a/n: I just finished playing Leviathan and let me say OMFG! The game play wasn't anything new but the story, LOVED IT. I won't say more because I don't want to ruin it for anyone. As for my game dialogue.. you tube is my friend. You can find the entire game ready at you fingertips to pause, rewind, and replay. I do change the dialogue up some because I don't see Shepard standing there and asking every tiny question. She's more of a give me what I need and let's get it done kinda person. That and I feel that sometimes the conversation is a little draggy and not needed. Here's the rest of Virmire, I hope you guys enjoy it.
-brittsis
"Thank you for speaking with the Krogan." Kirrahe gave her a polite nod when she approached him. "the assault on Saren's base will be difficult enough."
"I assume you have a plan then?"
"Of sorts." Kirrahe answered, "We can convert our ship's drive system into a twenty kiloton ordinates. Crude but effective."
"Nice drop that nuke from orbit and Saren can kick his Turian ass goodbye." Ashley grinned.
Kirrahe shook his head. "Unfortunately the facility is to well fortified for orbital bombardment. We'll need to place the bomb at a precise location."
"Where and how?" Rae asked with a raised brow.
"It must be taken to the far side of the facility. Your ship can drop it off. But we'll need to infiltrate the base, disable the AA guns, and pacify any ground forces first."
"You want us to go on foot?!" Kaidan exclaimed in disbelief. "We don't have enough men."
"It does sound risky Captain." Rae frowned in thought. "Is there no other way?"
Kirrahe shook his head, "No, but I think we can work around that. I'm going to divide my men into three teams and hit the front of the facility. While we got their attention, you can sneak a shadow team in the back."
"That's a good idea but there will be heavy loses."
"We're tougher than we look Commander and there is no other choice. The mission must come first."
Rae could understand that, having been confronted with the same situation time and time before. She sighed, "Victory no matter the costs."
"Which makes what I'm about to ask difficult. I need one of your men to accompany me to help coordinate the teams."
Rae's gut fell. It was a suicide mission, no other words for it. The chances of coming back alive were slim but it needed to be done. Rae closed her eyes and closed off part of herself. She'd done this before but preferred to be the one rushing into trouble.
"I volunteer Commander." Kaidan stepped forward.
Ashley shook her head and stepped forward as well. "Not so fast LT. Commander Shepard will need you to arm the nuke. I'll go with the Salarians."
"With all do respect…"
"Bullshit!" Ashley interrupted and the two started to bicker between each other.
"Clam it both of you!" Rae growled, causing them to snap to attention. "Alenko, I know shit about electronics and need you on the nuke. Williams, you'll go with the Captain. No heroics Chief, understood?"
"Yes Ma'am!" Ashley saluted her, chin high.
Wrex had insisted on coming along, even knowing he'd be fighting his own kind. Rae had picked Tali because she was there expert hacker and Geth expert. It was Rae's hope that the Quarian would be able to extract another Geth memory core and get another lead on Saren. Her gut told her that this wouldn't be the end and Raegan always trusted her gut.
They cut the Geth's communication, took out the satellite, destroyed the flyers, and triggered the alarm all in hope of lessoning the load on Kirrahe and Ashley. It had taken time and the fighting was difficult at times but Rae wanted to do everything she could. They made their way through the labs, horrified by what they found. Not only had Saren cloned Krogan but he had been experimenting on the Salarians. It disgusted her and hardened her resolve to destroy the Turian.
They entered the office to find an Asari cowering behind the desk. The girl cried and held her hands up in surrender. "Don't shoot! Please I don't want to die."
"Who are you and what are you doing here?" Rae demanded, following her movements with her gun.
"Rana Thanoptis, neurology specialist." She explained, moving closer. "This job isn't worth dieing over or worst. You think the indoctrination only affects prisoners? Sooner or later Saren will want to dissect my brain too."
"You helped him and didn't know why?" Tali asked.
"I didn't have the option of negotiating. This position is a little more permanent than I excepted." Rana tried to explain, her voice growing desperate. "But I can help you! This elevator behind me goes to Saren's private lab. I can get you in."
Rana walked over, taping commands into the panel. The light turned green and she smiled at Rae. "See, full access, all of Saren's files. Are we good? Can I go?"
Rae thought about it, trying to decide what to do with the Asari. Something seemed off about the woman but she'd been cooperative. Rae nodded, "I suggest you start running. We're going to set off a nuke and level this place."
Rana choked in surprise then hurried out, causing Wrex to chuckle. "Nice Shepard."
"It's up to fate now whether she lives or not." Rae sighed. "Let's go, I want to finish this."
They moved into the elevator and made the trip in silence. Once they emerged from it's confines, Rae signaled for them to fan out. It was only a couple seconds until Tali called out. Rae rushed to her side and stopped at the sight before her. It was another beacon, just like Eden Prime. Frowning, she moved forward and messed with the interface until it activated. She lifted into the air and the vision started. Image after image was burned into her brain. The message just out of reach, still a jumbled mess. Pain exploded in her head but this time she remained conscious.
"Shepard!" Tali knelt beside her when she fell to the ground.
Rae shook her vision clear and held out a hand. "I'm fine."
"You don't look fine." Wrex grumbled and hauled her to her feet, keeping a steadying hand on her shoulder.
"I said I'm fine." Rae growled and stepped away. She hated appearing weak and the beacon had only made everything worse. She still didn't understand what the beacon had given her and the migraine just behind her eyes blurred her vision. "Let's go."
Rae stopped at the console and waved Tali toward it. "See if you can get anything off that."
Tali got to work only to have the controls lock and Saren's ship appear. "You are not Saren."
Rae frowned and pulled Tali away, stepping in front of her. "This isn't right."
"Rudimentary creatures of blood and flush. You touch my mind, fumbling in ignorance." It computerized voice seemed to echo her in mind as it filled the room. "Incapable of understanding."
"I don't think that's a VI Shepard." Tali spoke softly behind her.
"There is a realm of existence so far beyond your own you can not even imagine it. I am beyond your comprehension. I am Sovereign."
"You're not just some Reaper ship Saren found!" Rae lifted her shotgun, aiming it at the interface. "You're a Reaper!"
"Reaper? A label created by the Protheans to give voice to their destruction. In the end, what they choose to call us is irrelevant. We simply are."
"That was fifty thousand years ago. Not even the Asari live that long." Wrex replied, eyes narrowing.
"Organic life is nothing but a genetic mutation. An accident. Your lives are measured in years. In decades you wither and die. We are eternal, the pinnacle of evolution and existence. Before us are nothing. Your extinction is inevitable. We are the end of everything."
"There is an entire galaxy of races united and ready to face you." Rae replied, taking a step forward.
"Confidence born of ignorance. The cycle can not be broken."
"It can and it will." Rae growled. "I've heard enough."
Rae pumped a few shells into the interface, causing Sovereign to scream. The sound was deafening. It shattered the windows and caused the building to shake. When everything had settled, Joker spoke over the coms. "Commander, we got trouble."
"What is it now?" Rae snapped.
"That ship Sovereign? It's moving. I don't know what you did down there but that ship just pulled a turn that would shear one of our ships in half. It's coming your way and it's coming hard. You need to wrap things up in there fast."
"Great." Rea growled and went back to the elevator. "We're going to the breeding facility; time to blow this place to hell."
"Right Commander, I'll meet you there. Joker out." Joker closed the comms just as they started the elevator.
Rae helped Kaidan place the bomb, both careful not to shake it to much. Kirrahe had said it was stable but anything jerry rigged spelled bad news to her. It saddened her to nuke such a beautiful planet but they had no choice. The mission had to be completed, no matter the cost.
"Commander do you read me?" Ashley called out.
"The nuke is ready Williams. Get to the rendezvous point." Rae responded.
"Negative Commander. The Geth have us pinned down on the AA tower. We've taken heavy losses." Kaidan explained, the sound of gun fire overpowering his voice. "We'll never make it to the rendezvous point in time."
Rae cursed, waving at Tali and Wrex as she headed for the door. "Hang tight Williams. Back up is on the way."
"Negative, just make sure the nuke is set. We'll hold them as long as we…"
"I gave you orders Williams." Rae growled as she opened the door. "Alenko, get the nuke ready then get out of here. We'll meet you at the rendezvous point."
"Yes Ma'am."
They fought through the Geth and Krogan trying to cut them off. Rae cleared the elevator, urging it to go faster. They reached the top and a Geth transport flew over their heads.
"Heads up LT. We just spotted a troop ship headed to your location." Ashley called out a warning.
"It's already here. There's Geth pouring out all over the bomb site." Kaidan confirmed, causing Rae to pause.
"Can you hold them off?"
"There's too many. I don't think we can survive until you get here. I'm activating the bomb."
Rae growled, "What the hell you doing Alenko?"
"I'm just making sure this bomb goes off. No matter what." Kaidan paused for a minute while he worked. "It's done Commander. Go get Williams and get the hell out of here."
"Screw that! We can handle ourselves. Go back and get Alenko." Ashley argued back.
"Did you both forget I'm the Commanding officer here? Now shut the hell up!" Rae turned to Tali, "What are the chances that the Geth can deactivate the bomb?"
"Very high Commander. The Geth are very skilled engineers."
Rae had no choice, the bomb had to go off so it would need to be protected. "Joker, change of rendezvous. Meet us back at the bomb site."
"Yes Ma'am."
"Alenko, I'm heading your way, hand tight. No arguments, I don't want to hear them." Rae went back into the elevator and began her decent.
"Yes Commander… I…"
Ashley interrupted him, "You know it's the right choice LT."
"Fight hard Chief, die proud." It was the only order she could give. There was no sugar coating it. Ashley would die this day and Rae wouldn't disillusion the woman.
"Aye Aye Commander." Ashley responded.
They returned to the site to find it overrun with troopers and several primes. Tali overloaded the closest while Wrex and Rae let out a war cry. They rushed into battle bathed in biotics. Both their first collided with the first prime, sending it flying into the second. They collapsed in a tangled mess while Rae threw a grenade. One of the fuel tanks exploded, killing half the troops in the fire.
The primes disentangled themselves and took aim. Rae threw up her barrier, taking the brunt of the attack. She gritted her teeth and warped the head, letting out a call of victory when it's head crumbled under the force killing the unit. The other one charged it guns as Rae rushed forward. Her shotgun tore through it's shields just as Wrex tossed a grenade. Rae rolled out of the way and ducked as the prime exploded.
The three of them picked off the remaining troops before Rae checked on Alenko. He was unconscious but still breathing. His shields were depleted and he had a gun wound to the leg. Blood had soaked through his armor and started to color the water. He would need medical attention. Rae applied medi gel just as Wrex called out her name. She lifted her head to see Saren arrive.
"About time bastard." Rae grumbled and got to her feet, her barrier absorbing his pistol shots. She took aim, firing shotgun shells into his shields. They were at a stalemate weapon wise.
"This has been an impressive diversion Shepard." Saren spoke calmly while they circled each other. "My Geth were certain that the Salarians were the real threat. Of course it was all for nothing. I can't let you upset what I have accomplished here. You can't possibly understand what is at stake."
"Sovereign and the Reapers destroyed the Protheans. Now they want to destroy us and you're helping them. What else is there to understand?" Rae asked, brow tight in concentration.
"You've seen the vision from the beacons Shepard. You of all people should understand what the Reapers are capable of. They cannot be stopped. Do not mire yourself in pointless revolt. Do not sacrifice everything for the sake of petty freedoms. The Protheans tried to fight and they were utterly destroyed. Trillions dead, but what if they had bowed before the invaders? Would the Protheans still exist? Is submission not preferable to extinction?"
"I'd rather die than live under the rule of those machines."
"And now you see why I never came forward with this to the council. We organics are driven by emotion instead of logic."
Rae shook her head. "It's that emotion that sets us apart from machines. It's what drives us."
Saren's mandibles flared as he growled. "Will you not listen to reason? We must submit and make ourselves useful or die."
"You were a SPECTRE. You were sworn to defend the galaxy. Then you broke that vow trying to save yourself."
":I'm not doing this for myself!" Saren all but yelled, taking a step forward. "Don't you see? Sovereign will succeed! It is inevitable. My way is the only way any of us will survive. I'm forging an alliance between us and them; between organics and machines. And in doing so, I will save more lives than have ever existed."
Saren paused, watching her for a moment. "But you would undo my work. You would doom our entire civilization to complete and utter annihilation. And for that you must die!"
Biotics bathed his body as he launched at her. His claws scrapped across her armor, breaking her barrier. Rae grabbed his wrist and used his momentum to toss his down. Her boot lifted and slammed down, hitting nothing as he rolled away. Rae pulled out a knife and stepped into a stab, the blade skating over his protected chest. She spun out of his grasp and hit him in the back with a throw. She pulled out her sidearm and took aim, blowing the last fuel tank behind him.
The explosion rocked the platform, knocking her aside. She got to her hands and knees, shaking the ringing from her ears just as the bases alarm system sounded. They had only minutes until the bomb would detonate.
"Another time Shepard!" Saren growled, leaving the battlefield. Rae tried to take aim, his shields were depleted and his armor weakened in many places, but her vision was too blurred from the days events.
The Normandy flew over head and Rae rushed over to Kaidan. She ordered her crew on board as she threw the man on her shoulder. As soon as they were clear, the hatch closed behind them and thrusters engaged.
"Hold onto your hat." Joker called over the system as he rocketed out of atmosphere just in time to avoid the blast.
"Go to the Citadel Joker. We'll drop off our guests first." Rae gave the order before taking Kaidan to the elevator.
"Yes Ma'am. ETA seven hours."