Javik landed hard on the deck. He was relieved he'd worn gloves upon realizing the floor was soaked with blood. The last thing he need was to relive the memories of the dead surrounding him. He stood and looked around. The floor behind him glowed, obviously the entrance to the beam he'd arrived through. It was an efficient method of transportation he had to admit. He looked at the piles of bodies and then noticed the keeper staring at him. He approached the creature while removing one of his gloves. He touched the entity and its memories became his own.
A serene voice could be heard. "They must evolve according to our assigned path, Kill Zakitha." He watched the creature move thorough the Citadel tunnels. It entered a luxuriously decorated room. It moved toward a strange creature on the balcony. A hairy beast with a spine of horns stood before it. It was staring over the presidium as a King surveying his domain. The keeper moved forward quickly, it pushed the beast over the railing. The creature's screams could be heard as the keeper moved back towards the tunnel. The voice spoke once more, "Make the necessary adjustments, access to his labs must be removed."
Javik pulled away from the memory when he'd heard the beam activate once more. He turned and watched the human tossed a yard or so from the entrance. The Commander didn't move only the sound of his groans indicated he was still alive. Javik moved and helped the man to his feet. He'd forgotten to replace his glove and found himself lost within the Commander's mind.
You are one of us. Do not fight what you have become. You are perfection. Reaper and organic joined as one, the evolution of the cycles. Accept what you have become. The image of the Asari standing on the battlefield her hand on her stomach flashed though his mind for an instant. I accept what I am, but I will not condemn organic life to this existence. I am the perfect weapon to destroy what I have become.
The Prothean pushed the human away from him. The commander hit the opposite wall with force. His red gaze fell upon Javik. He smelled the scent of burned flesh and metal.
"I will destroy them." The malice in his voice was unmistakable.
"You are a reaper? How can you fight them when you are one of them?"
Javik lifted his pistol and pointed it towards the Commander. The human pushed away from the wall and stared him down.
"I am human flesh rebuilt over a Reaper's corpse. I have fought their influence since the day I woke up from death itself. I still have a human heart and mind. I still fight with everything I am to destroy them. I know what they are more intimately than even you."
"How can I trust you?"
The commander walked over and placed the pistol in the center of his forehead.
"I am willing to let you kill me now. Do you really believe anyone else can end this devastation?"
Javik lowered his weapon. He shook his head.
"We should move we don't have very much time."
Shepard nodded and the two moved down a darkened corridor. The walls shifted and moved as they walked by piles of bodies. Javik noticed there were bodies of every space faring species in the galaxy. The floor was sticky with the remnants of bodily fluids; the smell was something one could never become accustomed to, or forget. How many battlefields had he walked through? The bodies had been Prothean 50,000 years ago. He remembered the anger as he cut the throat of Krillis, he was a fine soldier. He didn't deserve to die by his former commander's hand, a tool of the enemy.
They entered a circular room with a pedestal in the middle. The human moved over to activate the pedestal, while Javik secured the area. He became aware of a single body in the room. That's odd. He moved over to the body and looked down. A human male, he knelt beside the body. It was the Admiral he'd met earlier. The man was alive, but barely. There was a bullet wound in his abdomen.
"We are not alone."
Javik stood up and scanned the room again. The entrance they had used was gone. He noted the walls of the room were rotating. He couldn't predict when or where the assassin would appear.
"The arms are opening. I need you to take Anderson back to the beam. He needs medical attention."
"That is unwise, there is an assassin here and you are in no condition to fight."
"The illusive man shot him. He is a reaper tool now. He is no threat to me, but he will kill you."
Javik stared at the human. His four eyes narrowed.
"What are you talking about?"
"I am what they want. They won't stop you from leaving."
Javik raised his pistol again aimed at the man before him.
"You are going to betray us."
The commander leaned against the pedestal. His pain and weariness were evident in the way he clung to hold himself upright."
"Do you want to test my resolve? All you need to do is touch me and you will know."
The Prothean shook his head. He went to pull the trigger, but found he couldn't. He felt a sudden pain within his head. What is wrong with me?
A voice from behind him made him shudder.
"I really wish you would have listed to the Commander. I have no desire to complete the extermination of your species. We do what we must."
"Javik, get Anderson out of here. I'll handle it from here."
He tried to pull the trigger again and he felt the pain searing through every fiber of his being. He dropped to his knees; releasing his pistol he placed both hands over his head. As suddenly as it started the pain was gone.
The Prothean crawled over to the unconscious human. He took an arm, placed it over his shoulder, and stood up. Once he was in a standing position he lifted the man into a fireman's carry. He looked over at the commander. Who was pointing back the way they came. It wasn't until that moment he'd realized the walls had stopped moving.
"What is going on Commander?"
"You will know soon enough Javik. Save the only man that has been a father to me. When he comes around, tell him..."
The commander looked down.
"Thank you, for bringing me back from the brink of self destruction. I found peace in the embrace of a Goddess and he must be a father again in my absence."
Javik nodded and returned towards the beam. His thoughts moved over all he'd seen and heard. The keepers are yet another tool. How many threats to Reaper plans had they eliminated? He thought of the Commander's words. The Goddess was obviously the Asari. He had no plans to betray them, but it was obvious there was a connection between him and the Reapers. He'd watched the human fight them with a ferocity that rivaled his own. He deserves trust. I will place my faith in him one more time. I have little choice.
He re-entered the beam and felt his body tingle as the dark energy pulsed around him and the limp form he carried. He hated the feeling of weightless. The sensation kept his mind off his concern for the man he'd come to think of as a comrade. A few moments later he felt himself tossed from the beam. He slowly got to his feet and looked up to find the Reaper that had nearly killed him standing over him silently watching. He shuddered at the implications. They'd wanted the Commander. Fear crept into his soul as he gathered the body of the fallen soldier and started his trek back to the buildings he knew would contain a medic.
His comm. unit crackled to life.
"Javik, where's the Commander?"
"He is still aboard the Citadel. He sent me back with Admiral Anderson to get him medical attention. The Commander says we will know what is going on shortly."
As if on his cue there was a hiss and a brief buzz from his comm. unit. He heard two voices speaking.
"Commander Shepard, I am the catalyst."
"I'm here to stop the cycle."
"Yes, we will get to that. You are the first to make it this far. I will let you decide the fate of this galaxy you have fought so hard to protect from our solution."
Do not falter Commander they deserve only destruction.
A/N: Sorry for the delay. I have been struggling with how to proceed with the story. It wasn't until I considered using Javik's POV that it came together. I would like to thank anyone that has left a review, PM, listed this story as a favorite, and those that just follow along. I read all reviews and take all suggestions under consideration.