Chapter 2: New Beginning
Location: Unnamed Prothean Planet
In what seemed like the blink of an eye, I emerged from the portal to find myself standing in the centre of what appeared to be an advanced control room. Glancing around I could see several computer terminals, a VI interface and, looming in one corner what was unmistakably a Prothean Beacon, which looked similar to the ones that appear in the game, only twice the size, the top of the Beacon barely avoiding the ceiling which caused me to wonder how exactly they got it in here in the first place.
"This place is amazing." I said aloud as I crossed the room towards the VI terminal, which looked similar to Vigil's one on Ilos. As I got nearer to it the VI activated and Reyoln's digital image appeared.
"Welcome to our reality Robert, I'm sure you have many questions, all the information you need to know is stored in the computers here. I am sure you have noticed the Beacon. We have uploaded all the information you will require to survive here into it."
The beacon contains the vision of our destruction that was transmitted through the beacons and the cypher to understand them." The VI answered.
"Well okay then." I muttered, figuring that that was all I would need in terms of helping Shepard.
With a nod I walked over to the beacon and felt it pulling me towards it once it lit up, before I was lifted into the air. At first nothing happened but then I felt a small tingle inside my head before images and words flashed across my vision.
I winced as the vision I had seen countless times during my Mass Effect runs, images of the Reapers annihilating the Prothean's and extinguishing all life in the galaxy etched itself into my brain. It seemed to last an eternity and I was starting to think that the beacon would never release me, but finally the beacon shut down and I was dropped to the floor.
I clutched my head as it throbbed and I could feel my mind adjusting to all the new information in there.
"Ow…my brain feels like its three sizes bigger than my head." I groaned as I waited for the pain to fade.
When it started to pass I stood up and turned to look at Reyoln. "Reyoln what's the date?" I asked.
"The Earth date is January 17th 2176."
"2176?" I yelled "But Saren and Sovereign won't arrive until 2183, what the hell am I going to do for 7 years?"
"Prepare." Reyoln replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
With a sigh I stood up and made my way over to the computers where I spent the next several hours studying up on the history of the galaxy, although most of it was covered in the game and the books. After finding a map of the facility and a datapad, I downloaded it and decided to explore a little.
The map showed that the majority of the facility was underground and consisted of one large central hub containing the base entrance, living area, control room and hanger bay. With five more buildings to the North, South, East and West, all interconnected with long passageways.
The walls were shiny metallic silver with bluish/white lights illuminating the hallways. To the North of the Central Hub as I called it were the research labs, the Western building held the power distribution section, the South housed the computer mainframes and the Eastern building was labelled as the Production Facility.
I remained in the Central Hub and headed for the living areas. They were mostly what you would expect. Numerous rooms filled with individual rooms, some with single beds and others with larger double beds for couples and what I guessed was a mess hall where everyone gathered to eat meals and talk when not working before heading towards the laboratories to the north.
The doors opened to reveal a large reception area, with doors to the north, east and west, each of them labelled. The western door was labelled Weapons Lab, the north Bio Lab and the east Technical lab. It took me a moment to realise that the signs were all in Prothean and that I had been reading it as natural as I did English, which was pretty cool.
My first destination was of course the Tech lab and although there was a lot of cool stuff there, I had no idea what any of it did, so playing it safe I left it alone, although I would definitely be studying it all eventually.
I went to the bio lab next although unlike the Tech lab, which had been full of toys, the bio lab was pretty much empty apart from what looked to be a large gas chamber in the far corner of the room, with a small window to see through, or look out of when inside.
I walked over to it and looked through the glass. The inside was large enough for someone to fit into with a little moving space with what looked like a futuristic looking alien dentist's chair in the centre of the room. Finally there were several holes in the floor and ceiling, which I could tell by following the pipes I could see led to more piping outside the chamber.
I spotted another VI terminal and activated it, wanting to know what the chamber was for, although I was surprised when it was Azeriea's form that appeared and not Reyoln's as I had expected.
"Hello Robert." The VI said as it came online "I see you have made it to the Biological Lab."
"Yeah." I replied "I'm just curious, what's this chamber for?"
"The chamber is designed to expose people to what you call Element Zero."
I glanced over at the chamber, a small grin forming on my face as my mind started filling in the blacks "To create Biotics I would assume."
"Yes, what you call Biotics our race mastered centuries ago and knowing the benefits of such abilities perfected ways of accessing the element zero without the need for technology, however not all members of our race had the nodules in our bodies, so our scientists began studying ways of creating those nodules safely in those who did not have them."
I turned my gaze back to the VI "We're you successful?" I asked.
"After several long years of research yes, this chamber however is configured to be used by humans." The VI answered.
"Humans?" I repeated.
"Yes, once we discovered your reality and decided to bring someone from there here we began reconfiguring the chamber to work on human physiology on the assumption that having the abilities provided by Element Zero exposure would assist in the battle with the Reapers, if the individual of course chose to go through with the procedure." Azeriea's VI answered.
Now I will admit that I was pretty much ready to jump straight into the thing and do it, because hey who doesn't want to have Biotics right? Luckily I refrained from that since I got the impression that there was probably a catch, I mean there always is right?
"It can't be that simple though, there must be risks."
"There are. Although creating the nodules of Element Zero in the body is a simple thing to do, allowing someone to tap into them and use them naturally without the use of technology requires several alterations to the nervous system. If you are considering it I can say that it is highly unlikely that anything will go wrong, but the risk is always there."
I nodded as I glanced back at the chamber, mentally weighing up the options, before coming to the conclusion that if it could help in the fight with the Reapers then it was worth the risk.
"So how does it work?" I asked.
"The entire process is automated, if you decide to go through with the procedure, simply enter the chamber and sit in the chair. My program with begin the process. Restraints in the table will secure you before you will be injected with a serum to render you unconscious, at which point several serums will be injected into your body and begin to rewrite parts of your genetic code to allow for the formation of Element Zero nodes.
Then your central nervous system will be altered to allow the Element Zero to pass through your body without causing harm to you. The final stage will expose you to high amounts of Element Zero we collected and stored here before we died."
I blinked as my mind processed all of that before determining that I really wished I hadn't asked. "Okay then." Was the only thing I could think of to reply.
"You should be aware however that there is a chance that the procedure will not work at all, as I stated, despite our advances in technology and our study of Humans, this process has never been tested before."
"Well as long as it doesn't kill me…" I muttered.
"There are safety systems in place to ensure that that will not happen, if it does not work your nervous system will still function normally but the nodules that store element zero simply will not form."
Glancing back at the chamber I took a deep breath and sighed "Oh what the hell…" I muttered "Let's do it."
I entered the chamber and sat down on the chair, watching as the door sealed and locked. The chamber started to hum as it powered up, before large metal restraints slid out from somewhere on the chair and locked over my arms, chest and legs. A few mental images of various horror movies I had seen flashed through my mind's eye. However before I could start to worry about it I felt a prick in my neck and before I knew it I was out cold.
I stood in the centre of a street watching as what I assumed were Prothean's in their natural form running through the streets as they were chased by Husks. The Prothean military forces proving support and cover fire for the civilians as they made their way through the streets, searching for safety.
I turned in a circle as I saw Husks and Prothean's drop like flies, the life being extinguished from them as the fighting continued, while buildings burned all around me. I heard a loud yet distinctively familiar noise howling in the air, forcing me to look skyward in time to see a Reaper descending through the clouds, its long arms expanding as it prepared to land. To say it was huge would be a gigantic understatement.
From the centre a large red light started to glow, and judging from the other Reaper's I could see in the distance knew it was a weapon. Around me other Prothean's had noticed it as well and were pointing and yelling to retreat.
The Reaper fired and I could only watch as the red laser carved its way through the sky, through buildings to the ground, ripping up the concrete, Husks and Prothean's in its path like a hot knife through butter, annihilating anything and everything in its path of destruction.
The beam stopped for what I could only guess was a recharge as the few survivors who managed to avoid it started running like hell for whatever cover they could find, although having seen that Reaper beam in action I doubt that anywhere would be safe from it.
As the scrambled to get away from the machine it fired again, killing everybody as it's beam fired again before heading towards where I was standing…
I bolted upright in a blind panic, feeling my heart beating so fast I thought it was going to burst through my chest. My head spun in every direction faster than it would seem my brain could take to process what I was seeing, before I eventually realised that I was back in the chamber within the lab.
Closing my eyes I tried to take some deep breaths to calm myself down, realising that what I had experienced was the vision from the beacon of the Prothean's destruction. I ran my slightly shaky hands through my hair and over my face as I felt my heart beat start to slow down and slowly stood up, trying to push the residual images of the vision out of my mind for the time being and started walking towards the chamber door, watching it open with a click and a slight hiss as I approached.
Stepping out of the chamber I saw Azeriea's VI waiting for me and tilted my neck from side to side, hearing it click in the process, something I do whenever I'm about to go into a fight…or when I'm nervous.
"Hello Robert, how do you feel?" the VI asked, although I assumed it was more an inquiry related to the chamber experiment than anything else, which I had actually forgotten about due to the vision I had witnessed while I was unconscious.
Taking a moment to think on that, I realised that I felt perfectly fine "I feel fine." I answered and watched as the VI pointed towards a round shape on the floor, which I had failed to notice when I had first entered the room.
"Please stand there for me, it will activate a scanner which will tell us if the procedure was successful."
With a nod I walked over and stood in the centre of the circle, watching as it started to glow a light blue around the edge before another light descended from above me and started running over me. As the scan continued a hologram appeared infront of me, this one of a human skeletal structure, which I assumed was me. Now I'm not a doctor but everything appeared to look normal to me.
"So…?" I asked Azeriea once the scan has finished.
"You are in perfect physical health Robert, however it would appear as though the procedure was not successful, despite the changes to your nervous system, there are no indications of Element Zero nodules present in your body." The VI replied.
Although I had to admit I was a little disappointed I shook it off, after all you can't really miss what you never had "Well it was worth a shot anyway, and it didn't kill me which is always a plus."
"There was never a possibility that the procedure would kill you."
"I know it was just a…never mind." I replied as I headed towards the exit.
Next I decided to head to the weapons lab, the place that would definitely suit me better, although I was in for disappointment since when I arrived the lab was empty. With a sigh I realised why Reyoln's VI had meant when he said that I would have to prepare.
Leaving the Weapon's Lab I decided to check out the Production facility, although I didn't expect to find much there either. It seemed that whatever resources the Prothean's did have here had been used up a long time ago.
The entrance to the facility looked like a large reception area, illuminated with white lights. The walls were the same silver metal as the rest of the facility I had seen so far. There was a flash of colour to my right and turned to see Azeriea's VI appear.
"Welcome to the production facility. Due to our distance from the rest of our worlds and the secretive nature of our work, this facility was designed to help up produce anything we may have needed for our work. However as the war continued, resources started to dwindle and the facility was shut down for many years.
The facility was divided into different sections, each which focussed on a specific area. Weapon Lab, Technological Lab and Starship Production." Azeriea said.
I nodded "That could come in handy."
"I am afraid I must deliver some bad news Robert." Azeriea announced "There was an explosion in the weapon labs which also destroyed the Starship production facility as well and with the extinction of the rest of our race it is impossible to repair them."
I almost yelled in frustration as I turned to glare at the VI "So pretty much all the help you could give me is pretty much a vision of how your race was annihilated, something that Shepard will probably get anyway. You really aren't making this easy for me."
The VI did not reply. With a sigh and a shake of my head I looked away from it and looked around the room "What about the Tech lab?" I asked.
"The Technological Lab is located on the other side of the facility, far enough away from the other two to avoid the explosion. It is where we manufactured the box we sent you, as well as your mother's pendant."
I nodded but since technology really isn't my strong suit I didn't really feel the need to explore it and turned on my heel to leave.
"There is something in the Tech lab for you." Azeriea's VI said, causing me to stop and turn to look at it.
"Oh?"
"Yes, we did not bring you here and leave you with nothing to assist you. What you will find in there will help you."
I looked at the VI for a moment before replying "So what it is?"
Instead of answering me, I watched as the door on the wall opposite me opened to reveal what appeared to be an elevator leading to the Tech lab. I glanced over at the VI in time to see it disappear.
"So I guess I'm going down there then." I muttered as I walked over to the elevator and stepped inside.
It didn't take long to descend into the lab and stepped out into a large open room, lined with several computers along either side of the room and a large machine in the centre of it, which I assumed was used to actually fabricate whatever they created.
However I didn't see anything that could help me and wondered what the VI had meant when it said there was something down here for me. I took a step forward to explore the room when a bright green light filled the room.
Lifesign detected, analysing…
I heard a voice say and glanced around the room, looking for something and wishing I had a weapon, the thought entering my head that maybe, just maybe I had been tricked but before I could react the voice spoke again.
Species: Human, Analysing DNA…DNA Pattern recognised…
"Okaaay." I muttered as the green light seemed to contract, instead focussing on a single point a few paces in front of me and took the form of another VI, this one green in colour instead of the orange form that Reyoln and Azeriea's had taken.
Hello Robert Kincaid, it is good to finally meet you. I am glad you decided to come to this reality and help defend it from the Reapers.
I blinked as the VI spoke to me "Uh…I'm glad to hear that." I replied. "If I may ask, who are you?"
I am Delta. The VI answered.
"Delta." I repeated "And you were created to assist me I'm told."
That is correct.
"Well I guess having a Prothean VI could come in handy." I thought allowed.
You are mistaken Robert Kincaid, I am not a VI, I am an AI.
"You're an AI?" I asked.
That is correct, I was created to provide you with information and help guide you during your assimilation into this reality. I am also capable of adapting as I am exposed to new data.
"So you're a sentient AI then?" I asked.
That is correct.
"Well uh…no offence but if this reality is anything like I expect it to be then the people here do have a good reason for fearing AI's."
I assume you are referring to the Geth. I was created by the Prothean's to help you, that is my purpose.
I paused, thinking of what to say next as I knew the AI wasn't understanding what I was saying "I know that it's what you were created to do, but I guess what I'm asking is, is it what you want to do?" and watched as the AI seemed to think about it.
Robert Kincaid, you gave up your existence in your own reality to come here and assist this reality, you were not programmed to do so. It was your choice to make. May I ask you a question?
I looked at the AI and nodded "Sure."
What would you do if I was to say no?
"I uh…" I paused "I don't know what you mean. Do you mean in terms of preparing for and fighting the Reapers or in regards of what I would do with you?"
There was a pause as the AI seemed to think about it. Both.
"Well…" I began, taking a deep breath "I was only told you were created a few minutes before I came down here into this lab so I wasn't expecting to have an AI helping me before so I guess I would do whatever I could, the way I might have originally done it…if that makes sense." I said with a frown. "As for you…I honestly don't know."
There was another pause as the AI flickered.
When I was created I was not given a choice until you gave me one. Free will is a choice that all sentient species, be they organic, synthetic or electronic have. The Reaper's do not give species the choice to live or not, they simply destroy. Before you gave me the choice I did not know what free will was, besides a definition of the word. You chose to come to this reality and help stop the Reapers did you not?
"I did." I replied.
Then I choose to help you Robert Kincaid.
I nodded "Thank you Delta, I think I'm going to need it. I'm already feel like I'm in over my head here."
Understandable given the situation.
"So uh…I take it you can leave this room then?" I asked.
I can.
The AI glanced to a metallic table to my left, and I watched as a small section of the table top slid open and a small…well it looked like a micro-sd card appeared.
I can download my program into this datachip, you can then insert me into an Omni-Tool should you procure one, if not I can be integrated into certain forms of Armour assuming they have a VI interface, as well as any system inside this facility.
"Good to know, well I'll take the chip for now and you can download yourself into it when we leave."
Understood Robert Kincaid.
When the AI said that I knew I had to add something "Oh and Delta?"
Yes?
"You can just call me Robert."
As you wish, I will upload myself into the main computer system now.
I watched as Delta's image flickered and disappeared as he uploaded himself to the main system, and turned to head for the elevator and took it to the main facility entrance and heading back to the control room, where I had first arrived.
"So Rob, let's recap." I said aloud as I walked down the corridor "Your in what was once a fictional reality, you have no guns, no armour, the only help you have is a 50,000 year old Prothean AI and the thing you came here to help stop won't occur for another 7 years…" I paused and shook my head with a snort "I feel like I'm stuck in a bad fan fiction story...Well I guess as far as new beginnings go, it could be worse."