Chapter 11 A Different Point of View
Commander Sheppard stepped off the shuttle and onto the decks of the Normandy, instantly he turned to some of the deck crew.
"I need these computer cores taken to the AI core and attached to a separate power source, keep them our systems separated from them until we know what we are dealing with." Ordered Sheppard
"I don't think that is a good idea Sheppard." Said a voice as Sheppard turned to see the former Cerberus commander Miranda standing there. "Tali and EDI have that Centurion in the AI core studying it, best to keep them separate for now."
"We can take them to my office I can study them from there." offered Liara
"Alright." said Sheppard as the ground crew went to work making sure the Prothean computer cores were moved safely up to the second officer cabin.
"So Sheppard what happened down there?" asked Miranda
"We will explain everything when we debrief." explained Sheppard as the lift doors opened as Tali walked toward them.
"You may want to hold off on that debriefing Sheppard." stated Tali as she walked up to Sheppard and everyone else. "EDI and I finally got the Centurion's voice box installed and the hardware block removed. All we need to do is turn it back on and we will have a fully functioning free AI."
"I hope you didn't fix its gun." stated Miranda
"No of course not." stated Tali "However we did fix its legs and arms by taking parts from the destroyed Centurion we took from Caprica."
For a moment Sheppard just stood there in thought, then he looked down at his Omni-tool and checked the time, it was nearly six in the evening.
"Alright we will meet for a meeting in the war room at seven thirdly." stated Sheppard
"Sounds like a plan Commander." said Miranda
"I'll get everything ready while you get out of your armor." said Tali as she moved toward the elevator
After changing out of this armor and into his day uniform Sheppard walked into the medical bay and toward the AI core. Standing outside the door were two armed guards in case the Cylon did anything to threaten the ship.
"Open it." ordered Sheppard as door opened allowing him to walk into the AI core only to spot Tali and EDI looking over some information on the computer screens, the centurion was currently lying in a small out cover. Sheppard's mind instantly went back to when reactivated Legion and while Legion was shorter than the over seven foot tall centurion.
"Is it awake?" asked Sheppard
"No we were waiting for you to activate it." explained EDI
"Alright put a barrier up and seal off the computer systems." ordered Sheppard as a small half circle containment field formed around the deactivated centurion. Once that was done Sheppard moved toward the barrier before activating his Omni-tool. Using his tool he reactivated the internal power source of the centurion within a few moments the red light on the centurion visor started moving. Slowly the Centurion stood up and faced the three of them. Sheppard stood his ground as the centurion towered over his 6'3 head.
"I am Commander John Sheppard of the Alliance Navy, Do you understand me?" asked Sheppard as the centurion nodded its head. "Good, now we mean you no harm but we need you to talk to us. What is your name?"
"Centurion Model 2A serial number 4123DF12A." stated the Centurion "There is an error in the processing center."
"We removed a hardware block which was stopping you from reaching true AI level." explained Tali
"Your body profile doesn't match any known colonial." stated the Centurion.
"I am a Quarian." explained Tali "A different race."
"The Colonials haven't made contact with another sentient race." stated the Centurion
"The Human Colonials haven't but the humans of Earth." Stated Sheppard as the Centurion turned and looked at him "That is where I am from."
"Earth searching internal database…" stated the Centurion "Legendary home of the 13th Tribe of Kobol. Protocol states we are to destroy or capture all information related to the 13th tribe."
"Well that isn't totally true but we will cover that later." stated Sheppard "I need to know about the current situation with the Cylons, how did you lose your ability to be a true AI?"
"What is your intention?" asked the Centurion
"To end the Cylon war with the Colonials and restore your race to being a true free AI." stated Sheppard "Now how did you race become nothing more then mecs, our scans say you are a true Artificial intelligence."
"We serve the humanoid forms." stated the Centurion
"The Humanoid forms?" asked Sheppard as he moved toward one of the computers, he quickly pulled up the head shots that they had taken from the computer core of the destroyed centurion.
"Yes, they are our masters." stated the Centurion as his visor scanned over the images of the humanoid Cylons.
"So these are another form of Cylons?" asked EDI "Are they hard form bodies covered with organic outer cover?"
"No, they are totally organic." stated the Centurion "However when they die they are downloaded into a new body."
"That sounds like an ability the Zha'til had." said Sheppard as Tali and EDI looked at him "I'll fill you in during the debriefing."
"So you created these organic Cylons and they removed your ability to be a true AI?" asked Tali
"Records not there." stated the Centurion
"I can't imagine that your people agreed to that." stated Sheppard
"Unlikely." stated Centurion
"We will do everything we can to free your people but we need to know everything about the current situation with colonial and the Cylons." stated Sheppard
"Why should I trust you?" asked the Centurion
"Sheppard is a great friend to synthetics." Stated EDI "He has made me a free AI a member of his team and he freed a race of synthetics called the Geth from another synthetic race which had enslaved them."
"And what happened to the Geth did you destroy them?" asked the Centurion.
"I will not lie to you some wanted to do that but I would never allow that." stated Sheppard "The Geth are an embassy member race in the galactic government known as the Citadel Council."
"They aren't on the council yet but so are a lot of races in the galaxy." explained Tali "If you still don't want to believe us listen to this, Sheppard ended a war between my people and the Geth, a war which had been going on for three hundred years."
Slowly the Centurion reached toward the side of the side of his head, he tapped the side of his head as an old fashion CD disk drive shot out from his head. The Centurion slowly took the disk held it out toward Sheppard.
"EDI deactivate the shield." ordered Sheppard as the shield turned off.
"This is the backup memory unit, it has a total copy of all the logs." said the Centurion
"Thank you." said Sheppard as he took the disk "Now what are you do you want to be called because Centurion Model 2A serial number 4123DF12A doesn't really roll off the tongue and calling you Centurion wouldn't work."
"In Roman history the most senior Centurion was called a Primus Pilus, maybe Primus would work." stated EDI
"I will respond to that designation." stated Primus
"EDI can you fill him in I need to prepare to the debriefing." stated Sheppard
"Sheppard my records show that you haven't eaten anything since you headed down to the planet over 11 hours ago." stated EDI "You need to get something to eat at once."
Sheppard lowered his head as he thought about it; apart from some water he hadn't touched his food supply on the planet.
"Alright." said Sheppard as he looked toward Primus "I almost forgot to say welcome onboard."
Sheppard walked out of the medical bay and though the medical bay and turned the corner and headed toward the dining area. He walked over to the chief.
"Hello Commander what do you want?" asked the ship's chief "I can make anything you want, the ship was stocked to the brim with anything you can imagine and as the Commander of the ship I will make something special for you"
"I'll just have a spicy chicken sandwich and some French fries?" asked Sheppard he had always been a fan of spicy and BBQ food. The food he seemed to like the most was food from his childhood on the dirty streets of Chicago, which was mostly as Ash called it bar food.
"You got it sir." said the Chief
Down the hall in the observation lounge Carolanne was sitting on one of the couches watching as Mike and Lisa sat on the floor playing with some toys which a member of the crew had somehow came up with.
"This is so cool." said Mike as he placed the metal object in his hands and moved back and forth. "What is it called again?"
"I believe it is called a Slinky." answered Samara as she walked into the room "It's a human toy which has become very popular across the galaxy. Even Asari children have come to love that little toy."
"Your Samara right?" asked Carolanne
"Correct." Stated Samara as she looked out the window only to that the Normandy had broken orbit and was already traveling faster than light.
"Can I ask why your hear?" asked Carolanne
"I come here to meditate." explained Samara as she sat down Indian style facing the window.
"Well I believe you should find another place the kids are being kids." said Carolanne
"No it is fine, the children remind me of my daughters." explained Samara "In fact lately my thoughts have been moving toward my daughter so maybe hearing the children play will help."
"You have children?" asked Lisa as the ten year old girl sat across from the Asari Justicar
"I had three daughters." explained Samara with a sadness in her voice "Only my youngest Falere is still alive."
"I am sorry." said Lisa "Did they get killed by these Reapers?"
"My middle child, Rila died when she blew up the monastery were she and the other Ardat-Yakashi were living." explained Samara
"Ardat-Yakashi?" asked Lisa as she copied Samara's sitting style
"It means "Demon of the night wind" it is a deadly genetic condition." stated Samara
"So people die because they are these Ardat-Yakashi?" asked Lisa as she placed her hands on her knees like Samara was doing.
"No an Ardat-Yakashi kills whomever she mates with." Explained Samara "All three of my children had it however only two went to the monastery were they could live in peace."
"And the last one?" asked Lisa
"I spent years hunting her down after she went on a murdering people without rest." stated Samara "I killed her."
"I am sorry." said Lisa
"Thank you child." said Samara "At the moment I am searching for wisdom on what advice to give to my last daughter."
"About what?" asked Lisa
"There is a new experimental medical technique which would all but cure her from being an Ardat- Yakashi." explained Samara as she remembered when her daughter came to her about the medical experiment. A small implant in the brain would prevent the Ardat-Yakashi's nervous system from taking over and destroying the nervous system of whomever she mated with. "If it works she will be all but free of the curse of the Ardat-Yakashi however if it fails and she kills someone while mating by my code I would have to kill her."
"What does she want to do?" asked Lisa
"She wishes to go through with it." explained Samara "However she has asked me for advice."
"My mom always said that I was responsible for my own choice." said Lisa "It was her job to guide me until I was old enough to make those choices and to help her make the choices later."
"Your mother was a very wise woman." stated Samara "I noticed that you are copying my meditation stance. Do you wish to learn how to mediate?"
"My mother was a priestess she used to spend hours in medication trying to communicate with the Gods." explained Lisa " I always sat beside her trying to copy her, she said that once I got a little order she would teach me the medication method of her order. That day never came."
"I may not be your mother's orders way but if you wish I can teach you some of the ancient Asari medication." stated Samara as Lisa smiled. "Now child the key to any meditation is controlled breathing."
After finishing his super Sheppard moved toward the first officer's quarters, the doors opened to see Liara working on the Prothean computer cores. The computer cores along with the wall of computer screens filled the room to the brim; in the middle of all moving around all the wires that covered the floor was Liara.
"Are you sure you wouldn't want to move down to a larger area?" asked Sheppard
"No this is fine." stated Liara without looking at her friend, she was too focused on the glowing cylinder located inside a compartment of one the computer cores. "It kind of reminds me of those early digs I went on right after I finished school."
"Found anything yet?" asked Sheppard
"There is so much information here, it would takes decades to go though them all." stated Liara as she kept studying the glowing object. "Also not all of it is computers; this for example this is a relic from the Zha'til."
"What does it do?" asked Sheppard
"I am still trying to figure that out." explained Liara "However everything is in Prothean so I have to run my translator program."
"Any idea why it's glowing?" asked Sheppard
"It seems to be sending out a short wave energy pulse but nothing much." said Liara as suddenly one of the computers beeped; when the computer beeped she spun around hitting Sheppard with her elbow causing him to trip over one of the many power cables which ran across the floor. Instincts took over as he grabbed the nearest thing to prevent his fall, in this case it was the edge of the computer core.
"Sorry Sheppard I have been waiting for this. My translation program was finished." said an excited Liara as she turned back to her friend who was sitting on the ground with one hand on the edge of the computer core.
"It's alright Liara." laughed Sheppard as he moved to stand up "I've taken worst falls before."
"Yes, you have." said Liara with a smile before she noticed that Sheppard's eyes were rolled back and moving at a high rate of speed. Her eyes widened as she saw that when he was trying to stand up his hand and touched the glowing cylinder "Sheppard?"
Without warning Sheppard's legs gave out as he fell to the ground as Liara ran to his side. His eyes were open and moving rapidly but they were not focusing on her or anything else.
"SHEPPARD!" yelled Liara but her commander and friend didn't respond, as his eyes closed and his breathing became shallow.
"EDI I need a MEDICAL TEAM NOW!" yelled Liara knowing that EDI monitored everything on the ship.
"I already informed Dr. Chakwas." Stated EDI as the door opened as Dr. Chakwas ran toward Sheppard's side, right behind her was Ashley who looked as scared as Liara had ever seen her. As if he sensed Ashley's fear Sheppard's eyes opened.
"Commander stay down." said Dr. Chakwas as she began checking out the hero of the galaxy.
"What happened?" asked Ash
"He touched that." stated Liara as she looked at the glowing core.
"Well his vitals are alright." Said Dr. Chakwas
"I feel like I did after I had that run in with the Prothean Beacon." stated Sheppard as he grabbed his head. "I saw flashes of images."
"What did you see?" asked Liara as she looked down at her computer pad.
"I saw parts of my life." explained Sheppard
"What is that thing?" asked Ash as she grabbed John's hand.
"I just finished translating it; it is a Zha'til download transfer core." stated Liara "It is designed to copy short term memories and information and send the copy to a new body."
"So it stole his memoires?" asked Ash
"It copied the memories and it wasn't at full power so it probably just got pieces." explained Liara "It would take a lot more time and energy to transfer everything."
"Where did it send my memoires?" asked Sheppard
"I don't know." answered Liara
"You can worry about that later, let's get you to the medical bay." ordered Doctor Chakwas as she and Ash helped Sheppard to his feet and out of the room.
Just over a fifty of light years away a group of figures were gathered in a room in the center of a ship. They were gathered around another figure who was floating in a liquid. The figure in the liquid just kept talking about random things which to most would mean nothing but they were gathered in the hopes that there would be a message hidden in those words.
"I don't understand why we have to do this." stated the older man
"Because the Hybrid can hear the voice of God." explained a blonde hair woman who was wearing a red dress. "By listening to her we learn what may lie in our future."
"All she said is junk." stated the older man as suddenly the figure in the pool took a deep breath.
"He is coming." stated the Hybrid "He has come back from death itself and united the people of the galaxy. The one who is the tip of the spear that reclaimed his home world from the forces who burned millions of worlds since before the age of man. The hero to untold trillions, the one who's name will forever been known across the galaxy. He doesn't come alone. Those who took down the Rogue to delay the invasion, they are coming…Those who stopped the collectors are coming…Those who saved the galaxy itself are coming."
Every single Cylon was now watching and listening in a mixture of fear and confusion as the Hybrid took a deep breath and spoke one more time.
"The forces of the Galaxy are descending upon the Cylons and the Colonials." stated the Hybrid as she took one last breath "Sheppard is coming."
Sorry for the delay in the posting of this chapter, I have and still are fighting the flue. When you're sick you don't really want to do anything. I hope you can forgive me for the delay. Now I hoped you liked this chapter and I would like to thank all those who reviewed and I ask that you keep on reading. Thanks Wilkins75
