"With the Prothean data in this beacon, I can end this conflict, once and for all," Shepard stated, his voice metallic as he spoke through his N7 helmet. "You're either with me or against me. There's nothing gray about that."
"No, I suppose there isn't," the holographic display of the Illusive Man admitted, moving away from Shepard. "Leng, the Commander has something I need. Please relieve him of it, and the bring me the data." As he finished his command, the holograph dissipated and its emitter floated back to Kai Leng's hand.
"Understood," the Cerberus agent replied. Pocketing the emitter, he dropped into a relaxed fighting stance with his blade presented before him.
Shepard holstered his shotgun, eyes locked on the crouched assassin. "This is for Thane," he whispered as a biotic field manifested around him. Clenching his hands together, he completely enveloped himself within his biotics and willed himself to his target. The Vanguard lanced across the battlefield and reappeared already slamming his fists downward, his arms surrounded by blue energy.
Kai Leng was prepared, having already dived backwards when Shepard had activated his biotics, but he was not the target of the attack. Shepard struck the temple's floor with all of his strength and the resulting shockwave sent the already airborne assassin flying. Landing heavily, the Cerberus agent quickly regained control of his momentum and rose to meet the once more charging Vanguard.
As Leng's gunship kept Garrus and Liara pinned behind cover, the assassin and Commander Shepard dueled ferociously. The Cerberus agent stayed one step ahead of the Vanguard's brutal melee attacks, and accepted the biotic shockwaves that buffeted him. Anticipating the forced momentum, Kai Leng's shield was able to shrug off all but the most powerful blasts, and even those only sent him flying farther away from the deadly biotic. Relentlessly, Commander Shepard pursued him, unwilling to give up the offensive.
A particularly vicious shockwave drove the assassin to his knees, but when the Vanguard sought to press his advantage, Kai Leng held out his hand and a piercing blast of light erupted from his palm. Shepard's helmet immediately darkened but the Vanguard was momentarily robbed of his sight. Sending all of his energy to his biotic barrier, the Commander raised his arms before his face and prepared for the counter attack. It never came.
As Shepard's visor cleared, he saw that Kai Leng had vanished. Glancing towards the entryway, he spotted the assassin sprinting towards his gunship. A Cerberus Phantom de-cloaked beside him and the two of them leaped onto the floating Cerberus vessel. The Commander's gaze shot to the Prothean beacon and found it dark.
"They've taken the VI!" Shepard shouted, pulling out his shotgun and charging towards the temple's entryway. The gunship maintained its hail of gunfire as it retreated and Shepard's comrades remained trapped behind cover. As the vessel turned to escape, Garrus rose and fired, but the ship's shields were too strong. At the entryway, Shepard emptied his shotgun at the retreating Cerberus agents to no effect. Ejecting his spent thermal clip, the Commander cursed loudly before trotting back to his companions. Liara was crouched over the Beacon's console but it appeared her efforts were in vain as the air before her remained empty.
"Sorry about that Shepard," Garrus apologized, shaking his head weakly. "That gunship didn't give me-"
"It's my fault for charging Leng like that," Shepard interrupted, putting his hand on the Turian's shoulder. "I should have stayed here, protected the Beacon."
"They got everything!" Liara said, slamming down on the control panel and turning back to Shepard and Garrus. "If only we had had more time, gotten here before the Reapers and Cerberus!"
"No time to dwell on it," Shepard said, turning around and making his way out of the temple. "Now we've got to-"
A sudden wave of voices blasted through the Commander's helmet. The Cerberus operatives had obviously been blocking the Normandy crew's communications. Reports of Reaper forces advancing, the death cries of Asari, and unending requests for reinforcements flooded Shepard's ears. Shaking his head, the Commander silenced all of the voices but one.
"Cortez," he said, watching as the Thessian skyline filled with Reaper flagships. "Get us out of here." Sensing the approach of his comrades, Shepard refused to look away from the burning ashes of the Asari capital.