Chapter Ten
Broken Horizons
Horizon
If there was one thing Shepard didn't think he'd be doing it was following a geth into battle willingly. Legion had offered to go ahead and scout out the area he and Garrus got ready to test Mordin's countermeasure against the swarms. The data gathered when Kaidan fought them off with his biotics proved to be incredibly valuable but for the moment Shepard wanted to see if Mordin could wave his magic.
Once they touched down onto the colony Shepard felt his stomach drop. There weren't any signs of life from the outskirts and the deeper they went into the place the more Shepard worried for the colonists. Once they reached the inner part of the colony that was when the first Collector came into sight.
Legion was armed with the Black Widow, a sniper rifle Garrus tried to barter from him several times. Shepard watched as the geth took out some Collectors with single shots to the heads, tearing through muscle and armour plating with ease. So far Mordin's counter measure proved to be useful as the tiny bugs tried in vain to reach the trio making their way through the housing district.
Shepard rounded a corner and jogged up a small grassy hill. The small passageway would hopefully take him into the central hub of the colony. He glanced up at the sky as more bugs swarmed around him. The large ship still sat there, orange lightning forking around it and caressed by dark clouds. If they remained here then there was still a change they hadn't finished kidnapping all the colonists.
"Shepard-Commander, there is something you must see." Legion called to him.
"What have you got?" the soldier stopped near the geth. He glanced to where Legion was pointing. "What the hell?"
"Shepard, that's a husk." Garrus knelt down to the corpse.
"Yeah but it looks different." Shepard winced. Seeing how these things were created was truly horrific. So many people on Eden Prime had died to make them.
"But I thought the geth got this technology from Sovereign." Garrus stepped back.
"The Collectors are working for the Reapers. It makes sense they would have the Dragon's Teeth." Shepard sighed as he passed over the body. "The people who aren't taken are turned into husks. This has to end now."
"We found similar technology on the colonies within the Terminus Systems." Legion's metallic voice spoke. "Kaidan saw fit to destroy them."
"He always was sensible." Shepard smirked a little.
They entered another housing section and here Shepard finally found some of the colonists. They were frozen in place, surrounded by the swarm bugs just like on Ferris Fields. The deeper they went into the colony the more Collectors they faced. The creatures were relentless in their attacks. Shepard dodged the incoming energy beams and found shelter against a strange looking pod.
The area was littered with them and from the size and shape they were here to transport bodies. Legion and Garrus took down the majority of the beasts giving Shepard time to run through the empty living areas. Thanks to the interference from the ship his map display on his Omni-tool was a total waste. He needed to find an exit the old fashioned way.
The door at the north end of the district was sealed up. Bringing up his Omni-tool he began working on breaking through the locks while Garrus and Legion finally cleared out the area of Collectors. Some had retreated and flown back across the colony. If they were regrouping this could cause problems.
Once he got past the security locks Shepard stepped into a cool storage area filled with crates of food, building supplies and clothing. He doubted anyone in this place could fire a gun properly. The Collectors made sure none of them could put up a fight. Without warning a gunshot rang out and narrowly missed hitting Legion.
"Come out right now!" Shepard levelled his gun at some crates stacked nearby.
"T-That's a geth!" a shaky male voice cried out. "It'll kill me!"
"If it wanted you dead then why is it here and not shooting me or my friend?" Shepard asked. The shooter was obviously scared but Shepard was running out of time and he had no patience for hand holding.
"Either come out or we're going to shoot the door out." Garrus said.
"You'll let those things in here!" the man sounded hysterical.
"Then just come out and talk." The commander said smoothly.
"O-Ok." The sound of footsteps could be heard and a tall thin man appeared from behind the crates. He was still holding a pistol.
"Look, we're not going to hurt you." Shepard motioned for the others to put away their weapons.
"But that's a geth." The man shook.
"We do not wish you harm." Legion's flashlight blinked.
"Fuck! It talked!" the man stumbled back.
"We are Legion." The geth turned its eye upon Shepard. "Shall we proceed Shepard-Commander?"
"Shepard?" the man murmured. "The hero of the Citadel? What are you doing out here?"
"Those things attacking your home are called Collectors. I'm here to stop them but I need to get through here." The commander explained.
"Collectors? But I thought the Alliance made those things up." The man looked sick. "They're real?"
"Yeah and from what we saw they've taken a number of the colonists." Garrus said.
"Oh god." The man swallowed thickly. "Look, take what you need. Don't let them take my friends. That Alliance officer was probably taken too."
"What officer?" Shepard frowned.
"He came here a few weeks ago to help set the guns up. There were rumours of attacks against other colonies and the Alliance wanted to put guns here for protection." The man shook his head. "Some help they turned out to be. They use up so much power they can't fire a lot of shots."
"Can the guns still work?" Garrus asked.
"We could never regulate the power properly." The man said. "It's useless to try them."
"EDI might be able to hack the systems." Shepard said. "It's our best chance."
"Shepard-Commander, we can also attempt to hack the control system." Legion suggested.
"Garrus, see what supplies you can find here. There has to be come guns or thermal clips lying around." Shepard asked. He approached the shaken man. "It's better if you stayed in here. Lock the door once we leave."
The trio gathered up what they could for their battles then left the storage area. The next area of the colony was a construction site and indeed the AA guns were situated at the far end of the area.
From his vantage point Shepard could see the control tower for the guns but the field they were in provided little cover. The Collector ship was also right on top of them from this place. The guns would hopefully make an impact against the alien vessel enough to stop them from leaving with the colonists.
"Legion, start working on the system. Garrus and I will watch your six." Shepard took up a defensive position next to the control tower.
"We shall be quick." Legion started tapping at the control panel.
"Here they come!" Garrus spotted incoming Collectors through his scope.
"Keep them off Legion!"
Shepard and Garrus started firing at the Collectors as they descended upon the field. Both of them had seen the hacking skills of the geth before in action. They could only hope that Legion was good at that aspect of being a geth as more Collectors came from the ship in droves.
Praying that he didn't make a mistake in bringing him Shepard kept firing.
Normandy
Kaidan was more than grateful to be free of the medical bed he had been restrained to since coming back aboard the ship. Chakwas was great to talk to but he really needed to get out of this place and stretch his legs. It was surreal being back on this ship when he watched it explode two years ago.
He had to admit that Cerberus did a damn good job putting her together and in some ways she was better than the old Normandy. Joker and EDI had a bizarre camaraderie about them but he was friends with a geth so he couldn't say a thing about that. The Cerberus crew seemed a little standoffish around him but Kaidan really couldn't care what they thought. Kelly Chambers seemed nice enough but she kept giving him half lidded looks.
The engineers Donnelly and Adams were fun and offered to let him in on their card games. He felt strange not having Legion around. The metallic voice and flashlight had been constants in his life for two years. They may be helping Shepard but if any of the Cerberus scientists on board got any ideas about Legion then the biotic wouldn't hesitate to put them through the nearest wall.
EDI had said that Shepard left instructions for Kaidan to use his cabin if he wanted privacy. He felt a little guilty for going into the commander's private room like this but he wanted to see what gave Shepard some level of comfort when he was out here saving the galaxy.
The model ships and large fish tank was something Kaidan didn't expect to find. There were books and a copy of Fornax on the table causing Kaidan to stifle a laugh. There was a strange metallic sphere floating on the table.
The bed actually looked comfortable and Kaidan was tempted to try it out. After everything Shepard did to save the Citadel he deserved whatever comfort he could find. Kaidan glanced up and saw a glass ceiling granting him a view of the endless blackness dotted with countless stars.
"Enjoying the view?" a voice teased.
"Shepard." Kaidan jumped a little but smiled when he saw the commander leaning against the wall. "Quite a place you've got here."
"I'll see about putting rooms like this in Alliance ships when this is over." Shepard sat on the leather couch. He looked tired and worn but the warmth in his eyes caused butterflies to gather in Kaidan's stomach. Two years of pining didn't diminish what he felt for his old commander.
"How did Horizon go?" Kaidan sat next to him.
"Legion saved our asses." He replied. "We couldn't save the colonists Kaidan. So many of them were taken."
"But you tried." The biotic answered. "The cold truth is that you can't save everyone. And I know without a doubt you'll find a way to stop the Collectors."
"I see you still have that unwavering optimism." Shepard smirked.
"Since when was I optimistic?" Kaidan grinned back. "How's Legion?"
"Back in the AI core. I think he likes it there." Shepard reached for a glass and a bottle of brandy he kept on the table. "Want a drink?"
"Absolutely." Kaidan took the offered glass. "So where are you headed now?"
"The Illusive Man gave me more dossiers. Illium is the next port of call." Shepard downed the brandy in one gulp.
"Illium?" Kaidan had been planning on heading there. He needed to contact Mel quickly before the trial went cold.
"Doesn't your friend live there?" Shepard asked lightly.
"Yeah..." Kaidan glanced at the liquid in his glass. "When we get to Illium I need to see him. There's something I've been planning to do for a while and I think Mel's gotten the information I need."
"Where did you meet him anyway?" the commander kept his tone casual.
"We met on Illium actually. He was working as a secretary in the trade centre but he had a knack for gathering information whenever he could. The only rule on Illium is that the more information you have the high up the chain of power you're going to go." Kaidan finished his drink.
"And he's been helping you?" Shepard raised an eyebrow.
"He..." Kaidan breathed sharply. "He was hurt in the past. It was bad and when I found him I didn't think he'd survive. He's a good guy Shepard, one of the best."
"I'm glad to hear you're not alone out there." Shepard said.
He meant that but he hated that the twisted jealousy blooming in his chest didn't vanish whenever Kaidan talked about Mel. It was ridiculous but he wanted to meet this guy in person. Back on the SR-1 Kaidan had never been a people person and it took weeks of relentless questions before he finally talked openly with the commander.
"Is there anything I can help with?" Shepard asked.
"You've got the Collectors to worry about. And this is a score I need to settle." Kaidan's eyes darkened causing Shepard to pause. There was a stormy hatred in those brown depths. Just as quickly as it came the look was gone. "But thanks for the offer."
"I'm here for you Kaidan." Shepard blurted out before he could stop himself. "If you need help or someone to talk to."
"Some things never change." Kaidan smiled at him. "So what dossiers were you given?"
"A Justicar and an assassin." Shepard leaned back against the couch. "And I thought I couldn't top finding a geth for the squad."
"Shepard..." Kaidan rubbed the glass with nervous fingers. "How are you doing? I mean really, not what you tell everyone. Coming back from the dead couldn't have been easy. Do you even remember what it was like?"
For a moment Shepard couldn't find any words. No one had asked him that question since his rebirth. No one had asked if he was fine. It was stupid and selfish and he had a mission to complete but there were moments when he just wanted someone else to help him.
"Truthfully?" Shepard took a breath. "I don't remember what happened to me after the Normandy exploded. I woke up in a Cerberus lab and then it's been one mission after another."
"Taking down the Collectors distracts you from thinking about it." Kaidan surmised.
"So many people are depending on us Kaidan." Shepard closed his eyes. "Maybe when this is over I'll think about it."
Kaidan frowned but said nothing more about it. He knew that look in Shepard's eyes. It was a look he carried when Saren was trying to bring the Reapers into the galaxy. He was determined to carry this weight all by himself.
"You don't have to carry this all by yourself Shepard." Kaidan told him. His former commander raised an eyebrow. "You don't have to take to this on all by yourself."
"Yeah..." Shepard muttered. It had always been hard for him to open up to others. He was good at listening and offering advice when he could but nobody ever really asked about him and he never gave any information.
"Alright, so...what's your favourite colour?" Kaidan grinned when Shepard stared at him, his mouth open slightly.
"You're serious?" he asked.
"This is my point. You always listened when I told you about Brain Camp and Rahna. We would have followed you into hell and we did without a second thought. So I just wanna get to know you personally." Kaidan shrugged while trying to stop his face from blushing.
"So asking what my favourite colour is would be a good way to get to know me." Shepard's lips curved into a small smile.
"I didn't say that I was good at this." Kaidan replied.
"Commander." Kelly's voice interrupted them.
"What is it Kelly?" Shepard put his glass down.
"Jacob would like a word if you have a free moment." She answered.
"I'll be down in a minute." He gave Kaidan an apologetic look then left the couch. Shepard opened the cabin door but stopped for a moment. "It's blue."
"What?" Kaidan glanced at him.
"My favourite colour is blue." With that he left Kaidan alone. For a moment he did nothing then a smile began to bloom on his face.
"Good to know."
With Shepard making the rounds with his crew Kaidan found the time to visit Legion in the AI Core. People were still avoiding him whenever they could but Kaidan could hear whispers among them of how the geth openly helped the commander back on Horizon. The biotic stepped into the core chamber in time to see Legion examining something on his Omni-tool.
"So I hear you're fitting in." Kaidan leaned against the wall.
"Shepard-Commander is indeed an excellent leader on the battlefield. He allowed us to make necessary decisions against the Collectors." Legion actually sounded surprised.
"We're heading to Illium." Kaidan closed his eyes. "I have to tell him Legion."
"Explaining the situation would likely anger Shepard-Commander. Mel's very existence would be placed in jeopardy." The geth surmised.
"Shepard's gonna find out eventually." Kaidan pushed off from the wall. "I have to convince him that Mel isn't going to stab us in the back."
"We have reached consensus that Shepard-Commander must be informed of all variables." Legion approached the biotic. "We do not believe he will intentionally harm Mel."
"Never would've figured that a geth would be worried about an organic." Kaidan remarked but he looked grateful all the same. "Thanks Legion."
"EDI?" Kaidan glanced up at the ceiling.
"Yes?" her voice floated down.
"Don't say anything about this to Shepard. I want to tell him myself but you have to know that I wouldn't do anything to hurt him." The biotic said.
"Your presence on the ship has increased the commander's attitude to the mission and lowered his stress levels. You are beneficial to have on board." EDI replied. Kaidan waited for her to continue. "I shall keep this conversation private."
"Thanks EDI." Kaidan breathed out. "I mean it."
"This platform shall remain aboard the Normandy until business is concluded." Legion affirmed.
"Ok, I'll let you know how things go." Kaidan took a breath. "I hope Shepard listens. Mel's suffered enough for one lifetime."
Finished playing the EC and gotta admit that Control is my favourite ending.
Now that I've seen the EC endings I know exactly where I'm taking this story. I had writer's block with this but replaying ME3 along with the EC managed to give me a far clearer picture.
Anyway I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'll be posting soon hopefully.