Plot: Shepard is briefed on Symbiote. Surprise
The Story now:
Harbinger had other plans besides Shepard. While no species where more interesting then the humans, Harbinger decided to use even more brute force to make the galaxy submit in fear. He knew Shepard was resisting so he made a choice. Make Shepard submit forcibly
He possessed a soldier and walked toward an area of high collector concentration. In the center of the Collector horde, he approached a Krogan.
The Krogan was heavily wounded and yelled in rage swinging his arms for something to hit, but was held back by the large number of Collectors.
Harbinger looked at the Krogan and reached for a long cylindrical container.
"Weyrloc Guld, you are going to be given a choice," said Harbinger.
"WHEN We found you, YOU WERE nothing more then a weak Krogan, ready to accept death. NOW You will now be given a choice for your ascension. You will either submit and enjoy the power i am giving you, or you can let it slowly consume you until you are a shell of your former self, OR YOU COULD SIMPLY DIE"
Guld looked at the strange creature in front of him, thinking of his choices. 'Power? What kind of power?'. Eventually the Krogan decided to accept the offer. He went to his knees and stared at the creatures face
"...Give it to me"
Harbinger gave a demonic chuckle, put the container on his chest and clicked a button. The button released a Symbiote, which quickly attached itself to him, slowly pouring and spreading its brownish/chrome frame all over him. All the while the Krogan screamed, then turned into a demonic screech, his eyes turning red. Now fully consumed by the creature and indoctrinated, he looked at the collector.
"What will you have me do?"
Shepard was outside of the Normandy, along with its entire crew. Grunt had been given ample amounts of medigel and was back up. Shepard had briefed them on what he knew and Mordin explained the function of the Symbiote to him.
"Its taking over my body?" asked Shepard, now used to the pain and ignoring it
"Gravely, yes. Fact that you still here mentally and physically is amazing"
Shepard thought to himself. 'Not completely doc'. Shepard then remembered what he initially wanted to ask Mordin
"Please Mordin, tell me. Can you stop it?"
The crew listened closely, but no one paid more attention to Mordin then Tali and Shepard
Mordin looked at them, beginning to sweat. He was afraid of this question and was never prepared to give an answer.
"Initial tests results are pending have not had much luck in tests, resistant to everything, even sonic sound waves. Have taken necessary pr-"
"MORDIN CAN YOU GET RID OF IT!" replied Shepard, violently glowing blue
Mordin accepted that he would finally have to answer
"...no"
Shepard lowered his head, Tali grabbed him by his shoulder, squeezed it tightly, giving a very worried look. The crew looked at each other, uncertain of how to act, but all of them felt saddened by the news.
"... I...am sorry Shepard. Tools in lab tested everything, resistant to everything, unscratched by everything. No remedy or medicine worked. Had tried burning it, no luck. Had tried freezing it, no luck. Am fearing this may be irreversible, however,"
With that everyone looked at him, hope in their eyed. They thought it was good news. They where wrong
"... Only known way to remove symbiote is... death"
Delta (Guld) was sent after Shepard. He would either kill Shepard and become the next Collector Champion, or get killed by Shepard, but complete Shepard's transformation.
Either way, it couldn't wait. He reached the planet, screeched and jumped out.
Everyone looked, in shock except Shepard. He knew that the answer he heard was coming.
"... Die huh? ..." He didn't know what else to say. He couldn't say anything in front of Tali. Making her cry by his decision was the last thing he wanted to do, but it had to be done.
"Yes. Death will kill both symbiote and host. Only known way... sorry Shepard"
Shepard turned to face Tali and put a hand on her 'cheek' and whispered to her
"Tali... you know I love you..."
Tali knew what was coming
"You know that I want to protect you... you know that I will do what I can to defeat the Reapers... but,"
There it was. She started crying, launching herself into, what could be the last hug she would ever share with her commander. Her friend. Her love. He returned the embrace, saying things that only she could hear. He soon started having tears in his eyes. They stood there for several seconds, before he continued his talk with her
".. You have to understand. As long as I'm alive I'm a threat to the galaxy," 'funny' he thought to himself. 'Just two days ago i was its savior'. ," I need to do this. Its the... only...way..."
When he finished he once again embraced her. Tali hadn't stopped crying for several minutes. As they embraced, Shepard felt a knock on his shoulder. Garrus.
Garrus had a sad 'smile' on his face
"Commander... its been a good ride... I was glad to... be a part of it"
"No Garrus. The rides still going... but I'm getting off" replied Shepard with a sad grin
"I know I should be sad here, Shepard, but that line was corny" replied Garrus, returning the grin.
Garrus walked away and Tali increased her grip on Shepard
"You cant to this! You cant die! Not again! Not after all we've been through! Please...please"
She started sinking to her knees, slowly repeating 'please'
"Tali" he gently replied lifting her up.
"I wont kill myself, not right away. I am going to try and find someway to get rid of this" he gestured to himself
"Tali, you've made me the happiest man in the world. You've given me much more then I could have ever hoped for. As of now, you are the commander of the Normandy"
Miranda stepped in
"Shepard, you cant just give your rank away. Its not that simple. Peo-"
Shepard gave her a glare that made her wish she hadn't spoken out earlier. With that Miranda sank back, angry, but still sad for him
"Tali please... you have to let me go... its the only way..."
Tali wouldn't stop crying ,never relaxing her grip from him.. Shepard gestured to two female crew members then at Tali, a sad look on her face.
The crew members came near Tali and both grabbed her arms
"Shepard what happening?"
"...Take her to her cabin... lock her in there for an hour or until you take off... whichever stops her from coming for me"
Tali was resisting, shouting his name and crying out to him. Her screams of sorrow, of abandonment, of betrayal had sunk into him like daggers
He looked up into the sky, inhaled then turned to look at the crew
"Get into the ship. Leave the planet. Don't come back"
With that the crew said their quick farewells and entered the ship
Joker and the reset of Shepard's assault crew (Ex: Thane, Samara, Jack, etc) were the last to leave, most giving the commander a long salute and goodbye's, while others gave punches to the shoulder and 'colorful' farewells.
As they left, he could still hear the yells of Tali, even through the ships metal frame
"SHEPARD! SHEPARD! Shepard!"
The noise of her shouts died down as the ship left
He stared into the sky, watching them leave
'I said I would build you a house on your planet, just as your father had'
He turned around and started walking.
'I'll try to fulfill it. I'll find a way' he said, staring at his new body through a puddle nearby.
