A Dead God Can Dream
A couple of months have passed since Shepard confessed his love to Tali. Since then, the two have done their best to keep the relationship from effecting the others work, but they still made time for each other. Meanwhile, aboard the Normandy, Shepard has assembled a devastating squad, but the operation was crippled because they needed an IFF to travel through the Omega-4 relay.
The variety of species aboard the Normandy also leads to some tension between squad mates. Jack and Miranda almost tore a bulkhead during a confrontation about Cerberus. Shepard walked in on Thane putting Jacob in a chokehold because Jacob wouldn't leave Thane alone about being an assassin. Samara confronted Shepard about letting a thief aboard the ship. Finally, the most surprising, Mordin was about to execute Grunt.
"Sloppy, undisciplined brute", Mordin shouted.
"Slippery toad", Grunt responded.
If not for Shepard, Mordin probably would have killed Grunt but he grilled them both out for it. Shepard, tired of all the in-fighting, called for a squad meeting.
Once everyone was there, Shepard began, "Alright people! I sick and tired off all the fighting amongst ourselves! I'm not asking you to be like family and be buddy-buddy, but for fuck sake at least be civil with one another."
Jacob interrupted, "I'd feel more comfortable not having an…"
Shepard snapped back, "Jacob, for the love of god, I would shut the hell up because I might not stop Thane the next time you try something."
Jacob put his head down, "Understood Commander."
Shepard resumed, "Now, like I was saying, I am not expecting you all to be best friends but as long as you are serving on MY ship, no more fighting each other. As of today, I'm enacting a Zero-Tolerance policy among the eleven of you. If any of you do something, you will be packing your gear and I'll be dumping your ass off at the next hub world. Also", directing his attention to Mordin and Grunt, "if anyone tries to kill another squad member, I will shoot and kill you myself. This mission is too big to have to deal with people acting like children. Am I understood?"
"Understood", the crew replied.
"You are dismissed", he concluded.
The crew made their way out with Tali being the last one in the room.
"My, my Shepard… I had forgotten how intimidating you could be", Tali joked.
"I didn't want to have to that but it was getting out of hand."
"I understand… The Migrant Fleet has the same policy. Crew members that act up are left behind; we don't have the resources to deal with those not trying to better the Fleet. Do you think you could kill anybody aboard the ship?"
"Honestly… yes, like I said this mission is too big to be mediating grown adults."
"I'll be sure to stay in your good graces then."
"Don't worry Tali, as long you stay cute, you'll be fine."
Tali giggled, "Well I'll be sure to keep up on my appearance."
They laughed then Joker came over the intercom.
"Shepard, the Illusive Man is on hold. EDI says it is an important message."
"Noted, we can talk later okay Tali?"
"No problem, if you need something you know where to find me."
She leaves and Shepard starts talking to the Illusive Man. He informs Shepard that he has found a derelict Reaper. This was good news because that meant they'd finally be able to travel through the Omega-4 relay. He also tells Shepard that he had sent a science team in but he hasn't heard from them. While they weren't the main goal, he asked that Shepard find out what had happened to them. Shepard told him he'd find out and that he'd be bringing home an IFF today. He heads to the armory to grab his gear, and then he headed to the bridge and told Thane and Tali to gear up for a mission. A few minutes later Thane was there with his M-97 Viper and an M-5 Phalanx. Another minute went by and Tali showed up with her M-22 Eviscerator and M-3 Predator.
"Ready for action", they both said.
As they flew closer to the Reaper, they were hit by some bad turbulence. The ship was dropping and being whipped around, but then it stopped all of a sudden.
"We must have flown inside its Mass Effect envelope...talk about the eye of the storm."
Just before they head out the airlock, Dr. Chakwas rushes out the elevator with two arms full of Medi-gel.
"You better stock up Commander. You might not be as lucky as you were last time."
"Thank you doctor", Shepard replied.
Joker turns his head and says, "Heads up Shepard, there is a Geth ship docked."
"Guess we know what happened to the science team", Shepard replied. "Come on, let's go get that IFF."
The three headed through the airlock and step aboard onto the Cerberus lab. It was dead quiet. There wasn't anything but terminals around. They were half expecting to find a grim scene of dead scientists, but the entire lab area was clean. They checked out a few terminals and it was just footage of the scientists voicing their concerns about being aboard the Reaper. They also mentioned that some strange things were happening such as seeing and hearing things.
"Sounds like they were feeling the early effects of indoctrination", Shepard announced.
"Looks like it", Tali replied.
They walked through the next chamber, but before they could walk out the next door they shipped quaked.
Joker came over the headset, "Normandy, to shore party."
"What the hell happened", Shepard replied.
EDI answered, "The Reaper seems to have activated its kinetic barrier. Shepard, a kinetic barrier can only be started by a mass effect generator. This is true even for a Reaper. As long as it's activated we can't escape."
"It must have given off a heat source when it activated right?"
"Correct, I can map its location and synch it to your Omni-tool. It's coming from its core. I must inform you that the core is also in control of its ability to stay afloat."
"So we destroy the core and then…"
Joker interrupted, "Then the whole things coming down!"
"Well if anyone can get us off before reaching crush depth, it's you Joker. We'll grab the IFF, destroy the core, and get away."
"Acknowledged, good hunting Shepard"
"Let's get moving."
The group moved forward along the path and they were greeted by the sight they expected. The floor was covered with the mutilated bodies of the Cerberus scientists.
"I've heard stories of this level of brutality", said Thane. "I'd never seen it myself though."
"There's nothing we can do for them, we got to keep moving", Shepard replied.
They continued forward and then they heard the squealing of husks. They readied their weapons and then they saw them crawling up the sides of the walkway.
"Open fire", Shepard shouted.
They began tearing into the husks, ripping them apart. These things were pathetically weak, but they were a real threat in high numbers. More and more of them kept popping up, but they continued to fall one by one.
"Thane! You and I will use out biotics to preserve ammo. Tali, use your drones. These things will attack them and ignore us."
"Roger that", they both replied.
Thane and Shepard began throwing biotic attack at the husks. The force of their attacks caused husks to disintegrate. Tali unleashed a drone into a pack of them. The husks kept clawing away at the drone until it detonated, turning them into dust. They kept this up until the husks stopped coming. Once they had stopped they took a moment to catch their breath.
"Everybody alright", asked Shepard.
"I'm fine", Tali replied.
"My biotics are getting a work out", Thane replied.
"Alright then let's get moving and keep your guard up. I'm sure there are more of these things."
"Acknowledged", they replied.
They kept pushing forward down the walkway when they saw two stray husks just standing out in the open. Just before Shepard could take the shot, the heads of the husks exploded.
"Sniper fire", Thane yelled.
"Keep your eyes open", Shepard replied. "Whoever it is, may or may not be hostile and I prefer to keep my head attached to my shoulders today."
Eventually they reached a large room that appeared to be some kind of alter, but before they could scout the room, an army of husks appeared out of nowhere. To make matters worse, a scion appeared. Scions were much deadlier than husks as they released biotic energy at its enemies.
"Spread out and keep to cover the best you can", Shepard yelled. "That scion will tear us apart if it's able to hit us. Use the same tactics that we used before on the husks and focus your ammo on the scion. Move out!"
They spread out taking down any husks that got in their way. Thane would lash out a throw field at the husks and took shots at the scion's head with his sniper rifle. Meanwhile, Tali would distract husks with her drone giving her time to unload shotgun rounds. She turned her head and saw that Shepard had a look in his eye that she had seen before. It was the look he gave before he went on killing streaks. He holstered his weapon and began using his biotics to throw the husks around. When the scion launched a shockwave at him, he would unleash his own causing an explosion. Tali admired the way he moved. Thane could even appreciate the grace in his movements. Shepard would trap husks in a singularity field and unleash a warp ball causing more explosions. He unlocked his shotgun, biotic charged at the scion, and blasted it with Claymore rounds into its legs.
"Thane take the shot!"
Thane aimed the sights of his rifle directly at its head and fired. Its head exploded into a bloody mess. The scion fell to its side and lied limp on the floor.
"Now, let's finish off these pesky husks", Shepard announced.
Thane began leaping around the battlefield, roundhouse kicking the husks and snapping their heads off their shoulders. Tali, wanting to get in on the hand to hand combat, unsheathed her knife and began slashing the throats of husks. She dug her knife straight into the face of a husk and split its head in two. The battle went on for a few more minutes and then the husks stopped coming.
Shepard, panting, asked, "Is everyone alright?"
"Just need to catch my breath", replied Tali.
"I'm use to only having to fight if I have to", said Thane.
They regrouped and scouted the room. The found left over thermal clips and Medi-gel. They applied some Medi-gel to their wounds. Tali looks towards the front of the room. She was greeted by the sight of scientist pierced on Dragons Teeth.
"The Geth used these back on Eden Prime. It turned your colonists into husks."
Shepard looked around and replied, "You see how it's aligned. It looks almost like an altar."
"I don't understand. Who would want something like this?"
"You heard the crew…they were being indoctrinated. I'm sure by the end they were begging for the Reapers to use them as sacrifices."
"Keelah…"
"How about we step away from the sharp objects coming out of the ground", Shepard joked.
"I wasn't going to touch them Shepard", Tali replied.
They group headed back out of the room to an outside area. They were cautiously proceeded forward when the peace was interrupted by a sniper shot. Shepard turned his head and saw a dead husk. He jerked his head back and saw a Geth looking down the sights of a sniper rifle, but instead of shooting them as well he pulled his gun back and announced…
"Shepard-Commander"
He then turned around and headed for the core.
"Did that Geth just speak", Thane asked.
"It shouldn't be able to. A single Geth wouldn't be any more intelligent than a drunken Vorcha."
"Well we can worry about that later", Shepard interrupted, "because it looks like we are going to have our hands full with these husks."
Another huge wave of husks began charging towards them.
"Weapons free…smoke these nasty motherfuckers", Shepard yelled.
They unlocked their weapons and began tearing into the husk army. Shepard and Thane also used their biotics while Tali continued to use the drones to distract them. They were starting to become overwhelmed, but then Shepard unleashed a singularity underneath his own feet lifting himself with the husks. He began kicking them out of their air over the walkway into space. He launched himself out of the singularity's hold and threw a warp ball into the heart of it. A huge explosion followed as it wiped out a small bulk of the husks. Tali was unloading shotgun rounds into them as Thane ripped their heads off then started using his pistol.
"There's too many", Tali exclaimed.
"Keep pushing...we need to reach the IFF", Shepard replied.
Tali had never been in this situation before. Even on the Alarei, the amount of Geth was reasonable but this was insane. She had finally seen Shepard's undying drive to complete his mission with her own eyes. She heard a loud scream as she saw Shepard get scratched across the face by the razor sharp nails of the husks. Shepard's face was covered in his own blood, but that didn't stop him either as he threw the husk to the ground and stomped its head into a bloody pulp. He had reached a "blood rage" as he began ripping husks apart with his shotgun and with his biotics. It was unfair to the husks just because Shepard had outmatched them so greatly even with their higher numbers. His fists tore through their chests and heads and Thane followed right behind him snapping necks and ripping heads off. Tali, at that moment, felt weak. She couldn't keep up with the intensity or the pace of those two. All she could do was follow behind them and clean up the few they left behind. Before she knew it, she turned around and realized she was about to be swarmed by the husks resurfacing from the edges of the walkway.
"SHEPARD!"
Shepard turned back and saw that Tali was in danger. He ran back to her.
"Thane, keep them off of me the best you can then regroup on me and Tali."
"You got it Shepard."
Tali was caught without a loaded weapon and all she could do was use her shotgun as a club. A husk grabbed her leg and she fell to the floor. She crawled backwards drawing her pistol trying to take on the massive wave of husks. Just before they were about to engulf her, they blew away all of a sudden. She turned her head and it was Shepard.
"Tali! I'm so sorry. I didn't know…are you alright?"
She fell into Shepard's arms crying, "Oh Shepard, I thought they were going to get me. Keelah, I hate feeling like such a damsel in distress."
"Tali, it's not your fault. We should have stayed together. I never wanted something to happen to you."
Thane interrupted, "Shepard we got multiple scions approaching!"
Shepard looked at Tali. "Tali I have an idea… Thane get a good sniping position and wait for my call."
"What are you doing Shepard", Tali asked.
"Just hold onto me and don't let go."
She grabbed onto his armor and at that moment she was lashed forward as Shepard charged at the scions. The charge disoriented the scions.
"Tali, start blowing these sick bastards away. Take out their legs so Thane can get an easy shot at their heads."
"Got it"
They began rolling around pumping rounds into their legs until they collapsed to the floor. Without even hearing the call, Thane knew that was the signal to take the shot. Just as Shepard was about to make the call, the heads of scions exploded around himself and Tali.
"Good shot Thane…now regroup."
Thane rejoined the party as they entered another airlock area.
"Shepard, look it's the IFF."
"I guess the scientists did recover it. Now all we have to do is deactivate the core and blow this ugly piece of crap out of the sky."
They entered the room and saw the Geth they saw earlier standing there. It turns around and is taken down by a husk. They rushed the room and took out the few stragglers that were left.
"Shepard it will take too long to manually deactivate the core", Tali said.
"Well than, let's do it the old fashioned way."
They shot it to the point that the core disassembled.
"I think it's time to go", Tali announced.
"What of the sniper", asked Thane.
"Leave it. It's a Geth."
"I've never had a chance to talk to a Geth before", Shepard replied.
"Ugh…fine let's just get going before I change my mind and shoot it myself."
Thane picked it off the floor as they darted for the Normandy.
Joker came over the headset, "Shepard, we need to get out of here!"
The airlock opens and Thane throws the Geth into it and follows right behind it. Tali and Shepard followed behind them as the Normandy darts away from the falling Reaper. Shepard had one of the ensigns take the Geth to the AI core.
"Mission complete team… EDI I want this IFF installed immediately. I want to end this nightmare now."
"Installation will take a day or so", EDI replied.
"Why not right away?"
"We must ensure that the equipment is safe enough to install into our systems."
"Alright just hurry it up…in the meantime I've got a Geth I've got to speak to."