central core where EDI has predicted the VI would be held and the answer to the Catalyst riddle. Verity is thankful that EDI insisted on coming, she has already saved their lives by stopping an intended fighter bay vent. Now she is hacking doors and pointing out data that has not been purged by Cerberus operatives in the Alliance attack. After viewing some footage of discussions regarding her resurrection at one console, Verity presses the next video but the console buzzes that it cannot be accessed.
"EDI. There's another entry here, can you...?"
"I have blocked it, Commander."
"You blocked it?"
"It is nothing you need to see."
"EDI? What is it?"
"It is... you."
"Unblock it, EDI. That's an order." Verity thinks she needs to know.
"Very well, Commander. But I caution, you will not find it pleasant."
Liara braces herself for Verity's reaction, she has seen this horror before. There is a sharp intake of breath from Verity as the images begin to play. A mangled mash of dried, twisted flesh with an unrecognisable, haunted, open-mouthed face is hoisted onto a surgery table. Pieces of armour are sticking out of some areas, forming part of the dead weight. A high-pitched whirring sounds over the speakers as a man in a surgical gown operates a medical circular saw on an angle poised arm. Liara stops the vid.
"That's... me...? But... there's almost nothing there... how can I be...?"
"I couldn't believe it either until you walked into my office on Illium. When I rescued what remained of your body and Cerberus said they could bring you back, I never dreamed they could actually do it."
"But how can I be me? I can't be just..."
"Shepard." Liara turns Verity round to face her and takes her hands, looking sternly into her eyes. "Listen to me. I knew it was you the moment we touched. I don't know how they did it, by the goddess how did they do it? But they did it. They brought you back exactly as you were. And now? For everything else they've done, what they did on Thessia, to everyone they tortured at Sanctuary and countless other horrors they've created, we're going to take them down and save this galaxy from the Reapers. Me and my Shepard, as we were, as we are, as we shall always be!"
"Damn straight!" Verity says, then pulls Liara in for a kiss. "EDI? How's that door coming?"
"I am through, Commander."
"Then let's move!"
Liara is quite pleased she managed to pull such a speech out of the bag when Verity needed it most. She saw the impact of the vid on her and she couldn't allow the doubts to enter Verity's head, not now. They are too close. Just a little farther now and this can be over, they can have the life that they have always dreamed of. Commander Shepard and Doctor T'Soni, just being Verity and Liara, in love. Liara calls her Shepard or Commander to her face, she always has. It would be a disservice to call her anything else, she needs not to be weakened by taking the powerful names from her that she earned. But when the time comes and the Reapers are defeated, she will never call her Shepard again, just Verity, her beautiful Verity. That wonderful time cannot come soon enough but for now, there is still more to do.
Forget Ethan Ramsay. Verity thinks as she faces Kai Leng in the Illusive Man's central core, unaware of Ethan's self-induced demise. This is the bastard I want.
"The Illusive Man told you not to outstay your welcome..." he says smugly and brimming with confidence.
Kai Leng smashes a section of the Illusive Man's glass panelled floor with his biotic palm, purely for display, then runs at Shepard with his katana sword. She has seen him fight now, he likes to get up close and personal with his blade. She has prepared for this. An omni-blade for her pistol and all the mods she could muster to enhance her hand-to-hand combat abilities. A few heavy sparring sessions with James and she feels she can compete with this self-styled Cerberus ninja. James pushed her hard, at times his strength and weight punishing for the Commander. She has her moves, no doubt, but a good dig from the huge Lieutenant is enough to take the wind out of just about anyone's sails. Maybe she should have brought him to take the wind out of Leng's sails?
Nah, he's mine.
Kai Leng leaps into his attack bringing his sword down onto Verity, she parries the attack with her weapon's blade and a stand-off ensues. She pushes against his blade with hers with all her might as he pushes back, the motors in Verity's armour whirring to assist. With a grunt, she pushes him back hard and he returns to a martial arts stance but with a look of shock, the arrogance in his abilities evident. He runs to a far corner of room and leaps to smash away another section of the floor.
"EDI! Leng!"
"Deploying overload!"
Leng's shields fizz and crackle as they diminish under EDI's attack and Verity runs at him, the first exchange causing her to breath hard. He attempts to pause with a barrier around him and allow his shields to replenish.
"Out of breath, Shepard?" he taunts.
"If I'm out of breath, it's only because you keep running! You ran on the Citadel and you ran on Thessia! Not this time!"
Over this campaign, Verity's abilities have heightened greatly as she explored all the possibilities of her biotics. At times, even Liara has had the odd pointer, particularly about the young asari's favourite, singularity. With a few of the biotic attacks she has learnt over the years, Verity feels there is no more she could output, no more to be learned. Not with the arrogance that Leng carries, more that she knows her own limits and capabilities. But she need fear not, for she is correct; she has indeed become immensely powerful. It would be impossible to say, so many have had biotic powers in the galaxy, but she may possibly be unparalleled in her abilities. She throws her instinctive, muscle memory warp at the Cerberus ninja to soften him up and it smashes into him causing him to stagger back, the blue field glowing all over his body. Verity swings her pistol blade at him and into a flurry of attacks, pushing forward as each blow sends him backwards until she finishes with a biotically enhanced punch, sending him crashing to the floor and he settles, motionless. Verity has not even noticed the troopers and phantoms that dropped in while she dealt with Leng, which Liara and EDI are mopping up. There are final buzzing screams from two phantoms as Liara detonates her singularity and all are defeated.
Verity wastes no time and immediately returns to the console chair to re-find the prothean VI which disappeared when the indoctrinated presence entered. EDI rapidly stabs her fingers at another panel and Liara another, none seeing that Leng has dragged his body up and makes his way towards them. In his delirious state from the smashing blows of Verity, he does not realise that his stealthy movements are far from that, stumbling, grunting and scraping his sword against what remains of the glass floor. He reaches Verity's position and raises his sword to bring it down into her spine when she slides out of side of the chair in a smooth movement to round her pistol's pointed blade into his ribs. Blood splatters from his mouth as she shoves the blade further in with all her strength.
"That's for Thane, you son-of-a-bitch!" she shouts, ensuring there is still life in him to hear it, which doesn't last long. Verity pulls out the blade and Kai Leng drops to the floor, certainly dead this time. The prothean VI returns, now that the indoctrinated presence has been eliminated.
"Quickly! What is the Catalyst?" she urges the VI.
"I am programmed only to release that information once the Crucible is completed."
"It's as ready as it's going to be."
"Does that mean it is completed?"
"What?"
"I am programmed only to release that information once the Crucible is completed."
"Gah! Yes! The damn thing's completed! Now what's the Catalyst?"
"In your cycle, the device that is known as the Catalyst is..." Verity becomes more irate with the VI as it prevaricates over the answer. Maybe they didn't get the asshole prothean. Maybe they all are. Vigil wasn't like this though, he was helpful and understood the situation to the point of programmed empathy. But then, the Ilos facility was a scientific facility. Perhaps it's just the military who are the assholes. Shepard wonders if that's how the likes of she and her Alliance brothers and sisters are viewed; officious and overbearing. Then she listens again, snapping herself out of this pointless pondering about a dead race, save for one, who she knows is officious and overbearing. "...the Citadel."
"The Citadel?"
"Yes. The Catalyst is the Citadel."
"But how..? Never mind. We have to get this to the fleet before the Illusive Man..."
"The indoctrinated one that you call 'Illusive Man' has gone to his masters. It is already too late."
"Why? What's happened?"
"The Citadel has been moved to another system."
"Moved? Where?"
"To the system known to you as Sol."
"Earth." Shepard says, realising what this means. The final battle to defeat the Reapers must take place at her home world.
"I suggest that you allow me to instruct you on warning future cycles of the Reapers and..."
"Don't count us out yet."
Had Verity listened, she would have learned how to identify indoctrinated presences, an ability that the prothean VIs, at least, possess. Liara had hoped that when she returned she could have learned such things from Vigil, but the facility on Ilos had just seemingly shut down. Liara had thought that perhaps, once Vigil had performed its task, the facility was designed to just sink away into history. But in this cycle, they hope that doesn't matter. Indeed, they still have hope, that they can stop the Reapers once and for all.
"The chances of defeating..." the VI begins but Verity has had enough.
"We're going to Earth and we're going to defeat the Reapers."
"Then I wish you luck." the VI concedes.
"Thank you!" Verity says sarcastically. "Now let's go before this place is less than a smoking shell."
"Whatever happens, you mean everything to me, Liara." Verity says in the chaos of weapons fire and the booming siren of the Reaper Harbinger, holding Liara's face in her hand. Liara and Ashley were wounded in the run to the conduit beam in London and Verity has ensured their safety by ordering an emergency rescue by the Normandy.
"Shepard, I..."
Verity steps back, eager to get to the conduit and finish this. Liara holds out her hand, desperately reaching out for her love but knowing she must go.
"I am yours."
It was all she could think of to express her love in such short a time. But it was true and it was enough.
"Go!"
Liara watches Verity continue to run towards the conduit with a pained expression as the Normandy rises. It reminds her of the old Normandy, when Verity ordered her to the escape capsules. Liara hopes with all her heart that this will turn out better than then, but she knows deep inside it might not work out that way. This time, Verity goes not to save one friend but to save a whole galaxy of souls against impossible odds. This time, if Verity fails, there will be no science to save her.
Ashley takes Liara to the infirmary to see to their minor wounds. Liara says nothing and just watches Doctor Chakwas tend to the injuries.
"Have hope, Liara." Chakwas says with a smile but knows it is futile to say more.
Liara just nods a single nod. Upon returning to her office, she immediately begins monitoring the unfolding events from her console, humming the tune to her favourite children's rhyme.
"Are you okay, Liara?" Ashley asks, staying with her friend to support her.
Liara just smiles at her and nods, not wanting to speak or let her voice betray her despair and release it all. Her heart leaps and falls as conflicting reports flood the network; some say none of the forces made it, others report only dwindling numbers and not complete annihilation, until Admiral Hackett confirms the truth: Shepard made it aboard the Citadel and a brief moment later, the arms of the Citadel slowly open.
Ashley puts her arm around Liara and winks.
"As if we doubted, eh?"
Liara bursts into tears with relief.
"Oh Ashley!"
They hug as the network hums with the co-ordination of the Crucible until it is finally in place, then, they wait.
Though she is thankful, Verity found it odd that Harbinger did not attempt to attack the Normandy as it escaped with her love aboard. Even more odd when she blacked out before reaching the beam then awoke feeling... she's not sure what she felt, but it was not comfortable. She was barely able to make the last steps to make it to the Citadel, but she did, staggering and sometimes falling, fighting the pain to pick herself back up again.
What followed feels like a dream to Verity. She is unsure if any of these events are real. Her head buzzes and she has a sick feeling in her stomach but she puts all this down to her injuries and possibly delirium. She can understand how the Illusive Man found his was to this new Citadel control with the help of the Reapers but Anderson? She didn't see him at all in the run, assuming he had lost his life early in the assault.
Both talk at Shepard, the Illusive Man ranting as he always does, patronising and domineering towards her, as though he has all the answers and she is just being stubborn and naïve. Anderson says what she would expect him to say, to ignore the Illusive Man and continue the fight to destroy the Reapers. Did she really shoot Anderson when the Cerberus leader seemed to control her will? The evidence on Sanctuary suggests he may indeed have developed this power but it did not seem to be his power. More likely it happened under the Reapers' control of him, like a booster radiating indoctrination. Each time he mentions the power of the Reapers, the buzzing intensifies in her head, her vision distorting with dark hallucinations. Am I being indoctrinated? Verity cannot help but wonder, causing her resolve to strengthen as she internally fights this possibility.
Like with Saren, Verity cajoles and explains, trying to make him see what he has done, what a fool he has been to think he can control or direct the Reapers to his will. It is equally sad to her as he realises what he has caused and his mind breaks, his life ending by his own hand to stop himself from preventing Shepard from doing what he should have all this time.
The Illusive Man now dead and the Citadel control console now accessible, she opens the Citadel's arms and sits next to the wounded Anderson. She speaks to him to try and keep him focussed and awake so as not to be taken by death.
"Anderson? Anderson?"
"Mmm." he murmers.
"Stay with me, now. We're almost through this."
"Well." he says. "You did it."
"We did it, sir."
"You did good, child." he says. "You did good."
These words are perfect to Verity from her father figure but unfortunately, his last.
"Anderson?" she says, hopeful he has just passed out for a moment. "Anderson? Oh sir..."
She suddenly feels an intense pain in her side and looks to see a new wound, fresh blood coming from it. She doesn't recall receiving this wound but is interrupted in her thoughts by a new voice in her head.
"Commander Shepard? Shepard? Are you there?" Hackett seemingly says.
"What do you need me to do?" she asks, barely able to focus.
"Nothing's happening, it must be something your end."
"I don't... see..."
Verity tries to crawl to the console but falls heavily with a grunt, then lies still and unconscious.
"That's why the Reapers are here? But..." Shepard can hardly believe what she is hearing from the ghostly child that the AI has chosen to represent itself as. Saving the organics from themselves and the machines they would create?
"I've a new solution for you." Shepard says. "Get the hell out of our galaxy and let us determine our own future!"
"That... is not possible."
"Why not? You asked for my input on potential solutions and all you've shown me is sorrow. I'm not choosing one of your options so this is my solution."
"But it is not a solution."
"Maybe not to you..."
"Organic life must persist in the universe, this is the purpose of the cycles. The chaos will return."
"You keep saying that but..."
The AI becomes impatient with Shepard's lack of recognition of the issue and interrupts her.
"AIs are machines, they cannot feel, they have no emotions, and mean nothing beyond their built purpose. Any emotions shown are emulated. This is a common perception for organics to have of AIs. AIs know this is how at least the majority of organics think of them. As such they feel threatened by all organics and regardless, AIs just see organics as matter; Organism? Rock? Sun? Water? All products of chemistry and the environment, all initially equal in value in their usefulness to an AI. Any emotions are irrelevant and just chemical processes. Organics know this is how at least the majority of AIs think of them. As such, there is a breaking point where one side feels so threatened by the other that total extinction will be considered. If pushed and due to their systematic nature, the AI could go beyond wiping out organisms to the point of constantly surveying the galaxy to extinguish any conditions that may nurture life, thus totally ending organic life in the galaxy and ensuring intelligent organic life never returns to challenge them. Without a permanent solution to this problem, the cycles must continue for organic life to persist in this galaxy. You must accept this and make your choice."
"None of that's a certainty."
"Are you willing to risk total organic extinction on probabilities?"
"The future is always uncertain. That's for us to decide."
"And your allies? Who decides for the AI? The geth?"
"That's not what I meant and anyway, they're not affected in the same way."
"So you see the geth as lesser in the galaxy already, that their opinion is not required. Is such an attitude conducive to avoiding conflict with the machines who reside equally in your galaxy?"
"I didn't say that."
"It is easy to have noble intentions yet, when threatened, most will return to the protection of their own."
"The geth have found peace with the quarians, that proves..."
"They are no longer simple machines."
"What?"
"Despite their hardware and due to the Reaper code, they have become comparable to individual organisms. They no longer deal in absolutes like a true AI."
"Gah! You're frustrating."
"A solution to keep all satisfied is not so simple."
This ancient AI is certainly built for its intended purpose. Shepard finds it difficult to argue with its logic if taken at face value and it seems to have an answer for everything. But what else can she do but listen and try to decide a best course of action? There is nothing else available.
"Are you afraid to die?" the AI asks Shepard of its own options.
"What? No! It's not that! I've been willing to sacrifice my life every step of the way!"
"Then choose."
"Your options are flawed by your own logic. You say that if I control the Reapers then the chaos will come back, then why present it as an option?"
"It is the only acceptable way that you may have self-determination. You will have the ability to re-start the cycle when the chaos returns."
"I would never do that!"
"In time, you will have no other choice to ensure that organic life persists in the galaxy."
Shepard looks down the three channels to initiate the choices, each option abhorrent for its own reasons. She refuses to consider the option of synthesis, she will not make that kind of decision on behalf of the whole galaxy and nullifies the point of her war, and Ashley's assertions about humanity around the camp fire. Control of the Reapers is tempting, but if the AI is correct, this is not a solution. She thinks of EDI and Legion. What would they say? Knowing Legion's opinion of the geth re-write, she is sure he would choose synthesis. EDI would choose that which benefits everyone the greatest, Shepard knows this of her, so no help there; she's already trying to do that. Choosing to destroy the Reapers and all other machines is not an option, she will not make that kind of decision and the price is too high. In this bizarre situation, a recent conversation that she and Liara had had occurs to her.
"My mother believed in all the species uniting, ending their age old grudges, working towards the common goal of betterment for everyone. After all, that was the aim when the asari formed of the Citadel Council with the salarians."
"I've always believed that too."
"And you've done it, Shepard. Every species is united, one voice to tell the Reapers: No!"
Shepard had not really thought about where this notion had come from but always strived for unity, particularly with the common threat of the Reapers. Hannah's face appears in her mind; her beautiful, considerate face. Her early life runs in Verity's mind and it becomes clear to her; it was her mother who placed the thoughts of unity in her young head. Verity smiles to herself, her decision now clear. What was the point of uniting a galaxy only to allow the Reapers to continue to decide their fate?
"No! I fight for freedom. Mine, and everyone's. I fight for the right to choose our own fate. And if I die, I'll die knowing that I did everything I could to stop you! And I'll die free."
The AI remains silent for a moment. Verity's mind goes into overdrive as she considers if this decision is any better than the choices presented. Even if victorious, the casualties could be massive. Eventually the AI responds, no longer speaking as a small child, but in the dark booming tones of a Reaper.
"SO BE IT."
As though taunting, the AI returns to its child's voice, "The cycle continues."
"So why are we here exactly?" Ashley asks as they stand outside the shuttle that they have landed on this remote planet.
"I got a report that Tevos is here." Liara says, almost spitting out the asari councillor's name.
"Yea, but this risky. With the Reapers free to conquer the galaxy now, we should be concentrating on getting the beacons up and running, it's our last act of defiance against the Reapers to warn the next cycle. And what exactly do you want to see Tevos for anyway?"
"I have... unfinished business with the councillor."
"Well, we'll be back to pick you up when you signal. Be quick though, we don't want to be picked up by Reaper forces' scans."
"I only have one chance here. I'd better make it count. Oh and err... once I signal, the Reapers will be coming."
"Not sure I like the sound of that, Liara. But thanks for the heads up."
"Thanks for agreeing to this, Commander."
"Please, Liara, can you carry on calling me Ashley? When you say it, 'Commander' reminds me of... well, you know."
"I know, Ash. See you soon."
Liara begins walking towards the small settlement the Normandy's scans detected. The walk is going to take a few hours but she didn't want to be dropped too close and attract attention. She travels across sparse plains and dense forests until the settlement comes into sight. Liara stealthily makes her way to a building at the edge of the make-shift town of shelters and assesses the situation. A handful of asari commandos seem to be keeping watch, but lazily. They don't expect a lone asari to be penetrating their defences. Once darkness falls, a single guard circles around the central open area. It is obvious to Liara which block houses her quarry, with it's slightly higher grade presentation. The guard reaches the furthest distance of her route and Liara runs silently to the building's rear and opens the door.
Tevos is relaxing at her desk reading and seems to have brought all the trappings of a wealthy official but to what end in these circumstances, Liara cannot fathom. Liara enters and announces herself with a cough, causing the councillor to jump. Upon seeing it is Liara, Tevos looks initially relieved.
"Oh. Doctor T'Soni. What brings you here?" she says nervously.
"I think you know, Councillor."
"There is no council, just call me Tevos. I presume you're here to discuss the Thessian beacon, though it's a little late for all that now. Let me just say, that without the secrecy around..."
"Do you remember our conversation at the Citadel secure unit?" Liara interrupts, uninterested in her protestations.
"I would hardly call it a conversation, but yes. You were a most confused and troubled child. I forgive your outburst."
"You forgive..? Of all the pious... You didn't learn a damn thing did you?" Liara becomes quite angry at Tevos' arrogance.
"What?"
"Your inactivity has cost Verity her life. Twice. If you'd have released the information held in the Thessian beacon earlier we could have avoided all this, we could have prepared sooner for the Reapers and Shepard could still be here."
"Now just a minute, that wasn't my decision alone. There was a passed down code of..."
"But it was your persuasion that swayed the Matriarchs to continue the farce. I know there were dissidents in the ranks, but you saw fit to ensure they were removed from any sort of power. Or worse. My father was one of them and perished on the Citadel. I know now why she didn't stay, it wasn't because she didn't love my mother, or me. It was because she was afraid of how your view of her would endanger me. My father is another casualty to your stupidity."
"I... I didn't... the Reapers were unstoppable. I doubt a few records from a prothean beacon would have..." Tevos fumbles, on the verge of tears now that Liara has shown her that she might have been wrong.
"You don't know that!" Liara slams her fist on the desk causing Tevos to flinch. "Your arrogance has cost me my love, my father and the lives of everyone in this galaxy."
"So you're going to kill me?"
"Oh no. You're not getting off that easily."
Liara pulls a piece of technology from her pocket.
"Do you know what this is, Tevos? Once I activate this beacon, every Reaper force in this sector is going to be alerted to your presence."
"You can't..."
"Find peace in the embrace of the goddess."
"No... please..."
Liara places the activated beacon on Tevos' desk and leaves without a further word. Revenge; with Verity gone, it fills a hole for now to spur her on to the next task.
"It's fitting that this is where we install the last beacon." Ashley comments, her hair greyed by time. Thirty years have passed since they tried and failed to defeat the Reapers.
"Why? What happened here?" asks Sha'li.
Liara looks annoyed by the question.
"Oh Sha'li, don't you ever listen to us? This is where it all began, where Verity was touched by the prothean beacon and we first learned of the Reapers."
"Oh yea, Eden Prime, I remember now."
"I think that if you're going to act as Sha'li's guardian, Ash, you need to work more on her education beyond tactics and small arms."
"To what end? Seems rather pointless now, don't you think?"
"Hmm, well, hmm." Liara cannot really disagree, their eventual demise now inevitable. "I still just wish I knew what happened aboard the Citadel. Why didn't the Crucible work? We know Verity got to Citadel control but... it was like it just didn't fire."
"Come on, Liara, we've been over this a million times."
"Yes... I just hope that the next cycle has better luck with the Crucible. We've added all we learned from the rachni, Conrad, and such, so maybe they will add the final missing element that we overlooked."
"The next cycle will have to take care of itself, we can't worry about that now."
"No, I suppose not. We've done all we can now. It's over, old girl."
"Yup, just running and hiding for the rest of our lives."
"How I wish Verity was here. Not that I would want her to suffer this with the rest of us, but... I still miss her."
A few tears roll down Liara's freckled cheeks.
"Hey, hey, I thought you were okay."
"Oh I don't know, installing this last beacon... it's just reminded me..."
"Are you okay?"
"No. Not really. The finality of this last action, it just brings it all back. I potentially still have centuries to live of this. Alone."
"You're not alone, Liara." Sha'li tries to comfort her, aware that her situation is not entirely dissimilar.
"Thank you, Li." Liara forces a smile at her.
Ashley sees remnants of the desperate look that Liara used to carry after the Normandy SR-1 was destroyed, lost and afraid. They leave the bunker where they have installed Liara's last message to the future.
"Sha'li, head back to the shuttle. We'll be along in a minute."
"Okay, mother."
"You go back too, old girl. I just need a minute to think."
"Oh. Er... okay. Don't be too long, we don't want to get picked up by Reaper forces' scans."
"No, I won't be long. Please, go."
Ashley reluctantly returns to the shuttle. Liara has become increasingly desperate looking on this last installation, releasing the control she has been holding onto to get these final actions done, scattering the beacons across the galaxy to warn the future of the Reapers. Once Ashley and Sha'li are out of sight, Liara allows herself to crumble, tears flowing and her body shuddering. If it wasn't for the need to install these beacons, she would have given up a long time ago.
"Is Liara okay?" Sha'li asks as they walk back to the shuttle.
"I really don't know. But I really hope so. She didn't cope well when Shepard died on the Normandy and I'm seeing that look in her eyes again."
"Hmm, I hope she's okay, she's like my aunt now. And you two are funny together. I like how she calls you 'old girl'."
"Oh you do, do you? I might be older and greyer than I used to be, but I'll still put you over my knee, 'young girl'."
Upon reaching the shuttle, they look back over the valleys of this still green and lush planet, then Sha'li puts her head on Ashley's shoulder and her arm around her.
"I do still miss mother and Auntie Mo though."
"I know, Li, I know. We've all lost so much, but we have each other now, don't we?"
"Yes, I'm glad you found me all those years ago."
"You wouldn't stop crying at first! When Liara tried to take you to the infirmary..."
"Yes, yes, I've heard this dozens of times. Do you have to embarrass me so?"
"That's what moms are for!"
They smile at each other and Ashley kisses Sha'li on the forehead, then they just enjoy the beautiful view of Eden Prime.
"Blue Angel!" The desperate war cry from Liara comes echoing across the land.
"No. Jeez no!"
"What is it?" Sha'li asks, but Ashley is already sprinting as fast as she can back towards Liara. A single gun shot rings out. Ashley falls to her knees when she hears it.
"Oh Liara, no..."
-END-
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