A/N: The votes are in and I have edited the story to such. I doubt I will ever do anything like that ever again(doesn't mean it won't happen again). I'm going to just say Force "something" or acutual Star Wars names instead of from Shepard's view, to save my self some trouble in typing. Now let's fight the Matriarch.
As Shepard walked down the stairs, Dr. Cohen saw the phial in hand. "Is that the cure? You did it?"
Shepard accused the man of the set up, "That asari scientist—the one in the mess hall—she just tried to kill us."
Dr. Cohen was genuinely shocked, "Alestia? That's unbe—!" He stopped himself, "I—I don't know much about her. She arrived a month ago. One of the shareholders pulled strings to get her here."
Garrus knew all too well, "Let me guess, Saren, the Spectre?"
Cohen tried to recall, "Yes, I think that was the name. I don't pay attention to the other research teams. Look. The guards. They've been more on edge since you got here. I think they were expecting you. There are more labs in the back. The guards won't even let me back there. Just people with 'clearance'."
Revan was right about the guards. Shepard remembered what Olar and Revan said earlier, "What about the maintenance area? Do you have access to that?"
Cohen was taken aback by the question, "The maintenance area? Yes, take my pass. But there's just snow back there. Let me see that phial. An extension on Phelps' work? I thought he was on the right track. I can't thank you enough. God. What a cliché. You saved their lives you know that?"
Revan was waiting for them by the locked door. When they got closer he said to them, "With no guards here, I believe it will be safe for us."
Like Cohen said the area was covered in ice and snow. Before the turn Cina stopped them, "Get back." She closed her eyes to concentrate. "It is a mindless one."
Revan nodded and turned to the others, "Ordo, Talna your hunting skill are required."
Talna was wrapping her exposed areas with cloth. After that she soon buried herself under the snow. Ordo waited for the mound to move to position when he moved out in the open and roared at a lone rachni warrior. The rachni roared back then shot a ball of acid at him. Despite the armor, Ordo dodged the acid with ease as he drew out his sword. With the failed attack the rachni then charged at him. Ordo also charged towards the rachni. Ordo jumped, with his sword at the ready, he sliced the two pods off the rachni's tentacles. The rachni turned around to face Ordo, only for Talna to jump out of the snow and land on its back. Like a raging bull, it tried furiously to get rid of her but before it could really start to buck, Talna and Ordo stabbed the rachni's head with three blades.
Ordo replied to them after cleaning his blade, "I do not sense any others here."
Back inside an unguarded area, Shepard wanted more truthful information from them. "So, all of your names, are they really your names?"
Revan answered Shepard, "Yes and no. First Ordo, his name is Trossk. He does not have a last name because many of his people do not. As you saw he is a hunter, but he recently joined a different kind of clan by the name Ordo. Talna is part of her name, Esura lij Talna and she too is a hunter. For the droids, the only one that needs clearing is for Unit 47. Its real designation is HK-47 and…"
HK-47 interrupted, "Flattery: And was built by my ingenious Master for 'special' tasks."
Garrus looked at HK with distaste, "This thing is an A.I. isn't it?"
HK just barely towered over the turian as it moved to him, "Mockery: This thing is an A.I. isn't it?" It copied Garrus' voice, down to his condescending tone, perfectly before returning to its original voice, "Self-Evident Answer: Of course I'm an A.I., you worthless meatbag. A sophisticated and perfectly designed machine, such as I, would be wasted with the ridiculously stupid intelligences of this galaxy's VI programs. Cautionary: If you wish to try and destroy me, I'll more than gladly relish the target practice."
T3 started buzzing at HK-47. Shepard and his team could only guess what it was saying but from HK's response they might be able to get a rough idea. "Stipulation: Stop me and I will slowly rip each processor out with my own hands. Then, I'll convert you into something more useful, like a gore cleaner." T3 was buzzing at it again, more angrily this time.
Revan told them, "We speculate that, somehow, we were sent to your galaxy due to a very rare anomaly, which I doubt we can replicate and live through. As you can see A.I.s are a more common and used sight in our galaxy than yours." Revan then focused on the two machines, "HK-47, T3-M4, I want both of you to stay out of sight and continue to jam the geth."
T3 beeped and whistled. HK soon answered, "Appeasement: Yes Master. As you command Master. I shall let my combat protocols continue to not be used to their full functionality."
Cina never liked HK-47 and they could see it on her face, "Please drop the sarcasm, HK. If we need either of you, we'll call. Thanks for the concern, T3." Cina patted the little droid's flat head almost like one would to a good pet.
As the group of seven entered, the Matriarch, in her elaborate black gown with a headdress was looking at a very large, indigo rachni in a glass containment pod. Esura had her rifle aimed at the asari's head until Revan pulled it down. Revan shook his head at her. Esura grunted as she pulled her rifle out of Revan's hand.
The Matriarch started to speak to them. "You do not know the privilege of being a mother. There is power in creation. To shape a life. Turn it towards happiness or despair. Her children were to be ours. Raised to hunt and slay Saren's enemies." The Matriarch moved towards her 'guests' while staying above them, "I won't be moved by sympathy. No matter who you bring into this confrontation."
Shepard spoke to the asari, "Liara's here because she wants to be. Not because I asked her to."
Benezia was not convinced, "Indeed? What have you told him about me, Liara?"
Liara stepped forward to confront her, "What could I say, mother? That you're insane? Evil? Should I explain how to kill you? What could I say?"
The Matriarch spoke to the Commander again, "Have you ever faced an asari commando unit before? Few humans have."
Shepard tried to convince the Matriarch not to fight them, "I can't believe you'd kill your own daughter."
Benezia argued, "I now realize I should have been stricter with her."
Benezia then used her Biotic powers to freeze Shepard, Garrus, Liara and Esura. Cina and Revan had protected themselves along with Trossk, who was having some difficulty with protecting himself. The three of them pretended to have been frozen to see what the Matriarch had planned. A door behind Benezia had opened as two asari commandos in combat armor with assault rifles came through. Benezia moved aside as the commandos came to her.
Revan, Cina and Trossk pulled out their lightsabers and activated their blades. The asari opened fire on them, but the trio stopped most of the shots, with their shields picking up the slack. One of the commandos tried to launch a Biotic blast to knock them down. Revan stopped the blast in mid-air while Trossk protected him from the assault rifles at fired soon after. Esura was behind Cina, aiming at one of the commandos. She fired at the asari, but her slug was stopped by her shield. Esura continued to load each shot and fire until her eighth shot broke through the shield and killed the commando with a slug through her head.
Garrus was also using them as shields. He was able to snipe the other commando with his sniper rifle. With the two commando's down, Benezia tried to freeze them again. This time Revan and Cina stopped the Biotics from affected any of them. Revan shouted, "HK, T3!"
The locked door was unlocked as T3 was tossed into the room. It screamed. After it was helped back up, the droid started to shake, buzzing angrily again. "Analysis: Oh, quit your whining. You're survived more of a beating then that before. Besides, my arms didn't need to hold you up any longer after you unlocked the door." HK-47 grabbed his personal rifle he was caring in his hands earlier. "Request: Master may I start killing the meatbags and geth now?"
Revan told the machine, "Do not harm the Matriarch, the asari commandos and geth are up to you. Trossk, Esura, move!"
Without another word, Trossk, Esura and HK-47 moved to the other side of the containment pod, with rifles at the ready, set to take on anyone trying to get around to the team. Cina was holding back the Biotic now as she told them, "I think we should get out of the line of fire!" The group moved towards where HK, Trossk and Esura were but stopped at the platform area. More asari started to come out along with geth reinforcements.
Now the Matriarch could not fire at them with her pistol but her troops moved to try and attack them. The geth snipers tried to move on them. HK-47 was the first to spot their movement as he sniped one with a single shot from his Droid Assassin's rifle to the geth's flashlight head. Like a ripple in a lake, the geth body was disintegrating from the shot until nothing of the geth was left. Trossk had put away his lightsaber for his Zersium rifle and blasted the second geth with the red plasma bolts. A plasma bolt disrupted the shield that allowed the two following shots to melt the geth's chest.
The three asari tried to attack Shepard and the others, avoiding the trio. The moment they started to move HK-47 also moved to greet them with his rifle. HK kicked over T3, again, telling the overturned droid, "Retort: Well you should have moved. I'm certain your audio receptors heard me well before I knocked you over." HK-47 never looked to T3 as it had the rifle aimed at one of the commandos. HK fired at the timing the shot to hit the commando's head the moment it was in sight. The red droid fell back letting his Master and Cina block the shots from the other commandos.
Shepard and Garrus shot down one of the commandos while Liara blasted the other asari with a Biotic Push that sent her over the walkway. With the last of Benezia's troops defeated, she tried to freeze them again. Revan and Cina quickly deactivated their lightsabers and protected the group from the Biotic powers. Trossk also did so for himself and Esura, with much difficulty. The door opened with nothing but geth snipers started to run in. Visibly, they can see the strain Benezia was feeling trying to stop them only to be blocked by those three.
The geth snipers split into two groups. Four of them would try and deal with the wall of Trossk, Esura and the returning HK-47 while the other four tried to attack Shepard and the others directly. Esura released her rifle and pulled out a pair of swords. She rushed the group of snipers and kept low. She stabbed the first sniper though the chest and kept the body in front of her. Trossk had also relieved his rifle and pulled out his black lightsaber. The blue armor blurred as he jumped into the middle of the group, slicing through the geth armor and shields like wet paper. HK-47 took new joy in extinguishing geth lights with a precise shot into the light. Like the others hit by the disruptor rifle, the geth body started to disintegrate.
T3 was back up with help from Revan. The two of them, along with Cina, rushed the four geth with their weapons at the ready. The four lightsabers were in a flurry as the blades slashed through three of the geth without touching the railing or one of the other blades. They were in Benezia's view as she tried to shoot them with her pistol but they easily dodged the rounds. A small periscope like piece rose from T3's head, just behind the large blue eye. It zapped the last geth with electricity with its shock arm. With the circuits overloading, T3 then attacked with the Baragwin shield disruptor for the ionizing effect, permanently destroying all of the programs in the body.
Benezia had fallen to her knees, weak from exerting so much power. As she started to get back to her feet, Shepard and the others had gathered. "This is not over. Saren is unstoppable. My mind is filled with his light. Everything is clear." Benezia turned to look for a few moments but turned back to the caged rachni.
Shepard and his group were at point as Shepard told the Matriarch, "The rachni didn't cooperate with you. Why should I?"
Benezia turned again to look at Shepard. "I will not betray him. You will—You…" She had supported herself against the small table, as though her mind was fighting something. Revan and Cina could sense this struggle. Benezia regained her composure and moved towards Shepard, "You must listen. Saren still whispers in my mind. I can fight his compulsions. Briefly. But the indoctrination is strong."
HK-47 was programmed with everything a protocol droid needed, including a very verse diction. "Definition: Indoctrination, the means to convert others, though peaceful or forceful means, to follow wholeheartedly despite any previous beliefs. Often an efficient, though crude, form of gathering followers as their will is striped from them."
Benezia corrected the machine, "People are not themselves around Saren. You come to idolize him. Worship him. You would do anything for him. The key is Sovereign, his flagship. It's a dreadnought of incredible size and its power is extraordinary."
Shepard remembered the unusual vessel that was part of the attack on Eden Prime, "Sovereign's not like other ships. Where did it come from?"
Benezia was truthful as she told them, "I cannot say. The geth did not build it. Its technology is far more advanced than that of any known species. The longer you stay aboard, the more Saren's will seems correct. You sit at his feet and smile as his words pour into you. It is subtle at first. I thought I was strong enough to resist. Instead, I became a willing tool, eager to serve. He sent me here to find the location of the Mu Relay. Its position was lost thousands of years ago."
Shepard had to ask the Matriarch, "Someone on Noveria found it?"
Benezia told them, "Two thousand years ago, the rachni inhabited that region of our galaxy. They discovered the relay. The rachni can share memories across generations. Queens inherit the knowledge of their mothers. I took the location of the relay from the queen's mind. I was not gentle."
Cina spoke, adding, "Yes, we could feel her pain."
Shepard asked the Matriarch, "How did the rachni find it?"
Benezia told them what she had learned, "They searched, patiently. They are territorial creatures, driven to close any possible way into their systems."
Shepard tried to learn as much as he could, "Why does Saren need the Mu relay?"
The Matriarch answered, "He believes it will lead him to the Conduit. I would tell you more if I could, but Saren did not share his counsel with me. I was merely a servant to his cause."
Garrus was trying to make sure everything the Matriarch was telling was accurate, "How can we trust her? How do we know if she isn't lying to us, leading us to a trap conceived by Saren?"
Revan defended her, "She speaks the truth. A portion of her mind is her own. But soon she will no longer be able to control herself."
Benezia was ashamed of herself, "I was not myself, but—I should have been stronger." Benezia walked up to the Commander, "I transcribed the data to an OSD. Take it. Please."
Liara asked her mother more about the data, "Knowing the relay's coordinates is not enough. Do you know where he planned to go from there?"
Benezia told her daughter, "Saren wouldn't tell me his destination. But you must find out quickly. I transmitted the coordinates to him before you arrived. You have to stop—me. I can't—His teeth are at my ear. Fingers on my spine. You should—Uh, you should—" The Matriarch was trying to fight as hard as she could but her will was not strong enough. The Matriarch was back to the console.
Liara step forward, her feelings were conflicted. "Mother, I—Don't leave! Fight him!"
Benezia turned to her daughter telling her, "You've always made me proud, Liara." Revan and Cina could feel her despair. Benezia's mind was now in the state Revan and the others first sense. Benezia had turned around stating, as she started to glow Biotic blue, "–Die!"
Before Benezia could attack, Revan had blasted her with a powerful Force Push, pinning her to the glass. Revan then shouted to the others, "I'll hold the Matriarch here, go deal with the commandos!" Revan had also moved forward to get out of the line of fire as he struggled against the Matriarch to keep her there.
Shepard and his team took the two on the left, while HK-47 and Trossk were dealing with the group on the right. Liara was able to catch the two commandos in a powerful Biotic Singularity. Garrus then launched a tech mine from his omni-tool, disrupting their shields. The team gunned them both down. One of the commandos was thrown onto the platform Revan and Benezia were on. Trossk had Force Jumped his way between the two asari. He spun around twirling his active lightsaber, sliced the assault rifle both asari had in half, then stabbing one through the abdomen with his black blade. He whispered to the dying commando, "May your Goddess show you mercy, and may the Scorekeeper have pity on you", before he deactivated the lightsaber.
The other asari tried to move away, keeping Trossk in her sights. She was about to hit him with a powerful Biotic blast. Unfortunately, the commando became too concentrated on Trossk, she hadn't noticed HK-47, whom she bumped into. The menacing red droid revealed a hatch on his right arm. When the asari moved back from the droid, she was now in the line of fire for the arm. The Baragwin stun ray fired, the asari was helpless. HK-47 put away the stun ray, lowering his right arm, and raised his left. The forearm compartment opened and without a moment's hesitation, HK-47 fired at the stunned target. It gleefully shouted, "Burn organic meatbag! Burn!" When the flames finally stopped, all that remained of the asari was a charred skeleton and parts of the armor melted.
Revan turned to his other companions, "Cina, Esura, T3, Trossk, HK. Benezia is Shepard's enemy to deal with. Please do not interfere in their fight." Revan's companions did not argue as they gathered near Trossk and HK-47. Shepard and his team were behind Revan now, ready to engage Benezia. Revan stepped back behind Shepard before he finally released Benezia from his grip. Shepard's group engaged Benezia on the small platform.
Revan quickly moved out of the way before the fighting started. Benezia launched a Biotic blast knocking Garrus down. Liara was now fighting against her mother in a Biotic power struggle. Cina could feel Liara's personal struggle she was facing, fighting her own mother to save her friends. Shepard helped Garrus back onto his feet. Garrus tossed a Damping tech to overload Benezia's Biotic powers. Garrus then tossed an Overload tech to bring down part of her shields. Shepard and Garrus assaulted her with a barrage of slugs. Benezia fought back firing her pistol, but the group had fallen back, using the support beams to stay of her sight. The Matriarch's shields finally gave in under the pressure from the three man team. After taking a few seconds of attacks without her shields, Benezia finally fell to her knees.
Revan and the others gathered as Benezia started to speak once more, "I cannot go on. You will have to stop him, Shepard."
Shepard turned behind him to Revan, "Hold on. Revan you said you wanted to see if you could, remove the 'taint' in Alestia. What'd you mean?"
Revan had to think about the possibility, "Since indoctrination itself is a type of mental reprogramming, I might be able to do something. But her wounds might kill her, if she isn't treated."
Liara grabbed Revan's hand, "Please, if you can help my mother…"
Without a moment's hesitation Revan said, "Cina, start healing the Matriarch, use medi-gel if you must. I'll try to see if I can help her."
Benezia did not believe anything could help her as she stood up, "No. He is still in my mind. I am not entirely myself. I never will be again."
Liara turned to her mother and stepped towards her, "Mother…"
Benezia leaned against the glass slipping into death's grip, "Good night, Little Wing. I will see you again with the dawn."
Cina's rushed to Benezia. At her side, Cina's hands began to glow a bright blue, much less intense then a Biotic glow, as she moved them over the Matriarch's wounds. "I'm sorry Matriarch, but I don't believe your death is now. Revan."
Revan knelt down and placed his left hand on Benezia's forehead. "Relax now. I'm sure you will struggle but I hope we can do something…" As Revan started to try help her, Benezia started to struggle. Revan shouted, "Trossk, Esura, restrain her arms." The two of them held down Benezia's arms as she started to glow a Biotic blue. Revan had found what it was that had changed the Matriarch. This power…this change…I have felt it before. The Keepers! They had this strange feeling about them but much strong, dominated by it. So this indoctrination is somehow connected to the echoes of destruction of this galaxy. But how? This will be difficult…but if this indoctrination is indeed a technique used by this darkness, then we may be able to find a way to counter this strange power, with Benezia's cooperation. First she must be saved.
Benezia stopped struggling, as well as glowing. Cina's healing had saved Benezia's life, but if Revan could not sever this control Saren had on the Matriarch, or all of their effort will have been for not. Cina whispered to Revan, "Did it work. Could you help her?"
Revan stood up and helped the Matriarch to her feet. Benezia could no longer hear Saren's voice whispering in her ear. "I…I can't hear him…"
Revan confessed, "I'm not certain I completely removed this indoctrination, yet. I believe we can remove this, but one must be willing and have a strong will." Revan turned to look at one of the dead commandos, "I'm sorry to say that we may not be able to save any of your disciples, but I'm certain we might be able to help you, given more sessions with myself and Cina." Revan turned to Shepard, "I'm sorry to tell you, Shepard, but Lady Benezia has told you everything she could about Saren and his operation. And she has to come with us, less she slips back into the dark whispers."
Cina was looking at the containment pod, "Now for the reason why we are here…"
A/N: Now that the Matriarch has been delt with, all that's left is the Rachni Queen. This should be interesting...
