A/n: hello all. This is something that has been bouncing around in my head for a while and I finally got around to writing it. We all know how it ends when we pick the fourth option but this story will take a look at what happens after and what kind of hope the galaxy has.
2235: Fifty years of darkness
A lone figure walks through the rubble that covers the ground of the scorched planet that used to be Illium. Searching for a communication beacon, this Asari feels as if she has been walking for days. Tired and nearly out of energy, it takes all she has to continue on, but she must find it, no matter how long it takes.
Everyone must be cautious, since traveling above ground and out in the open is dangerous. Most have gone into hiding since the Reapers dominate the surface and sky. The machines have taken over all places that people used to go, where they used to live, and destroyed it all.
Since space travel is nearly impossible and most of the relays are either protected by the Reapers or destroyed, the only means of communication is through these beacons that arrive sporadically on certain planets over the years. It is unknown how long it takes for these beacons to reach their destination. Most come out of sequence to when they were made and the messages inside them are never newer than a few months, with most being two years old or more. Not many know how it happens or where they come from but those that find them take pleasure in the fact that there is even the slightest bit of hope; that there are those that still fight.
There are those like the Asari in the messages that are known to have been fighting since the war began. Then there are those like this Asari who is looking for the beacon that were born into the war, born into the fighting. She was taught at a young age how to defend herself by her uncles. Taught how to survive and hack into anything by her aunts and taught how to appreciate life by her mother.
Smiling a sad smile, she is brought back to that day she was separated from her family. Separated from the only people she's ever known, but it was necessary. The Reapers were attacking and her mother made sure her, and some other refugees had safe passage off world. They all ended up on the old planet of Illium and have been here ever since, waiting, and hoping for someone to arrive. That was nearly twenty five years ago and now these beacons are the only pieces anyone in this Asari's small group has, to let them know that there is still a chance.
The only way to find these message beacons is from a weak signal that is on her transponder that is tracking the galaxies only way to communicate. She knows she has to hurry and stay out of sight but moving during the daylight is difficult and dangerous. Traveling at night is normally done when someone goes top-side but it's still nice to look at the area and think about what it might have looked like back before the war.
Not much is left from the old world. Nothing but outlines of buildings remains. Only areas of where they once stood, beautiful and proud, but are now nothing more than a shell of what they were. There are no signs that light up businesses or people walking down the streets, there is just destruction everywhere you look.
It is like this everywhere, throughout every city that had once thrived. It is a reminder of what life was like. A life before the Reaper attacks. Before the war to end all wars happened, before everyone in the Galaxy had to join together and fight for their lives. Fight an enemy that arrived without warning, in order to harvest all living beings.
According to the stories her mother would tell her, this happened every fifty thousand years, and once the Reapers were done, not a trace of those that lived in the galaxy during that time, existed. In the past there were no warnings given, only the Reaper harvest. Creatures that resemble squids from Earth's oceans, which lived in no known charted area, would arrive from deep space, and exterminate the galaxies population. This process, or cycle had continued on for millennia, but this time was different. This time there was proof that a cycle had occurred repeatedly for billions of year. This time people were given time to prepare, but no one believed the warnings.
The galaxy was in shock when the Reapers arrived and it seemed that no matter how much preparation was done it wouldn't matter. All hope was nearly lost, but one person, one single Human brought the galaxy together and they fought back. She gave everyone a reason to come together and defend against the harvest. Her and her crew of the Normandy was everyone's last hope.
This Human, this savior, had amassed a team of some of the best warriors, scientists and Alliance troops ever assembled. She led them into impossible odds but always came out victorious, and it was thought that this last fight against the Reapers would be no different. Plans were found that indicated there was a weapon that could be built in order to destroy the Reapers and with everyone's help, it was assembled. It gave people hope that there would be a future and Commander Kerry Shepard, Alliance navy, N7 graduate and council Spectre would lead us to victory, but something went wrong.
The crucible never fired and everyone was left to watch in agonizingly long anticipation for something to happen until a voice came over the fleet wide comm system. It warned everyone that the crucible could not be used and everyone needed to fall back. It was the voice of the first Human Spectre, a weak and tired voice, but one with conviction in it. Those few words she spoke, the apparent last words ever heard from the galaxies savior, once again trying to save the lives of many, and it will never be forgotten.
An attempt by the Normandy crew who had just been called in for an evac was made to save her, but the Reapers detached the citadel and destroyed the crucible. It crushed the hearts of her crew to think she would not be by their sides to fight another day and a scream of sorrow echoed the walls of the historic ship.
Her friend and lover, Liara T'Soni, witnessed the destruction of the space weapon first hand from the medical bay. She had been with Shepard and sustained injuries on their run towards the beam. The Commander called for her rescue, and Liara along with Garrus Vakarian, watched as their beloved Commander ran head first towards her goal. Hearing that she made it and holding onto the fact that Shepard made a promise to always come back to her, she waited, unable to concentrate on anything.
Until her beautiful voice could be heard over the comm and for a moment only reaching her mattered. Leaving the care of doctor Chakwas and making her way to the bridge to demand Joker go get their Commander. Ashely Williams, friend and fellow Spectre, ordered the Normandy's pilot to leave the fight and head to where the Commanders transponder was reporting her whereabouts. Everyone was on edge in hope that they'd make it to her in time, but then the unthinkable happened.
Liara had been escorted back to the med bay where she was forced to witness the Reapers destroy the crucible, and possibly kill her beloved. Falling to her knees, she let out all the pain she felt at losing her love for the second and final time. The first had been after they defeated Saren, a rogue Spectre who had become indoctrinated or controlled but the Reapers. He figured if he could join their forces then he'd be spared, but that was not the case.
It was then that those involved found out about the Reapers and the upcoming harvest. It was then that Shepard tried to warn everyone about the possibility of these creatures coming to destroy all life, but no one believed her.
A month later the collectors, a mutated form of the Protheans that worked for the Reapers attacked and destroyed the Normandy, killing Commander Shepard. It was during this time that Liara learned about love and loss. They had just begun their relationship and the feelings they had for one another seemed to grow with each passing day. When the Commander was lost, Liara went down a dark path, but was given hope that her beloved Shepard could be brought back.
It worked and Liara and Kerry were able to continue on together. Then the war with the Reapers started and the Asari could only pray to her Goddess that Shepard would not be taken from her once more. There seemed to be a chance that Shepard may survive until that moment, and the Reapers took her lover away once more. Liara felt her heart break at the sight of the crucible being destroyed and the citadel closing its arms for the final time.
Immediately after, a fleet wide retreat was called for by Admiral Hackett. Those ships not already engaged with the Reaper forces made it through the Sol relay. This included the Quarian and Geth fleets and they would sacrifice themselves to save the remaining joint forces.
Two entire races wiped out by Reaper destroyers waiting for those to try and escape through the relay. The rest of the battle weary ships made it through a short time after, led by Admiral Hackett and his fifth fleet. They were met with enormous amounts of ship debris but only a handful of Reapers waiting for them.
The stories that were recorded told how the Geth and Quarians destroyed most of the waiting Reapers before the rest of the fleet made it through. That heroic action gave the remaining forces a chance to do one last desperate act and destroy the relay.
It didn't trap the Reapers, only slowed them down, so Hackett ordered the immediate destruction of all relays that they could. They were supposed to travel to one system after the order was carried out and head for the Krogan home world of Tuchanka, but only one ship made it, the Normandy.
The crew waited but no one came and they were all forced into hiding. Reports began to surface that the plan did not work and that some people became trapped in areas where there was a heavy Reaper presence, while others were left in systems that didn't have a planet that could sustain life. Apparently only a handful of relays were destroyed and the rest became under guard by the Reapers. The Normandy crew was left to fight off what was left of the Reaper forces in that area and then wait.
Now everyone has been fighting for their lives since that day. It has been going on for the last few decades and the hope that this cycle has a future becomes bleaker by each passing moment. The galaxies population has been scattered and only small pockets of those that are willing to fight back, remain. Space travel is nearly impossible so most have gone underground to hide from the continuing attacks by the Reapers, in hope that these creatures will not find them.
Unfortunately for everyone the last harvest took one hundred years to be completed, so these creatures who come from dark space have only time. There will be no one left, no trace of their existence only a hope that those that remain can fight back and win. These beacons that have been created by an Asari, when found, gives hope that there are people out there fighting, to those that listen to the messages.
They are beacons that have been left, or being sent to each habitable planet throughout the galaxy and more arrive every so often. No one really knows how they get there or where they come from but one thing is for certain, an Asari is trying to get message out to anyone who will listen.
This Asari, who is looking for these beacons, does however know. She knows who created the beacons as well as whom the real message is for. She also knows that a new message has not been sent in more than two decades. She is hoping for something new, since it just so happens to be a day that everyone celebrates; Shepard's day.
It is a day that the great Commander Shepard was last seen running towards the crucible in hopes that she and she alone could save the galaxy from the Reaper harvest. Running towards an almost certain death and away from the one place she called home; the Normandy. Yes it was a ship but it; along with everyone inside were her life.
This Asari has been traveling for days, following a signal, hoping no one else has found it and laid a trap for her. She hides in unstable buildings that could fall at any moment, but continues. Traveling on her own, barely able to sleep, in order to get to a destination in hope of finding the comm probe before anyone else, she continues. Finally hearing the signal increase to a steady beep, indicating she is within range, she lets out a calming breath. Relieved that she is at her destination, knowing what is nearby, her heart rate increase as her senses heighten for any hint of movement.
The silence is nearly too much and even though visibility is next to nothing, if she is not careful, she will give herself away. Normally she'd wait a full day to see if there is someone watching but this is the beacon that she has been waiting for. This is the one that will tell her whether or not the plan worked and the people she loved were successful, and will be to her soon. This is the beacon that will inform her that she will soon see her parents.
It's been twenty five years since she was last held by her mother. Twenty five years since she watched her mother send out the last beacon towards Earth. Over two decades since she witnessed her mother smile when she received a beacon of her own. All those years being told not to give up hope and then witness firsthand the proof that her sire could in fact be alive.
Twenty five years since the last battle where she witnessed a mass force of Reapers come for them all. They enemy had apparently followed the signal of the probes that were being launched and amassed an attack on each planet that still sustained life. That day was when this Asari and twelve other refugees to include children of every other race were sent away in hopes of never being found.
This beacon could hold the information she is looking for, and anticipation of finally seeing her mother after so long and possibly meeting her sire for the first time ever is almost too much for her to handle. The more she thinks about the more tears stream down her face and her hands begin to shake. Nerves overtake everything else and she must calm herself, as she looks for a place that will give her cover and protection so she can view the message. After an hour of searching, this lone Asari is finally able to sit, catch her breath, eat, and relax.
As the beacon illuminates her make-shift cover, she is startled out of her thoughts by a voice coming over her comm-link.
"Are you there? Arina, please come in."
"I thought I said radio silence, Aiden?" The Asari whispers back in her comm in irritation.
She is immediately brought back to that fateful day when they were all forced to leave Tuchanka. How small Aiden was, only a child, by human standards. Scared beyond belief as the shuttle door closed, hoping he'd see his adoptive parents once again. Curling up into Arina's embrace, herself no more than a youngling, but offering as much reassurance to the Human as she could. It was one of the scariest days of her life but to see how quickly Aiden has matured and become the leader of the group. He is now the shoulder to lean on when times are hard. He has become the adult of their tight knit group even though he is the youngest. And it is he, who Ariana has fallen in love with, so each other's safety is top priority.
"I don't care about that shit; you've been gone for too long. What's your location, I'll come to you."
"Aiden, I love you but I am fine..."
"And if you get yourself killed who do think your parents will blame?"
"I'll be back in two days." Shutting off her comm before any more protests could be expressed; Arina looks over the beacon for any signs of damage. Not seeing any she continues to activate the messages that are programmed into it. There are two messages in every beacon. The first is the original one that shows an Asari explaining how this and each cycle before them, failed to stop the Reapers. It is done in great detail, how the crucible is supposed to be constructed but also has been updated from its inception to inform whomever finds it that the Crucible did not work, and to look for the reasons why.
The next message is hidden amongst the files inside the beacon and only accessible to those the beacon recognizes. Only a select few are entrusted to view these messages but there is always a security risk. Indoctrination and betrayal are the reasons there is a worry. There are stories that spoke of the last harvest, during the Prothean Empire, and how the indoctrinated few got in amongst their ranks and sabotaged any hope of them being victorious. Nothing is for sure to work when it comes to keeping the beacons out of the hands of those that are indoctrinated but precautions have been taken.
Arina doesn't care about any of that right now she just wants to be with her family again. With each passing moment the anticipation grows, with regards to what this encrypted message says, but Arina has her ritual. Each time she finds a beacon she must listen to the calming voice of this Asari who is in the image. She is a beautiful and strong Asari and is the only reason any of the thirteen children had a chance that day.
The image is finally displayed, and it causes the young Asari to smile, and she hopes now will be the time that she, Arina T'Soni Shepard will see her family once again.
"It's good to see you again mother."