Chapter 11

The Lost

Greg Sakamota led Finn and Jake back to their rooms in silence. Finn and Jake were too stunned to speak, and even Greg seemed a little taken aback. When they reached Finn's quarters, Greg simply opened the doors and motioned for them to enter. They did so without a word, remaining silent even after Greg departed and the door was shut.

Finn struggled to think of something, anything to say. What could he say? All he could think about was the last time he saw Omega. He, Jake, and Darsan just escaped the Blue Suns Headquarters, Finn destroying a book collection worth millions in the process. Aria had been unhappy, and pretty much kicked them out of the station until the situation cooled down. Even then, Aria and he pretty much agreed that it was for the best, what with Cerberus chasing them.

"Aria." Finn said. "She's dead."

"I know. It's so weird."

"Weird?"

"Yeah." Jake let out a sad sigh. "I kinda thought she'd live forever. She certainly acted like she would always be there."

Finn couldn't help but smile, Jake's words conjuring an image of the Omegan Queen. "Remember when we first met her?"

"Of course!" Jake said with a laugh. "Man ... first day as a janitor, and you managed to destroy her couch, break her fishtank, and set her sound-system to play nothing but Rick Astley's 'Never Gonna Give you Up'."

"Strange; I seem to recall you were the only one even near the DJ booth that day." Chuckling, Finn said, "Man ... I was sure she was gonna shoot us on the spot, especially when she sent her guards away. Sure as hell didn't expect to pour us a drink and give us a heart-to-heart."

Sighing, Finn lay back on the bed. "It seems only natural now, I suppose; she did run the biggest bar on Omega. She can probably spot heartache from a mile away."

"That, or she can recognize when someone's just having a real bad day ... or when someone could serve better in a different role. Turned out to be quite the barkeeper, didn't you?"

"I got lucky; it just so happens Aria's favorite drink is a Terminus Nightcap. I never told Godot; a shame, relly. He'd be tickled to know he and Aria have the same favorite drink." Finn's smile faded. "And she's gone. Omega's gone. Just ... just gone."

Jake remained silent. Sitting up, Finn noticed that his friend's cartoon face was filled with guilt.

"Jake?"

"I shoulda kept my mouth shut." Jake said, laying his monitor on his front paws.

Finn rubbed the top of his best friend and brother's monitor. "It's not your fault. He didn't destroy Omega because you said so; he planned to do it the whole time."

"I know, but ... man, I still feel bad for saying it." Shaking his head, Jake said, "What the hell are we gonna do, Finn? I mean, was all that firepower from the Reapers? It tore the place apart in seconds! How the hell do we defend against that?"

"I don't know." Finn said, "I still feel like there's something I'm missing. The Illusive Man told me there was only one Reaper, but what we just saw directly contradicts that."

"No kidding. He must have a whole armada."

"But why lie to me? He obviously doesn't see me as a threat, not that I blame him; point of fact, we aren't. So why lie about the Reapers?"

"No need to bluff when you've got a winning hand." Jake said, nodding. "Yeah, I see your point. I gotta say, I'm a bit worried about the others."

"The others are still on Eden Prime, I'd imagine. " Finn said, raising his tone ever so slightly.

"Eden Prime? What are you-"

"Well, our team was on Eden Prime when we were captured." Finn said. "Given that I told them I'd be gone for a few days, I'm pretty sure they're probably still there."

Jake's cartoon face showed concern. "Are you feelin' okay, man?"

Finn sighed and surreptiously activated his internal comm. "Jake, I'm one-hundred percent sure the Illusive Man has this room bugged."

"Oh. Oh! Right!" Aloud, he said, "Er, yeah! They, uh, probably haven't realized what happened yet."

Rolling his eyes, Finn said, "Yeah."

"So now what do we do?" Jake asked.

"Nothing." Finn said with a sigh. "All we can do right now is wait and see what it is the Illusive Man wants from us."

"And," He added via internal comm, "hope that our friends are finding the information we need to keep what happened to Omega from happening to anyone else."

"Yeah." After a few moments, Jake asked, "Er, have you heard from Kyra?"

"What?"

"Don't feign surprise with me; I know you two got an internal channel for yourselves. It's cute."

Blushing, Finn said, "We did give it three-way capability."

"Ah, you didn't have to do that, man."

"Of course I did. You're my best friend." Finn paused; it wasn't the time or place to ask, but both he and Jake needed some happiness after the destruction of Omega. "Actually, I was hoping ... i mean, if you're interested ..."

"Huh?"

Sighing, Finn said, "Would you be my best man?"

Jake's cartoon eyebrows rose completely off his head. "Dude, really? You don't wanna ask Eri or Darsan?"

"They're good friends, but they aren't my brother. Besides, you're coming along; I already talked about it with Kyra. We're thinking Neukara for our honeymoon, and I know how much you love the place." Finn said, resting a hand on the top of Jake's monitor. "I mean, if you're interested."

"Oh, I'm interested!" Jake said, wagging his back end. "and hell yeah, I accept!"

"Thanks, Jake." Finn said, beaming at his brother.

The door opened to reveal Greg Sakamota.

"The Illusive Man wishes to speak with you." Greg said, his voice oddly strained.

"Dude, Greg." Jake said, "Are you okay, man?"

"I'm fine." Greg said briskly.

"You look like hell. Have you been getting enough sleep?"

"I'm fine!" Greg snapped, only to look apologetic a moment later. "I'm ... I'm sorry. I've had a lot on my plate lately."

"Greg." Finn said, "About Omega."

Greg stiffened. "It had to be done. I hate that innocent people had to die, but I don't find fault with the Illusive Man's reasoning; can you look me in the eye and say that the Universe isn't a safer place without Omega?"

Finn wanted to. He wanted to come up with some argument as to why Omega should've been spared its fate, but his thoughts fell to the Blue Suns, the street gangs, the drug smugglers, the extortionists. He thought of those practically in servitude who were forced to mine asteroids until they dropped dead.

Many blamed Aria, but Finn knew better; as her personal bartender, he'd overhead Aria's efforts to protect Omega from the worst of it, but she was ultimately one person against a station of the corrupted.

Greg nodded. "I thought so."

"But what's to stop it all from happening again?" Finn asked. "What's to stop another Omega from cropping up."

"Cerberus." His face full of resolve, Greg stood aside and gestured sharply for Finn to exit the room. With a sigh, Finn and Jake complied.

"Ah, Cresste." The Illusive Man said, his hologram again seated. "Thank you for joining me."

"What can I say?" Finn said, spreading his arms and shrugging. "It's not like I had anything else to do."

"Indeed." The Illusive Man gestured at the chair opposite him. Once Finn and Jake were sitting down, the Illusive Man continued, "My apologies if my earlier demonstration was a bit ... dramatic."

"It was certainly that, yes." Finn said.

"Still, I needed you to see my resolve, my determination to see this through. You may laugh at this, Mister Cresste, but I do not wished to be seen as a monster. Unfortunately, it is hard not to be seen as such while inhabiting the body of a Reaper."

"Imagine that." Jake, said, prompting a surreptious smack from Finn.

The Illusive Man chuckled. "I must admit, when I sought to control the Reapers, this was not how I envisioned it. Still, if there's one thing I know you'll understand, Mister Cresste, it's how to make due with what you have. I seek to do the same; I will use this horror to become a guardian to this galaxy and those who live here. Unfortunately, despite the power I wield, I still require the aid of others, others like Officer Sakamota and, to be blunt, you."

"What exactly do you need my help?" Finn asked.

"I have two direct needs of you, Mister Cresste. The first is as an intermediary with the Shadow Broker; I'd very much like for us to be on the same side, and it is no secret that you have her ear."

"And the second?"

"That is ... a complicated matter." The Illusive Man said, steepling his hands. "One that ties into your abilities as a pilot. It is a lesser matter, certainly, but one that may come up in the fullness of time, should problems arise. I will say that I do not expect you to engage in any manner of combat."

"You don't?" Jake said. "Really?"

The Illusive Man nodded. "I am no fool; I saw your face at the destruction of Omega. Believe it or not, I feel your pain; there were many innocents lost, and I do mourn them. I am not asking you to 'pull the trigger' as it were; merely to speak with the Broker on my behalf and perhaps assist in guiding this vessel along the path to peace."

A starmap appeared above the table between Finn and the Illusive Man.

"To that end." The Illusive Man said, "I'd like your assistance in identifying the next place to be purged."

Finn felt a chill rush through his body. "I hardly think I'm qualified ..."

"You're uniquely qualified." The Illusive Man said. "You've seen quite a few places in your time, experienced the corruption first-hand. More than that, you're a man of special conscience; when you see someone in trouble, you feel compelled to help. Help the galaxy now."

The map swirled around until a familiar planet appeared in view.

"Ilium." The Illusive Man said as he lit a cigarette. "A beautiful planet, but one with a dark side that rivals the worst of Omega, not the least of which is your friends, the Eclipse."

The map shifted again until another planet was visible. "Noveria, a world long since drawn and quartered by corrupt corporations, shielded from the ethics most sentient species consider vital."

The map shifted a third time; somehow, Finn wasn't surprised to find himself looking at Trident.

"Trident, a waterworld with an undercurrent of corruption. While your Shadow Broker has gone to great efforts to curtail much of the negative element, there is so much remaining."

There is something firm about threes; Finn felt certain that the Illusive Man was done, and was therefore surprised when the map changed again, this time bringing up the last world he expected to see.

"Neukara, in many ways a new world that has only recently begun to show signs of corruption." The Illusive Man said. "Is it already too deeply rooted there?"

After taking another pull on his cigarette, the Illusive Man said, "Which one, Finn? Which would you choose for annhilation for the good of the universe?"

Finn stared at the map as it pulled back, the four planets now shining spots in a three-dimensional space. The enormity of what the Illusive Man asked was mind-boggling, and yet Finn didn't doubt for a second that the world he named was as good as gone.

"Hang on a sec!" Jake said, "I mean, you just destroyed Omega, yeah? Surely that'll have some effect on the whole corruption thing."

"Oh, I've no doubt of that." The Illusive Man said. "Already, the remnants of the Blue Suns are massing on Garados to establish a new base of operations. I will deal with them later, of course, but if we truly want to see an effect on the corrupt elements, another example must be made."

"Okay, but right now? I mean, wouldn't it make more sense to give it a few days so the news of Omega gets around?"

"In a few days, other defenses will be in place. Fleets will be mobilized, fleets of soldiers unjustly ordered to defend festering pits of corruption. I would spare their lives if possible; another show of power so soon to the first will establish that such resistance is futile, and that we can strike both swift and hard where necessary."

Jake looked from the Illusive Man to Finn. "C'mon, man, say something!"

"I-I'm thinking."

"You're really considering this? Really? Pointing a finger and destroying a whole planet?"

"I am only asking for Finn's input." The Illusive Man said smoothly. "I will be the one to make the ultimate decision, and take responsiblity of the destruction."

"Yeah, but if Finn's decision influences you, it's as good as pulling the trigger himself!" To Finn, Jake said, "C'mon, man, don't play this game!"

"I will destroy one of these worlds." The Illusive Man said as calmly as a man trying to decide on dessert. "I offer you the chance to make a choice. If you decline, I will have to choose on my own."

"Then we're not gonna-"

"Noveria."

Jake slowly turned to Finn, a look of pure disbelief on his cartoon face. Pointedly not meeting his gaze, Finn said, "If one of these four has to be destroyed, I'd go with Noveria."

"Really?" The Illusive man said, raising an eyebrow. "Care to explain why?"

"You want to strike at the corrupt, you go for their pockets first. Taking out Noveria will effect some of the biggest companies in the galaxy; it might even cripple some of them. That'll effect the companies, the gangs and mercs they employ for their more covert actions, the corrupt government officials secretly on the corporation payrolls ... It's just a better target."

After staring at him for a few moments, the Illusive Man nodded. "I agree. We will head there on the hour."

He motioned for the guards to lead Finn and Jake out of the room. Just as Finn reached the door, the Illusive Man called out, "Thank you for your advice on this matter, Mister Cresste. I can see you will be a valuable and intelligent ally in the months to come."

Finn replied with a brisk nod and a not-quite-successful attempt to flash a smile.

Once they were back in the room, Jake turned on Finn.

"What the hell, man?" Jake's voice demanded via their link. "You just put out a death warrent on an entire planet."

"Don't you think I know that?" Finn replied. "You heard him, Jake, he was gonna target one of them no matter what I did! What if it was Trident? What if it was Neukara? I mean, I'm no fan of Ilium, but I can do basic math well enough to know that it has at least ten times the population of Noveria!"

"It's not about the numbers, man! He's gonna kill everyone on that planet!"

"Then tell me what to do, Jake!" Finn snapped aloud. "Tell me the solution where everyone lives, 'cause the way I see it, that just isn't happening."

Jake's cartoon mouth opened and closed several times.

Sighing, Finn rubbed the top of Jake's monitor. "Look, the mission hasn't changed; we're buying time while the others move around."

When Jake didn't respond, Finn added, "Of course, that doesn't mean we can't try and send a message."

Jake turned to Finn, hope in his eyes. "Hey, yeah! Maybe we can get a warning off to Noveria in time for them to muster up a defense!"

"We've got ..." Finn checked his watch. "Thirty minutes until the hour. That enough time for you to slip through that grate and find your way to the others?"

"Hey, the others, a comm station, the Gradisian; I'll find a way, man."

"Good." Finn jumped on to the bed and fiddled with the air vent for a moment. Once the cover was off, he knelt down and picked up Jake with some difficulty. Grunting with effort, Finn was just able to push Jake through the opening.

Just as Finn started to put the cover back on, Jake said, "Uh, Finn?"

"Yeah, Jake?"

"Sorry about ... well, y'know. I mean, it was a tough choice to get on the spot. I can't imagine how hard it was to keep it cool."

"Null worries, bro." Finn said, flashing his brother a final smile before sliding the vent cover back into place.

Once he was sure Jake was gone, Finn let out a deep sigh and sat down on the bed. Running a hand through his hair, he said, "I just hope God's as forgiving."