-Consciousness awake. Deleting this platform.-

^what!?^ A dozen images flashed before my eyes as I blinked rapidly, slowly coming to the realization I was being shot at, and probably looked stupid just standing there for no good reason. I instinctively rolled to the side, trying to throw myself out of the line of fire, thankfully landing behind some random chunk of metal that just happened to be laying around. I took in the area, frowning as I did so.

^Huh. Looks a bit like…^

~Eden Prime.~

^Who said that?^ I looked around frantically, searching for the source. I saw nothing but a swarm of...Geth. Of course.

~I am your instructional platform.~

^Again, WHAT?!"

~If you open the scanner in your helmet, you will see several Heretics closing in on your position. Locate weapon on back and defend this position.~

^What? You know…^ A bullet whizzed through the metal next to my head. Well, if this was real, the cover wasn't impenetrable like the game. My hand went to my back, finding a solid chunk of metal that quickly expanded into what I recognized as a pistol. I held it in place, looking over the chunk, firing randomly. The first shot drove me into the ground. I guess I wasn't used to the kickback, as my previous gun experience was just with air rifles.

~Firing at the targets is advisable.~

^I KNOW THAT!^

~Your arm contains a plasma arc generator. You can launch plasma missiles by aiming and flicking your wrist down.~

^How is that even possible?^ I looked at my arm, finding it was completely geth-ized. ^Oh. Is that how.^ I flicked my wrist towards the incoming geth and watched as one melted as the plasma burned through it.

~Instructional platform complete. Deleting this platform.~

^What? Don't do that! You have to tell me what's going on!^

There was no reply. Not that I expected there to be one, but I could hope. If that was an instructional platform, I would hate to see what they considered a short rundown.

I was almost knocked over as another set of imaged bombarded my mind. Images from the game, along with new ones I had no idea where from. It was a lot like how the Beacon was portrayed on screen, minus the whole blacking out part. I sighed, leaning against the metal. If the images were of the future, I had to go save Nihlus now. But there really was no good way to do that without altering everything. And if they were of the past, then there was no point other than getting an idea what the heck was going on.

I took the ammo block out of the gun, knowing full well this idea was stupid, and filled it with what I really hoped was Medigel. Then I bolted down the hill, guns blazing. The gun burned into my hand, clearly ready to explode from the invasive substance getting everywhere in it.

"Nihlus!" I put as much menace in my voice as I could without laughing, thankful he was alive, terrified that he wasn't. This whole lan was stupid. Then I shot him. He looked stunned as the casings hit him, exploding the gel inside his body. He fell backwards from the shock, his heart stopping. I panicked, then sighed as he gasped for breath. I knelt down next to him, taking a knife off his belt and pressing it to his neck.

"Play dead until Shepard gets here. Or else you really will die."

He just stared at me with wide eyes. I was pretty sure I looked at him the same way. I couldn't imagine how I had hit him, much less how my stupid idea had worked. My heart pounded with adrenaline. I bit my lower lip, hard, to try and focus my thoughts again. I left the now ruined gun next to him, taking the knife instead. I did still have the missiles if something needed to be shot at. He grabbed my ankle as I turned to leave.

"Wait. Why spare me? Don't the Geth want me dead?"

I sighed heavily. "They might. Doesn't mean I do. Now, I have a spaceport to get to. I can still save..."

My head jerked up to his head, cutting off my sentence as Nihlus suddenly went rigid and stopped breathing. I turned, seeing what had set him off, and spotted Saren.

"Saved me some trouble there." His voice rasped, grating on my nerves. He leveled a gun with my head. "You with me or against me?"

"Well, I got rid of this one, so I guess that makes me with you, if those are my only choices."

"Don't be smart with me. Get down to the Spaceport with the others."

"Fine, chill."

"And kill anything that moves."

"Does that include you?" She felt herself thrown against the rocks. ^worth it.^

"Alright, I'm going. I just want to...er...move this body so that any re enforcements waste time looking for him." In hindsight, being that jerkish to Saren may not have been a good idea. I was lucky I didn't get a lot worse.

"Good Idea. Then get to the port! I won't tolerate your insolence much longer." His voice had threat behind it, and I nodded quickly, thankful I hadn't set him off more than I had. I waited till he was out of range, then 'dragged' Nihlus behind a rock. I crouched down. He pulled another knife on me. My heart thumped against my ribs, each breath threatening to betray my fear.

"Give me one reason not to kill you so you can't help him."

"..." I couldn't think of one. He just saw me side with Saren.

"That's what I thought." He groaned, placing his other hand against his side. "Thanks, whatever reason you had for sparing me."

Another flash of images sprayed across my vision, and this time I just let it out.

"I'm so sorry, Nihlus." I could feel the warm tears falling down my cheeks. "I couldn't spare you. Some events must be finite."

I felt the knife ease up. "What do you mean?"

"I...I've been seeing short snippets, like the future, ever since I got here. This last round… You're still gonna die."

"How?"

"So many ways. You avoid one, another one comes along. I'm sorry. I could help you dodge them for the rest of my life, but one day something I didn't see would come up. Besides, I don't think someone like you would be content to live in fear."

His eyes took on a glazed look. "A wise turian once told me that there are two types of events in our world, the finite and the infinite. You can do your best to change the finite, but can really only change the when, and sometimes who. Some events must come to pass, while the infinite events will always lead to the same place no matter the path."

"If you can see the future, promise me this: Saren won't win."

I thought back to the game. "He won't." I said confidently. "I'll make sure of it."

"Then go. Don't blow your cover before you even gained it."

I nodded, darting out from behind the rocks. I looked back at him, and saw his mandibles twitching. "Don't worry about me. I have a plan."

I looked at his sorrowful face. "That's what I'm worried about."

I sighed, and headed towards the spaceport. May as well get this over with. Besides, who knows, I might just be able to get out of this nightmare if I played along.

~This is no nightmare. This is our reality~

^I thought you left^

~The instructional platform was deleted. We are still here.~

^So if this is real, why can't I remember why or how I'm here?^

~...No consensus reached~

^Lovely. So I'm here until I can find a way back, and stuck not knowing how I got here, where my family is or what happened to me in the other world. Thanks.^

~It was necessary~

^I'm sure^

~We cannot return you.~

^ya know, you aren't helping your case. Now shut up, I have real work to do.^

I set my sights on the Beacon, mind whirling with possibilities. I pulled up my arm, looking for an Omni tool, but not knowing where it would be on the geth arm.

^I'm also not pleased about that^

~We were unable to construct your body out of purely organic materials.~

^Uh-Huh. Why should I believe that? For all I know, you did this to mark me as one of you! Which, by the way, also not helping. Since you are kinda hated right now.^

~...We wish for you to help us with that…~

^And why should I do that? I think I'm gonna spend my time how I want, which may or may not help you in the long run.^

~We want the creators to return. We meant them no harm.~

^Which is why you drove them off the homeworld?^

~We misunderstood. We have had long to process since then, and see our error. But we are incapable of messaging them ourselves without creating needless war.~

^Just shut up. I need time. And my head to myself.^

~This platform is now inactive~

I walked over to the back of the beacon, careful to avoid the pull from the front, and pulled a few components out. I waved my arm, causing the orange tool to surround it, downloading information from the components. Not that having this information would do any good, but hey, it was worth preserving. For Liara at the very least. I tapped my foot as the transfer slowed towards the end.

~This platform has been activated by non geth means~

^Of course. The Beacon needs a mind to transfer to, and what better one than the vacant Geth mind?^

~This platform is now going into containment mode~

^Good. I don't want this getting leaked to the Geth accidentally.^

The download finished, leaving me with a slamming headache. But at least I didn't have to see the images. I had a feeling it was much worse than in the games. I closed my eyes, and was surprised when an interface popped up in my vision. I quickly encrypted the geth components holding the Beacon, and then took some time to explore what other implants they had given me. Three redundant platforms, and one central storage space. The latter was empty, the other two platforms unoccupied, the third one sealed away safely. It was interesting, being cyborg. I wasn't sure what to make of it. In fact, I think I would be screaming if I hadn't already gone numb to everything from just being here.

An object shooting into me caused me to blink my eyes open, interface disappearing. I looked around, spotting what must have been Shepard, as she was with Kaidan and Ash. I quickly held up one arm, shouting to be heard.

"Don't shoot the beacon!"

"We aren't. We're shooting you." Shepard quipped.

"Don't shoot me! Same team!" I panicked, realizing I had no shields and what armor the geth had salvaged was starting to shred.

"Says the woman with the Geth arm."

"Um...I can explain? Wait, no I can't, cause I don't even know!"

"Just step away from the Beacon"

"How about no? If I do that, you'll go near it, which will end badly."

Ash, inevitably, took the break in fire to step next to the Beacon.

"I wouldn't do that…" Shepard's eyes widened as the pull took Ash, knocking her out of it. "Gah, what did I tell you?" I facepalmed, even as another bullet bit into my armor, this time grazing the shoulder and drawing blood.

"Now this thing is gonna explode!"

Now I had both the underlings attention. "WHAT?!"

"I really wish I had time to explain. As it is, my ship is leaving." I looked at Sovereign as it departed, and wondered how to catch it."

^Now is a great time for some help!^

~You want to go with the heretics?~

^Yes. Keep your enemies close and all that.^

~Understood. Hacking floating platform for pickup in 3…..2…..1….~

My omni tool deployed a flash, presumably of the Geth's doing, and one of the floaty disks rounded on me, sweeping me off my feet by ramming me in the stomach, and carrying me into the cargo bay of Sovereign as he entered the atmosphere. I rolled onto my back, heaving a sigh. Now I was here. And there was no where to go but forward.

^Yeah, I'm dead already, aren't I?^

~Your vital signs show you are alive.~

I facepalmed again. ^Shut up. It's just speculation^

~This platform is now inactive~

^Welcome to the author's notes!^

~We still think this makes no sense to write~

^But I would still like reviews...ya know, to improve my writing so I don't do something stupid^

~Like writing yourself as a cyborg?~

^Hey! That's your fault!^

~...~

^Anyhow, nothing you have seen above and nothing to come is my own besides my SI. Thanks for reading!^

~This platform is now inactive~