Chapter 10: Harbinger

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A woman with a young child in her arms, hair on fire, runs towards me screaming "You were supposed to save us!" I turn away in horror and saw a world burning, mountains of blackened corpses, the smell of roasted flesh, and the taste of ashes in my mouth. I hear far off maniacal laughter in my head. It gets louder and louder until I realize that it is coming from me. A voice deeper than the earth itself boomed THEY WILL CURSE YOUR NAME IN THE END.

I felt the taste of blood in my mouth as I struggled awake. The Reactor Core Module was full of acrid smoke and I am covered in blood and body parts

"Warning Collision imminent" The Project VI stated blandly

I shook myself awake and staggered to my feet.

"Warning Collision imminent" it repeated

I tried to focus bleary-eyed on the workstation.

"VI how long before collision…?" I managed to croak.

"Collision in 28 minutes 14 seconds" it replied calmly.

I activated the communications panel

"Joker I need a pick-up now!" I barked

"Communications damaged" said the VI

"Damn it!"

I have to get to a shuttle, it's my only chance

"Where are the shuttles?" I asked

"The remaining shuttles are located in the docking area next to the communications tower" The VI said.

I ran as fast as I could through the maze of corridors connecting the Reactor Control Module with the airlock nearest the docking area. Reaching the airlock, I gave my suit a last quick check to make sure all the damage it had taken had been sealed and then entered the airlock and depressurised it. I stepped outside into the docking area and instantly ran into a hail of fire.

I had naively assumed that I had seen the last of Kenson's guards but now I found myself with a squad of at least eight in excellent defensive positions between me and the last shuttle. The Alpha Relay hung in the night's sky impossibly close, beautiful and mesmerising but I didn't have any time to enjoy the view as I came under deadly suppressant fire from multiple directions.

Just then there was the roar of engines and the last shuttle took off throwing the squad into despair. Apparently they hadn't expected to be left behind to sacrifice themselves. Taking advantage of their distraction I emerged from cover and gunned down three guards while flanking the remaining ones. Back under cover I snapped another thermal into my Mattock and began sniping at them. Precious minutes were lost as they didn't seem especially keen to come out of cover but eventually another six bodies lay crumpled and bleeding.

With no shuttle my only hope was to contact the Normandy. I reached the Communications Tower and activated the terminal.

"External Com Channel open" the VI said

I smiled to myself finally something going my way "Shepard to Normandy, Joker do you read me?" I said.

Suddenly the air shimmered with glowing light and again my head was filled with oily indecipherable whispers. In a moment the glowing light resolved itself into a menacing figure towering massively above me, the strange yet oddly familiar crustacean-like form of a Reaper. Its multiple arms unfolded and it glared at me with pure hatred. My head felt like it was being crushed, buried under the weight of tons of black lead and I fell to my knees groaning in agony.

"SHEPARD" Harbinger said infinite coldness "YOU HAVE BECOME AN ANNOYANCE. YOU FIGHT AGAINST INEVITABILITY, DUST STRUGGLING AGAINST COSMIC WINDS. THIS SEEMS LIKE A VICTORY TO YOU, A STAR SYSTEM SACRIFICED BUT EVEN NOW YOUR GREATEST CIVILISATIONS ARE DOOMED TO FALL. YOUR LEADERS WILL BEG TO SERVE US"

"Maybe you are right." I said quietly stumbling to my feet "Maybe we can't win this but we'll fight you regardless, just like we did Sovereign, just like I'm doing now however 'insignificant' we might be." I jabbed a fist towards the towering figure "We will fight, we will sacrifice and we will find a way. That's what humans do."

Harbinger paused for a moment as if considering my words "KNOW THIS AS YOU DIE IN VAIN. YOUR TIME WILL COME, YOUR SPECIES WILL FALL. PREPARE YOURSELVES FOR THE ARRIVAL" it said folding its arms back into its body and with one final glare, vanished.

As the image of the Reaper faded the glare of another towering image caught my attention. The Alpha Relay was now so close I felt I could almost reach out and touch it. I could now see it growing bigger every second, its massive, blue-glowing element zero core like a malevolent eye staring down at me

"Commander Shepard, Normandy in-bound for pick-up" a familiar voice said.

"Roger that Joker" I sad urgently.

A slowly moving point of light against the infinite dark turned and began to grow rapidly resolving itself into the familiar graceful bird like shape of the Normandy. As my ship slowed and approached the docking bay, I ran as fast as my cybernetically enhanced legs could carry me, knowing we had only a matter of minutes before the asteroid hit. I reached the airlock almost as soon as the ship stopped moving and it swung open to let me in.

I ran to the cockpit, limbs protesting with exhaustion

"Get us out of here Joker!" I shouted.

"Hold on Commander" he said with a smirk "This is going to be quite a ride"

The ship roared at maximum thrust towards the great blue eye closely followed by the immensity of the asteroid. Great arcs of energy hundreds of miles long passed between the relay and it nemesis and instantly I was reminded about the story of David slaying the giant Goliath with a stone. With seconds to spare, Joker entered the relay and we were suddenly thousands of light years away and out of danger.

I silently thanked whatever gods that may exist and stumbled back into the CIC past my astonished crew, pausing for a moment to look at the galaxy map. As I watched I saw the spot that was the Bahak system grew brighter and expand before finally disappearing altogether.

THEY WILL CURSE YOUR NAME IN THE END

A/N One final chapter to go. Thanks for all comments and reviews