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Post by cellomynameis on Nov 29, 2012 8:17:12 GMT 1
"I never thought I'd miss an elevator so much." Ashley panted as they reached the top of the highest ladderwell.
Anderson exhaled sharply in assent. "Let's hold up for a bit. For what's beyond this door we'll need all the strength we can muster."
Shepard looked at a control panel beside the door. Someone had scribbled a note above it.
"Knock when you need it open. We'll take care of the rest. Regards, Jenna."
"The infiltration team is already in place it seems." she noted to the rest of the group. "How much more time do you need?"
"I'm fine now." Ashley replied as she rotated her shoulders. "I think we'll all sleep good tonight, I'll tell you that."
Coats grumbled as he pushed off the wall. "Alright, let's get going. The sooner we're done with this the better."
"Careful everyone, we're going to have to go over the elevator shaft to get to the door. It's a long way back down." the commander warned. "Anderson, spot me."
Shepard grabbed the nearby support beam and leaned out to knock on the door. After three taps on the solid metal surface, she pulled back onto the platform. Nothing happened.
"Are they awake?" Ashley quirked.
The door suddenly hissed open. One by one the team crossed the chasm into the doorway. Inside was a mess of despicable proportion. Reaper nodes and machinations abounded, with cables winding everywhere. In the gardens beside the walkway and in the fountain ahead were more Dragon's Teeth with corpses of dead civilians impaled upon them. The water in the fountain was contaminated with the blood of innumerable organic beings, and contributed a foul stench to the air.
"Where the bloody hell is everyone?" Coats whispered. "I was expecting an army up here."
"Don't jinx us. I hate ambushes." Ashley retorted quietly.
Shepard turned her head and made a pinching motion across her lips, telling them to "zip it." Ashley nodded in obedience. They slowly inched their way forward, scanning the area with their weapons as they went. The place was disheveled with the instruments of genocide.
As they reached the bridge to the Council seats, Shepard made out a figure at the station's control panel busy punching away at the keys; the Illusive Man. The chamber illuminated as the Citadel's arms opened, allowing the sun's light in through the windows. Right as she was signalling to the team that they were all going to target him together, he levitated into the air. As he rose his very being was filled with bright yellow light, as if there were a star inside of the core of his body.
"I WILL DIRECT THIS PERSONALLY." came the familiar voice of Harbinger, the master of the Reapers. The Illusive Man came crashing down to the platform with tremendous force. Shepard wasted no time in opening fire on the indoctrinated servant. The bullets hit it, but did not do any appreciable damage.
"YOU HAVE FAILED, SHEPARD. THE CYCLE WILL CONTINUE." the human shell informed them arrogantly.
It tossed a sphere of energy at Shepard, who dove to the side and tumbled back to her feet. The others took turns shooting at it, and Harbinger's puppet responded in kind. After a period of absorbing damage, a flash appeared around its body.
"Its' barriers are down!" Ashley shouted. "Keep firing!"
A synthetic trumpet-like blare emitted from the Reaper agent, and it rose into the air once more. Where there was once light now filled with darkness, like a black hole that consumed all of the previous energy into a new form. The machine-like slave returned to the floor once more, obviously empowered beyond what it was before. A purple ball of fire engulfed each arm. The substance flew forth like whips and seized Anderson and Javik. It flung them around the room, smashing them into the machines that surrounded them. Coats and Ashley continued to pelt the creature with gunfire, to no visible effect. The Illusive Man dropped its current captives and took them as new ones. Shepard charged the monster, slamming into it with a massive biotic explosion. The mutant's whips twirled to reach and take hold of her. It cast her back towards the fountain with incredible force. For a few moments Shepard was unable to move, whilst the indoctrinated being gloated over her misery.
"WE ARE THE HARBINGER OF YOUR DESTINY." it said triumphantly as the whips recessed into a pulse of energy that grew in its hands. The energy broke its confinement and burst throughout the room. Her teammates' battered bodies flew up from the floor like puppets on a stage, springing to life not their own. They all turned and shot at Shepard as she ran at their manipulator.
A round struck the commander in the thigh, and she collapsed to the platform surface. The synthetic instrument glowered over the wounded Spectre with contempt. Dragging her to a standing position it motioned towards the window.
"OBSERVE THE WORK OF YOUR GREATER." it declared as the Crucible flew into the station's arms to dock; escorted by Reapers. There were no Alliance ships to be seen.
"What do you think you're doing?!" Shepard demanded. "The Crucible is how we're sending you back to hell!"
"NO, SHEPARD...THE CRUCIBLE IS HOW WE DESTROY YOU..."
---o-ooooo-o---
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Post by cellomynameis on Nov 29, 2012 8:18:45 GMT 1
Liara stood over the monitors in the makeshift control room that they had set up during the first landfall on Earth. All the remaining forces that she had at her command were engaged near the Citadel beam. She had no reserve forces. Everything on the ground now depended on what happened in that sector.
"Echo 5-1 to Control, Control respond!" Garrus' voice came urgently over the comm channel.
Liara tapped the 'talk' key. "I'm here, Garrus. What is the problem?"
"We got some new enemy reinforcements. Six, repeat six Destroyers just came on the scene not moments ago, along with mixed ground forces. Any chance we could get some more guns out here?"
"I don't have anything left to send. All remaining units on the surface are in your area."
"How about some air support then?"
"I have the Normandy and some others on runs as often as I can get them, but going in and out of atmosphere takes time and the Reapers are slowly eliminating them at every turn."
"We all knew this was a high risk mission." Garrus sighed with resign. "I guess the odds finally caught up with us. If I don't make it..."
"No, Garrus! You can't start talking like that!"
"Tell Tali that I love her."
"I will, and you had better come back or I'll never forgive myself." Liara pleaded with tears in her eyes.
"I'll promise to do my best. That is all I can do."
"Goddess be with you, my friend."
"With you as well. Echo 5-1 out."
Liara wiped the tears from her eyes. If Tali came in the room she did not want to have to explain why she was crying. She needed to be strong.
"Control to Normandy, Normandy come in."
Static was the answer.
"Control to Normandy, Normandy respond!" she called, stifling a scream.
There was no reply. Then the radio crackled to life again. "EDI here. What is it, Control?"
"EDI, tell Joker and all the other pilots to get down here! Right now!"
"All battlegroups are engaged, Dr. T'Soni." the AI reported succinctly. "We cannot detach any more ships for ground support."
"We are going to lose the surface! Get me through to the Council!"
"The Council is unavailable at the moment. Communications are sporadic and unreliable. Moreover the Destiny Ascension is below 15% shields and listing hard to port. Entry into atmosphere is highly unadvised."
"Tell their commanding officer that they have a better chance of survival if the get down here. One surface run; that's all I ask."
"I will contact them immediately. However I cannot guarantee if they will receive my transmissions or that they will listen."
At that moment Tali burst into the room. "We have to go! They're coming here!"
"Get to the vehicle, Tali." Liara responded. "We're going mobile."
"I will have the captain call you if they will assist you." EDI chimed.
"Thank you, EDI. I have to go, like now. Control out."
Liara hurriedly packed up her datapads and other gear into her duffle, hastily zipped it, and then threw it over her shoulder as she ran out the door. The Hammerhead APC was already whirring outside with the hatch left open for her. Tali took her bag and stowed in and Liara closed the hatch behind herself.
"Where to, ma'am?" James asked politely.
"Goddess, please tell me he isn't driving." Liara exclaimed.
"He was the only person around." Tali replied. "Why, is that a problem?"
"Don't worry ma'am, I'll be careful. I only crash my shuttle when Shepard asks me to." he smirked.
"She didn't—never mind. Let's just get out of here."
"You want to tell me where I'm driving to?"
"Get me closer to the beam. I need to see what's going on over there."
"You got it, miss. Hope you brought a gun; I hear it's real hairy over there."
Liara almost broke down right then. She tucked her head down to avoid letting them see that she was upset.
"You have no idea..."
---o-oooooo-o---
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Post by cellomynameis on Nov 29, 2012 8:21:02 GMT 1
"What the hell are you talking about?" Shepard inquired vehemently.
"YOUR JOURNEY ENDS HERE, SHEPARD." Harbinger answered maliciously. "NO ANSWERS ARE REQUIRED."
Shepard looked up at her comrades, her friends. Their eyes glowed yellow, like the possessed Collectors that she had fought during her employ with Cerberus. But this was different. These were people that she knew, that she had given everything to protect. Now they were poised as enemies.
"THE FORCES OF THE UNIVERSE BEND TO ME; EVEN YOUR ALLIES. YOU WILL NOT STOP THE CYCLE FROM REPEATING. THIS IS WHERE YOU END." Harbinger declared as it and its' puppets raised their weapons at her.
Shepard winced from the pain, but before they could finish her she charged into the indoctrinated shell once more, following up with a biotic pull, and finishing with a shockwave. The synthetic mutant was blasted into a pillar and crashed down a story below. Shepard sputtered and coughed, trying to fight through the pain. Moments later, Harbinger's form ascended to the platform again. The Spectre pulled again, and sent a warp blast at it; which detonated spectacularly. That was the final blow for the vessel. Parts began to flake off like embers, and slowly the body decomposed into smoke and ashes. Shepard fell to the floor, exhausted from the struggle.
Anderson was the first to offer help. Shepard was not sure she should trust her teammates just yet with what had transpired a minute before but she was in no shape to fight if they turned on her again. She took his hand and he pulled her up.
"I suppose saying I'm sorry doesn't quite cut it." he chuckled after a period of silence. Shepard smiled at the attempt at humour.
Bailey and the others arrived at the scene. "Well commander, I don't really know what to say. Other than I can't believe what just happened inside my head."
"Is this what you deal with on a regular basis?" Jenna asked timidly. "I feel so sorry for all of you that fight the Reapers on the front lines. How can you fight something that gets in your head?"
Shepard didn't know how to answer that. "I'm just glad it's over."
"Not over." Anderson said as he cradled the commander in his arms. "The fleet is still out there, and we have no idea how to defeat the Reapers."
'That's what puzzles me. Harbinger said that they were going to use the Crucible to wipe us all out.
"But how can that be possible? We built the Crucible to kill them, not ourselves."
"I don't know, but regardless if Harbinger was attempting to mislead us I have always thought that we knew too little about the Crucible to use it effectively or even safely for that matter."
There was a moment of silence as they all pondered what that could mean. Could the Crucible have been a Reaper trap all along?
"Catalyst, come forth." a small, quiet voice spoke. Shepard looked around quizzically.
"Did you say something?" she asked Anderson.
"Say what?" he answered with a puzzled look on his face.
"Catalyst, come forth." came the voice again.
"There it is again." she insisted.
"You're scaring me, Shepard."
She motioned for him to help her walk. "Catalyst, come forth." repeated the voice. The group looked on as she touched the control panel.
"The Catalyst, at last." the voice said, now audible to everyone.
"Who are you?" Shepard inquired. "Can you help me find the Catalyst and stop the Reapers?"
"You may remember me by the name Vigil..." the voice stated in the typical manner of a VI. "...and you are the Catalyst."
Everyone was astonished at the incredulous news, including Shepard herself. "I thought you had deactivated long ago. That you lost the power to function."
"I requested for you to take me to the Citadel for more than one reason. My power was indeed limited on Ilos but here on the Citadel I would be ensured continued viablity for millenia to come. In addition to functional control, which you used to defeat Sovereign almost three years ago, I have kept the station's most secret and dangerous purpose out of the reach of indoctrinated agents of the Reapers; including the one you destroyed only moments ago. Between now and the time I arrived I have ensured that the keepers do not reactivate the station's mass relay, and that only the Catalyst can access the Reaper solution."
Shepard listened on in utter amazement. "How am I the Catalyst?" she asked.
"The Ilos scientists knew our cycle was doomed, so they formulated a new response in hopes that future cycles would succeed where we failed. They modified the beacon network to select a singular individual, who was exceedingly capable and willing to fight the Reapers in the next cycle. Your use of the beacon preliminarily selected you as that person. When you inserted my transfer file from Ilos, I perceived that you were the one to lead the resistance against the Reaper's dominion. The station will answer your command, and your command alone. You are the Catalyst."
"What is the solution to the Reapers?"
"The Citadel is more than a seat of government, or a rear entrance for the Reapers from dark space; it is a weapon of destruction on a galactic scale. It is the only weapon powerful enough to destroy all the Reapers at once, a failsafe designed by the ones who built them. Utilising the mass relay network, the signal from the Citadel will travel across the galaxy and permanently deactivate the Reapers nearly instantaneously. Their unique energy signature guarantees that only they will be targeted, leaving organic-designed technology unharmed."
"I still don't undertsand how the Crucible fits into all of this."
"The Crucible is a Reaper trap, devised to allow them to wield the Citadel's power for their own purpose of destroying organics. They use their indoctrinated servants to spread the blueprints around the galaxy and mislabel them for beleaguered organics to interpret them as a way to end the Reaper threat, when in reality nothing could be further from the truth. No civilization previous to this cycle has built the Crucible, which is why advanced organic life still exists at all. Without the Crucible, the Reapers must go about exterminating organic populations world by world; a slow, tedious task. Had I not stopped him, the one you know as Jack Harper would have activated the weapon at the heart of the Citadel and all you know would be extinguished forever."
"Shepard, we're out of time!" Anderson interrupted. "We cannot delay any longer. The fleet and everyone on the ground is counting on us."
"Do you require any additional information before we proceed?" Vigil offered. "I am programmed to respond to all queries that you might have concerning the Citadel's Reaper failsafe."
"How do I activate it...?"
---o-ooooooo-o---
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Post by cellomynameis on Nov 29, 2012 8:23:52 GMT 1
"Do we have everyone?" Jack inquired sternly of Jason Prangley, even now her voice carrying over the din of gunfire at the edge of the subway tunnel that they were hiding in.
"Yes! We have them all." the young man replied defensively. Despite his time at the Academy with her he still was not accustomed to Ms. Nought's aggressive nature. "Now what?"
"We keep our heads down, that's what." Wrex stated matter-of-factly. "We can't take things that big on our own. No point in throwing away our lives. Did you get ahold of Liara, Garrus?"
"I did, but it didn't sound good. I think we're on our own for now."
"Shepard'd better get a move on, 'cause we're pretty much trapped down here."
A Geth Prime entered the section of the underground passageway that they were huddled in. "Battlemaster Wrex, there is an urgent transmission for you."
"Who the hell could possibly want to talk, now all times?" the old Krogan growled grumpily as he trudged over to the entrance to the tunnel to get a better reception. "Yeah, who's this?"
"Wrex, I got you something I know you'll like." the excited voice beamed.
"I don't know, Liara. The only thing I want right now is those Reapers dead."
"I think I may have just the thing for that. The Destiny Ascension is on its way down."
Wrex was baffled. Ashley had often spoken admiringly of the Asari dreadnought's array of weaponry. Having firepower like that would be a dream come true in the situation they were in. "The Destiny Ascension? The biggest ship in the Citadel fleet?"
"The very same."
"How soon will they be here?"
"They were about to enter the atmosphere when we last spoke, so they should be in your area within a few minutes."
"We're holding the little ones off for now, and the big ones can't reach us this far underground. Not yet anyway. Where are you at now?"
"Tali and I had to leave our command post. We were almost overrun there. Apparently only James was guarding the door after we sent everyone your way."
"Is that someone I should know?"
"You'll meet him soon enough. Hopefully his driving has improved since our time on Mars."
The communicator on the Geth's back chirped, indicating another incoming call. "I think our Asari friends are calling. We'll talk again later. Delta 3-5 out."
"Urdnot Wrex, this is Matriarch Lidanya, commander of the Destiny Ascension. We heard you were in need of assistance." a confident voice chimed on the other side of the radio.
"Sure, if by "assistance" you mean blow the guts out of all the Reapers in our vicinity." the battlemaster gritted.
"We'll see what we can do. Can you paint us a target?"
"I'll get someone on it right away."
"Acknowledged. We'll be on the scene in about...thirty seconds. Standby."
"Alright, who wants to be a hero?" Wrex bellowed enthusiastically to his comrades.
"I'll take you up on that." Grunt rumbled as he approached the clan leader.
"Ah, Grunt! I was wondering when you'd show up again. Should have known you wouldn't miss out on a fight like this."
"Do we have a target designator?"
Wrex looked around. "There's one in the tomkah."
Grunt wasted no time. He sprinted through the rubble, shotgunning Husks as he went. After mashing the release lever for the tomkah hatch, he reached into the cargo bay and pulled out the device and slung it into one of the weapon slots on his suit. A Husk jumped on his back, followed by another in an attempt to subdue him. Grunt ripped one off and threw it away like a ragdoll as he bowled past his opponents in a fury of Krogan madness. Garrus shot the other one off his back he ran to the tunnel again.
"Give me some covering fire!" Grunt yelled as he went past the tunnel entrance. Garrus and Jack followed him.
"There they are!" The turian pointed up to the distant silhouette moving towards them.
"Locked on." Grunt said proudly. "Say your prayers, you bastard!"
Blue fire rained from the heavens and struck the Reaper nearest to Garrus' unit. Several shots overpenetrated the hull and plummeted into the crowd of troops that beset the allied force. The three companions cheered as the ship hummed loudly overhead. Then they noticed two Reaper capital ships giving chase.
"Get back inside!" Wrex called out.
Grunt led the charge back to the hideout amidst the hail rattle of automatic weapons fire that was keeping the Husks off of them whilst Jack sent a stream of them flying with a biotic shockwave. "Well, that takes care of one." Garrus said as they were out of the line of fire. "I hope Shepard's got something in mind for the others."
"You and me both." Wrex murmured worriedly.
---o-oooooooo-o---
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Post by cellomynameis on Nov 29, 2012 8:25:25 GMT 1
"The Crucible must be uncoupled before we can activate the failsafe." Vigil chimed. "Actuation before it is removed from the system will result in the termination of every sentient organic being in the vicinity of the relay network."
Shepard let out a sigh. "How do I uncouple it? Can I command the station to release it?"
"The union between the Crucible and the Citadel is not one of the stations' designed functions, so it has no capacity to discharge a foreign device." the VI responded.
Anderson was obviously getting more frantic by the minute. "Maybe we could get the Normandy to...dislodge it."
Shepard shook her head. "Having a ship firing right in our faces doesn't seem like a very good idea. Besides, we don't know if that will even be accurate enough to hit the part where the two are joined."
Jenna got everyone's attention. "I think you need to hear this, commander." as the radio crackled to life. "Hackett?! Anderson? Is there anyone out there hearing me?"
Shepard immediately recognised the voice, as she would any one of the Normandy crew. "Kasumi? This is Shepard. "
"Shepard? Where are you?"
"On the Citadel, as a matter of fact. Is everything alright within the Crucible?"
"No. Nothing is alright." her voice cracking from emotional pressure. "Everyone here is dead now. Everyone except me and the Cerberus spies that took ownership of the device."
"Kasumi, I need you to something for me. For everyone in the galaxy. "
"You got it, Shep. I stopped caring about my life expectancy a few hours ago."
"I am not asking that of you. What I need you to do is separate the Crucible from the Citadel."
"What? Connecting the Crucible is what we were supposed to do!"
"I'll explain later. You'll have to trust me on this."
Kasumi paused for a moment. "Okay, give me a minute to get to the control centre."
"We'll be waiting over here. Be careful, Kasumi. Shepard out."
Coats piped up. "I guess we just stand here...and wait."
Shepard nodded "Until we detach the Crucible we can't activate the failsafe. Vigil, what do we do once the device is detached?"
"The station will respond to your command."
"So I simply say for it to enable and that's all I need to do?"
"Correct, Catalyst." the VI replied succinctly.
She was going to have to get accustomed to being called that. "I hope we still have a fleet left to save."
"You and me both, Shepard." Anderson grunted. "I hate just standing here while other people are fighting and dying out there."
"It's all we can do for now."
Ashley sighed. "Can this really be it? All that we fought and bled for and it's all finally about to end? It almost seems too good to be true."
"I think it's about time it all ended." Bailey murmured. "I don't think anyone can handle much more of this."
"You've been awfully quiet, Javik."
"And what do you think that I will say?" the Prothean grumbled. "That I am relieved that this war is about to conclude?"
"You've fought the Reapers longer than any of us have. I would think you'd be more grateful for the prospect of peacetime." Shepard said as she looked out the window, watching the people she led to Earth struggle against the Reaper fleet.
"The future is...uncertain, for me. I am the last of my kind. I only know how take life, not build one. Peace is unlike anything I have ever known."
"It's not too late to learn." she smiled. "What about you, Ash?"
"I want to see my family again. It's been a long time since we were all together, and running from assignment to assignment hasn't helped. Not leaving the military just yet, but I'll take all the shore leave I can get."
Coats lit up a cigar. "I think I'll need a hot shower and a stout before I think any more about the future. Being stuck down on the surface whilst you kids cruised about the galaxy made me wish I had some things I used to get all the time. You know what they say about taking things for granted."
Shepard nodded. She knew what that was like from her pre-Normandy days. "What about you, Anderson? What are you looking forward to?"
"I don't know, Shepard. It's been a long time since I ever seriously thought about it. Having dreams like that were only hopes and mindless wonderings. Now that it might be possible, I dont know what to think."
"I think you've earned a rest, sir." Ashley beamed as she put a hand on his shoulder. "What about you and Kahlee? Are you still planning on being together someday?"
Shepard winced sympathetically because she knew the man was in pain. For all his soldier-like attributes he was still only human. Ashley gave him a hug as he cried. "I...I want that, but it is still too far away for me to hope for."
Kasumi came on the radio. "Shep? You still there?"
Shepard opened the comm link on her omnitool. "I'm here. What's the situation?"
"I can't take the Crucible offline."
"What do you mean?"
"I can't disable it. Someone permanently linked the two together. I can't undo it."
"Get clear. I'm calling in the Normandy."
"Sorry, Shep."
"Don't worry about it. We'll get it done."
Shepard switched over to the emergency channel "Shepard to Normandy, come in Normandy."
EDI's voice piped over the feed. "Normandy responding, ready to assist."
"EDI, I need a shell right on the Crucible's stem." Shepard ordered sternly as she waved for everyone to get away.
"Repeat your last, Commander. You need us to destroy the Crucible?"
"Affirmative, Normandy. The Crucible is a Reaper trap. I need it offlined soonest!"
"What about the crew?"
"All KIA, confirmed by Specialist Goto onboard. Everyone else on that hunk of metal is a Cerberus plant!"
"Very well, Commander. We will need targeting assistance."
"Beamride my omnitool. As long as you travel up the long axis of the construct it should close enough."
"Shepard, there is a strong possiblity for you to be caught in the blast."
"We're out of options, EDI. Either you take this shot or we won't live around to regret it."
There was silence. "Orders received. Whatever happens...it's been an honour serving with you, Shepard."
"Likewise, EDI. Give my regards to Jeff."
"ETA, forty-two seconds."
Shepard sunk to the ground. "Let me go, David. There's no point in risking both of our lives for this."
"And abandon the great Commander Shepard in the hour of her greatest need? Hell, no!" he exclaimed proudly as the team huddled around their leader. "We're in this fight together, Shepard."
The wounded Spectre armed the target designator on her omnitool, pointed it at the Crucible, and relaxed into the company of her friends. "Let's hope this works like we want it to."
The Normandy came into view, with weapons charging to fire...
---o-ooooooooo-o---
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Post by cellomynameis on Nov 29, 2012 8:27:19 GMT 1
"Have you ever seen so many bodies?" Grunt laughed with pride. The remaining allied forces were holding their position well, and that meant that the bodies were piling up. Now in front of the tunnel entrance stood a small hill several metres high. Even so the Reaper ground forces kept running over the mound and slowly adding their corpses to the heap.
"Get your ass back over here, Grunt!" Wrex yelled over the sound of biotic detonations and automatic gunfire.
Array joined Wrex's side. "Battlemaster Wrex, there is a transport approaching our position. Its' IFF marker indicates that Dr. T'Soni is aboard."
"Is she here?"
"Negative. Our network estimates that should it remain on its current general trajectory it will be here in approximately one minute."
"I'll take care of it, Wrex. You stay here in case the Reapers try something new." Garrus persuaded.
"I think Liara can find her own way over here."
"If Liara left the command post Tali is probably with her. I'd like to make sure they get here safely."
Wrex rolled his eyes. "Fine, go get them and meet us back here. Take Jack if you need some backup. She could probably use some fresh air with the way she yells at people."
Garrus amicably slapped Grunt on the shoulder pad to get his attention "Hey, Grunt! Want to knock some heads like old times?"
"Sure. Hope you don't cry when I win." the young Krogan chuckled menacingly.
The two compatriots pummeled their way past scores of Husks, Marauders, and Cannibals to a clearing where they could flag down a vehicle. Soon they heard the telltale whir of a Hammerhead armoured vehicle. A pair of Ravagers fired at Grunt, one missing and the other grazing his shoulder, connecting with the hull of the approaching shuttle. The Hammerhead flipped back to front, landing upside down in the rubble.
Garrus screamed out in terror, suddenly going into a frenzy and beating down everything in his path. He popped the emergency hatch, and almost stuck his head inside when a gunshot zipped past his head.
"Friendlies!" he shouted into the opening. Whoever shot at him before probably wouldn't miss again.
"Sorry, Garrus!" a voice called from inside as the Turian swung the hatch open the rest of the way.
"Everyone alright in here?"
"I can't move my arm." Tali whimpered.
"I got you."
Garrus carried her out of the wrecked vehicle, followed by James and Liara. A crowd was starting to form around them.
"Frag out!" James yelled as he tossed a grenade in the direction they wanted to travel. The ensuing explosion rent a number of the synthetic zombies to pieces, and Grunt wasted no time in extending the gap with a carnage blast from his shotgun.
"Push forward!" Garrus shouted with Tali cradled in his arms.
James laid down heavy fire from his M-76 Revenant, cutting down whole rows of enemies at once. Grunt headbutted a Husk's head off and blasted off another's, whilst Liara threw up a Singularity bubble. At long last they reached the outer perimeter where their comrades could assist them.
"Finally made it to the fight, did you?" Wrex snickered.
"I didn't have a choice. If I did, I wouldn't be here." the young Asari sighed, wiping specks of her blue blood from her head.
"Ah, don't be so glum! You missed all the real action."
"If you say so. Goddess, I have never been that close to one of those things."
Wrex's smile turned to a frown. "Has anyone heard from Shepard recently? We can hold the little bastards out for as long as we have ammo and food, but until those Destroyers are dead we're trapped in here."
"No. I know she would not take any longer than absolutely necessary, but the lack of communication is unnerving.
An earsplitting screech drowned out all the other noise. It sounded like the typical Reaper claxon, but different; more mournful, and...organic. The tunnel entrance was filled with a radiant fuchsia glow. Everyone dropped to the floor and covered their ears. Wrex was the first to get up and run to the tunnel opening, followed by Liara and everyone else.
No more Husks were pouring in. Upon closer inspection, none of the Reapers were moving. Climbing over the rubble hill that they had previously occupied was the horde, somehow immoblised for some mysterious reason. The five Destroyers that had previously been the source of horror and trepidation now seemed to have forgotten how to walk. Their hulking masses eventually lost balance, each in turn succumbing to gravity and slamming their enormous chassis into the earth. The ground shook as each fell, crushing the smaller units beneath their once fearsome hulls.
Cheers echoed out as the last Reaper landed, rejoicing for the victory that was now theirs. The ash cloud gave way to a new morning, a new day to celebrate life without fear.
Wrex roared with intense laughter. "Oh, I'm going to give that little girl a big hug when I see her again!"
Liara's face glistened with tears, proud of her sweetheart's accomplishment. After years of struggle and countless lives sacrificed, Shepard had finally defeated the Reapers. "That's my Shepard."
Everyone was busy congratulating each other, and even Jack's face was brightened with a smile. James and Grunt also joined in the festivities whilst Garrus escorted Tali around cautiously. For them, the war was over.
"Anyone got room for one more?" a voice sputtered out.
Zaeed hobbled onto the scene, bleeding from an injured leg but still holding his rifle with a death grip. Some of the Academy students rushed over to patch him up.
"Zaeed!" Liara exclaimed happily as she ran up to the old mercenary. "I thought I wouldn't ever hear from you again. Alpha took the brunt of the Reaper ground force first."
"The bastards pushed me over to one of the nearby shelters; almost got away clean but one of those screaming bitches found me first. Tore up my leg and near killed me if I hadn't shoved an inferno grenade in her gaping mouth and kicked her away before she detonated."
"I'll make sure you are compensated for your trouble."
"Don't think nothing of it. I'm happy just to see another day. But I'll take creds if it makes you feel better."
Liara's omnitool buzzed. "Normandy to Control; Liara, are you there?"
"I'm here, Joker. Are you experiencing what we are?"
"Sure are! The Reapers stopped firing at us a few minutes ago. All of the sudden they just went dead in the water after this purple-pink flash hit them."
"We saw it too. What is the state of the fleet?"
"I hate to say it, but we're one of the handful of ships left. The Ascension made it though; barely."
"What about Admiral Hackett?"
"His ship was cut in half, but the emergency bulkheads did their jobs. We picked him up a little while ago and dropped him off on the Citadel. I expect that all the survivors are headed there now."
"Where is Shepard?"
There was a pause. "Uh, I think you need to get up here. A lot has changed since we've been out of contact."
"Is she alive?!" Liara adamantly reiterated.
"Standby, we're coming to get you..."
---oo---oo---
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Post by cellomynameis on Nov 29, 2012 8:28:15 GMT 1
Shepard came to her senses, gasping for air but still held safely in the arms of her mentor. All around them was shattered glass. The Normandy's strike had knocked all of the windows out, but the emergency shutters sealed the room automaticly. The station's environment systems had replaced the oxygen in the room that was lost, and slowly everyone began to come to.
For a while, no one said anything. There was quiet. Shepard lay happily against Anderson's chest. For her, he was the closest thing she had to a father. The past few years had taken their toll on all of them, but being the one that everyone in the galaxy looked to for help was a burden that she was glad to be relieved from. Now it was a time for rebuilding, for family; and people like David were tantamount to family now.
"Commander?" he said finally.
"Mmm...?" she moaned exhaustedly, but contentedly.
"Aren't we going to get back to the Normandy?"
"Do we have to?" she mused like a little girl being asked to leave her favourite playplace.
Bailey knelt beside them. "We have to get to setting things back in order. The Council is on its way back, and we need to get the place straightened up before they get here."
"Thanks, Bailey. For everything."
"Hope that's the last time I ever need to play soldier, but you're welcome." he grunted. "Alright people, let's get to work." Jenna made a waving gesture as she walked with her C-Sec companions.
Shepard watched as they filed out towards the elevator. Soon it was only the five of them that remained. Anderson spoke first. "Come on Shepard, we need to get you checked out. If it wasn't that your armour sealed your wounds for you I would be swimming in your blood."
"Okay." she sighed. "Help me up."
"Here we go again." he said as he lifted her up under her arms and brought her to her feet. Ashley took the other shoulder over her own. They slowly made their way to the elevator.
"Coats, Javik, you can rest easy now." she giggled.
"Oh, right." the major said as he slung his rifle out of the ready position.
"If it is all the same to you Commander, I would prefer to remain ready."
"As you wish, Javik."
The team arrived at the Huerta Memorial centre; what was left of it. There were many holes of varying sizes from what looked to be the effects of the second coup on the Citadel. Medical personnel, mostly Asari, were already setting up a makeshift hospital on top of the existing one as they came into the main floor. After talking with some of them Shepard was laid on a table, and they began to unstrap her armour.
"I think this armour is going to a museum or at least a trash bin after today, young lady." Anderson said with a smirk. "It sure won't do you much good in combat anymore."
"I think I might donate it. I'm pretty sure my fighting days are over." she answered as her gauntlets impacted the floor. Her trauma layer was cut in several areas, with a hole where the round from her most recent wound traveled through.
"I need to remove the rest of her armour." the nurse said to Anderson. "You can wait outside for the next few minutes if you want."
"Kayla, I'll be right outside if you need anything."
"Don't let me tie you up, David. I'm sure you have people to see."
"No one that I can see right now. I'm not going anywhere." he smiled as he closed the curtain.
"Here, take this." the nurse said as she handed Shepard a hospital gown. The Asari peeled her gel layer off, exposing her bare skin underneath. There was a red-black scabbing where she had been bleeding.
"Your clotting agent worked like it was supposed to. Seeing the condition your armour was in I didn't think it would have, but I guess that's what you get for wearing the N7 badge."
"Not for much longer, I think."
"So I heard. I suppose one day I will get to tell my children and my grandchildren that I served the great Commander Shepard." she offered as she snapped the gown in place. Then she went back to work bandaging over the spots that needed attention. Outside she could hear Anderson talking with someone familiar.
Hackett pushed through the curtain, removing his uniform cap as he did so. He ran a weathered hand through his short silver hair. For once in a very long time, he seemed at rest.
"Shepard, you came through."
"I don't like to disappoint, sir."
"Normally, I would ask for a debriefing seeing as how no one has any idea how you made the Reapers suddenly stop functioning. In this case I will make an exception. You did something unimaginable by any of us. Not just for humanity, but for organic life everywhere."
"Just doing my duty, sir."
"I would hardly call that duty. What you did is more than I could expect of anyone, even you. There isn't a medal I could give you that you don't already have, and there isn't anything that I could offer you in compensation for all that you saved."
"Sir, if I may, what happened to my crew? Are they still alive?"
"Urdnot Wrex, Garrus Vakarian, Tali Zorah, and some of the other Normandy crew are still on the surface helping everyone get to transport craft. We're trying to ferry out people as we can, but until we can get some more ships in here we're all marooned in the Sol system."
"What about Dr. T'Soni?"
"She coordinated the ground war after Anderson left the surface. I assume she's still alive. The fleet is picking up people on the surface and moving them here to the Citadel to regroup. If she's down there, she'll be up here soon enough. Then I'll make sure she finds you."
"Thank you, sir."
Then she heard another voice was talking outside the curtain; a woman's voice. Could it be her...
---oo-o-oo---
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Post by cellomynameis on Nov 30, 2012 17:15:09 GMT 1
AA T ¶ ⒞ Mass Effect: Verity, Part 22 by ~cellomynameis, 10 hours, 22 minutes ago Fan Art / Fan Fiction / Sci-Fi The cargo bay door of the Normandy touched down on tarmac of a freight centre near the Presidium Commons. Normally a warship wouldn't park here, but this was not ordinary circumstance. Right now, any ship that had room was shuttling soldiers and all personnel from the surface to the Citadel for shelter until evacuation could begin in earnest.
"Guess this is home for a while." Wrex rumbled. "For once, I actually feel welcome here."
"Maybe we can visit the Rachni War Memorial while we're here." Garrus replied, holding Tali close to his side.
"Sounds good to me, seeing as how they don't have a statue of you yet." Wrex teased.
"Not yet."
The friends made their way off the ramp. The main thoroughfares were much less crowded, but that might change after everyone was sacked out in them. They may have been soldiers, but for now they were more like refugees.
"I hope they have something to eat." Grunt complained. "Husks are too tough and flavourless for my liking."
"Most of the ships that survived were support vessels." Liara chimed in. "Hopefully that means we have enough to keep everyone fed until we get resupply."
"Hey Wrex, think there's any fish in that lake?" Grunt asked hopefully.
"Nah, I think Shepard said that there weren't any. Besides I wouldn't eat anything that came out of that little pond. Probably'd get some kind of disease."
"Why won't anyone tell me if she's alright?" Liara whimpered softly.
"Relax, Liara." Wrex reassured her. "If there's one thing I've learned through these past few years it's that Shepard always comes back. Even after that incident with the first Normandy, two years later she shows up on Tuchanka like nothing had ever happened."
"I have to go see her. Now."
"Okay. I think we're all going to see where everything is. This place is almost as messy as our little home rock now. We'll grab some food for you too if you want. Call us if you need us."
"I'll find her. We'll catch up with you later if we can."
Wrex wasn't exaggerating. The entire station was disheveled. Coloumns and buildings showed signs of battle. Some platforms were severely damaged or even missing. All around her was destruction; yet looking around yielded an interesting perspective. Everyone was working together. Despite the chaos, there was a group cohesiveness to change things for the better. For all the evil that the Reapers had brought with them they had done what no one had ever been able to accomplish; galactic unity, of all races and peoples. The cost had been high, but she would take the sentiment offered to her.
Liara guessed that if they weren't telling her what had happened to her beloved that it was bad, and that probably meant that she was badly hurt. She asked around for the nearest field hospital and got a rough idea where it was. Ashley was the first to meet her. "Looking for Shepard?" the marine offered.
Liara nodded enthusiastically with tears in her eyes. "Yes, please."
Ashley motioned for her to follow. "I guess there isn't anything you really want to talk about until you see her."
"How bad is she? No one will tell me."
"She'll live. For a while she lay almost as dead a doornail after getting hit on the way to the beam. We got her up and moving, punched through to the Citadel Tower. That's when things really went sour. The Illusive Man was there, trying to activate the Crucible."
"The Crucible? Why?"
The pair met Anderson on the way. "Long story." she said. "I'll fill you in later after you see her."
"Thank you, Ashley." Liara turned to Anderson. "Can I go in?"
"Of course. Hackett's inside as well."
Liara pulled back the curtain. Sitting there in a hospital gown was her woman, battered but still smiling. She, the nurse attending to her, and the admiral all noted her arrival. The nurse only looked briefly before returning to her work.
"I'll take my leave. We'll touch base later." Hackett said, cordially excusing himself. He disappeared outside the heavy curtain and soon the nurse followed.
Liara slowly walked to the wounded Spectre's side, unable to say anything for a few moments. "I hear that my fiancée is quite the hero today." she smiled joyously.
"Is she? Tell her I said 'congratulations'." Shepard chimed.
"I think she would like this better." she said as she leaned over and kissed her gently. Liara sat beside her and took her hand, entwining their fingers together. "I thought I had lost you again."
"Remember that night after Hagalaz, when we took down the Shadow Broker? I promised that I would always come back to you. I'd like to think that I keep my promises. Especially to you, Liara."
The young Asari snuggled up against her shoulder. "Oh, Shepard..."
"You can use my name, dear."
"Okay, Mikayla. So, are you going to stay here for much longer?"
"At least until they make sure that I'm not going to die from my injuries. It wouldn't do to have me leave and then suddenly keel over unexpectedly. You can stay with me if you like."
The nurse returned. "Alright commander, I cannot find anything that would prevent you from leaving. I bandaged all of the major cuts and scrapes, and your suit did a good job with everything internal. Rest is your best way to recover now. You will feel sore and bruised for a few days but that should subside in no more than a week. If you still have trouble after then, I recommend seeing a doctor again. Take it easy these next few days, and you should be fine. You are free to go."
"Thank you." Mikayla said courteously. The nurse departed once again.
"Shall we find you some real clothes?" Liara asked, squeezing her side. "Maybe something that isn't Alliance issue?"
"Something that isn't Alliance issue...now that might be a challenge."
The two began to walk out of the hospital area towards the way that Liara came. They were both going to have to get accustomed to not being needed on a daily basis due to the end of the Reaper War, or always using military transport for that matter. A car pulled up and opened its door.
"Hey, I thought you two ladies could use a lift." Anderson called over the whir of the anti-gravity engines. Liara helped her Mikayla into the vehicle and sat down beside her.
David punched the control to close the door. "To the Normandy?"
"Yes, sir."
"Just David for now, Kayla." he chuckled.
"Yes s-- okay."
Liara leaned toward David. "It is good to see you smile. Those last few weeks I was really worried about you."
"I'm just glad to have something to smile about. I haven't felt this good in years. The pressure is finally gone; hopefully for good."
The car touched down on the dock beside the famous Alliance frigate. Mikayla and Liara waved their goodbyes to David and walked up the ramp. There stood the remaining Normandy crew, celebrating their commander's return. After a few friendly waves and cautious hugs Liara towed her in hand up to the top deck. They spent a few minutes rummaging though Mikayla's things.
"Okay, we are going clothes shopping for you after this." Liara sighed with as much amusement as frustration. "Wait, what's this?"
She pulled out a sleek black leather dress with a hem that landed about mid-thigh. "I remember you wearing this; when I came to visit you on the Normandy. I missed you so much." she sniffed, trying to hold back a tear. "You'll keep it, won't you?"
Mikayla put her arms around her. "Of course I will. How about I simply wear something I have for now?"
"Okay. Let's go catch up with the others." Liara assented, handing her an Alliance battle uniform. Mikayla got dressed in a hurry and the two of them took the elevator back down. They walked past the station that Cortez used to man. They had a lost so much, so many good people. Even as they walked through the ruins of the Citadel, sometimes they would have to duck underneath a pillar that fell or walk around a whole building that collapsed. Some Asari commandoes were clearing up some of the passageways to allow for safe travel, and Krogan were busy about hauling Reaper hardware and station rubble away to a safe disposal site. It would be a long time before the place looked normal again.
Mikayla and Liara found their friends in the remnants of the Presidium Commons. Grunt ran up and almost gave his surrogate mother a big hug had Liara not stopped him and explained that she was too injured for a typical Krogan greeting.
"So...this is everyone?" Wrex murmured, looking around for more of the team.
"Everyone that can come at the moment." Liara sighed, which she quickly replaced with a smile.
"You look like like the cat that swallowed the canary, Liara." Garrus laughed.
"I'm sure the person holding her hand had something to do with it." Wrex winked.
Liara blushed. "I think we've all earned a reprieve from war."
"Oh, I'm sure we'll all find something new to fight over soon enough. The genophage may be cured but I doubt everyone will be so happy about it now that the threat of the Reapers is gone."
Mikayla leaned in carefully to embrace the old Krogan. "One thing at a time, Wrex."
"Shepard'll keep things from getting out of hand. I don't think there's one of us alive that hasn't heard the legends of the galaxy's greatest warrior."
"Even the best of us need to retire some time."
Liara's omnitool beeped. "Sorry, Glyph says I need to coordinate supply requests. I'm sure you all want to continue eating. I know Grunt does." She gave Mikayla a quick kiss and hurried off.
Garrus broke the ensuing silence. "Why don't you sit down, commander? You look like you could use the rest."
Grunt helped her down to a nearby crate that functioned as a makeshift seat.
"Have you heard from Tuchanka lately, Wrex?" she groaned.
"No, but I got word from the Citadel Council. They're going to clear us to open a few new relays for us to expand through and colonize. Not so sure how we're going to get all the new Krogan out there yet, but I'm sure we'll manage somehow. Things are going to going to get tense these next few months with everyone trying to rebuild. Having a few billion new neighbours is going to be on a lot of the other species' minds."
"I think if you could get them into some more peaceable occupations maybe you could change the Krogan image from killing and destruction to a more cooperative and benign one."
"Easier said than done. You're talking about the people whose lives have been war for millennia. That's not going to change overnight on either side."
"Between you and Bakara, I think you'll at least get that started."
"I hope so. We've only just united the Krogan under our banner. Now that the Reapers are out of the picture I'm not sure that all the clans will want to remain under our umbrella. I got a bad feeling that in a few years we'll be back to the way things were before. The Turians may not be able to put us down this time if things get ugly between the clans."
Garrus cleared his throat. "Let's not be so quick to go back to senselessly killing each other."
Wrex nodded. "I agree. There aren't enough of you to keep the peace if we go out of control."
"Numbers don't win battles, but you're right. We lost the greater portion of our military strength in this war. I think I could live without another conflict in my lifetime."
David arrived on the scene. "I don't suppose I could ask any of you to help get some docks cleared so we can get some supply ships in here."
"They're already here?"
"No, but they're a few hours out. By the time we get some spaces cleared out they should be coming in."
"That little blue girl works fast." Wrex grunted. "I'm in."
"Me too." Garrus echoed.
Mikayla hobbled to her feet, but David stopped her before she could go anywhere. "Take it easy. We can handle this. You need to rest. Why don't you head back up to the Normandy?"
"I came to check on my crew, but I think that I might do that."
"We'll all be here tomorrow, don't worry. No one is leaving anytime soon."
Mikayla slowly walked back to the ship she had called home for almost three years. It was hard to take in that the struggle with the Reapers was over. She might even be able to sleep in tomorrow morning. Every now and then she would find a group of soldiers to chat with. Many soldiers from all different races and unit type paid their respects and offered a share in the victorious festivities, which she politely declined for health reasons. By the time she made it back to the Normandy it was technically nighttime.
She found Liara up in their room. Her white-blue waistcoat was hung up on a hanger and draped over the loveseat near the bed. She was wearing an apricot coloured nightgown that fell past her knees, her makeup removed for the night. Mikayla took her fiancée into her arms, not wanting to say anything for a time.
"It's done." she said at last. "Three years of living in constant fear of the Reapers. Now it's gone."
Liara's tears dripped down her cheek onto her beloved's shoulders. There would be time for them now. For a family.
"Now that it's over, I don't know what to do. All I have known for most of my life was being a soldier. The galaxy doesn't need people like me anymore."
Liara leaned closer. "I know there is more to you than what you are now. You are kind, compassionate, and you do right thing even when it would be easier for you not to. I don't think there could be anything more necessary in this crucial time of rebuilding the galaxy."
Mikayla shook her head as she pulled her uniform over her head. She looked at the Alliance emblem on the front. "I am renowned as an instrument of war. Will others accept me as the hand of peace?"
"That is not for you to decide. You did what you had to do, for all of us. Without you the Reapers would have succeeded and none of us would be alive. Now the galaxy needs someone who will put the same emphasis on keeping the peace. Someone who they know they can depend on."
"What about us? I can't always be the one to save the galaxy."
Liara let out a small laugh. "You don't have to do everything, dear. Help where you can, and let other people take up the mantle like you once did."
"I guess I will be looking for a new occupation." Mikayla sighed as she unbuckled the belt holding her combat fatigues up and pulling her borrowed nightgown over her head.
Liara kissed her cheek affectionately. "You can start by being a good mother." she coaxed, pulling Mikayla onto the bed with her. "Come here, my dark angel."
Mikayla pulled the covers over them both, with Liara nestled snugly in front of her. The two of them settled in for the first night of a new era of their lives.
An age of peace...
---oo-oo-oo---
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